macbet- key quotes act 3

‘Our fears in Banquo stick deep’ Macbeth scene 1

• suspicious of Banqo

‘Royalty of nature’ Macbeth scene 1

• LM feared Macbeth nature, he fears Banquo nature

• King James believed to be descended from Banquo, Shakespeare wanted to paint him in a positive light

‘Fruitless crown’ ‘barren sceptre’ Macbeth scene 1

• links to their infertility

• No heir

• His reign has a clear ending this scares him

‘For Banquo issue I have filed my mind ‘ Macbeth scene 1

• regocnises mental decline

• Jolting imigary to audience

‘I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t’ Banquo scene 1

• he is suspicious of Macbeth

‘Masking the business from the common eye’ scene 1 Macbeth

• he wants to keep Banquo murder a secret, killed Duncan himself but won’t kill Banquo

• Contrast with him in act 1 where he was a ruthless killer on the battle filed and a public hero

• Perhaps he thinks he won’t feel so guilty if someone else does it

‘Flight’ ‘tonight’ ending couplet of scene 1 Macbeth

• rhyming couplet mirrors that in act 2 scene 1 before Macbeth kills Duncan

• Rhyming couplet implies one thing bad is coming

• Ironic as couplets often used in sonnets, this has nothing to do with love, in fact the opposite

‘Dwell in doubtful joy’ lady Macbeth scene 2

dhows beginning of her guilt

‘What’s done is done’ lady Macbeth scen 2

• no point in feeling guilty as it’s already happened

• Masking her own feelings

‘It’s safer to be that which we destroy’ lady Macbeth ‘better be with the dead’ Macbeth scene 2

• believe it would be better to be dead than live with guilt

• First time they are both in a very similar position

• She won’t admit it though

‘O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife’ Macbeth scene 2

• scorpions : dangerous, poisonous creatures

• His thoughts are poisoning him

• Scuttling around his mind, can’t escape them/intrusive thoughts

• Recognises his own mental decline

• ‘Dear wife’ - contrast to partner, lacks equality, he now believe he is in charge they have switched roles

• Almost patronising towards her

‘Be Innocent of the knowledge, dear chuck ‘ macbeth scene 2

• he is hiding is plan to kill Banquo from her

• Ideas of innocence and guilt

• Term of endearment is different again, trying to comfort her?

• Role reversal he is now planning and trying to protect her

‘Cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in’ Macbeth scene 4

• he’s loosing his rationality

• Talking to himself (aside)

• Determination of mental state, alliteration emphasizes sense of being trapped

‘No teeth for th’present’. Macbeth scene 4

• after hearing Fleance escaped

• He doesn’t pose a threat now but will in future

‘Thou canst not say I did it; never shake Thy gory locks at me!’macbethe scene 4

• after seeing Banquo ghost

• Gory - bloody locks, murdered also links to guilt

• Losing rationality + mind

• Saying Banquo can’t blame him as he didn’t do it himself?

‘Unreal mockery, hense’ Macbeth scene 4

• doesn’t believe the ghost is real

• Thinks it’s mocking him

• Wants him to leav

‘It will have blood they say - blood will have blood’ Macbeth scene 4

• blood = motif for guilt

• Vengeance but not from a person but from natural order (ideas of killing king being heracy)

• Aligns Macbeth fully with supernatural

‘I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning weee as tedious’ Macbeth scene 4

• blood = guilt

• Wading = so much guilt

• He feels trapped, can’t undo what’s been done but also feels as though it can’t go on

‘We are yet but young in deed’ Macbeth scene 4

• they are still early on in what must be done

• Implying more violence is to come