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About the SelectionAct III marks a turning point in theaction. Up until now, things havegone very much the way Macbethhad planned. However, his sense ofinsecurity leads him to fear Banquoand his offspring. When his plan tomurder Banquo and his son is onlypartially successful, a series of eventsis set in motion, leading to Macbeth’sdownfall.

Critical ViewingPossible response: Macbeth hasbegun his reign in blood and vio-lence; he cannot expect to rule inpeace.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• Direct students’ attention to

lines 1–10. Ask them to considerBanquo’s speech and to discusswhat threat Banquo poses toMacbeth. Why might Banquo havekept the information about thewitches to himself?Possible responses: Banquoposes a threat because if he tellswhat he knows, he might cast sus-picion on Macbeth. He may havekept the information to himself touse to his advantage, or he mayhave been afraid that telling othersmight implicate him in the murder.After all, he was promised that hisdescendants would be kings.

• In the lines that follow, Macbeth is cordial and invites Banquo to afeast. Banquo, in turn, pledges loy-alty. Ask students if they thinkeither is sincere.

• In lines 18 and following, Macbethquestions Banquo about his after-noon ride, when and where he isgoing. Ask students why theythink Macbeth might want to knowthis.Answer: Macbeth is worried aboutBanquo and wants to keep an eyeon him. Some students may evensuspect additional foul play.

Reading CheckAnswer: Banquo suspects thatMacbeth was involved in foul play to bring about what the witchesprophesied.

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Macbeth, Act III, Scene i ■ 343

Review and Anticipate In Act II, Lady Macbeth drugs Duncan’s guards, enabling Macbeth to kill the king. Macbeth then kills the guards, too, so that he can more easily blame them for the king’s murder. Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, afraid that they will be assas-sinated by a kinsman eager to claim the throne. Because they run away, some suspect them of killing their father. As the act closes, it seems that Macbeth will be named king.

Act III begins with Macbeth on the throne—as the witches had predicted. All seems to be going well for him, but he feels threatened by Banquo.

Scene i. Forres. The palace.

[Enter BANQUO.]

BANQUO. Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,As the weird women promised, and I fearThou play’dst most foully for ’t. Yet it was saidIt should not stand1 in thy posterity,

5 But that myself should be the root and fatherOf many kings. If there come truth from them—As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine—Why, by the verities on thee made good,May they not be my oracles as well

10 And set me up in hope? But hush, no more!

[Sennet2 sounded. Enter MACBETH as King, LADY MACBETH, LENNOX, ROSS, LORDS, and ATTENDANTS.]

MACBETH. Here’s our chief guest.

LADY MACBETH. If he had been forgotten,It had been as a gap in our great feast,And all-thing3 unbecoming.

MACBETH. Tonight we hold a solemn4 supper, sir,And I’ll request your presence.

15 BANQUO. Let your HighnessCommand upon me, to the which my dutiesAre with a most indissoluble tieFor ever knit.

MACBETH. Ride you this afternoon?

BANQUO. Ay, my good lord.

20 MACBETH. We should have else desired your good advice(Which still hath been both grave and prosperous5)

Critical Viewing After wielding a dagger like this against Duncan, can Macbeth expect to rule in peace? Explain. [Predict]

1. stand continue.

2. Sennet trumpet call.

3. all-thing altogether.

4. solemn ceremonious.

5. grave and prosperous weighty and profitable.

Vocabulary Builderindissoluble (in« di säl« yØ bßl) adj. not able to be dissolved or undone

What does Banquo suspect about Macbeth?

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In this day’s council; but we’ll take tomorrow.Is’t far you ride?

BANQUO. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time25 ’Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse the better,6

I must become a borrower of the nightFor a dark hour or twain.

MACBETH. Fail not our feast.

BANQUO. My lord, I will not.

MACBETH. We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed30 In England and in Ireland, not confessing

Their cruel parricide, filling their hearersWith strange invention.7 But of that tomorrow,When therewithal we shall have cause of stateCraving us jointly.8 Hie you to horse. Adieu,

35 Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?

BANQUO. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon ’s.

MACBETH. I wish your horses swift and sure of foot,And so I do commend you to their backs.Farewell. [Exit BANQUO.]

40 Let every man be master of his timeTill seven at night. To make societyThe sweeter welcome, we will keep ourselfTill suppertime alone. While9 then, God be with you!

[Exit LORDS and all but MACBETH and a SERVANT.]

Sirrah,10 a word with you: attend those men45 Our pleasure?

ATTENDANT. They are, my lord, without the palace gate.

MACBETH. Bring them before us. [Exit SERVANT.]To be thus11 is nothing, but12 to be safely thus—Our fears in Banquo stick deep,

50 And in his royalty of nature reigns thatWhich would be feared. ’Tis much he dares;And, to13 that dauntless temper of his mind,He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valorTo act in safety. There is none but he

55 Whose being I do fear: and under himMy genius is rebuked,14 as it is saidMark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid15 the sisters,When first they put the name of King upon me,And bade them speak to him; then prophetlike

60 They hailed him father to a line of kings.Upon my head they placed a fruitless crownAnd put a barren scepter in my gripe,16

6. Go not . . . better unless my horse goes faster than I expect.

7. invention lies.

8. cause . . . jointly matters of state demanding our joint attention.

9. While until.

10. Sirrah common address to an inferior.

11. thus king.

12. but unless.

Vocabulary Builderdauntless (dônt« lis) adj. fearless; cannot be intimidated

13. to added to.

14. genius is rebuked guardian spirit is cowed.

15. chid scolded.

16. gripe grip.

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Critical ThinkingInterpret• Have students look at lines 29–32.

• Remind students that the termcousin in the Elizabethan periodmeant kinsman, not necessarily anactual cousin.

• Then, ask them who are the“bloody cousins” referred to byMacbeth. What do we learn aboutthese “cousins”? Answer: Duncan’s sons are the“bloody cousins,” because they arerumored to have plotted theirfather’s murder. We learn that theyhave reached England and Irelandand are telling “lies”—which, com-ing from the actual murderer,Macbeth, means they are probablytelling the truth.

Critical ThinkingAnalyze• Review what the witches promised

Macbeth and Banquo when theyvisited them in Act I.

Answer: They promised thatMacbeth would be king, and that Banquo’s heirs will be kings.

• Have students divide the soliloquyinto two parts and describe thetopics of each of the two parts.

Answer: The first part of the solilo-quy runs from lines 49 to 57. Itreveals that Macbeth fears Banquo.The second part runs from the middle of line 57 through line 72.In this part, Macbeth reveals hisresentment of the prophecy thatBanquo’s descendants, not hisown, will sit on the throne in thefuture.

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PlutarchThough he was also a mathematician, philoso-pher, world traveler, politician, educator, andpriest of the Delphic oracle, the reputation ofthe Greek essayist and biographer, Plutarch(A.D. 46–c. 119) rested on his writing. Of all hisworks, the most important is Parallel Lives. Thiscollection contains biographies of every impor-tant soldier, leader, and orator of ancient Romeand Greece.

Plutarch’s Lives was translated into English inthe 16th century. It became the story source forShakespeare’s Roman history plays but also

influenced the development of his concept ofthe tragic hero.

