MACBETH

- William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
Norwegians, aided by Scottish rebels, have invaded Scotland. The Scots successfully
defend their country and their beloved king, Duncan. One Scotsman in particular, Macbeth,
Thane of Glamis, distinguishes himself in fighting off the invaders. After the battle,
Macbeth and his friend Banquo come upon the weird sisters, three witches who prophesy
that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor, and one day King. They further prophesy that
Banquo's descendants will be kings. The men don't at first believe the witches, but then
learn that the old Thane of Cawdor was actually a traitor helping the Norwegians, and that
Duncan has rewarded Macbeth's bravery on the battlefield by making him Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth immediately fantasizes about murdering Duncan and becoming king, but pushes the
thought away. Later that day, Duncan announces that his eldest son, Malcolm, will be heir to
his throne. As Macbeth begins to succumb to his ambition, Duncan decides to spend the
night in celebration at Macbeth's castle of Inverness.
Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband about the prophecy and Duncan's
imminent arrival. She decides her husband is too kind to follow his ambitions, and vows to
push him to murder Duncan and take the crown that very night. Macbeth at first resists his
wife's plan, but his ambition and her constant questioning of his courage and manhood win
him over. That night they murder Duncan and frame the men guarding Duncan's room. The
next morning, Macduff, another Scottish thane, discovers Duncan dead and raises the
alarm. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pretend to be shocked and outraged. Macbeth murders
the guardsmen of Duncan's room to keep them silent, but says he did it out of a furious
rage that they killed the king. Duncan's sons think they may be the next target, and flee.
Macbeth is made king, and because they ran, Duncan's sons become the prime suspects in
their father's murder.
Because he knows the witches' prophecy, Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth. And because of
the prophecy that Banquo's line will reign as kings, Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat.
Macbeth gives a feast, inviting many thanes, including Banquo. Macbeth hires
two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance as they ride to attend the feast. The men
kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes. At the feast, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, though no one
else does. Macbeth's behaviour and the death of Banquo make all the thanes suspicious.
They begin to think of Macbeth as a tyrant. Macduff refuses to appear at the royal court
at all, and goes to England to support Malcolm in his effort to raise an army against
Macbeth.
Macbeth visits the three witches to learn more about his fate. They show him three
apparitions who tell Macbeth to beware Macduff, but also that no "man born of woman" can
defeat him and that he will rule until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane (a castle). Since
all men are born of women and trees can't move, Macbeth takes this to mean he's
invincible. Yet the witches also confirm the prophecy that Banquo's line will one day rule

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Scotland. To strengthen his hold on the crown, Macbeth sends men to Macduff's castle to
murder Macduff's family. Meanwhile, in England, Macduff and Malcolm prepare to invade
Scotland. When news comes to England of the murder of Macduff's family, Macduff,
weeping, vows revenge.
While the English and Scottish under Malcolm march toward Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth
begins sleepwalking and imagining blood on her hands that can't be washed off. Macbeth
has become manic, cruel, and haughty—many of his men desert to Malcolm's side. In Birnam
Wood, Malcolm and his generals devise a strategy to hide their numbers—they cut branches
to hold up in front of them. As Macbeth prepares for the siege, Lady Macbeth dies,
perhaps of suicide. Macbeth can barely feel anything anymore, and her death only makes
him give a speech about the meaninglessness of life. Then Malcolm's forces appear looking
like a forest marching toward the castle. Malcolm's forces quickly capture Dunsinane, but
Macbeth himself fights on, mocking all who dare to face him as "men born of woman." But
Macduff reveals that he was "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb (a caesarean
section). Macduff kills Macbeth, and Malcolm is crowned as King of Scotland.

Characters

Macbeth- Lady Macbeth's husband and a Scottish nobleman, the Thane of Glamis. He is
made Thane of Cawdor for his bravery in battle, and becomes King of Scotland by
murdering the previous King, Duncan. As Macbeth opens, Macbeth is one of the great
noblemen in Scotland: valiant, loyal, and honourable. He's also ambitious, and while this
ambition helps to make him the great lord he is, once he hears the weird sisters' prophecy
Macbeth becomes so consumed by his desire for power that he becomes a tyrannical and
violent monster who ultimately destroys himself. What's perhaps most interesting about
Macbeth is that he senses the murder will lead to his own destruction even before he
murders Duncan, yet his ambition is so great that he still goes through with it.

Lady Macbeth- Macbeth's wife. Unlike her husband, she has no reservations about
murdering Duncan in order to make Macbeth King of Scotland. She believes that a true man
takes what he wants, and whenever Macbeth objects to murdering Duncan on moral
grounds, she questions his courage. Lady Macbeth assumes that she'll be able to murder
Duncan and then quickly forget it once she's Queen of Scotland. But she discovers that
guilt is not so easily avoided, and falls into madness and despair.

Banquo- A Scottish nobleman, general, and friend of Macbeth. He is also the father
of Fleance. The weird sisters prophesy that while Banquo will never be King of Scotland, his
descendants will one day sit on the throne. Banquo is as ambitious as Macbeth, but unlike
Macbeth he resists putting his selfish ambition above his honour or the good of Scotland.
Because he both knows the prophecy and is honourable, Banquo is both a threat to Macbeth
and a living example of the noble path that Macbeth chose not to take. After Macbeth has
Banquo murdered, he is haunted by Banquo's ghost, which symbolizes Macbeth's terrible
guilt at what he has become.

Macduff- A Scottish nobleman, and the Thane of Fife. His wife is Lady Macduff, and the
two have babies and a young son. Macduff offers a contrast to Macbeth: a Scottish lord

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who, far from being ambitious, puts the welfare of Scotland even ahead of the welfare of
his own family. Macduff suspects Macbeth from the beginning, and becomes one of the
leaders of the rebellion. After Macbeth has Macduff's family murdered, Macduff's desire
for vengeance becomes more personal and powerful.

King Duncan- The King of Scotland, and the father

of Malcolm and Donalbain. Macbeth murders him to get the crown. Duncan is the model of a
good, virtuous king who puts the welfare of the country above his own and seeks, like a
gardener, to nurture and grow the kingdom that is his responsibility. Duncan is the living
embodiment of the political and social order that Macbeth destroys.

Malcolm- The older of King Duncan's two sons, and Duncan's designated heir to the throne
of Scotland. Early in the play, Malcolm is a weak and inexperienced leader, and he actually
flees Scotland in fear after his father is murdered. But Malcolm matures, and with the help
of Macduff and an English army, Malcolm eventually overthrows Macbeth and retakes the
throne, restoring the order that was destroyed when Duncan was murdered.

Weird Sisters- Three witches, whose prophecy helps push Macbeth's ambition over the
edge, and convinces him to murder Duncan in order to become King. The witches' knowledge
of future events clearly indicates that they have supernatural powers, and they also clearly
enjoy using those powers to cause havoc and mayhem among mankind. But it is important to
realize that the witches never compel anyone to do anything. Instead, they tell half-truths
to lure men into giving into their own dark desires. It's left vague in Macbeth whether
Macbeth would have become King of Scotland if he just sat back and did nothing. This
vagueness seems to suggest that while the broad outlines of a person's fate might be
predetermined, how the fate plays out is up to him.

Minor Characters

Fleance- Banquo's teenage son. Macbeth sees him as a threat because of the weird sisters'
prophecy that Banquo's descendants will one day rule Scotland.
Lady Macduff- The wife of Macduff and the mother of Macduff's children (and the only
female character of note in the play besides Lady Macbeth). She questions her husband's
decision to leave his family behind when he goes to England to help Malcolm save Scotland
from Macbeth.
Young Macduff- Macduff's son, still a child.
Lennox- A Scottish nobleman.
Ross- A Scottish nobleman.
Angus- A Scottish nobleman.
Donalbain- King Duncan's younger son and Malcolm's brother.
Murderers- Men hired by Macbeth to kill Banquo and Fleance.
Porter- The guardian of the gate at Macbeth's castle.
Hecate- The goddess of witchcraft.
Gentlewoman- Lady Macbeth's attendant.
Siward- A warlike English lord.
Young Siward- Siward's son.

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King Edward- The King of England. He is so saintly his touch can cure the sick.
Captain- A captain in the Scottish Army.
Seyton- Macbeth's servant.
Old Man- An elderly fellow who sees some strange things happen the
night Macbeth murders Duncan.
English Doctor- An English doctor.
Scottish Doctor- The doctor Macbeth assigns to cure Lady Macbeth of her madness.

Character Analysis

The plot of Shakespeare’s plays has its roots in characterization. That is, things happen as
they do because the characters act in certainly Shakespeare, and characters are analysed
in the following ways:
i. Human beings reveal themselves by what they say, by their manner of saying it, and often
enough, by their silence or failure to say anything under given circumstances.
ii. We can learn about people by their actions and even by their failure to act on some
occasions.
iii. We come to know the characters from what others say about them.
iv. They are revealed to us by the device of contrasting them with others.

MACBETH

Macbeth is a brave ambitious general and a man of action. In the beginning of the play
Shakespeare concentrates on Macbeth's courage in order to contrast it later with his
terror and anguish. He is the first character introduced in the play and at the end of the
play he is referred to as the dead butcher by Malcolm. All actions in the play revolve around
him. So, the play is named after him.

