Act 3

1. Act 3 Scenes 1 - 6

2. Act 3, Scene 1 • Banquo thinks about the witches prophecies. Banquo is thinking, since the prophecies came true for Macbeth, they could come true for him. • Banquo fears that Macbeth has committed evil to achieve his reign. • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth invite Banquo to come to their feast that night. He accepts the invitation and informs them that he is going to ride his horse with his son that afternoon. • Macbeth has a soliloquy where he expresses his fear that Banquo is suspicious of him. Macbeth also acknowledges that he will not have an heir. • Macbeth talks to the murderers he has hired and convinces them that Banquo has done them wrong and they should murder him. Copying his wife’s tactic he questions their manhood and ability to take revenge on Banquo. They accept and go to kill him. • Macbeth feels he needs to kill Banquo and Fleance to protect his position on the throne.

3. Act 3, Scene 2 • Lady Macbeth is concerned about Macbeth’s well-being and wishes she was the victim rather than the perpetrator • They have the throne, but they are not happy. They cannot escape the crimes they have committed and fear that their murders will be uncovered. • Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that his mind is “full of scorpions”, which means full of guilt and fear. He also feels that the business they have began is not yet complete because there are still threats to the throne that must be eliminated (i.e. why he has ordered Banquo and Fleance to be killed). • He has been having nightmares and feels they would be better off with the dead who are at peace, whereas he has to live with a tortured mind. Duncan can have peaceful sleeps in his grave and cannot be touched.

4. Act 3, Scene 3 • The murderers go after Banquo and Fleance. • They kill Banquo, but Fleance flees.

5. Act 3, Scene 4 • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter their dinner feast • One of the murderers comes to inform him that Banquo is dead and Fleance has escaped. Macbeth thinks that only if Fleance had died, then his throne would be secure. • Macbeth returns to his guest, but continues to see Banquo’s ghost. • Lady Macbeth continually excuses Macbeth’s bizarre behavior by saying he occasionally has “visions” and to ignore him • Macbeth informs him wife that he has heard from a servant-spy that Macduff intends to keep away from the court (treason). • Macbeth plans on visiting the witches in the following scene (tomorrow) to find out more about his future and who may be plotting against him • Macbeth is going to do whatever is necessary to keep the throne and Lady Macbeth tells him he needs sleep

6. Act 3, Scene 5 • The witches meet with Hecate: the goddess of witchcraft • Hecate yells at them for interfering in Macbeth’s life without consulting her • Hecate plans to take over the mischief the witches have started • Hecate tells the witches that when Macbeth comes the next day, they must fill him with a false sense of security and “draw him on his confusion” (29)

7. Act 3, Scene 6 • Lennox is walking with another lord, discussing what has happened in the kingdom. We learn that Banquo’s murder has been blamed on his son, Fleance, who has fled Scotland. • Lennox suspects that Macbeth, who they refer to as a “tyrant”, murdered Duncan and Banquo • The lord tells Lennox that Macduff has gone to England where he will join Malcolm (Duncan’s son – the Prince of Cumberland). Malcolm is there pleading with England’s King for help against Macbeth. • Macbeth has heard of these plots against him and is preparing for war. • Lennox hopes that Malcolm and Macduff save Scotland from Macbeth’s terror.

8. Act 3 - Review • Macbeth orders murderers to kill Banquo and Fleancewhile they are out riding. Banquo gets killed and Fleance flees. • Macbeth has become evil and power hungry; he no longer needs Lady Macbeth’s help and bids her to be “innocent of knowledge” of his decisions. • At the feast, the bloody ghost of Banquo haunts Macbeth. Lady Macbeth excuses his behavior and eventually sends everyone home. • Macbeth plans to go visit the witches again to learn more. • Macduff joins Malcolm in England to help him plan a war against Macbeth.

9. Newspaper • The King is dead! Duncan has been found dead at Macbeth’s residence. • The editors of your newspaper have assigned you to report on the tragic event. • You need to do the following: • Come up with a headline that catches the attention of the reader. • Have a picture of the crime scene. • Write a minimum of one-page, single spaced, 12-point-font that reports on the event: What happened? Who are the suspects? What evidence is there? You should also include some interviews (quotes from characters).

11. Other journals to complete • False Friends • Dear Diary

12. Review • The play is set in Scotland and the King at the start of the play is Duncan. • King Duncan has two sons: Malcolm and Donalbain. Malcolm is the Prince of Cumberland and the King’s heir to the throne. • Macbeth is our tragic hero. He starts off the play as a noble soldier and the Thane of Glamis. He achieves the new title of Thane of Cawdor in Act 1. • The witches’ prophecy tells Macbeth that he is the Thane of Glamis, and that he will be the Thane of Cawdor, and eventually King. • The witches’ prophecy tells Banquo that his children will sit on the throne(Fleance). • When the witches tell Macbeth his prophecy he fears that he will have to achieve the crown unnaturally(murder).

13. REVIEW • Lady Macbeth questions her husband’s masculinity and pushes him to murder Duncan. • Macbeth sees a dagger floating, which is a guilt-inspired vision. The dagger is pointing towards his hand and Duncan’s room. • Macbeth is too scared to return the dagger to the crime scene, so Lady Macbeth does so. • Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth. We later learn that Lennox and Macduff are too. • The disruptions in the natural order of the universe are an example of pathetic fallacy and occur because of the disturbing and unnatural occurrences that have happened and are coming as a result of Macbeth’s actions.