Darianne Bane, Celena Calabro, Jason Higgins, and Julia Havel Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2 Darianne Bane, Celena Calabro, Jason Higgins, and Julia Havel

Question 1 Lines 11- 27: What animal imagery does Macbeth use? What does he mean by “scorched the snake, not killed it”? In what ways is the image of a snake ironic coming from Macbeth? Macbeth talks about a snake and he means that he hurt the “snake” badly but has not killed it. It’s ironic that Macbeth says that about the snake because he is the snake. He tricked Duncan and the guards to fall right into his plan.

Question 2 What is the meaning of Lady Macbeth saying: “Naught’s had, all’s spent,/ where our desire is got without content”? Nothing has been gained; everything has been wasted. It would be better to be dead like Duncan than to live in uncertain joy. Macbeth does not know what the future holds for him and his wife. He does not want to live his life wondering if he will become king and if he will get caught for killing Duncan.

Question 3 3. Lines 18-28, from affliction does Macbeth suffer? He would rather have the world fall apart than to be afflicted with such fears and nightmares. Death is preferable to life on the torture rack of mental anguish. He can no longer “sleep” or say “Amen” due to his actions of killing Duncan.

Question 4 Lines 29-34: What instruction does Macbeth give Lady Macbeth with regard to speaking about Banquo? Which phrases suggests the should hide their true feelings? What does Lady Macbeth’s comment in line 34 tell the reader about the difference between Macbeth’s words and the way he might be acting? Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth to pay special attention to Banquo. “And make our faces vizards to our hearts”. Macbeth is telling Lady Macbeth to falsify their feelings. Macbeth says one thing but then acts a different way.

Question 5 5. Lines 51-52: Explain how Macbeth describes the ending of the day. Which words describe the images of predators and prey? What might “black agents” refer to? How does this imagery contribute to the overall mood of scene 2? The day was good but then it got worse. The black agents are the witches. They are getting inside Macbeth’s head again. This creates a spooky mood.

Question 6 In line 39, Lady Macbeth says, “You must leave this.” What does she mean? She does not want Macbeth to go through the plan. She does not want him to kill anyone else because people will start to suspect that they are the ones doing it because the deaths are all related.

Question 7 7. Examine Macbeth’s dialogue and explain the reason Macbeth gives for ordering Fleance killed in lines 133-136. Fleance is always with his father, Banquo, and he wants both of them dead. These two people are “threats” to the throne that Macbeth is after and he does not want anyone else to get in his way. He wants the throne all to himself his is willing to kill anyone who he thinks will get in his way.

Question 8 How is the planning of Banquo’s murder quite different from that of Duncan’s. Cite text evidence from scenes i and ii. Macbeth is more “ready” for this murder. When he was killing Duncan, he was having many thoughts about what will happen and he was listening to his conscience, but now he is not listening to his conscience, he is killing anyone who gets in his way. “We have scorched the snake, not killed it.” “Something from the palace; always thought that I require a clearness.” Macbeth means that killing Duncan opened opportunity for others to be king but Macbeth will kill anyone who he thinks will get in his way. Also, he wants the murders to occur far away from his home so he is not in any way a person they suspect to have killed them. He will be blameless.

Literary Device Example Personification In lines 15-16 Macbeth states “we have slashed the snake but not killed it, it will heal and be as good as new.” This is an example of personification because he says the snake will heal and be as good as new. This is a human quote and snakes can't necessarily heal themselves after being “slashed”. Conflict Conflict in this scene is internal between Macbeth and himself. Throughout most of the scene Macbeth is upset at himself for what he has done. In lines 39-40 Macbeth says “I feel like my mind is full of scorpions.” What he means by this is that his mind and conscience is in pain and stings because of what he has done.