A Brave General
1. He is referred to valour’s minion, Belladonna’s bridegroom, brave Macbeth and creator of
another Golgotha. His first engagement in the battle is represented as having been won by
his personal powers and general ship. In Act One, Scene 2, for example, both the Sergeant
and Duncan praise Macbeth for his courage, stressing that he ‘carv’d out his passage’ until
he was face to face with the enemy general.
2. He is courageous during the new threat posed by the army of the rebel forces,
reinforced with terrible numbers by the King of Norway, assisted by the most disloyal
traitor, the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth emerges victorious in the battle.
3. Lady Macbeth uses psychology to tempt her husband to kill Duncan. She dares him to do
all that may become a man. Macbeth accepts her challenge.
4. Whenever the prospect of action appears, Macbeth’s courage never feels even after his
degradation. He is fearless during the apparition of a bloody child, he says:
Then Live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live,
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,

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And sleep in spite of thunder. (4.1)
5. Lady Macbeth gets him to act by appealing to his manhood and courage. Act 1, scene 7.
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place.
6. Macbeth shows his courage till the end, against all odds. He says:
They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly,
But bear-like I must fight the course.

Ambition
1. Macbeth is a tragedy of ambition. Macbeth’s ambition, in collusion with other
circumstances, brings about his ruin.
2. Lady Macbeth is aware of her husband’s ambitious nature.
thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it: (1.5)
3. His ambition is stimulated by circumstances- by his remarkable success and by being
conscious of his own powers.
4. The witches choose Macbeth to be the victim of their deceit because of the
overwhelming ambition in him. His reaction to their prophecies, his rapt behaviour, his
brooding over the prophecy leading to the thought of murdering Dunkin, are prompted by
ambition.
5. His vaulting ambition turns him into a tyrant. He grows bold and bloody. He does not
hesitate to kill the innocent wife and children of Macduff.
6. Macbeth passion for power is so strong that no inward misery could persuade him to
relinquish the fruits of crime or to advance from remorse to repentance.

Imagination
1. Macbeth is endowed with the gift of imagination, which often torments him with horrid
images. His imagination, controlled neither by moral considerations nor by education, made
him a ready victim to the tempting voices of superstition.
2. Moreover, so active and powerful is his imagination that it always creates present fears
which are less than horrible imaginings. (1.3)
3. It is also seen in the air drawn dagger and in the fear which seizes him after the murder
of Duncan.
4. Further, he sees the ghost of Banquo at the banquet. The mental excitement betrayed
him and it hastened his ruin and punished.
5. Macbeth’s inner suffering continues to be prompted by his fertile imagination throughout
the play. In his soliloquy Act 2, scene 2 with his hands that have killed Duncan, he says-
No; this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.
6. It was his superstition that led him to believe in the promises of the apparitions. He was
convinced that he was invincible because no man born of woman would eliminate him.
Furthermore, he would not be defeated until the Birnam Wood would come to Dunsinane.

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However, the event proved how equivocal and misleading the predictions of the witches
were.

A Loving Husband
1. Macbeth confided in his wife. He shared his choice with her, sent her a letter describing
the witches’ prophecies.
2. He accepts her guidance and advice and consults her concerning his plans.
3. Is affectionate towards her and uses terms of endearment while speaking to her- my
dearest love. (1.5)
4. Keeps to himself in planning the murder of Banquo and Fleance so that she will not have
to share the strain.

His Nobility
1. Macbeth nobility is visible in his character throughout the play. Though he yields to the
evil forces, his submission to them takes place always after a conflict with his conscience.
In spite of the temptations his instincts ward of any thought of murdering Duncan by
asking him to dismiss the temptation from his mind:
[Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir (1.3)
2. After a serious consideration, Macbeth abandons the plan to murder Duncan because it
goes against his conscience. He says:
He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. (1.7)
3. His gentleness finds the best expression in his love for his wife, with whom he wants to
share the joy of the prophecies, and whom he declares his dearest partner of greatness.
4. His excessive gentleness and kindness is referred to by Lady Macbeth in her soliloquy in
Act 1, Scene 5:
yet I do fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ milk of human kindness,
To catch the nearest way.

Fear
1. Though Macbeth is brave an irresistible sense of fear overtakes him. In Act 1, scene 3,
following the witches prophecy, his imagination produces fear in him as he thinks of
murdering Duncan:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother’d in surmise, and nothing is
2. After murdering Duncan, he is overwhelmed by fear of the consequences of the murder.
He cannot return to the place of murder.
Ill go no more;
I am afraid to think what I have done:

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Look on’t again I dare not.
3. Guilty conscience leads Macbeth to fear. Thus, he fears Banquo:
Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear’d.
4. His fear of the consequences of Duncan’s murder interferes with his normal eating and
sleep.
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams,
That shakes us nightly.
5. In the banquet scene, Macbeth is led by terror caused by his guilty conscience. The sight
of Banquo’s ghost blows away caution from Macbeth and reveals the crimes he has
committed.

LADY MACBETH

Lady Macbeth has been referred to as the 4th Witch and she is called the fiend-like queen
by Malcolm. She is the moving force behind Macbeth’s deeds. She chastises Macbeth by
the valour of her tongue, overcomes his hesitation and drives him to commit the murder to
enable him to become the king.

Love for her husband

1. When Lady Macbeth makes her first appearance in the play, she seen reading the letter
from her husband. In the letter, he calls her his dearest partner of greatness and
informed her of his success in the battle, the prediction of the witches, and their partial
fulfilment.
2. She is aware of his weaknesses and uses her strong will to keep him from slipping away
from the course he has planned for himself. She say;
Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round…
To have thee crown’d withal (1.5)
3. Her interest and Macbeth’s welfare and career is unselfish. She makes plans not for her
own benefit but for her husband’s advancement to make him the King of Scotland. No
obstacles deflect her from her determination. She knows that her husband is infirm of
purpose. Therefore, she sets herself to counteract this week.
4. Lady Macbeth overcomes Macbeth’s resistance by presenting him with a scheme of
murder which shall remove from it the terror and danger of detection. Her courage sweeps
him off his feet. His admiration for her is noticed when he says:
Bring forth men-children only;
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males (1.7)
5. In the banquet scene, Macbeth loses self-control, which is noticed by all. Even when the
husband and the wife are alone, Lady Macbeth does not reproach him. Her love for him,

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makes her look upon the incident with sympathy. She tries to comfort him and find an
excuse for his strange behaviour: You lack the season of all nature’s sleep!

Her Feminine Qualities

Her feminine qualities in spite of her apparent cruel mature Lady Macbeth has many
feminine qualities. She is a devoted wife and a gracious hostess. As a mother she has given
suck and knows how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks her.
1. Lady Macbeth is a loving wife for. Her motive for the crime was her love for her husband
whom she would like to get the throne so that he might achieve his highest ambition.
2. The invocation to the spirits of evil, to unsex her and fill her from the crown to the toe
with direst cruelty shows the need to suppress the womanly instincts in her against her
involvement in such a deadly crime.
Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! (1.5)
3. In Act 2, Scene 2, she shows the feminine feeling of tenderness by explaining her
reluctance to kill Duncan herself.
Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done’t…
4. Macbeth is aware of her feminine qualities, so in Act I, scene 2, he does not disclose to
her his plans to murder Banquo and Fleance. He tells her: Be innocent of the knowledge,
dearest chuck.
5. Her fainting spell and the sleepwalking scene bear ample witness to her feminine
qualities.

Will Power
1. Lady Macbeth shows her will power in planning and execution of the scheme to make her
husband the king. With the strength of her will, she influences her husband, guides his
action and helps him out of difficult situations. Her will power is shown during her first
appearance in the play when she reacts to her husband’s letter:
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promised:
2. She doesn’t have the brooding imagination like that of Macbeth; she is determined for
the action. She urges Macbeth to murder Duncan with a singleness of purpose. She takes
upon herself the direction of affairs and arranges all the details of the murder. She makes
the grooms drunk and suggest that the crime must be ascribed to them.
3. She tells her husband to wash the blood off his hands and then seeing he has brought
out the daggers, she herself takes them back to the chamber. When she turns to hear the
knocking at the gate, she has the presence of mind. She decides that they must put on
their nightclothes so that it will seem that they had been in bed.
She tells him:
Get on your night-gown, lest occasion calls us,
And show us to be watchers- Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

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4. The appearance of Banquo’s ghost and Macbeth reaction to it brought the whole situation
to a crisis. Neither Lady Macbeth nor the guests can understand his terror. With her
presence of mind, Lady Macbeth makes up an excuse. She says that Macbeth has been
suffering from a strange illness since his youth: the guestd should not be perturbed due to
such a small incident. Finally, she calls off the gathering.

Resourcefulness
1. Lady Macbeth is very resourceful in a crisis situation. Unlike her husband, she does not
depend on her imagination but shows her presence of mind to solve a problem. She gives
sound advice to Macbeth while planning for Duncan’s murder.
to beguile the time,
Look like the time: bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t
2. After the murder of Dunkin, she asks Macbeth to wash the blood off from his hands and
to place the daggers on the grooms. This is done to shift the blame of murders on the
grooms.
3. When she hears the sudden knock at her gate, she is not perturbed. She sees to it that
Macbeth and herself put on night clothes to show that they have been in bed. Furthermore,
at the banquet even Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth diffuses the situation by
dismissing the gathering.

Deterioration
1. Till the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth has a leading role in the play. After the murder
she recedes to the background, she has behaved in an unnatural way which stifled her
conscience and strained her nerves. She has no emotional relief by expressing outwardly
her remorse.
2. Her fainting spell shows us the first sign of her weakness. This was caused by the strain
of realising how Macbeth lost control by following her plan.
3. In the sleep-walking scene, her mind cannot bear the strain of revealing her true nature
which she had tried to conceal. The sense of guilt overtakes her:
The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? – What,
will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’that, my Lord,
no more o’that: you mar all with this starting. (5.1)
4. Arunachal, abhorrence of blood, which she had suppressed with a view to goad Macbeth
reveals itself pathetically:
Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of
Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh! (5.1)
5. Finally, the glory of her dream fades away; exhausted and sleepless, she exclaims:
Naught is had, all is spent,
Where our desire is got without content.
6. Disillusionment and despair pray upon her more and more. Towards the end of the day,
probably she commits suicide. The strain of keeping up an appearance has been too much
for her. We pity her condition at this stage. Lady Macbeth is the most fascinating female
character of Shakespeare.