While the mention of Mark Antony andCaesar in Scene i, line 57, clearly connects withPlutarch’s reports of their lives, there are otherelements that Plutarch contributed to Macbeth.In his Life of Caesar, he reports of strange phe-nomena at Caesar’s death (such as “noisesheard in the night”), prophecies and omens,and Caesar’s ghost appearing to his murderers(which also occurs in Shakespeare’s JuliusCaesar).

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Critical ThinkingInfer• Direct students’ attention to

Macbeth’s speech in lines 75–84.

• Ask students what they can inferabout what Macbeth has told thesemen.Answer: He appears to have toldthem that whatever miseries theyhave suffered can be blamed onBanquo.

• Ask students why he might havetold them this.Answer: He wanted to give thema reason to murder Banquo, tomotivate them in a way that wouldmake them feel that they would besolving a problem of their own.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• Ask students to think about the

comment made by the first mur-derer in line 91.

• Have students reread LadyMacbeth’s views on manhood in Act I, Scene vii, lines 49–54 (p. 316).

• Then, ask students the ReadingStrategy question: What does thefirst murderer mean in line 91when he answers Macbeth, “Weare men”? Answer: The murderer means thatthey, as men, would not let such anoutrage go unpunished, whichechoes Lady Macbeth’s earlierviews that it is manly to kill some-one who stands in your way.

Reading CheckAnswer: Macbeth fears Banquobecause Banquo knows about theprophecies and might be suspicious.Also, if Banquo’s descendants will bekings, Macbeth will have no heir onthe throne. Both things are a threatto Macbeth.

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Macbeth, Act III, Scene i ■ 345

Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand,No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so,

65 For Banquo’s issue have I filed17 my mind;For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered;Put rancors in the vessel of my peaceOnly for them, and mine eternal jewel18

Given to the common enemy of man,19

70 To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings!Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,And champion me to th’ utterance!20 Who’s there?

[Enter SERVANT and TWO MURDERERS.]

Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.

[Exit SERVANT.]

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

MURDERERS. It was, so please your Highness.

75 MACBETH. Well then, nowHave you considered of my speeches? KnowThat it was he in the times past, which held youSo under fortune,21 which you thought had beenOur innocent self: this I made good to you

80 In our last conference; passed in probation22 with you,How you were born in hand,23 how crossed, the instruments,Who wrought with them, and all things else that mightTo half a soul24 and to a notion25 crazedSay “Thus did Banquo.”

FIRST MURDERER. You made it known to us.

85 MACBETH. I did so; and went further, which is nowOur point of second meeting. Do you findYour patience so predominant in your nature,That you can let this go? Are you so gospeled,26

To pray for this good man and for his issue,90 Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave

And beggared yours for ever?

FIRST MURDERER. We are men, my liege.

MACBETH. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for27 men;As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,Shoughs, water-rugs28 and demi-wolves, are clept29

95 All by the name of dogs: the valued file30

Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,The housekeeper, the hunter, every oneAccording to the gift which bounteous natureHath in him closed,31 whereby he does receive

100 Particular addition,32 from the bill

17. filed defiled.

18. eternal jewel soul.

19. common . . . man the Devil.

20. champion me to th’ utterance Fight against me to the death.

21. held . . . fortune kept you from good fortune.

22. passed in probation reviewed the proofs.

23. born in hand deceived.

24. half a soul halfwit.

25. notion mind.

26. gospeled ready to forgive.

27. go for pass as.

28. Shoughs (shuks), water-rugs shaggy dogs, long-haired dogs.

29. clept called.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines What does the first murderer mean in line 91 when he answers Macbeth, “We are men”?

30. valued file classification by valuable traits.

31. closed enclosed.

32. addition distinction (to set it apart from other dogs).

Why does Macbeth fear Banquo?

Support for Less Proficient ReadersHelp students “read betweenthe lines.” Read Banquo’sspeech as a group. You mightadd items to Step 2: meetingthe witches, the predictions,Duncan’s murder, Macbeth’sbeing made king. When youfinish, analyze one ofMacbeth’s speeches on thefacing page.

Vocabulary for English LearnersMake certain students under-stand the definitions given inthe side notes. For example,on the facing page, the defini-tion of dauntless includes thewords fearless and intimidated,both of which might be newto English learners. Pronouncethe words, and make certainstudents understand them inthe story’s context.

Strategy for Advanced ReadersAllow students to read Act IIIindependently. Have themnote lines or speeches that areclues about what is going tohappen. Then, have them notewhere in the play their suspi-cions are confirmed. Suggestthat they also note events thatremind them of clues they didn’t previously write down,even from other acts.

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That writes them all alike: and so of men.Now if you have a station in the file,33

Not i’ th’ worst rank of manhood, say ’t,And I will put that business in your bosoms

105 Whose execution takes your enemy off,Grapples you to the heart and love of us,Who wear our health but sickly in his life,34

Which in his death were perfect.

SECOND MURDERER. I am one, my liege,Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world

110 Hath so incensed that I am reckless whatI do to spite the world.

FIRST MURDERER. And I anotherSo weary with disasters, tugged with fortune,That I would set35 my life on any chance,To mend it or be rid on ’t.

MACBETH. Both of youKnow Banquo was your enemy.

115 BOTH MURDERERS. True, my lord.

MACBETH. So is he mine, and in such bloody distance36

That every minute of his being thrustsAgainst my near’st of life:37 and though I couldWith barefaced power sweep him from my sight

120 And bid my will avouch38 it, yet I must not,For certain friends that are both his and mine,Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall39

Who I myself struck down: and thence it isThat I to your assistance do make love,

125 Masking the business from the common eyeFor sundry weighty reasons.

SECOND MURDERER. We shall, my lord,Perform what you command us.

FIRST MURDERER. Though our lives—

MACBETH. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at mostI will advise you where to plant yourselves,

130 Acquaint you with the perfect spy o’ th’ time,The moment on ’t;40 for ’t must be done tonight,And something41 from the palace; always thought42

That I require a clearness:43 and with him—To leave no rubs44 nor botches in the work—

135 Fleance his son, that keeps him company,Whose absence is no less material to meThan is his father’s, must embrace the fate

33. file ranks.

34. wear . . . life are sick as long as he lives.

35. set risk.

36. distance disagreement.

37. near’st of life most vital parts.

38. avouch justify.

39. wail his fall (I must) bewail his death.

Literary AnalysisConflict What conflict does Macbeth express in lines 116–126?

40. the perfect . . . on’t exact information of the exact time.

41. something some distance.

42. thought remembered.

43. clearness freedom from suspicion.

44. rubs flaws.

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Literary AnalysisConflict

Reteach: Review with studentstheir understanding of internal andexternal conflicts. Reread the defi-nition of conflict on p. 342. Explainto students that a conflict can haveboth internal and external dimen-sions at the same time.

Monitor Progress: Ask studentsthe Literary Analysis question: Whatconflict does Macbeth express inlines 116–126? Answer: The external conflicts arebetween Macbeth and Banquo andbetween Macbeth and public opin-ion. An internal conflict, thoughnot directly stated, may be identi-fied as existing between Macbethand his fear.

