MACBETH: ACT 3

Bethany Dickey, Emily Lavergne,

Travis Fong, Wesley Fisher, Sarah

Smith and Lindsay Young

MAJOR CHARACTERS

M

acbeth

L

ady Macbeth

B

anquo

H

ecate

M

acbeth plays the biggest role

in this act. He is married to

Lady Macbeth and is now

the current King of

Scotland. Macbeth is

wracked with guilt over his

murder of Duncan. Soon, he

will suffer even more guilt

from another heinous act he

has yet to commit.

MACBETH AND LADY MACBETH

L

ady Macbeth is another major

character in this act. She is

Macbeth’s wife and therefore

the Queen of Scotland. She

feels some guilt but is still

hungry for even more power.

Lady Macbeth is extremely

intelligent and powerful and

controls the majority of

Macbeth’s actions.

B

anquo dies in this act

because Macbeth feels

threatened by his potential

to usurp the throne. The

witches prophesied that

Banquo was to be the father

of kings, and Banquo is

beginning to aspire to

something greater than his

current position.

BANQUO AND HECATE

H

ecate is the Queen of the

witches. She discusses

Macbeth with one of the

three witches. She is

displeased with how they

have handled him and regrets

not being more involved. She

believes that he is a selfish

man who doesn’t deserve the

benefits of their witchcraft.

MINOR CHARACTERS

T

he three murderers are hired by Macbeth to kill Banquo and Fleance.

They express no moral qualms about killing.

L

ennox, Ross and the other Lords are mistrustful of Macbeth and

believe that he will cause the downfall of their country.

T

he first witch has a very minor role. She is obedient to Hecate’s

wishes.

F

leance is Banquo’s son. He is the one who is most likely to overthrow

Macbeth, according to the witches’ prophecy

PLOT OVERVIEW AND IMPORTANT QUOTES

SCENE 1

S

etting: A room in the palace

M

acbeth deceitfully pretends to be Banquo’s friend while he is planning

how to kill him.

B

anquo suspects that Macbeth may have killed Duncan, but does not say

anything.

M

acbeth announces a banquet that night.

M

acbeth tells two murderers when and where to kill Banquo and Fleance.

SCENE 1 CONTINUED

1. “It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must find

it out to-night.” –Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 1, Line 158-159) Macbeth was

talking to himself. He was discussing his planned murder of Banquo.

This is significant because it shows Macbeth’s determination to have

him killed. One interesting thing and audience member can take from

this is the fact that Macbeth says that Banquo’s soul will go to heaven.

2. “There is none but he whose being I do fear; and under him my genius

is rebuked, as it is said Mark Antony’s was by Caesar.” –Macbeth (Act

3, Scene 1, Lines 59-61) Macbeth was talking to himself. He was

describing his main reason for wishing Banquo dead: he fears that

Banquo is superior to him and could potentially usurp him.

SCENE 1 CONTINUED

3. “Why, by the verities on thee made good, may they

not be my oracles as well and set me up in hope?” –

Banquo (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 8-10) Banquo was talking

to himself. He was describing his great ambition. He is

saying that since the prophecies about Macbeth came

true, the ones about him may come true as well. This

quote is significant because it is about ambition, a huge

theme in Macbeth. It shows the audience members that

Macbeth’s suspicions are not unfounded.

SCENE 2

S

etting: A room in the palace

M

acbeth and Lady Macbeth feel very guilty and are anxious that they

will be found out.

L

ady Macbeth tells Macbeth that they must mask their anxiety and

feign happiness and serenity at the banquet.

M

acbeth hints that he has planned something, but does not say what.

SCENE 2 CONTINUED

1. “Gentle my lord, sleek o’er your rugged looks; be

bright and jovial among your guests tonight.” –Lady

Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 30-31) Lady Macbeth

was talking to her husband. She is telling him to

seem perfectly happy and calm at their banquet. This

quote is significant because it shows Macbeth’s

enormous guilt and Lady Macbeth’s huge intellect in

her plans to hide their guilt.