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“Of all the women Shakespeare has drawn none exercises so strange fascination as this
fragile, indomitable…… Queen who makes the great denial of her sex- and greatly suffers
even to the death.” (A.W. Verity)

BANQUO

Bravery
1. Banquo like Macbeth, is a brave general. Duncan refers to Macbeth and Banquo as our
captains. While reporting on the outcome of the battle, the bleeding sergeant describes
the two general as cannons overcharg’d with double cracks.
2. Macbeth admits Banquo’s courage on the battlefield:
……tis much he dares,
And to that dauntless temper of his mind
He hath wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety.

Honesty and Modesty

Duncan praises Banquo in the presence of Macbeth. Banquo is modest in his reply,
“Noble Banquo,
That hath no less deserved, nor must be known
And hold thee to my heart.”
Banquo modesty replies:
“There if I grow,
The harvest is your own.” (1.4)
Duncan gives greater appreciation to Macbeth’s performance than to Banquo’s, Banquo is
not envious. He praises Macbeth again, which evokes admiration in Duncan:
True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant,
And in his commendation I am fed;
It is a banquet to me.
On his arrival at Macbeth Castle, Banquo praises the wholesome atmosphere of the castle,
which shows him to be a thorough gentleman without any suspicion of evil. He is
unsuspecting by nature, even when the murderers have surrounded him in Act 3, Scene 3,
he does not suspect the danger hovering around him.

Carelessness
1. Banquo has been accused of being careless and not prudent enough to take timely action.
This character trait of him led to his untimely death. He suspects Macbeth, but he is not
prudent enough to take steps to protect himself.
2. Banquo, in spite of being a trusted general, ignored Macbeth’s crime against Duncan.
Perhaps he might have been led to believe that Duncan’s murder is inevitable according to
the witches prophecies. He too is a beneficiary of the elimination of Duncan.
Banquo is said to be careless or at least casual in the following situations:
i) He knew from the prophecies that Macbeth will be the future king.
ii) He tries twice to engage Macbeth in conversation about the prophecies and is ignored by
Macbeth.
iii) He is not suspicious when he encounters Macbeth late at night near Duncan’s chamber

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with a dagger. If he were suspicious, he should have reacted appropriately.
iv) He is not emotionally upset when the murder was made known. It means that he has
expected such a thing to happen.

DUNCAN

Popularity
1. Duncan is a dignified, gentle, and benevolent king. Macbeth is aware of Duncan’s virtues
and understands the enormity of his proposed murder of him.
This Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angles, trumpet-tongu’d, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off: (1.7)
2. Duncan keeps his royal dignity and behaves like an ideal guest in Macbeth’s Castle.
Give me your hand:
Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly,
And shall continue our graces towards him.
By your leave, hostess. (1.6)
3. Duncan’s concern for his people is seen in his first appearance in the plague. The reports
of his general’s valour do not make him blind to the needs of the bleeding captain. So, he
commands:
Go, get him surgeons. (1.2)

Generosity
1. Duncan is generous in showering praise and rewarding deserving people. He recognises
merit in others and rewards the generals who have shown great courage in putting down the
revolt of Macdonwald, and in repelling the attack of the King of Norway.
2. Duncan’s welcome to Macbeth and Banquo in Act 1, Scene 4 shows his generosity and his
awareness of royal responsibility. His decision to visit Macbeth’s Castle as a guest is a
proof of his genuine appreciation for Macbeth.

Virtuous
Duncan is shown as a virtuous king. Macbeth testifies to this aspect of Duncan’s character
while debating on the possible consequences of the murder. Macbeth says that Duncan:
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angles, trumpet-tongu’d, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off: (1.7)
Macduff too refers to Duncan as:
Thy royal father
Was a most sainted king….. (4.3)
Duncan is thus represented as a noble gentle figure in order to heighten the effect of his
murder as most heinous.

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Weakness
1. Duncan shows himself as a poor judge of men and circumstances.
To find the mind’s construction in the face,
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust.
2. Duncan trusts Macbeth too much, calls him ‘peerless kinsman.’ He visits Macbeth’s Castle
and puts his life in danger.
3. The events are hastened by the untimely announcement of Malcolm’s succession to the
throne.

MACDUFF

[Link] is the Thane of Fife and one not born of woman. He is the most selfless person
who is known for his nobility, loyalty and patriotism. He is respected among his countrymen
and remains the good Macduff throughout the action of the day. He is hated and feared by
Macbeth, because Macbeth is aware of his superior nobility and high morality.
2. Macduff suspects Macbeth from the beginning when Macbeth kills Duncan’s
chamberlains. Macduff instinctively begins to suspect foul play and so sternly asks him:
Wherefore, did you so?
3. Macduff does not go to Macbeth’s coronation at Scone, nor at the banquet given by
Macbeth. His behaviour is in sharp contrast with that of Banquo. Macbeth is annoyed with
him, and his doubts and fears are confirmed when the witches tell him.
Beware Macduff
Beware the Thane of Fife.

Loyalty
1. Macduff is loyal and patriotic. When he is convinced of Macbeth’s treachery, he sets
himself up as an uncompromising enemy to the usurper. He flees to England to beg for
assistance for his suffering country, leaving his family at the mercy of Macbeth.
2. He offers his assistance to Malcolm, the true heir. He convinces Malcolm of his loyalty
by the sincerity of his grief when he feels he can no longer conduct Malcolm's confession
of faults. Malcolm cannot help being touched by the sincerity with which Macduff
expresses his love for his country.

Man of Action
1. Macduff is a man of action. His secret departure to England and his preoccupation with
enlisting aid for the purpose of overthrowing Macbeth points to the immense store of
energy in him.
2. He is a man of few words. Towards the end of the play, when other leaders have been
discussing their prospects in the battle, Macduff is silent. When he interrupts he does so
only to end the discussion and to practice caution:
Let our just censures
Attend the true event, and put we on
Industrious soldiership.
Where he meets Macbeth on the field of battle, he wastes no time in giving empty threats:
I have no words:

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 12
My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain
Than terms can give thee out! (5.8)
3. His actions have origin in his emotions. His emotional nature does not allow him to lose his
humanity. In Act 4, Scene 3, when he is told of the massacre of his wife and children, deep
grief interrupts his desire for revenge and reveals a tenderness beneath his violence.
Macduff is the trusted and loyal man of action in the service of his rightful king. It is
through him that the poetic justice has been meted out to the hero turned villain.

Contrast to Banquo
1. Banquo keeps his suspicion of Macbeth to himself while Macduff expresses his suspicion
and becomes an enemy of Macbeth.
2. Banquo attended the coronation ceremony and the banquet given by Macbeth. Macduff
was conspicuous by his absence at both the functions. His absence at the banquet made
Macbeth turn his anger directly upon Macduff.
3. Banquo is passive against Macbeth’s crimes and his indirectly disloyal to Duncan. Macduff
remains loyal to his king and his heirs.

MALCOLM

A Realist
1. Malcolm is the legal heir to the throne of Scotland. In the beginning of the play, Duncan
nominated him as his successor. This fact hastened the resolve of Macbeth to get rid of
Duncan and occupy his throne. Malcolm is cautious and practical. After the murder of his
father, he suspected the activities of Macbeth and went to England. To get support from
the King of England.
2. Natural goodness alone is not sufficient for a king: he must be a realist. In his handling
of Macduff- the test to discover whether he is an agent of Macbeth- Malcolm shows
himself as a realist. Malcolm is not easily deceived. He uses his resourcefulness. When, for
the good of Scotland, he gently but persistently tries to convert Macduff’s grief into
positive revenge, we see Malcolm as a wise, able and screwed young man.
3. Malcolm is an intelligent soldier. He orders his men to camouflage themselves with the
boughs from Birnam Wood; he thereby fulfils the prophecy of the witches and so shakes
Macbeth’s confidence in the witches.
4. Macbeth forms a contrast to his father who has been trustful and unsuspecting. Malcolm
is so suspicious that he distrusts Macduff and only satisfies himself of the noble Thane’s
loyalty after having spoken of his own detraction in detail.
5. Malcom symbolises basic goodness in man. His religious spirit helps him to keep away
from the superstition in the play. While talking to Macduff in Act 4, Scene 3, he describes
his religious fervour.

An Ideal King
1. Malcolm has been portrayed as an ideal king, in contrast to the tyrannical Macbeth. His
coronation restores peace and legitimate kingship to Scotland. His last words in the play
show the destruction of evil and disorder, and restoration of order, harmony and peace by a
young and rightful king of the country.

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 ROSS and ANGUS

Chorus Characters
Ross and Angus are minor characters. They are known as chorus or mechanical characters
who give general information or comment on things in the play. It is through their comments
that the audience comes to know the impact of the tyranny of Macbeth on the people of
Scotland. We know through them that Macbeth is hated, the people have no love for him
and in case of Malcolm’s return, they would gladly welcome him.