• Ask students if they believe thereasons Macbeth gives for notkilling Banquo himself. What rea-sons might he really have for notwanting to kill Banquo himself?Possible responses: Macbeth’sreasons are partially true, becausehe would lose friends and allies.However, his having the power isdoubtful, because none of thethings Macbeth has said aboutBanquo are true. His real reason isthat he wants to look innocent ofthe murder. He also may be con-cerned about getting injured if heattacks Banquo alone.

Critical ThinkingAnalyze• Direct students’ attention to

lines 134–139.

• Point out that in this passage,Macbeth refers to Banquo’s son,Fleance, almost as if he were anafterthought. Ask students howimportant Fleance’s death is toMacbeth and why.Answer: Fleance’s death is veryimportant. The witches said thatBanquo would father kings. WhileBanquo’s death is necessary tomake Macbeth feel safe, Fleance’sdeath is necessary if Macbethwants to have his own sons inheritthe throne.

• Ask students in which speechMacbeth expressed his reasons forwishing to end Banquo’s line.Answer: lines 57–72 of this scene.

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Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• Ask students the Reading Strategy

question: In Scene ii, lines 4–7,what has Lady Macbeth realizedabout her actions?Answer: Lady Macbeth is realizingthat they have paid a very highprice for desires that have left themdiscontented and worried.

• Point out that her feelings reflectsomething of the uncertainty thatMacbeth is feeling, but with a dif-ference. She is beginning to sounddoubtful about their actions.

• Discuss with students why theythink her four lines might berhymed, when rhyme is normallysaved for the end of a scene. Possible response: It mightreflect a turning point for LadyMacbeth.

• Explain that, in showing uncertainty,she has now changed places withMacbeth. He was doubtful beforeDuncan’s murder, now she is. Wealready know more than LadyMacbeth does—that Macbeth hasordered the murder of Banquo andFleance. We see in the speeches thatmake up the rest of the scene thatMacbeth is now the one in chargeand determined to work evilly.

Critical ThinkingAnalyze• Direct students’ attention to

lines 13–26.

• Point out that Shakespeare oftenmakes use of the comparisonbetween sleep and death. It wasa relatively common comparisonof biblical origin. However,Shakespeare uses it masterfullyas a thread in the play. Remindstudents of the speech in Act II,Scene ii, when Macbeth says“Sleep no more! Macbeth hasmurdered sleep.”

• Ask students who Macbeth feels issleeping better than he is in thispassage.Answer: He says that murderedDuncan sleeps better than he does.

Reading CheckAnswer: Macbeth asks the murderersto kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.

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Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart:45

I’ll come to you anon.

MURDERERS. We are resolved, my lord.

140 MACBETH. I’ll call upon you straight.46 Abide within.It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight,If it find heaven, must find it out tonight. [Exit.]

Scene ii. The palace.

[Enter MACBETH’S LADY and a SERVANT.]

LADY MACBETH. Is Banquo gone from court?

SERVANT. Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.

LADY MACBETH. Say to the King, I would attend his leisureFor a few words.

SERVANT. Madam, I will. [Exit.]

LADY MACBETH. Nought’s had, all’s spent,5 Where our desire is got without content:

’Tis safer to be that which we destroyThan by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.

[Enter MACBETH.]

How now, my lord! Why do you keep alone,Of sorriest fancies your companions making,

10 Using those thoughts which should indeed have diedWith them they think on? Things without all remedyShould be without regard: what’s done is done.

MACBETH. We have scotched1 the snake, not killed it:She’ll close2 and be herself, whilst our poor malice

15 Remains in danger of her former tooth.3

But let the frame of things disjoint,4 both the worlds5 suffer,Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleepIn the affliction of these terrible dreamsThat shake us nightly: better be with the dead,

20 Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,Than on the torture of the mind to lieIn restless ecstasy.6 Duncan is in his grave;After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,

25 Malice domestic, foreign levy,7 nothing,Can touch him further.

LADY MACBETH. Come on.Gentle my lord, sleek o’er your rugged looks;Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

MACBETH. So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you:

45. Resolve yourselves apart Make your own decision.

46. straight immediately.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines In Scene ii, lines 4–7, what has Lady Macbeth realized about her actions?

1. scotched wounded.

2. close heal.

3. in . . . tooth in as much danger as before.

4. frame of things disjoint universe collapse.

5. both the worlds heaven and earth.

6. ecstasy frenzy.

7. Malice . . . levy civil and foreign war.

What does Macbeth ask the murderers to do?

Strategy for Special Needs StudentsTo help students visualize the building conflictin the play, list the main characters on theboard. Then discuss the conflicts. You may wishto create an additional conflict chart on theboard, adding to it as Macbeth runs afoul ofadditional characters. Discuss the nature of eachconflict. Point out how Macbeth’s solutionsalways create both more internal conflict forhimself and additional external conflicts.

Strategy for Gifted/Talented StudentsAsk students to create a “one-man show,” inwhich the story thus far is told from Macbeth’sviewpoint. Have them note his thoughts aboutthe witches, about his wife’s speeches, aboutthe murder, about Banquo. They may liftspeeches from the play, but encourage them toadd their own material. Tell students that theyneed to have only a page or two. Ask them todo a dramatic reading of their creations.

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Critical Viewing This artist depicted actress Sarah Siddons (1755–1831) playing Lady Macbeth. How does Mrs. Siddons’s body language suggest the same inner conflict as do lines 4–7 in Act III, ii? [Connect]

30 Let your remembrance apply to Banquo;Present him eminence,8 both with eye and tongue:Unsafe the while, that we must lave9

Our honors in these flattering streamsAnd make our faces vizards10 to our hearts,Disguising what they are.

35 LADY MACBETH. You must leave this.

MACBETH. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.

LADY MACBETH. But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne.11

MACBETH. There’s comfort yet; they are assailable.40 Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown

His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate’s summonsThe shard-borne12 beetle with his drowsy hums

Mrs

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Literary AnalysisConflict and Irony What is ironic about Macbeth’s idea about disguising the couple’s real conflict with Banquo (Scene ii, lines 30–35)?

8. Present him eminence Honor him.

9. Unsafe . . . lave We are unsafe as long as we have to wash.

10. vizards (viz« ßrdz) masks

11. nature’s . . . eterne Nature’s lease is not eternal.

Vocabulary Builderjocund ( jäk« ßnd) adj. cheerful; jovial

12. shard-borne borne on scaly wings.

348

HumanitiesMrs. Siddons as Lady Macbethby G. H. Harlow

The actress depicted in this paintingis Sarah Siddons (1755–1831), oneof the greatest English actresses ofher time. She came from a family oftraveling actors and began acting asa child. She played the part of LadyMacbeth early in her career and per-formed the role at London’s DruryLane theater for the first time in 1785,terrifying audiences with her vividportrayal of the famous character.

Use these questions for discussion:

1. How does Harlow portray SarahSiddons as Lady Macbeth?Answer: Harlow portrays LadyMacbeth in a timid posture. She issurrounded by darkness. She looksmore fearful and demure than sin-ister. Her white robe gives her anangelic, or perhaps ghostly,appearance.

2. Ask students how this portrait of Lady Macbeth compares withthe ones on pp. 319 and 336. Possible responses: Most stu-dents will say that this portraitportrays Lady Macbeth as quieter,meeker, and more dainty than theother portraits, in which she’sdepicted as larger than life,vibrant, and wild.