SCENE 3

S

etting: Outside in a park

T

he two murderers are joined by a third, also sent by Macbeth.

B

anquo and Fleance arrive with a torch, which is accidentally

extinguished during the commotion.

A

midst the confusion, Banquo is stabbed and dies, while Fleance

escapes.

SCENE 3 CONTINUED

1. “The west yet glimmers with some streaks of

day.” –First Murderer (Act 3, Scene 3, Line 7) The

first murderer was talking to the other two

murderers. He is describing the setting of the

scene: late twilight with only a little daylight left.

This quote is significant because it contains

imagery of darkness. It sets the scene for the

gloomy dark, atmosphere.

SCENE 4

S

etting: A banquet room in the palace

O

ne of the murderers comes to the door and Macbeth is told that the

murderers were only partially successful.

M

acbeth is called back to the table. Banquo’s ghost appears and he is

horrified. The guests are confused by his ravings.

C

ontinued next slide…

SCENE 4 CONTINUED

L

ady Macbeth attempts to calm her husband down and

eventually succeeds.

M

acbeth toasts to Banquo and the ghost reappears. Macbeth

rants and begins to reveal their secrets: Lady Macbeth is

forced to dismiss their guests.

M

acbeth says to Lady Macbeth that he is angry that Macduff did

not attend their banquet, and reveals that he plans to visit the

witches again.

SCENE 4 CONTINUED

1. “Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse is the initiate fear, that

wants hard use: we are yet but young in deed.” –Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4,

Lines 172-174) Macbeth was talking to Lady Macbeth. He is referring to the

fact that he is allowing his guilt from the murders of Duncan and Banquo to

weigh heavily on his conscience. This quote is significant because it shows

Macbeth’s struggles to overcome his compassion.

2. “I am in blood, stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more, returning were

as tedious as go o’er.” –Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 157-169) Macbeth

was talking to Lady Macbeth. The blood he is referring to is Duncan’s and

Banquo’s. This is significant because he is saying that he has already

bloodied his hands, and it would be pointless to back out now. The audience

can learn that Macbeth is willing to kill again if he must.

SCENE 4 CONTINUED

3. “It will have blood; they say blood will have blood.

Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak;

augures and understood relations have by magot-pies and

coughs and rooks brought forth the secret’st man of blood.

What is the night?” –Macbeth (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 152-

155) Macbeth was talking to his wife. He is anxious that he

will be found out for murdering Banquo. His concern is

that Fleance will find out who ordered his father’s death. It

is significant because it exposes Macbeth’s deepest fears.

SCENE 5

H

ecate, the queen of witches is angry at the witches for not

involving her in their doings with Macbeth.

S

he knows that Macbeth plans to seek out the witches the

next day.

T

hey plot to lead Macbeth to his downfall by causing him to

be overconfident.

SCENE 5 CONTINUED

1. “Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do, loves for

his own ends, not for you.” –Hecate (Act 3, Scene 5,

Lines 12-13) Hecate was talking to the first witch. She

is annoyed with the witches for helping Macbeth

because he is greedy and selfish. This is significant

because it reveals Hecate’s insight on Macbeth. One

interesting that is that Macbeth will no longer respect

the witches after they have told him what he wishes to

know. He only seeks them for his own benefit.

SCENE 6

L

ennox and another lord discuss their suspicions about

Macbeth’s crimes. They are scared for their country.

M

alcolm is at the court of Edward, the King of England.

Macduff is going to join him.

M

acduff, Malcolm, and Edward are planning to join forces

and attack Macbeth, freeing Scotland from his reign.

SCENE 6 CONTINUED

1. “May soon return to this our suffering country

under a hand accursed!” –Lennox (Act 3, Scene 6,

Lines 51-52) Lennox is talking to another lord. He is

hoping that Macduff and Malcolm will return soon to

free their country from Macbeth. This is significant

because it shows that his subjects are unhappy with

the current state of their country and how Macbeth is

handling their affairs.

FIN