Themes and Issues

Appearance and Reality

In the opening Scene, the witches chant: fair is foul and foul is fair. That is to say.
whatever appears to be good is bad and whatever appears to be bad is good. Thus, the
witches announce the theme of appearance and reality in Macbeth. Evil must be shown as
attractive in order to deceive the tragic hero. Macbeth is under the spell of the witches
when he says:
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

Macbeth and Duncan

Duncan refers to Macbeth as worthy gentleman, noble Macbeth and valiant cousin. Macbeth
deserves the praise from Duncan. But in reality, Macbeth is a potential traitor. Again,
Duncan says that there is no art by which one can read the character of a man from his
face, adding that the Thane of Cawdor was a gentleman on whom he had built an absolute
trust. These words are also applicable to Macbeth. Inwardly there are "black and deep
desires" in Macbeth's mind, but outwardly he tells Duncan that he will immediately go to his
castle in order to "make joyful the hearing of my wife with your approach". This is a clear
example of equivocation, that is, speaking with certain mental reservations.
Duncan and Banquo praise the wholesome air and surrounding of Macbeth's castle. Duncan
says: "This castle hath a pleasant seat"; while to Banquo the air of this castle is "delicate".
But Duncan and Banquo witness only the appearance of things: unaware of the reality which
is known to the audience. The reality is that Duncan has come here only to meet his death.
Lady Macbeth shows her loyalty to Duncan. But she has already made up her mind to see
that Duncan is murdered. Both her soliloquies, before the return of her husband to his
castle, show Lady Macbeth's determination in this regard. On hearing hat Duncan is
arriving, for instance, she refers to "the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements."
When her husband arrives, she urges him to deceive others by putting on a false
appearance. "Look like the innocent flower. but be the serpent under it." Lady Macbeth tells
her husband:
...to beguile the tine,
Look like the tune....
...look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 14
At a later moment Macbeth echoes her meaning:
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
Macbeth himself gives a similar advice to Lady Macbeth later in the play. Before the royal
banquet Macbeth urges his wife to flatter Banquo. Inwardly Macbeth is full of hatred for
Banquo. Macbeth, thus, speaks to his wife on this occasion:
Let you remembrance apply to Banquo:
Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue:
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth appear to be good hosts, while committing the most heinous of
crimes against hospitality-the murder of a guest in their house. Macbeth shows externally
his loyalty to Duncan but harbours the most disloyal thoughts Before he commits the
murder of Duncan he sees the vision of the blood-stained dagger-only an illusory
appearance. Later the murder becomes a reality to him. He is troubled by Banquo's Ghost.
The Ghost appears at the banquet after Macbeth expresses the wish that Banquo should
have been present, knowing fully that he has been murdered. These events highlight the
theme of appearance and reality in the play.
One of the most striking examples of the principles of appearance and reality is shown by
the promises made to Macbeth by the witches. They tell him that none born of woman can
do any harm to him and that he can never be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to
Dunsinane. On the surface, these assurances render Macbeth invulnerable. Unfortunately,
Macbeth takes those assurances literally: but he feels cheated when he comes to know of
the reality.
Birnam Wood seems to move to Dunsinane when the English soldiers advance carrying
branches of trees to camouflage themselves; and they have cut these branches from the
trees in Birnam Wood. Macbeth finds himself face to face with Macduff who was ripped
untimely from his mother's womb and was therefore not born of woman in the normal sense.
Totally disgusted, Macbeth at this stage calls the Witches these juggling fends.
The play has the theme of appearance and reality till the end. When Malcolm meets
Macduff in England, he suspects Macduff of being a spy sent by Macbeth. Thinking of him
as a spy, Malcolm pretends to be unfit to be a king. Macduff believes him but he does not
see any reason why Malcolm should misrepresent himself. Both the characters, are being
misunderstood by each other so that the theme of appearance and reality is reinforced
here. Later, Macduff is discovered not to be a spy but a true ally; and Malcolm is
discovered to be a man of integrity.

Conflict of Conscience and Ambition

Macbeth has an eminent position. He is presented as a man of exceptional qualities.

Shakespeare introduces him as a brave general, a bold, resolute man of action. n has put
down revolts against the king. He is referred to as Valour's minion, Bellona's bridegroom,
the king's valiant cousin, an eagle among sparrows, a lion among hares.
He has a flaw in his character: he wants to capture the throne of the king. However, his
conscience revolts against his evil plans. So, there is a continuous conflict between his
conscience and his ambition.

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The secret ambition of Macbeth is fanned by the witches. The witches' prophecies and
their partial fulfilment make him think of murdering Duncan. He speaks of seeing a horrid
image, which has violently shaken him. His conscience now comes to his rescue and he
overcomes the temptation:
If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.
Then he postpones the decision:
Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
The idea of murdering Duncan comes to Macbeth's mind after Duncan announces the
nomination of Malcolm as the heir to the throne. Macbeth sees his chance of becoming king
slipping away. Duncan's decision to visit Macbeth's castle gives him a chance to go ahead
with his evil plan. Macbeth's conscience pricks him but it is suppressed by his ambition. So
he says:
Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires;
When Macbeth returns to his castle, his wife tells him the necessity of getting rid of
Duncan. But Macbeth remains non-committal by saying: "We will speak further." He thinks
of the tragic consequences that follow the evil-doer. Further, he thinks of the sin of
murdering Duncan who is his guest, kinsman, and king. His conscience seems to have the
upper hand when he tells his wife, "We will proceed no further in this business."
Lady Macbeth prevails upon him and suggests to him a safe plan for murdering Duncan.
Under her forceful arguments, Macbeth ignores the voice of his conscience, saying:
I am settled, and bend up
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
The voice of conscience troubles Macbeth more after he makes up his mind to do the deed.
Then the horrors of murder take the shape of a dagger that seems to lead him to Duncan's
chamber. This hallucination of the dagger, that Macbeth sees, is the final warning that his
conscience gives him. Yet, he ignores the voice of his conscience saying:
There's no such thing:
It is the bloody business which informs
Thus to mine eyes.
The soliloquy ends with the resolve to accomplish the deed of murder.
After the murder, he hears the protest of his conscience in the words, sleep more. He sees
the blood stains on his hands. The consciousness of Duncan's murder does not leave him in
peace. His conscience makes him see strange sights sounds. Macbeth is overwhelmed by
remorse when he says:
Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant,
There's nothing serious in mortality:
All is but toys: renown and grace is dead;
Macbeth continues to proceed along the path to self-damnation. His frustration keeps him
away from conscience and urges him on to desperate actions. He cannot renounce the crown
that he has so dearly worn. Love for power is so strong in him that he decides to challenge

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 16
Fate:
…come, fate, into the list,
And champion me to the utterance!
Macbeth's frustrated ambition and tortured conscience makes him a rebel. He fights his
battle without hope. It is his ambition that inspires him to go for a second meeting with the
witches and forces him to go ahead from crime to crime, with a breathless speed. He
becomes a victim of restlessness which is caused by fear of retaliation. That is why Banquo
becomes the potential source of his fear.
Macbeth gets Banquo eliminated when he was on his way to the banquet hosted by Macbeth.
This leads to further complications. Banquo's ghost is seen by Macbeth alone at the
banquet. It exposes Macbeth's crime. Then, at the height of frustration, Macbeth murders
Macduff’s family. Thus, Macbeth becomes a victim of his ambition by not listening to the
voice of his conscience.

The Witches

Origin of the Witches

In Holinshed, from whom the story of Macbeth has been adapted, the three women who
meet Macbeth and Banquo are described as the weird sisters. They were said to be
goddesses of destines who foresaw and controlled fate. Shakespeare retains their name
but adapts them into the familiar witches of the English or Scottish culture. The witches
were said to cause strange diseases or natural calamities in England.
Shakespeare's idea of the witches is derived from the British folklore and classical
mythology. They are referred to as the weird sisters throughout the play. It is only in the
stage-directions, they are referred to as witches. They serve demons and conjure up
apparitions whom they call masters. They are associated with Hecate- the Greek goddess
of Sorcery. They are accompanied by their attendant spirits, a toad, a cat, etc. There is
frequent reference to the owl, a customary attendant of witches. Macbeth has bad dreams,
and these were notoriously caused by witches, as were hallucinations like the air-drawn
dagger.

Their Nature
The witches come and go like bubbles of water. They have their cauldron which they use to
cast their spells. They work their spells standing around the cauldron with such items as
the thumb of a pilot and the organs of men and animals. They have a withered appearance,
with choppy fingers and skinny lips. They are unnatural creatures. Whatever is good for
others is bad for them and whatever is bad for others is good for them. They symbolise all
that is evil in Nature. They provide the antithesis to the divinely ordained order of the
universe. They meet in storms and can raise tempests; they are unnatural themselves-
women with beards!

Their Deceptive Nature

The witches offer deceptive promises of worldly good. Their promises are false or half-
truths, for evil works through deception. Banquo recognises the devilish origin of the

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 17
witches and so he asks: What, can the devil speak true? (Act I, Scene 3, 105). Banquo
describes their work thus:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence (1.3, 130-133)
Macbeth falls a victim to the evil designs of the witches. He discovers reality only at the
end. When Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, and when he faces his enemy not born of a
woman, Macbeth himself learns that evil operates through deception, and he thus states:
And be these juggling fiends no more believed,
That palter with us in a double sense;
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
And break it to our hope! (5.8, 23-26)

Witches and Equivocation

The deceptive nature of the evil is propagated through equivocation in the play. The
Witches say, Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
The witches assure Banquo that he himself would not be the king but is a fountain-head of
future kings. The influence of the witches manifested in the words of some characters.
The Echo of equivocation is reflected in Macbeth’s opening remark: So foul and fair a day I
have not seen. Later, Duncan says: There’s no art/ To find the mind’s construction in the
face. Later still, Lady Macbeth urges her husband to look like the innocent flower but be
the serpent under’t. Macbeth himself says afterwards that False face must hide what the
false heart doth know. (1.7)

Their Influence on Macbeth

The witches tempt Macbeth because they know his ambitious thoughts. Their prophecy
regarding the Kingship does not suggest the use of evil means for achieving it. Macbeth
never blames the witches for tempting him to murder Duncan. However, he blames them to
have given him a false sense of security. The first step in the direction of evil was taken by
Macbeth on his own responsibility. The first crime is inspired by ambition; the remainder is
inspired by fear.
The witches on the whole help to create an atmosphere of uncertainty, doubt, and fear. By
telling half-truths, they mislead people to do evil deeds.