Critical ViewingAnswer: The clasped hands and sadexpression suggest the insecurity andunhappiness in lines 4–7 of Scene ii.

Literary AnalysisConflict and Irony• Remind students that dramatic

irony occurs when the words oractions of a character take on ameaning different from the one thecharacter intends.

• Have students discuss and answerthe Literary Analysis question: Whatis ironic about Macbeth’s ideaabout disguising the couple’s realconflict with Banquo? Answer: It is ironic that Macbethis telling Lady Macbeth that theyneed to disguise their feelings,because he is in the process of hav-ing Banquo murdered.

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Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• Have students read lines 39–56.

Monitor Progress: Then, askstudents the Reading Strategyquestion: To what specific actiondo you think Macbeth is indirectlyreferring in lines 45–56? Answer: Macbeth is referringto his plot to have Banquo andFleance killed.

• Ask students why they thinkMacbeth might have chosen tokeep his plans for Banquo’s murderfrom Lady Macbeth.Possible responses: He may feelthat she would give him away atthe banquet that night. He mightnot trust anyone at this point.Perhaps he wants to impress her bycarrying out this act without urgingfrom her. Maybe he fears that she islosing her “nerve.”

Critical ThinkingSpeculate• Direct students’ attention to the

entrance of the three murderersat the beginning of scene iii.

• Ask students if they were surprisedby the appearance of a third mur-derer. Possible responses: Studentsmay say that they are surprised,but some may say that they feel itis in keeping with Macbeth’sactions so far.

• Then, ask students why they thinkMacbeth sent a third murderer.Possible responses: He may nothave trusted the first two. He mighthave thought the others weren’tstrong enough to take on Banquo,who is a great soldier.

• Tell students that the identity of thethird murderer has been the sub-ject of debate among scholars forcenturies. Some suggest that itmight be a messenger from thewitches, someone sent by Macbeth,or even Macbeth himself in dis-guise. Whoever Shakespeare hadin mind, the third murderer worksprimarily as a plot device to showMacbeth’s growing fear andmistrust.

Reading CheckAnswer: Macbeth tells LadyMacbeth that something will happento Fleance and Banquo, but hedoesn’t reveal that he has plottedwith murderers to have them killed.

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Hath rung night’s yawning peal, there shall be doneA deed of dreadful note.

LADY MACBETH. What ’s to be done?

45 MACBETH. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,13

Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling14 night,Scarf up15 the tender eye of pitiful day,And with thy bloody and invisible handCancel and tear to pieces that great bond16

50 Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crowMakes wing to th’ rooky17 wood.Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,Whiles night’s black agents to their preys do rouse.Thou marvel’st at my words: but hold thee still;

55 Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill:So, prithee, go with me. [Exit.]

Scene iii. Near the palace.

[Enter THREE MURDERERS.]

FIRST MURDERER. But who did bid thee join with us?

THIRD MURDERER. Macbeth.

SECOND MURDERER. He needs not our mistrust; since he deliversOur offices1 and what we have to doTo the direction just.2

FIRST MURDERER. Then stand with us.5 The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.

Now spurs the lated traveler apaceTo gain the timely inn, and near approachesThe subject of our watch.

THIRD MURDERER. Hark! I hear horses.

BANQUO. [Within] Give us a light there, ho!

SECOND MURDERER. Then ’tis he. The rest10 That are within the note of expectation3

Already are i’ th’ court.

FIRST MURDERER. His horses go about.4

THIRD MURDERER. Almost a mile: but he does usually—So all men do—from hence to th’ palace gateMake it their walk.

[Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, with a torch]

SECOND MURDERER. A light, a light!

THIRD MURDERER. ’Tis he.

13. chuck term of endearment.

14. seeling eye-closing. Falconers sometimes sewed a hawk’s eyes closed in order to train it.

15. Scarf up blindfold.

16. great bond between Banquo and fate.

17. rooky full of rooks, or crows.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines To what specific action do you think Macbeth is indirectly referring in lines 45–56?

1. offices duties.

2. direction just exact detail.

3. within . . . expectation on the list of expected guests.

4. His . . . about His horses have been taken to the stable.

What does Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth and what does he hold back from her?

Support for Special Needs StudentsTo help students stay involvedin the story, review the eventsthus far, briefly for Acts I and II(witches, murder) and withmore detail for Act III. To helpstudents hear sentence breaksand the meaning contributedby oral interpretation, havethem read along withListening to Literature AudioCDs.

Support for Less Proficient ReadersTo help students gain moreexperience in using the skillsneeded for understanding thetext, have them complete theReading Between the Lines orConflict exercises in Unit 2Resources for Act III ofMacbeth. You may wish tohave students work with part-ners or individually withteacher guidance.

Support for English LearnersReview the story to this point,to make certain studentsunderstand what they arereading. Take time to reviewwords or sentence structurethat is confusing. Use theListening to Literature AudioCDs, so students can hearwords pronounced. Havethem read along, to connectsounds with printed words.

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15 FIRST MURDERER. Stand to ’t

BANQUO. It will be rain tonight.

FIRST MURDERER. Let it come down.

[They set upon BANQUO.]

BANQUO. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

[Exit FLEANCE.]

Thou mayst revenge. O slave! [Dies.]

THIRD MURDERER. Who did strike out the light?

FIRST MURDERER. Was’t not the way?5

20 THIRD MURDERER. There’s but one down; the son is fled.

SECOND MURDERER. We have lost best half of our affair.

FIRST MURDERER. Well, let ’s away and say how much is done.

[Exit.]

Scene iv. The palace.

[Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, LORDS, and ATTENDANTS.]

MACBETH. You know your own degrees;1 sit down:At first and last, the hearty welcome.

LORDS. Thanks to your Majesty.

MACBETH. Ourself will mingle with society2

5 And play the humble host.Our hostess keeps her state,3 but in best timeWe will require4 her welcome.

LADY MACBETH. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,For my heart speaks they are welcome.

[Enter FIRST MURDERER.]

10 MACBETH. See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks.Both sides are even: here I’ll sit i’ th’ midst:Be large in mirth; anon we’ll drink a measure5

The table round. [Goes to MURDERER] There’s blood upon thy face.

MURDERER. ’Tis Banquo’s then.

15 MACBETH. ’Tis better thee without than he within.6

Is he dispatched?

MURDERER. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

MACBETH. Thou art the best o’ th’ cutthroats.Yet he’s good that did the like for Fleance;

20 If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil.7

5. way thing to do.

1. degrees ranks. At state banquets guests were seated according to rank.

2. society company.

3. keeps her state remains seated on her throne.

4. require request.

5. measure toast.

6. thee . . . within you outside than he inside.

7. nonpareil without equal.

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Literary AnalysisConflict• Have students provide a review of

the events of scene iii.Answer: A mystery murderer has joined the two hired to killBanquo. Banquo and his sonapproach on horseback but dis-mount and walk the rest of the wayto the castle. The three murderersset on them. Fleance escapes andBanquo is killed.

• Remind students that Banquo is agreat warrior, and it is likely that hisson, who is probably a teenager, isalso skilled in battle. So, it is likelythat Fleance could escape the fight.

