Macbeth Act III

Scene I

Suspicions Banquo suspects that Macbeth might have killed Duncan Macbeth knows that Banquo suspects him To maintain appearances, Macbeth invites Banquo to a banquet

Why Macbeth Fears Banquo Banquo is honest, loyal, courageous, and intelligent According to the witches, Banquo’s descendents will be kings Macbeth has no children He is afraid Banquo might turn against him

Hiring Assassins After deliberating the situation, Macbeth is prepared to murder again He hires assassins to murder Banquo and his son Fleance

Justification for Murder Macbeth tells the assassins that Banquo is responsible for all their problems He compares the assassins to dogs

Faulty Reasoning Macbeth believes that by murdering Banquo and Fleance he will be restored to perfect health He has been sleeping restlessly He has nightmares His attitude toward murder has changed Duncan: horrified Banquo: casual

Scene 2

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is growing unhappy Macbeth is leaving her “out of the loop” He does not tell her of his plans to murder Banquo and Fleance They are growing apart

Motif: Sleeplessness Macbeth sleeps fitfully and has terrible dreams He states it would be better to be with the dead “whom we have sent to peace,/Than on the torture of the mind to lie/in restless ecstasy.” Duncan is at “peace” in his grave

“Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair” “And make our face vizards to our hearts,/ Disguising what they are.” Lines 34-35 Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will appear to be jovial and nonchalant to mask their true feelings Macbeth has hired murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance

Imagery Image of bats and beetles Lines 40-44 Creates an atmosphere that is sinister, evil, dark, and foreboding

Changes Lady Macbeth Is now fearful Macbeth Calm Plans more murders

Scene 3

Three Murderers Three murderers Third murderer is probably someone from the palace They attack Banquo and Fleance in the woods Banquo is killed Fleance flees

Plans Go Awry Macbeth’s plan is not entirely successful Fleance has escaped Banquo’s descendents can still become kings Witches predictions First time his plans have been thwarted Turning point in the play for Macbeth

Scene 4

Macbeth’s Ambition Macbeth has become obsessively ambitious By eliminating Banquo and Fleance, he is making sure only his descendents inherit the throne However, he has no children

At the Banquet This scene marks the beginning of Macbeth’s deterioration His evil deeds and guilty conscious take tangible form Banquo’s ghost at the banquet Macbeth talks to the ghost

Lady Macbeth’s Excuses Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth’s tortured imagination is making him cry out She says the ghost is a painting She is afraid he will reveal too much Condemn himself

Banquo’s Ghost “And there and end; but now they rise again,/With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,” Lines 80-82 The dead don’t remain dead Banquo was brutally murdered Stabbed 20 times in the head

Theme: The Overthrow of Order At the opening of the banquet scene, Macbeth says “you know your degrees” Assertion of order At the end of the banquet, Lady Macbeth says, “Stand not upon the order of your going”

Symbolism The degeneration of order is symbolic Macbeth’s mental state He is slowly going crazy He commits each subsequent murder with more ease The state of Scotland Duncan’s murder will throw the country into civil war

Suspecting Macduff Macbeth states this is the second time Macduff has refused to attend a ceremony First was Macbeth’s coronation Second is the banquet He knows that Macduff suspects him of Duncan’s murder

Continuing on his Destructive Path “My strange and self-abuse/Is the initiate fear that wants hard use./We are yet but young in deed.” Lines 142-143 Macbeth considers himself an beginner at committing evil deeds He will continue on his destructive path

Scene 5

Hecate Hecate, Queen of the Witches berates the three witches for leaving her out of their previous encounters with Macbeth

Hecate’s Thoughts on Macbeth Hecate considers Macbeth “wayward” because he is not devoted to the cause of evil He commits evil out of self-interest

Tragic Flaw Macbeth’s tragic flaw Will lead him into further confusion Ruthless ambition Will lead him into further confusion His overconfidence will allow him to continue down his destructive path

Scene 6

Lennox Changes His Mind Lennox’s tone at the beginning of the scene is sarcastic and suspicious He now thinks Macbeth murdered Duncan