Use of Prose

Shakespeare uses prose as a colloquial medium of expression. Prose is used by characters

of humble position-servants, soldiers, etc. For example, the speech of the porter is given in
prose.
Shakespeare uses prose to lower the dramatic pitch. A good illustration of this is the
conversation between Lady Macduff and her little boy (4.2).
Here the prose gives an informal, domestic colouring which contrasts with the tragic
surroundings. Another example of the same use of prose is found in the scene where the

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 18
Doctor and the Gentlewoman talk about the disease of Lady Macbeth (5.1)
Prose is for letters, proclamations and documents. For example, the letter of Macbeth to
Lady Macbeth is written in prose. However, the most subtle use of prose is for the
expression of extreme emotion and mental derangement. Shakespeare seems to have
realised that verse is all too artificial for the expression of such state of mind and takes
recourse to prose. Two of the examples of such prose are provided in the play by the talk
between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder Duncan, and in the sleep-walking
scene where Lady Macbeth speaks in prose. When Macbeth returns in a state of extreme
nervousness from the horrid deed, he has done he speaks in simple monosyllabic prose.
Again, the broken, disjointed words of Lady Macbeth in her sleep-walking give an
appropriate expression to her mental derangement, in which her ideas and images are
expressed in an incoherent manner. Besides, the intensity of her feeling, the total sorrow
of a woman wrecked in mind and body, find expression only in brief sentences of prose,

Symbols
Visions and Hallucinations- A number of times in Macbeth, Macbeth sees or hears
strange things: the floating dagger, the voice that says he's murdering sleep,
and Banquo's ghost. As Macbeth himself wonders about the dagger, are these sights
and sounds supernatural visions or figments of his guilty imagination? The play contains
no definitive answer, which is itself a kind of answer: they're both. Macbeth is a man at
war with himself, his innate honour battling his ambition. Just as nature goes haywire
when the normal natural order is ruptured, Macbeth's own mind does the same when it
is forced to fight against itself.

Blood- Blood is always closely linked to violence, but over the course of Macbeth blood
comes to symbolize something else: guilt. Death and killing happen in an instant, but
blood remains, and stains. At the times when both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth feel most
guilty, they despair that they will never be able to wash the blood—their guilt—from
their hands.

Sleep- When he murders Duncan, Macbeth thinks he hears a voice say "Macbeth does
murder sleep." Sleep symbolizes innocence, purity, and peace of mind, and in killing
Duncan Macbeth actually does murder sleep: Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk, and
Macbeth is haunted by his nightmares.

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 Act 1 Scene 1

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Thunder and lightning. Enter Thunder and lightning.

three WITCHES Three WITCHES enter

FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH

When shall we three meet again? When should the three of us meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Will it be in thunder, lightning, or rain?

SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH We’ll meet when the noise of the battle is
When the hurly-burly’s done, over, when one side has won and the other
When the battle’s lost and won. side has lost.

THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH

5That will be ere the set of sun. That will happen before sunset.

FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH

Where the place? Where should we meet?

SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH

Upon the heath. Let’s do it in the open field.

THIRD WITCH
We’ll meet Macbeth there.

The WITCHES hear the calls of their spirit

THIRD WITCH friends or “familiars,” which look like
There to meet with Macbeth. animals—one is a cat and one is a toad.

FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH

I come, Graymalkin! (calling to her cat) I’m coming, Graymalkin!

SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH

10Paddock calls. My toad, Paddock, calls me.

THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH

Anon. (to her spirit) I’ll be right here!

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 ALL ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Let’s fly away
Hover through the fog and filthy air. through the fog and filthy air.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
As a storm rages, three witches appear, The witches' rhyming speech makes them
speaking in rhyming, paradoxical couplets: seem inhuman, ominous, and paranormal,
"when the battle's lost and won" (1.1.4); which, in fact, they are.
"fair is foul, and foul is fair" (1.1.10). They
agree to meet again on the heath (plain)
when the battle now raging ends. There
they'll meet Macbeth.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Fair is foul, and foul is fair;

Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
Explanation and Analysis:
In the play’s opening scene, three witches gather in a storm and discuss their upcoming
meeting with Macbeth. Together they chant these lines about the moral uncertainty and
decay in Scotland.
That “fair is foul” means that what seems genuine is in fact evil, while “foul is fair”
inversely means that what appears negative is actually positive. Thus the witches point
out the fickle quality of appearances—a recurring theme throughout the tragedy—
contending that foul and fair things can easily be mistaken for each other. This line is
an example of the rhetorical device chiasmus: when elements of a text are arranged in
the form ABBA. Here, “A” is “fair” and “B” is “foul.” Chiasmus can have many different
meanings depending on the circumstance, but here it gives a rhythmic quality to the
text and points out a paradox between two terms.
The image of “fog and filthy air” similarly foreshadows how the senses will be muddled
in the text, preventing characters from accurately perceiving what would be fair or
foul. More generally, this image showcases how symbols and ethics will become mixed up
in the tragedy. As supernatural creatures, the witches themselves seem decrepit and
“foul” at times—but their prophecies are also accurate, which would make them “fair.”
Thus these lines do not only make a distinction between false appearance and honest
reality, but rather question the very ability to determine the moral goodness of any
such reality.

Act 1 Scene 2

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Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Sounds of a trumpet and soldiers fighting

Alarum within. Enter KING offstage. KING DUNCAN enters with his
DUNCAN , MALCOLM , DONALBAIN sons MALCOLM and DONALBAIN , LENN
, LENNOX , with attendants, meeting OX , and a number of attendants. They
a bleeding CAPTAIN meet a wounded and bloody CAPTAIN .

DUNCAN
What bloody man is that? He can DUNCAN
report, Who is this bloody man? Judging from his
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt appearance, I bet he can tell us the latest
The newest state. news about the revolt.

MALCOLM
This is the sergeant
Who like a good and hardy soldier
fought
5'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave MALCOLM
friend! This is the brave sergeant who fought to
Say to the king the knowledge of the keep me from being captured. Hail, brave
broil friend! Tell the king what was happening in
As thou didst leave it. the battle when you left it.

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CAPTAIN
Doubtful it stood,
As two spent swimmers that do cling
together
And choke their art. The merciless
Macdonwald—
10Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do swarm upon him—from the Western
Isles
Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied,
And fortune, on his damnèd quarrel
smiling, CAPTAIN
15Showed like a rebel’s whore. But all’s For a while you couldn’t tell who would win.
too weak, The armies were like two exhausted
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves swimmers clinging to each other and
that name— struggling in the water, unable to move.
Disdaining fortune, with his brandished The villainous rebel Macdonwald was
steel, supported by foot soldiers and horsemen
Which smoked with bloody execution, from Ireland and the Hebrides, and Lady
Like valor’s minion carved out his Luck was with him, smiling cruelly at his
passage enemies as if she were his whore. But Luck
20Till he faced the slave; and Macdonwald together weren’t strong
Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade enough. Brave Macbeth, laughing at Luck,
farewell to him, chopped his way through to Macdonwald,
Till he unseamed him from the nave to who didn’t even have time to say good-bye
th' chops, or shake hands before Macbeth split him
And fixed his head upon our open from his navel to his jawbone and
battlements. stuck his head on our castle walls.

DUNCAN DUNCAN
O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman! My brave relative! What a worthy man!

CAPTAIN
25As whence the sun 'gins his
reflection
Shipwracking storms and direful
thunders break, CAPTAIN
So from that spring whence comfort But in the same way that violent storms
seemed to come always come just as spring appears, our
Discomfort swells. Mark, King of success against Macdonwald created new
Scotland, mark: problems for us. Listen to this, King: as
No sooner justice had, with valor soon as we sent those Irish soldiers
armed, running for cover, the Norwegian king saw
30Compelled these skipping kerns to his chance to attack us with fresh troops
trust their heels, and shiny weapons.

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But the Norweyan lord, surveying
vantage,
With furbished arms and new supplies
of men,
Began a fresh assault.

DUNCAN DUNCAN
Dismayed not this our captains, Didn’t this frighten our captains, Macbeth
Macbeth and Banquo? and Banquo?

CAPTAIN
35Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare
the lion. CAPTAIN
If I say sooth, I must report they The new challenge scared them about as
were much as sparrows frighten eagles, or
As cannons overcharged with double rabbits frighten a lion. To tell you the
cracks, truth, they fought the new enemy with
So they doubly redoubled strokes upon twice as much force as before; they were
the foe. like cannons loaded with double
Except they meant to bathe in reeking ammunition. Maybe they wanted to take a
wounds, bath in their enemies' blood, or make that
40Or memorize another Golgotha, battlefield as infamous as Golgotha, where
I cannot tell— Christ was crucified, I don’t know. But I
But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. feel weak. My wounds must be tended to.

DUNCAN
So well thy words become thee as thy
wounds; DUNCAN
They smack of honor both. Go get him Your words, like your wounds, bring you
surgeons. honor. Take him to the surgeons.

The CAPTAIN exits, helped by

Exit CAPTAIN with attendants attendants.

Enter ROSS and ANGUS ROSS and ANGUS enter.

45Who comes here? Who is this?

MALCOLM MALCOLM
The worthy thane of Ross. The worthy Thane of Ross.

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LENNOX
What a haste looks through his eyes! LENNOX
So should he look His eyes seem frantic! He looks like
That seems to speak things strange. someone with a strange tale to tell.

ROSS ROSS
God save the king. God save the king!

DUNCAN DUNCAN
Whence cam’st thou, worthy thane? Where have you come from, worthy thane?