• Ask students why Fleance’s escapecreates an external conflict forMacbeth.Answer: Macbeth had hoped tocheat fate. He had hoped that,though the witches’ predictionscame true about him, he couldkeep them from coming true aboutBanquo and the promised line ofkings to come from Banquo.

• Tell students that many scholarsconsider the climax of the play tooccur with the stage directions“Exit Fleance.” Ask students whyFleance’s escape is important to thedrama.Answer: The escape is importantbecause it means that Macbeth stillhas an enemy to reckon with andthe witches’ prophecy aboutBanquo’s heirs can still come true.It is the first time that one ofMacbeth’s plans has gone wrong. Italso means someone has lived totell of an attempted murder, whichmight lead people to doubt theoriginal story about Duncan’smurder—especially becauseBanquo had probably told Fleanceabout the prophecies and his con-cerns.

• Tell students that, though somescholars feel that Fleance’s exit isthe climax, others believe the cli-max is in line 21, when Macbethlearns that Fleance has escaped.You may wish to have students dis-cuss in class which event they feelis more climactic.

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GhostsWhen Shakespeare included ghosts in his plays,he knew that many people believed in restlessspirits who returned to Earth. Some people inWestern culture believe that the ghosts of mur-dererd people appear to seek retribution (anidea at least 1,600 years old at the timeShakespeare picked it up).

Though the idea of ghosts or restless spirits isfairly universal, different groups have differentviews. Some groups of Native Americans andPacific Islanders believe that ghosts return toEarth for both good and evil purposes. Some

members of these cultures perform ceremoniesto call forth the ghosts and ask for their help inearthly matters.

In Australia, traditional Aboriginal groupswould leave a campsite when someone died, toavoid the person’s spirits. In Asia, some peoplehonor the spirits of dead ancestors, which arebelieved to bring good fortune to families whoshow proper respect.

In Western cultures, some people are afraidof ghosts, while others are fascinated.

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Literary AnalysisDramatic Irony• Explain that this scene contains

asides within asides. Macbeth isobviously off to the side talking to the blood-soaked murderers,because no one else sees them(their appearance would certainlyhave raised questions). Within thisside conversation, Macbeth hasasides directed to the audience.

• Tell students that the word worm inline 30 had a different meaning inShakespeare’s day. Then, it wasoften used as another word forsnake. Ask students if lines 30–33remind them of anything elseMacbeth has said recently aboutsnakes.Answer: In Scene ii, lines 13–15,Macbeth speaks of danger in gen-eral as being a snake and says thatkilling Duncan has wounded thesnake but not killed it. KillingBanquo and Fleance was a way to remove that danger.

• Ask students to identify the drama-tic irony in Macbeth’s speech as he converses with his guests. Answer: In lines 41–42, Macbethsays that everything would beperfect if Banquo were there. Inreality, he has done everything pos-sible to ensure that Banquo will notbe there—he has had Banquo mur-dered.

Literature in ContextCultural Connection Macbeth isnot the only play that needed a trap-door for a ghost. Another famousapparition was “Great Caesar’sghost” in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.In fact, astonishing entrances wereincluded in most writers’ works—special effects have always beenpopular.

Connect to the Literature Askstudents what other supernaturalcharacters appear in Macbeth. Then,ask the Connect to the Literaturequestion.Answer: The three witches mighthave used a trapdoor.

Reading CheckAnswer: The murderers fail to killFleance.

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MURDERER. Most royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped.

MACBETH. [Aside] Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect,Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,As broad and general as the casing8 air:

25 But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound inTo saucy9 doubts and fears.—But Banquo’s safe?

MURDERER. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,With twenty trenchèd10 gashes on his head,The least a death to nature.11

MACBETH. Thanks for that.30 [Aside] There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled

Hath nature that in time will venom breed,No teeth for th’ present. Get thee gone. TomorrowWe’ll hear ourselves12 again. [Exit MURDERER.]

LADY MACBETH. My royal lord,You do not give the cheer.13 The feast is sold

35 That is not often vouched, while ’tis a-making,’Tis given with welcome.14 To feed were best at home;From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony;15

Meeting were bare without it.

[Enter the GHOST of BANQUO and sits in MACBETH’S place.]

MACBETH. Sweet remembrancer!Now good digestion wait on appetite,And health on both!

40 LENNOX. May’t please your Highness sit.

MACBETH. Here had we now our country’s honor roofed,16

Were the graced person of our Banquo present—

Cultural ConnectionStagecraft at the Globe

It took some sophisticated Elizabethan theatrics to manage entrances and exits such as those of Banquo’s ghost. (Macbeth reacts to the ghost in this picture.) In the farthest reaches of the Globe theater’s stage was a small area called the rear stage, which was open to the audience but enclosed by a wall at the back and cloth hangings on the sides. A trapdoor in the floor of the rear stage was the means by which Banquo’s ghost made an entrance. The trapdoor operated silently, and it was not completely visible to the audience.

What other characters in Macbeth might have used a trapdoor for exits or entrances?

8. as . . . casing as unre-strained as the surrounding.

9. saucy insolent.

10. trenchèd trenchlike.

11. nature natural life.

12. hear ourselves talk it over.

13. give the cheer make the guests feel welcome.

14. The feast . . . welcome The feast at which the host fails to make the guests feel welcome while the food is being prepared is no more than a bought dinner.

15. From . . . ceremony Ceremony adds a pleasant flavor to the food.

16. our . . . roofed the most honorable men in the country under one roof.

What do the murderers fail to do?

Enrichment for Gifted/Talented StudentsExplain that Shakespeare’s plays have providedinspiration to many artists over the centuries.Some of the best-known works inspired byMacbeth are included in the Student Edition.Have students review these paintings. Studentsmay also wish to find other images by lookingat other versions of this play. Then, encouragestudents to choose a setting, character, or eventfrom Macbeth and capture it artistically.

Enrichment for Advanced ReadersTell students that, quite obviously, specialeffects have changed a lot over the centuries.Movies depend on computers and other tech-nologies to create effects. However, though the-ater effects are now more sophisticated, theystill depend on trapdoors for surprise entries.Have students study the current state-of-the-artin special effects, either for theaters or formovies. Alternatively, they may wish to com-pare how the same effect would be created onfilm versus stage. Have students share their dis-coveries with the class.

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Who may I rather challenge for unkindnessThan pity for mischance!17

ROSS. His absence, sir,45 Lays blame upon his promise. Please ’t your Highness

To grace us with your royal company?

MACBETH. The table’s full.

LENNOX. Here is a place reserved, sir.

MACBETH. Where?

LENNOX. Here, my good lord. What is ’t that moves your Highness?

MACBETH. Which of you have done this?

50 LORDS. What, my good lord?

MACBETH. Thou canst not say I did it. Never shakeThy gory locks at me.

ROSS. Gentlemen, rise, his Highness is not well.

LADY MACBETH. Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus,55 And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.

The fit is momentary; upon a thought18

He will again be well. If much you note him,You shall offend him and extend his passion.19

Feed, and regard him not.—Are you a man?

60 MACBETH. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on thatWhich might appall the devil.

LADY MACBETH. O proper stuff!This is the very painting of your fear.This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws20 and starts,

65 Impostors to true fear, would well becomeA woman’s story at a winter’s fire,Authorized21 by her grandam. Shame itself!Why do you make such faces? When all’s done,You look but on a stool.

