Macbeth Reading 5 Date: Objectives Read Macbeth Act 3 scene 1, 2 and 3 Understand what’s going on in the story. Mark important quotes and complete exercises. Warm-up – write and share a response Have you ever felt guilty about something? What do you imagine it feels like and how do you stop it.

Today’s Reading Act 3 Scene 1, (8 minutes) Macbeth has a party to celebrate becoming King. He and Banquo speak and the end result is Macbeth hiring assassins to kill him later. Macbeth is not half as nervous or reluctant to organise this killing as he was Duncan's murder. Act 3 Scene 2, (4 minutes) Macbeth and lady Macbeth drift apart and start losing their minds. Guilt takes any pleasure away from their ill-gotten reward and they now envy the dead. Act 3, Scene 3 (2 minutes) Assassins jump Banquo and Fleance on their way home. Audiobooks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6nnFtuuEBw ends at 14 min

Notes – Act 3 Scene 1 Two of the witches prophecies have come true now and Banquo is concerned about this. He is suspicious of Macbeth as all the lords gather to have a feast in his honour. As they talk, Macbeth is particularly interested in Banquo’s immediate plans and route home. Macbeth plans to kill Banquo, trying to convince two men to do the act. He is scared of Banquo’s honesty, integrity and heroic qualities as well as the witches prophecy that his children will be kings. He has sacrificed too much, including his soul, and refuses to give up the throne to anyone. Macbeth uses several tactics to convince the murderers: saying Banquo is responsible for their hardships, they are not real men if they decline and they will be rewarded with Macbeth’s respect and gratitude. Macbeth organises the murderers and tells them to assassinate Banquo’s son too.

Notes – Act 3 Scene 2 Lady Macbeth is not happy. Having achieved her ambition of becoming queen through violent means, she now lives in constant fear that they will be discovered. She does not feel safe and envies Duncan because he is dead. Macbeth enters and he is equally troubled. He is spending a lot of time alone, not talking or sharing with his wife. Macbeth is paranoid that his enemies are coming and that he must strike first to survive. Lady Macbeth wants to forget everything while her husband wants to destroy everything in order to feel safe. Both would rather be dead than keep feeling this way. Lady Macbeth can no longer control Macbeth as she tries to get him to calm down. Macbeth wants her support in his plan to kill Banquo and his son but she is reluctant. He must now continue his evil acts alone as he asks dark forces and the night to help him. He embraces the darkness.

Notes – Act 3 Scene 3 Three murderers lie in wait for Banquo and Fleance. They are far enough away from Macbeth’s castle that there won’t be any suspicion towards Macbeth. When Banquo and Fleance arrive, the murderers jump them. They kill Banquo but in the fight, the torch is extinguished and so his son is able to escape. Banquo asks to be avenged as the murderers leave to report to Macbeth. The appearance of a third murderer in this scene shows that Macbeth distrusts his own henchmen. The third murderer may even be Macbeth in disguise. Fleance’s escape means that Macbeth still cannot feel safe and relax.

Time for Reflection - pair work Write down the two quotes below and what you think about them. “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren sceptre in my gripe” (Act 3, scene 1) “Nought’s had, all’s spent Where our desire is got without content’ ” (Act 3, scene 2) Write and perform a scenario / story about the following, based on what happened in the play but about yourself. You and your friend have two different ideas about how to feel safe again. You want to do more bad things to those who suspect you while he wants to pretend it never happened. You cannot agree.

Cooldown What do you think might happen next? Banquo is dead, Fleance escaped and Macbeth’s marriage is on the rocks? What do you think might happen next?