ROSS
From Fife, great king,
Where the Norweyan banners flout
the sky
50And fan our people cold.
Norway himself, with terrible numbers,
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor, ROSS
The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal Great king, I’ve come from Fife, where the
conflict, Norwegian flag flies, mocking our country
Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapped and frightening our people. Leading an
in proof, enormous army and assisted by that
55Confronted him with self- disloyal traitor, the thane of Cawdor, the
comparisons, king of Norway began a bloody battle. But
Point against point, rebellious arm outfitted in his battle-weathered armor,
'gainst arm, Macbeth met the Norwegian attacks shot
Curbing his lavish spirit; and to for shot, as if he were the goddess of
conclude, war’s husband. Finally he broke the enemy’s
The victory fell on us. spirit, and we were victorious.

DUNCAN DUNCAN
Great happiness! Great happiness!

ROSS
That now
Sweno, the Norways' king, craves
composition. ROSS
60Nor would we deign him burial of his So now Sweno, the Norwegian king, wants a
men treaty. We told him we wouldn’t even let
Till he disbursed at Saint Colme’s Inch him bury his men until he retreated to
Ten thousand dollars to our general Saint Colme’s Inch and paid us ten
use. thousand dollars.

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 DUNCAN
No more that thane of Cawdor shall
deceive DUNCAN
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his The thane of Cawdor will never again
present death, betray me. Go announce that he will be
65And with his former title greet executed, and tell Macbeth that Cawdor’s
Macbeth. titles will be given to him.

ROSS ROSS
I’ll see it done. I’ll get it done right away.

DUNCAN DUNCAN
What he hath lost, noble Macbeth The thane of Cawdor has lost what the
hath won. noble Macbeth has won.

Exeunt They all exit.

Summary Analysis
At a military camp, King Duncan of The blood covering the captain makes him
Scotland, his sons Malcolm and Donalbain, an unrecognizable monster, just as
and the Thane of Lennox wait for news of Macbeth, who in this scene is described as
the war. A captain enters, covered in so a noble hero who is brave and loyal to his
much blood he is almost unrecognizable. king, will be transformed into a monster as
The captain tells them of the state of the he becomes "covered" with the
battle against the invading Norwegians and metaphorical blood of those he kills to
the Scottish rebels Macdonald and the achieve his ambitions.
Thane of Cawdor. Two Scottish nobleman
have been especially brave, Macbeth (the
Thane of Glamis) and Banquo. Macbeth
killed Macdonald ("unseamed him from the
nave to th' chops" (1.2.22)).

The Thane of Ross arrives, and describes

how Macbeth defeated Sweno, the
Norwegian King, who now begs for a Duncan rewards and trusts his subjects.
truce. Duncan proclaims that the traitorous This is the opposite of personal ambition.
Thane of Cawdor shall be put to death, and Ironically, though, he replaces one traitor
that Macbeth shall be made Thane of with a much worse traitor.
Cawdor.

Act 1 Scene 3

Annotations

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 26
ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT
Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES Thunder. The three WITCHES enter.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Where hast thou been, sister? Where have you been, sister?
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Killing swine. Killing pigs.
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH
Sister, where thou? And you, sister?
FIRST WITCH
A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munched, and munched, and munched.
“Give me,” FIRST WITCH
quoth I. A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap and
“Aroint thee, witch!” the rump-fed runnion munched away at them. “Give me one,” I
cries. said. “Get away from me, witch!” the fat
Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o' woman cried. Her husband has sailed off to
th' Tiger; Aleppo as master of a ship called the Tiger.
But in a sieve I’ll thither sail, I’ll sail there in a kitchen strainer, turn
And like a rat without a tail, myself into a tailless rat, and do things to
10I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do. him—
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
I’ll give thee a wind. I’ll give you some wind to sail there.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Thou 'rt kind. How nice of you!
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH
And I another. And I will give you some more.
FIRST WITCH
I myself have all the other, FIRST WITCH
15And the very ports they blow, I already have control of all the other
All the quarters that they know winds, along with the ports from which
I' th' shipman’s card. they blow and every direction on the
I’ll drain him dry as hay. sailor’s compass in which they can go. I’ll
Sleep shall neither night nor day drain the life out of him. He won’t catch a
20Hang upon his penthouse lid. wink of sleep, either at night or during the
He shall live a man forbid. day. He will live as a cursed man. For
Weary sev'nnights nine times nine eighty-one weeks he will waste away in
Shall he dwindle, peak and pine. agony.
Though his bark cannot be lost, Although I can’t make his ship disappear, I
25Yet it shall be tempest-tossed. can still make his journey miserable. Look
Look what I have. what I have here.
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Show me, show me. Show me, show me.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Here I have a pilot’s thumb, Here I have the thumb of a pilot who was
Wrecked as homeward he did come. drowned while trying to return home.
Drum within A drum sounds offstage.
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 27
30A drum, a drum! A drum, a drum! Macbeth has come.
Macbeth doth come.
ALL
(dancing together in a circle) The weird
sisters, hand in ALL
hand, (dancing together in a circle) We weird
Posters of the sea and land, sisters, hand in hand, swift travelers over
Thus do go about, about, the sea and land, dance around and around
35Thrice to thine and thrice to mine like so. Three times to yours, and three
And thrice again, to make up nine. times to mine, and three times again, to
Peace! The charm’s wound up. add up to nine. Enough! The charm is ready.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO MACBETH and BANQUO enter.
MACBETH
MACBETH (to BANQUO) I have never seen a day that
So foul and fair a day I have not seen. was so good and bad at the same time.
BANQUO
How far is ’t called to Forres?—What are
these BANQUO
40So withered and so wild in their attire, How far is it supposed to be to Forres? (he
That look not like th' inhabitants o' th' sees the WITCHES) What are these
Earth, creatures? They’re so withered-looking and
And yet are on ’t?—Live you? Or are you crazily dressed. They don’t look like they
aught belong on this planet, but I see them
That man may question? You seem to standing here on Earth. (to
understand me, the WITCHES) Are you alive? Can you
By each at once her choppy finger laying answer questions? You seem to understand
45Upon her skinny lips. You should be me, because each of you has put a
women, gruesome finger to her skinny lips. You look
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret like women, but your beards keep me from
That you are so. believing that you really are.
MACBETH
MACBETH Speak, if you can. What kind of creatures
Speak, if you can: what are you? are you?
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of
Glamis! Glamis!
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
50All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of
Cawdor! Cawdor!
THIRD WITCH
All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king THIRD WITCH
hereafter! All hail, Macbeth, the future king!
BANQUO BANQUO
Good sir, why do you start and seem to My dear Macbeth, why do you look so
fear startled and afraid of these nice things
Things that do sound so fair? (to they’re saying? (to the WITCHES) Tell me
the WITCHES) I' th' name of truth, honestly, are you illusions, or are you really