MACBETH. Prithee, see there!70 Behold! Look! Lo! How say you?

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.If charnel houses22 and our graves must sendThose that we bury back, our monumentsShall be the maws of kites.23 [Exit GHOST.]

75 LADY MACBETH. What, quite unmanned in folly?

MACBETH. If I stand here, I saw him.

LADY MACBETH. Fie, for shame!

17. Who . . . mischance whom I hope I may reproach for being absent due to discourtesy rather than pity because he has had an accident.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines How might you connect Macbeth’s agitation with his knowledge that Fleance has escaped?

Literary AnalysisConflict How does the incident with Banquo’s ghost convey Macbeth’s inner conflict?

18. upon a thought in a moment.

19. passion suffering.

20. flaws gusts of wind; outbursts of emotion.

21. Authorized vouched for.

22. charnel houses vaults containing human bones dug up in making new graves.

23. our . . . kites Our tombs shall be the bellies of birds of prey.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• After students have read scene iv,

ask them how it is consistent withthe play thus far.Answer: Macbeth has seen float-ing daggers, and Duncan’s deathwas accompanied by strangeevents, so a ghost fits right in.

• Macbeth is very agitated. Notethat, in lines 22–26, after learningof Fleance’s escape, he says “Thencomes my fit again” and goes onto describe how he is again theprisoner of his fears.

• Ask the Reading Strategy question:How might you connect Macbeth’sagitation with his knowledge thatFleance has escaped? Answer: Macbeth is concernedabout the power the witches pre-dicted for Fleance and is upset thathis latest murder plot was not suc-cessful and might, therefore, bediscovered.

• Remind students of the scene in which Macbeth saw the “air-drawn dagger” of which LadyMacbeth speaks (Act II, scene i,lines 33–47).

• Ask students what Macbeth’s com-ments in lines 76–84 indicate abouthis view of murder. Answer: Macbeth seems to viewmurder as not human or civilized,but not particularly evil. His com-ments indicate that he is moreunnerved by seeing ghosts than heis concerned about the immoralityof his actions.

Literary AnalysisConflict

Reteach: Remind students thatan external conflict is a strugglebetween two characters or groupsand an internal conflict is a strug-gle within a character.

Monitor Progress: Ask theLiterary Analysis question: How doesthe incident with Banquo’s ghostconvey Macbeth’s inner conflict?Answer: The ghost appears whenMacbeth mentions Banquo, indicat-ing that he may be feeling guiltyabout Banquo’s death, or at leastworried and fearful of consequences.Macbeth’s shock at the sight of theghost reveals his agitation—bothabout the actions he has taken andthe course of future events.

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HumanitiesScene from Macbeth, by GeorgeCattermole

George Cattermole (1800–1868) wasborn in Norfolk, England. Trained asan architectural draftsman, he laterturned to illustrating historicalevents, particularly scenes of battlesand duels. He is best known for hisillustrations and watercolors.Cattermole was good friends withCharles Dickens, whose writings heillustrated. He also created romanticillustrations for works of Lord Byronand Sir Walter Scott. His sense of his-tory drove him to always pay carefulattention to such details as the back-grounds and costumes the characterswore.

Use these questions for discussion:

1. Does Macbeth’s body languagesuggest anything about his stateof mind? Answer: Though Macbeth isdepicted as a large, powerfulman, his body language suggeststhat he is fearful and taken aback.

2. What might the bright light in thecenter of the painting represent? Possible response: Some stu-dents may say the bright light inthe center of the painting repre-sents Macbeth’s fear that the truthabout his plot will surface. It alsohighlights the line of kings whowill descend from Banquo—thegood that will survive Macbeth’sevil.

Critical ViewingPossible reponse: The artist’s use of shadow may symbolize Macbeth’semotional state: He attempts to stayin the light, acting the jovial host,but the shadows, Banquo’s ghost,and Macbeth’s guilty consciencekeep intruding.

Reading CheckAnswer: Macbeth is startled at thefeast because he sees the ghost ofBanquo.

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Macbeth, Act III, Scene iv ■ 353

MACBETH. Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ th’ olden time,Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal;24

Ay, and since too, murders have been performedToo terrible for the ear. The times has been

80 That, when the brains were out, the man would die,And there an end; but now they rise again,With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,25

And push us from our stools. This is more strangeThan such a murder is.

LADY MACBETH. My worthy lord,Your noble friends do lack you.

85 MACBETH. I do forget.Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends;I have a strange infirmity, which is nothingTo those that know me. Come, love and health to all!Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine, fill full.

[Enter GHOST.]

90 I drink to th’ general joy o’ th’ whole table,And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss;Would he were here! To all and him we thirst,26

And all to all.

LORDS. Our duties, and the pledge.

MACBETH. Avaunt!27 and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!95 Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;

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Critical Viewing In what ways does the artist’s use of light and shadow suggest the conflict in Act III, Scene iv? [Interpret]

24. Ere . . . weal before humane laws civilized the state and made it gentle.

25. mortal . . . crowns deadly wounds on their heads.

Vocabulary Builderinfirmity (in f†r« mß tè) n. physical or mental defect; illness

26. thirst drink.

27. Avaunt Be gone!

Why is Macbeth startled at the feast?

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Thou hast no speculation28 in those eyesWhich thou dost glare with.

LADY MACBETH. Think of this, good peers,But as a thing of custom, ’tis no other.Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

100 MACBETH. What man dare, I dare.Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,The armed rhinoceros, or th’ Hyrcan29 tiger;Take any shape but that,30 and my firm nervesShall never tremble. Or be alive again,

105 And dare me to the desert31 with thy sword.If trembling I inhabit32 then, protest meThe baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!Unreal mock’ry, hence! [Exit GHOST.]

Why, so: being gone,I am a man again. Pray you, sit still.

LADY MACBETH. You have displaced the mirth, broke the110 good meeting,

With most admired33 disorder.

MACBETH. Can such things be,And overcome us34 like a summer’s cloud,Without our special wonder? You make me strangeEven to the disposition that I owe,35

115 When now I think you can behold such sights,And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,When mine is blanched with fear.

ROSS. What sights, my lord?

LADY MACBETH. I pray you, speak not: He grows worse and worse;Question enrages him: at once, good night.

120 Stand not upon the order of your going,36

But go at once.

LENNOX. Good night; and better healthAttend his Majesty!

LADY MACBETH. A kind good night to all!

[Exit LORDS.]

MACBETH. It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.Stones have been known to move and trees to speak;

125 Augures and understood relations37 haveBy maggot-pies and choughs38 and rooks brought forthThe secret’st man of blood.39 What is the night?

LADY MACBETH. Almost at odds40 with morning, which is which.

MACBETH. How say’st thou, that Macduff denies his personAt our great bidding?

28. speculation sight.

29. Hyrcan (hßr« kßn) from Hyrcania, a province of the ancient Persian and Mace-donian empires south of the Caspian Sea.

30. that Banquo’s shape.

31. desert place where neither of us could escape.

32. inhabit remain indoors.

33. admired amazing.

34. overcome us come over us.

35. disposition. . . owe my own nature.

Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines Do Lady Macbeth’s remarks in this scene suggest that she, too, sees the ghost? Why or why not?

