1. Macbeth
Act III

2. Scene I

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

4. 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

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

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

7. 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

8. Scene 2

9. 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

10. 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

11. “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

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

13. Changes
Lady Macbeth
Is now fearful
Macbeth
Calm
Plans more murders

14. Scene 3

15. 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

16. 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

17. Scene 4

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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”

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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
Macbeth considers himself an beginner at committing evil deeds
He will continue on his destructive path

26. Scene 5

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

28. 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

29. 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

30. Scene 6

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