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 28
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed what you seem to be? You’ve greeted my
55Which outwardly ye show? My noble noble friend with honors and talk of a
partner future so glorious that you’ve made him
You greet with present grace and great speechless. But you don’t say anything to
prediction me. If you can see the future and say how
Of noble having and of royal hope, things will turn out, tell me. I don’t want
That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak your favors and I’m not afraid of your
not. hatred.
If you can look into the seeds of time
60And say which grain will grow and which
will not,
Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor
fear
Your favors nor your hate.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Hail! Hail!
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Hail! Hail!
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH
65Hail! Hail!
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH You are lesser than Macbeth but also
Lesser than Macbeth and greater. greater.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH You are not as happy as Macbeth, yet much
Not so happy, yet much happier. happier.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH Your descendants will be kings, even though
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. you will not be one. So all hail, Macbeth and
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! Banquo!
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
70Banquo and Macbeth, all hail! Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
MACBETH MACBETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. Wait! You only told me part of what I want
By Sinel’s death I know I am thane of to know. Stay and tell me more. I already
Glamis. know I am the thane of Glamis because I
But how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor inherited the position when my father,
lives, Sinel, died. But how can you call me the
A prosperous gentleman, and to be king thane of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor is
75Stands not within the prospect of belief, alive, and he’s a rich and powerful man. And
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from for me to be the king is completely
whence impossible, just as it’s impossible for me to
You owe this strange intelligence, or why be thane of Cawdor. Tell me where you
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way learned these strange things, and why you
With such prophetic greeting. Speak, I stop us at this desolate place with this
charge you. prophetic greeting? Speak, I command you.
WITCHES vanish The WITCHES vanish.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 29
BANQUO BANQUO
80The earth hath bubbles, as the water The earth has bubbles, just like the water,
has, and these creatures must have come from
And these are of them. Whither are they a bubble in the earth. Where did they
vanished? disappear to?
MACBETH
Into the air, and what seemed corporal MACBETH
Melted, as breath into the wind. Would Into thin air. Their bodies melted like
they had stayed. breath in the wind. I wish they had stayed!
BANQUO
Were such things here as we do speak
about? BANQUO
85Or have we eaten on the insane root Were these things we’re talking about
That takes the reason prisoner? really here? Or are we both on drugs?
MACBETH MACBETH
Your children shall be kings. Your children will be kings.
BANQUO BANQUO
You shall be king. You will be the king.
MACBETH
MACBETH And thane of Cawdor too. Isn’t that what
And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so? they said?
BANQUO
To the selfsame tune and words. Who’s BANQUO
here? That’s exactly what they said. Who’s this?
Enter ROSS and ANGUS ROSS and ANGUS enter.
ROSS
90The king hath happily received, Macbeth,
The news of thy success, and when he
reads ROSS
Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight, The king was happy to hear of your
His wonders and his praises do contend success, Macbeth. Whenever he hears the
Which should be thine or his. Silenced with story of your exploits in the fight against
that, the rebels, he becomes so amazed it makes
95In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame him speechless. He was also shocked to
day, learn that on the same day you fought the
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, rebels you also fought against the army of
Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, Norway, and that you weren’t the least bit
Strange images of death. As thick as tale afraid of death, even as you killed everyone
Can post with post, and every one did bear around you. Messenger after messenger
100Thy praises in his kingdom’s great delivered news of your bravery to the king
defense, with praise for how you defended his
And poured them down before him. country.
ANGUS
We are sent ANGUS
To give thee from our royal master thanks, The king sent us to give you his thanks and
Only to herald thee into his sight, to bring you to him. Your real reward won’t
Not pay thee. come from us.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 30
ROSS
105And, for an earnest of a greater honor, ROSS
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of And to give you a taste of what’s in store
Cawdor: for you, he told me to call you the thane of
In which addition, hail, most worthy thane, Cawdor. So hail, thane of Cawdor! That
For it is thine. title belongs to you now.
BANQUO BANQUO
What, can the devil speak true? (shocked) Can the devil tell the truth?
MACBETH
The thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you MACBETH
dress me The thane of Cawdor is still alive. Why are
110In borrowed robes? you giving me his title?
ANGUS
Who was the thane lives yet,
But under heavy judgment bears that life
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he ANGUS
was combined The man who was the thane of Cawdor is
With those of Norway, or did line the rebel still alive, but he’s been sentenced to
With hidden help and vantage, or that with death, and he deserves to die. I don’t know
both whether he fought on Norway’s side, or if
115He labored in his country’s wrack, I he secretly aided the rebels, or if he
know not; fought with both of our enemies. But his
But treasons capital, confessed and proved, treason, which has been proven, and to
Have overthrown him. which he’s confessed, means he’s finished.
MACBETH
(to himself) It’s just like they said—now
MACBETH I’m the thane of Glamis and the thane of
(aside) Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! Cawdor. And the best part of what they
The greatest is predicted is still to
behind. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Thanks for come. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Thank you for
your pains. the news. (speaking so that
(aside to BANQUO) Do you not hope your only BANQUO can hear) Aren’t you
children shall be kings, beginning to hope your children will be
When those that gave the thane of Cawdor kings? After all, the witches who said I was
to me thane of Cawdor promised them nothing
Promised no less to them? less.
BANQUO BANQUO
That, trusted home, If you trust what they say, you might be on
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, your way to becoming king, as well as thane
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But ’tis of Cawdor. But this whole thing is strange.
strange. The agents of evil often tell us part of the
125And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, truth in order to lead us to our
The instruments of darkness tell us truths, destruction. They earn our trust by telling
Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’s us the truth about little things, but then
In deepest consequence. they betray us when it will damage us the
(to ROSS and ANGUS) Cousins, a word, I most. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Gentlemen,
pray you. I’d like to have a word with you, please.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 31
BANQUO , ROSS , and ANGUS move to ROSS , ANGUS , and BANQUO move to
one side one side.
MACBETH MACBETH
(aside) Two truths are told, (to himself) So far the witches have told
As happy prologues to the swelling act me two things that came true, so it seems
Of the imperial like this will culminate in my becoming
theme. (to ROSS and ANGUS) I thank you, king. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Thank you,
gentlemen. gentlemen. (to himself) This supernatural
(aside) This supernatural soliciting temptation doesn’t seem like it can be a
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, bad thing, but it can’t be good either. If
135Why hath it given me earnest of it’s a bad thing, why was I promised a
success, promotion that turned out to be true? Now
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of I’m the thane of Cawdor, just like they said
Cawdor. I would be. But if this is a good thing, why
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion do I find myself thinking about murdering
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair King Duncan, a thought so horrifying that it
And make my seated heart knock at my makes my hair stand on end and my heart
ribs, pound inside my chest? The dangers that
140Against the use of nature? Present actually threaten me here and now frighten
fears me less than the horrible things I’m
Are less than horrible imaginings. imagining.
Even though it’s just a fantasy so far, the
mere thought of committing murder shakes
My thought, whose murder yet is but me up so much that I hardly know who I am
fantastical, anymore. My ability to act is stifled by my
Shakes so my single state of man thoughts and speculations, and the only
That function is smothered in surmise, things that matter to me are things that
145And nothing is but what is not. don’t really exist.
BANQUO BANQUO
Look how our partner’s rapt. Look at Macbeth—he’s in a daze.
MACBETH MACBETH
(aside) If chance will have me king, why, (to himself) If fate wants me to be king,
chance may crown me perhaps fate will just make it happen and I
Without my stir. won’t have to do anything.
BANQUO BANQUO
New honors come upon him, (to ROSS and ANGUS) Macbeth is not used
150Like our strange garments, cleave not to his new titles. They’re like new clothes:
to their mold they don’t fit until you break them in over
But with the aid of use. time.
MACBETH
(aside) Come what come may, MACBETH
Time and the hour runs through the (to himself) One way or another, what’s
roughest day. going to happen is going to happen.
BANQUO
Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your BANQUO
leisure. Good Macbeth, we’re ready when you are.
MACBETH MACBETH

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 32
155Give me your favor. My dull brain was I beg your pardon; I was distracted. Kind
wrought gentlemen, I won’t forget the trouble
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, you’ve taken for me whenever I think of
your pains this day. Let’s go to the king. (speaking so
Are registered where every day I turn that only BANQUO can hear) Think about
The leaf to read them. Let us toward the what happened today, and when we’ve both
king. had time to consider things, let’s talk.
(aside to BANQUO) Think upon what hath
chanced, and, at more time,
160The interim having weighed it, let us
speak
Our free hearts each to other.
BANQUO BANQUO
Very gladly. Absolutely.
MACBETH MACBETH
Till then, Until then, we’ve said
enough. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Come, enough. (to ROSS and ANGUS) Let’s go, my
friends. friends.
Exeunt They all exit.

Summary Analysis
On the heath the witches appear. They call The witches are established as both
themselves the "weird sisters" (1.3.30) and brag wicked and magically powerful.
of their dread and magical deeds such as killing
swine and cursing a sailor to waste away.

Macbeth and Banquo enter. The witches hail

Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor,
and "king hereafter" (1.3.47). Banquo asks Does the fear Banquo notes in
Macbeth why he seems to fear this good news, Macbeth signal that Macbeth's
then questions the witches about his own doomed struggle against his ambition
future. They say that Banquo is "lesser than starts the instant he hears the
Macbeth and greater" (1.3.63) because though prophecy?
he'll never be king, his descendants will.

Macbeth asks how the witches know this

information. But the witches vanish, making the
two men wonder if they could have imagined the
whole thing. Just then, Ross and Angus enter.
They tell Macbeth that the old Thane of The prophecy is fulfilled and the
Cawdor was a traitor and that Duncan has made witches' power is proved to be
Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor. genuine. The traitorous old Thane of
Cawdor is replaced by Macbeth.
Macbeth and Banquo are shocked. Macbeth asks
Banquo if he now thinks that his children will be
king. Banquo seems unsure, and comments that

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 33
 "instruments of darkness" sometimes tell half
truths to bring men to ruin.

As Banquo talks, Ross and Angus, Macbeth pond

ers the prophecy. If it's evil, why would it truly Banquo guesses the witches' plot
predict his being made Thane of Cawdor? If it's exactly. This means that when
good, why would he already be contemplating Macbeth chooses to believe the
murder, a thought that makes "my seated heart witches and act, he knows the risks.
knock at my ribs" (1.3.134-136)? Macbeth feels
that he's losing himself, and hopes that if fate
says he'll become king, he won't have to act to
make it happen.

Ross and Angus think Macbeth's reverie is Macbeth is already thinking about
caused by becoming Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth killing Duncan, but the thought
and Banquo agree to speak about the witches' terrifies him: he's struggling against
prophecy later. his ambition. His thoughts about fate
are classic: does fate happen no
matter what, or must one act?
This exchange with Banquo is the last
time Macbeth is honest in the play.

Important Quotes & Explanations

“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.”
Explanation and Analysis:
Macbeth and Banquo have just learned that Macbeth has become Thane of Cawdor, which
confirms the first part of the witches’ prophecy. In response, Banquo notes that the
stories told by the witches may be attempts to manipulate Macbeth.
These lines pose an important question about the role of supernatural forces in this
tragedy: Are the witches dictating these mens’ destinies or do men maintain the ability to
avoid or affect the prophecies being presented? When Banquo says they “win us to our
harm,” he contends that the witches are actively exploiting him and Macbeth, yet he also
notes that they “tell us truths”—which would seem to imply that nothing they recount is
false. The resolution comes in a similarly paradoxical phrase: “Honest trifles” that “betray.”
What Banquo means is that aspects of the witches’ prophecies are genuine, but that those
components are ultimately insignificant. He believes that these “instruments of darkness”
will use the prophecies to gain control over him and Macbeth and then later manipulate
them.
Banquo thus argues that he and Macbeth should resist believing the witches too much, even
though they have thus far been correct in their prophecies. This belief posits a worldview
in which humans can act freely from the influence of supernatural forces—choosing to

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 34
believe them or not. Macbeth, on the other hand, represents the position that direct
adherence to their prophecies will allow him to thwart his fate. Shakespeare thus uses
these two characters mixed responses to present two different ways of viewing the
supernatural forces in his work: as either manoeuvring or merely recounting fate.

Act 1 Scene 4

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Flourish. Enter KING A trumpet fanfare sounds. KING

DUNCAN , LENNOX , MALCOLM , DO DUNCAN , LENNOX , MALCOLM , DONA
NALBAIN , and attendants LBAIN , and their attendants enter.

DUNCAN
DUNCAN Has the former thane of Cawdor been
Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not executed yet? Haven’t the people in charge
Those in commission yet returned? of that come back?