36. Stand . . . going Do not wait to depart in order of rank.

37. Augures and under-stood relations omens and the relationship between the omens and what they represent.

38. maggot-pies and choughs (chufs) magpies and crows.

39. man of blood murderer.

40. at odds disputing.

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Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines • Ask students to consider how they

would react if they were at a dinnerparty where the host began to actas Macbeth does.Possible response: Students willprobably say that they would beconcerned or afraid that the hostwas hallucinating, insane, orunwell.

• Have students consider LadyMacbeth’s comments in this scene.Then, ask them the Reading Strat-egy question: Do Lady Macbeth’sremarks suggest that she, too, seesthe ghost?Possible response: It seemsunlikely that Lady Macbeth sees theghost, because she is too calm inmaking excuses, and she is tooannoyed with Macbeth’s reactions,which she would understand if shesaw the ghost. Also, she was notinvolved in Banquo’s murder anddoesn’t know about it yet, so it islikely that she would react prettystrongly to the gore-soaked imageof a butchered Banquo. However,some students may feel that shemust see the ghost, because of herown guilt.

• Ask students why they think LadyMacbeth is covering up forMacbeth.Answer: Though it seems likelythat she is worried only aboutDuncan’s murder, having not yetbeen told about Banquo, LadyMacbeth knows that her own secu-rity rests on Macbeth’s crimeremaining a secret. She was an aidein the crime, and would thereforebe condemned. Even if Macbethfell and she escaped punishment,she would no longer be queen, andher ambition is also behindDuncan’s murder.

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Hecate and Scene vHecate (pronounced hekaty—so it wouldalmost rhyme with angerly in line 1) was a god-dess accepted at an early date into Greek reli-gion. However, she was probably derived froman early people in southwest Asia Minor. Thename in Greek means “she who works herwill.” Hecate was the chief goddess of magicand spells. Because of associations betweenmagic and the moon, she was often identifiedwith the moon-goddess Diana. However,Hecate was considered the infernal aspect ofthe moon.

Interestingly, it is possible that Shakespearedidn’t create this appearance of Hecate in theplay. Most scholars believe that this scene waswritten by someone else. They think it wasadded because Elizabethan audiences enjoyedthe witches so thoroughly. Some attribute thepassage to playwright Thomas Middleton(1580–1627), a contemporary of Shakespearewho was known for his social satires. The sceneis clever, but contributes nothing to the actionof the play.

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Literary AnalysisConflict• Have students read Macbeth’s

comments in lines 131–141 and143–145 carefully.

• Have students identify the com-ment that lets them know thatMacbeth already doesn’t trust anyone.Answer: In lines 132–133, he sayshe is paying servants in everyone’shouseholds to spy for him.

• Ask students the Literary Analysisquestion: How do lines 136–139 inScene iv mark a turning point inMacbeth’s inner conflict?Answer: Macbeth has come to thepoint where he feels that he will doanything to protect his position,without his previous doubts. He hasreached what he himself views asthe point of no return, where hehas gone so far that it’s as far for-ward as it is back.

• Ask students what they think theselines, along with the comment inline 145, tell the audience aboutwhat events they can expect in the future.Answer: It indicates that Macbethwill visit the witches, but it alsoindicates that a lot more peoplewill be murdered. “We are butyoung in deed” indicates that the killing has only just begun.

Reteach: Remind students thatthe climax of a play is the point atwhich the conflict reaches its high-est point, and after that the actionfalls as the conflicts are resolved.Ask students how they feelMacbeth’s attitude at this pointreflects the beginning of the resolution of conflicts.Possible response: Macbeth’sinner conflict appears to have beenresolved; he no longer seems to beslowed up by any sense of guilt orfear of consequences. The decisionto resolve the external conflict hasbeen made, as Macbeth spies onand plans to kill his enemies.

Reading CheckAnswer: Macbeth decides to visitthe weird sisters again to demandthat they tell him more about hisfuture, now that he has done somuch.

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130 LADY MACBETH. Did you send to him, sir?

MACBETH. I hear it by the way, but I will send:There’s not a one of them but in his houseI keep a servant fee’d.41 I will tomorrow,And betimes42 I will, to the weird sisters:

135 More shall they speak, for now I am bent43 to knowBy the worst means the worst. For mine own goodAll causes shall give way. I am in bloodStepped in so far that, should I wade no more,Returning were as tedious as go o’er.

140 Strange things I have in head that will to hand,Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.44

LADY MACBETH. You lack the season of all natures,45 sleep.

MACBETH. Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse46

Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.47

145 We are yet but young in deed. [Exit.]

Scene v. A witches’ haunt.

[Thunder. Enter the THREE WITCHES, meeting HECATE.]

FIRST WITCH. Why, how now, Hecate! you look angerly.

HECATE. Have I not reason, beldams1 as you are,Saucy and overbold? How did you dareTo trade and traffic with Macbeth

5 In riddles and affairs of death;And I, the mistress of your charms,The close contriver2 of all harms,Was never called to bear my part,Or show the glory of our art?

10 And, which is worse, all you have doneHath been but for a wayward son,Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do,Loves for his own ends, not for you.But make amends now: get you gone,

15 And at the pit of Acheron3

Meet me i’ th’ morning: thither heWill come to know his destiny.Your vessels and your spells provide,Your charms and everything beside.

20 I am for th’ air; this night I’ll spendUnto a dismal and a fatal end:Great business must be wrought ere noon.Upon the corner of the moonThere hangs a vap’rous drop profound;

25 I’ll catch it ere it come to ground:And that distilled by magic sleights4

41. fee’d paid to spy.

42. betimes quickly.

43. bent determined.

Literary AnalysisConflict How do lines 136–139 in Scene iv mark a turning point in Macbeth’s inner conflict?

44. scanned examined.

45. season . . . natures preservative of all living creatures.

46. My . . . self-abuse my strange delusion.

47. initiate . . . use beginner’s fear that will harden with experience.

1. beldams hags.

2. close contriver secret inventor.

3. Acheron (ak« ßr än«) hell; in Greek mythology the river of Hades.

4. sleights devices.

Why will Macbeth visit “the weird sisters” again?

Support for English LearnersThe rhyming in Hecate’s speech may presentboth help and problems to students. The funsound of rhyming words is a commonmnemonic in learning language, but some ofthe words don’t rhyme in current usage. Pointout word pairs that no longer rhyme now: are /dare (lines 2–3) and bear / fear (lines 30–31).Also, explain that sleights (line 26) does rhymewith sprites. Read the speech aloud. Then, havestudents read sections of the speech to practicepronunciation.

Enrichment for Advanced ReadersThomas Middleton has been named as the pos-sible author of Act III, Scene v. Have studentsresearch this playwright and scan one or moreof his plays, looking for clues as to his style andwriting skill. Ask them to read enough to forman opinion about Middleton’s abilities. Then,have them present their evidence, in a writtenor oral report, as to whether or not Middletonwould have been up to creating this scene.

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Shall raise such artificial sprites5

As by the strength of their illusionShall draw him on to his confusion.6

30 He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bearHis hopes ’bove wisdom, grace, and fear:And you all know security7

Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.

[Music and a song.]

Hark! I am called; my little spirit, see,35 Sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me. [Exit.]

[Sing within, “Come away, come away,” etc.]

FIRST WITCH. Come, let’s make haste; she’ll soon be back again. [Exit.]

Scene vi. The palace.

[Enter LENNOX and another LORD.]

LENNOX. My former speeches have but hit1 your thoughts,Which can interpret farther.2 Only I sayThings have been strangely borne.3 The gracious DuncanWas pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead.

5 And the right-valiant Banquo walked too late;Whom, you may say, if ’t please you, Fleance killed,For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.Who cannot want the thought,4 how monstrousIt was for Malcolm and for Donalbain

10 To kill their gracious father? Damnèd fact!5

How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight,In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,That were the slaves of drink and thralls6 of sleep?Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;

15 For ’twould have angered any heart aliveTo hear the men deny ’t. So that I sayHe has borne all things well: and I do thinkThat, had he Duncan’s sons under his key—As, an ’t7 please heaven, he shall not—they should find

20 What ‘twere to kill a father. So should Fleance.But, peace! for from broad8 words, and ’cause he failedHis presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear,Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tellWhere he bestows himself?

LORD. The son of Duncan,25 From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,9

Lives in the English court, and is receivedOf the most pious Edward10 with such grace

5. artificial sprites spirits created by magic.

6. confusion ruin.

7. security overconfidence.

1. hit coincided with.

2. Which . . . farther from which you can draw your own conclusions.

3. borne managed.

4. cannot . . . thought can fail to think.

5. fact deed.

6. thralls slaves.

7. an ’t if it.

8. broad unguarded.

9. due of birth birthright; claim to the throne.

10. Edward Edward the Confessor, king of England 1042–1066.

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Reading StrategyReading Between the Lines• As students read Scene vi, tell them

to look for subtle comments thatwould let the audience know thatLennox and the other lord are notas fond of Macbeth as they mightat first seem. In fact, you may wishto tell them to read it with the ideain mind that they hate Macbeth.

• Have students look at lines 18–19.Ask them what Lennox says thatlets us know that he believes thatDuncan’s sons are innocent.Answer: His comment that, if itpleases heaven, Duncan’s sons willnever be in Macbeth’s power,shows that he feels that theyshould not be punished.

• Have students identify the word(lines 22–26) that both men usethat tells us their true feelingsabout Macbeth.Answer: Both use the word tyrant,which implies injustice and ausurped throne.

• Ask students how the secondlord’s description of England’sEdward lets us know that this lordfeels that Duncan’s son is innocent. Answer: He calls him pious andholy, which implies that he wouldbe on the side of right and good-ness. Therefore, if he has receivedDuncan’s son, the son must beinnocent.

• Have students discuss what comingaction and events they can antici-pate from the information suppliedin lines 24–39.Answer: Macbeth will probably tryto kill Macduff. Macbeth will soonface an English army, as well asunhappy Scots, in battle.

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Many tests require students to recognize per-suasive devices. Use this item to show thatsometimes rhetorical questions are a persuasivedevice.

Macbeth. . . . Do you find Your patience so predominant in your nature, That you can let this go? Are you so gospeled, To pray for this good man and for his issue, Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to thegrave

And beggared yours forever?Macbeth asks the murderers these questionsbecause he wants them to—

A answer him truthfullyB be patient and forgivingC know what Banquo has done to themD agree to kill Banquo

Macbeth is persuading the murderers to killBanquo. The correct answer is D.

Forms of Propaganda (For more practice, see Standardized Test PreparationWorkbook, p. 14.)

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357

Vocabulary BuilderLatin Prefix mal-• Call students’ attention to the word

malevolent and its definition. Tellstudents that the Latin word root -mal- means “bad,” or “badly.”

• Have students suggest words andphrases that contain this root, and list them on the chalkboard.

• If students don’t offer many exam-ples, feel free to add others.Examples might include malprac-tice, malediction, malefactor, mal-function, maladjusted, malcontent,malodorous, malnourished.

• Then, have students look up in thedictionary the meanings of anywords that are unfamiliar.

Answers

1. (a) Macbeth complains that murdered men don’t stay in theirgraves, they rise again. (b) Possible response: There is a kind of grim humor in the pas-sage. It’s a ridiculous response to ablood-covered ghost. (c) Possible response: The grimhumor here, which emanatesfrom guilt and insanity, is notreally comparable to the porter’sscene, which was kind of goofybut innocent. The porter gets alaugh; Macbeth gets a shudder.

2. (a) Macbeth thinks he will havemade himself safe by killingBanquo. He is eager to see itdone. (b) Possible response:Macbeth’s thoughts before killingDuncan were quite different. Hisfear then was about the act ofkilling; with regard to Banquo, hefears the victim. He hesitatedthen, he doesn’t now.

3. The relationship has changed.They are no longer partners.Macbeth is not consulting LadyMacbeth or informing her of hisdecisions. She is no longer urginghim to violence but would ratherhave him calm down and stopworrying.

4. Possible answer: The evildoerbecomes calloused and no longerhas normal feelings of either guiltor love. The evil is never finished,and it continues to produce evilresults.

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For additional information aboutWilliam Shakespeare, have students

type in the Web Code, then select S from the alpha-bet, and then select the author’s name.

Macbeth, Act III, Scene vi ■ 357

That the malevolence of fortune nothingTakes from his high respect.11 Thither Macduff

30 Is gone to pray the holy King, upon his aid12

To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward;13

That by the help of these, with Him aboveTo ratify the work, we may againGive to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,

35 Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,Do faithful homage and receive free honors:14

All which we pine for now. And this reportHath so exasperate the King that hePrepares for some attempt of war.

LENNOX. Sent he to Macduff?

40 LORD. He did: and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”The cloudy15 messenger turns me his back,And hums, as who should say “You’ll rue the timeThat clogs16 me with this answer.”

LENNOX. And that well mightAdvise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance

45 His wisdom can provide. Some holy angelFly to the court of England and unfoldHis message ere he come, that a swift blessingMay soon return to this our suffering countryUnder a hand accursed!

LORD. I’ll send my prayers with him. [Exit.]

Critical Reading1. (a) Recall: In the banquet scene, what complaint does Macbeth make

about murdered men? (b) Analyze: Is there anything humorous or even ridiculous in this complaint? Why or why not? (c) Connect: Does Shakespeare use humor for comic relief in this scene, as he does in the earlier scene with the porter? Explain.

2. (a) Recall: What does Macbeth think as he anticipates the murder of Banquo? (b) Compare and Contrast: Compare and contrast Macbeth’s thoughts about Banquo’s murder with his thoughts before the murder of Duncan.

3. Synthesize: Has the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth changed? Explain.

4. Generalize: What does this act suggest about the effects of evil on evildoers? Explain.

Vocabulary Buildermalevolence (mß lev«ß lßns) n. ill will; spitefulness

11. with . . . respect does not diminish the high respect he is given.

12. upon his aid to aid Malcolm.

13. To . . . Siward to call to arms the commander of the English forces, the Earl of Northumberland, and his son Siward.

14. free honors honors given to freemen.

15. cloudy disturbed.

16. clogs burdens.

For: More about William Shakespeare

Visit: www.PHSchool.comWeb Code: ese-9209

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