MALCOLM
My liege,
They are not yet come back. But I
have spoke
With one that saw him die, who did
report
5That very frankly he confessed his MALCOLM
treasons, My king, they haven’t come back yet. But I
Implored your highness' pardon, and spoke with someone who saw Cawdor die,
set forth and he said that Cawdor openly confessed
A deep repentance. Nothing in his life his treasons, begged your highness’s
Became him like the leaving it. He died forgiveness, and repented deeply. He never
As one that had been studied in his did anything in his whole life that looked as
death good as the way he died. He died like
10To throw away the dearest thing he someone who had practiced how to toss
owed away his most cherished possession as if it
As ’twere a careless trifle. were a worthless a piece of garbage.

DUNCAN
There’s no art
To find the mind’s construction in the DUNCAN
face. There’s no way to read a man’s mind by
He was a gentleman on whom I built looking at his face. I trusted Cawdor
An absolute trust. completely.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 35
Enter MACBETH , BANQUO , ROSS , MACBETH , BANQUO , ROSS ,
and ANGUS and ANGUS enter.

(to MACBETH) O worthiest cousin,

The sin of my ingratitude even now
Was heavy on me. Thou art so far
before
That swiftest wing of recompense is
slow (to MACBETH) My worthiest kinsman! Just
To overtake thee. Would thou hadst this moment I was feeling guilty for not
less deserved, having thanked you enough. You have done
20That the proportion both of thanks so much for me so fast that it has been
and payment impossible to reward you properly. If you
Might have been mine! Only I have left deserved less, then perhaps my payment
to say, would have matched your deeds! All I can
More is thy due than more than all can say is that I owe you more than I can ever
pay. repay.

MACBETH
The service and the loyalty I owe
In doing it pays itself. Your highness' MACBETH
part The opportunity to serve you is its own
25Is to receive our duties, and our reward. Your only duty, your highness, is to
duties accept what we owe you. Our duty to you
Are to your throne and state children and your state is like the duty of children
and servants, to their father or servants to their
Which do but what they should, by master. By doing everything we can to
doing everything protect you, we’re only doing what we
Safe toward your love and honor. should.

DUNCAN
Welcome hither.
I have begun to plant thee, and will DUNCAN
labor You are welcome here. By making you thane
To make thee full of of Cawdor, I have planted the seeds of a
growing. (to BANQUO) Noble Banquo, great career for you, and I will make sure
That hast no less deserved, nor must they grow. (to BANQUO) Noble Banquo,
be known you deserve no less than Macbeth, and
No less to have done so, let me infold everyone should know it. Let me bring you
thee close to me and give you the benefit of my
And hold thee to my heart. love and good will.

BANQUO BANQUO
There, if I grow, Then if I accomplish anything great, it will
The harvest is your own. be a credit to you.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 36
DUNCAN
My plenteous joys,
35Wanton in fullness, seek to hide
themselves
In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen,
thanes, DUNCAN
And you whose places are the nearest, My joy is so overwhelming it brings tears
know to my eyes. My sons, relatives, lords, and
We will establish our estate upon all those closest to me, I want you to
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name witness that I will bestow my kingdom on
hereafter my eldest son, Malcolm. Today I name him
40The prince of Cumberland; which the prince of Cumberland. But Malcolm
honor must isn’t going to be alone in receiving honors—
Not unaccompanied invest him only, titles of nobility will shine like stars on all
But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall of you who deserve
shine them. (to MACBETH) And now, let’s go to
On all deservers. (to MACBETH) From your castle at Inverness, where I will
hence to Inverness, become even more obliged to you because
And bind us further to you. of your hospitality.

MACBETH
45The rest is labor which is not used
for you:
I’ll be myself the harbinger and make MACBETH
joyful I’m not happy unless I can be working for
The hearing of my wife with your you. I will go ahead and bring my wife the
approach. good news that you are coming. With that,
So humbly take my leave. I’ll be off.

DUNCAN DUNCAN
My worthy Cawdor! My worthy Cawdor!

MACBETH
(aside) The prince of Cumberland! That
is a step
On which I must fall down, or else MACBETH
o'erleap, (to himself) Malcolm is now the prince of
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your Cumberland! To become king myself, I’m
fires; either going to have to step over him or
Let not light see my black and deep give up, because he’s in my way. Stars, hide
desires. your light so no one can see the terrible
The eye wink at the hand, yet let that desires within me. I won’t let my eye look
be at what my hand is doing, but in the end
55Which the eye fears, when it is I’m still going to do that thing I’d be
done, to see. horrified to see.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 37
 Exit MACBETH exits.

DUNCAN
DUNCAN (to BANQUO, in the middle of a
True, worthy Banquo. He is full so conversation we haven’t heard) You’re
valiant, right, Banquo. Macbeth is every bit as
And in his commendations I am fed; valiant as you say, and I am satisfied with
It is a banquet to me.—Let’s after him, these praises of him. Let’s follow after
Whose care is gone before to bid us him, now that he has gone ahead to
welcome: prepare our welcome. He is a man without
60It is a peerless kinsman. equal.

Flourish. Exeunt Trumpet fanfare. They exit.

Summary Analysis
At a camp near the Deeply ironic that just as Duncan comments
battlefield, Malcolm tells Duncan that the about how you can't trust people's outward
old Thane of Cawdor confessed and shows, Macbeth enters. Duncan's great
repented before being executed. Duncan strength as a king is his trust in his people
notes that you can't always trust a man by and his thanes, but it also makes him
his outward show. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, vulnerable to treachery.
and Angus enter. Duncan says that even the
gift of Cawdor is not as much as Macbeth
deserves. Macbeth responds: "The service
and loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself"
(1.4.22).

Duncan is pleased. He says: "I have begun Duncan thinks of his role as King in terms
to plant thee, and will labour to make thee of what he can give. He's like a gardener in
full of growing" (1.4.28-29). Next, he nature; putting his country above his own
announces that Malcolm will be heir to the desires...
Scottish throne (the kingship was not
hereditary in Scotland at that time).
Duncan then adjourns the meeting and
decides to spend the night at
Inverness, Macbeth's castle.

Macbeth goes ahead to prepare for the ...Macbeth, in contrast, thinks in terms of
King's visit, but notes that Malcolm now what he can take. This makes his
stands between him and the throne. He relationship with nature adversarial.
begs the stars to "hide your fires, let not
light see my black and deep desires"
(1.4.51).

Important Quotes & Explanations

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 38
❖ “Stars, hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Explanation and Analysis:
After hearing that Duncan will visit his castle, Macbeth finds himself fantasizing about
seizing power for himself. He wishes to obscure these evil thoughts from outside
observers.
In these early moments in the play, Macbeth is still uncertain about how or whether to
proceed with the murderous impulses that have arisen in him after hearing the witches
prophecy. Though he ambitiously hopes to control the throne of Scotland, he also
carefully watches these desires and seeks to hide them from others. Saying, “Stars,
hide your fires” shows that Macbeth wishes to remain invisible and in complete
darkness, such that his “black and deep desires” could not be observed. Metaphors of
light and dark pervade this play, and here their meaning remains unclear: Darkness
stands for Macbeth’s moral unscrupulousness, but “light” is not quite the inverse of
ethical goodness. Rather, “light” is represented as an active agent that can “see” into
those desires; it stands for a supernatural or even holy force that scrutinizes man’s
actions.
Macbeth, then, seems to believe in the existence of a God-like figure who judges him
for his thoughts, and from whom he wishes to hide. His concern is less that other human
beings will spy his desires and more that it will be observed by supernatural forces—a
point that confirms his allegiance to the witches’ paranormal tendencies. Within this
short image then, we have the underpinnings of Macbeth’s striking guilt complex and the
implication of a corresponding spiritual system, though the exact nature of that
spirituality remains unclear.

Act 1 Scene 5

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter LADY MACBETH , alone, with a

letter LADY MACBETH enters, reading a letter.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

(reading) “They met me in the day of “The witches met me on the day of my
success, and I have learned by the victory in battle, and I have since learned
perfectest report they have more in that they have supernatural knowledge.
them than mortal knowledge. When I When I tried desperately to question them
burned in desire to question them further, they vanished into thin air. While
further, they made themselves air, I stood spellbound, messengers from the
into which they vanished. Whiles I king arrived and greeted me as the thane
stood rapt in the wonder of it came of Cawdor, which is precisely how the
missives from the king, who all-hailed weird sisters had saluted me before calling

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 39
me 'Thane of Cawdor,' by which title, me ’the future king!' I thought I should
before, these weird sisters saluted tell you this news, my dearest partner in
me, and referred me to the coming on greatness, so that you could rejoice along
of time with 'Hail, king that shalt be!' with me about the greatness that is
This have I thought good to deliver promised to us. Keep it secret, and
thee, my dearest partner of greatness, farewell.”
that thou might’st not lose the dues of
rejoicing, by being ignorant of what
greatness is promised thee. Lay it to
thy heart, and farewell.”

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt

be
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear
thy nature;
It is too full o' th' milk of human
kindness
5To catch the nearest way: thou
wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without (she looks up from the letter) You are
The illness should attend it. What thou thane of Glamis and Cawdor, and you’re
wouldst highly, going to be king, just like you were
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not promised. But I worry about whether or
play false, not you have what it takes to seize the
And yet wouldst wrongly win. crown. You are too full of the milk of
Thou'ld’st have, great Glamis, human kindness to strike aggressively at
That which cries, “Thus thou must do,” your first opportunity. You want to be
if thou have it, powerful, and you don’t lack ambition, but
And that which rather thou dost fear you don’t have the mean streak that these
to do, things call for. The things you want to do,
Than wishest should be undone. Hie you want to do like a good man. You don’t
thee hither, want to cheat, yet you want what doesn’t
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear belong to you. There’s something you want,
And chastise with the valor of my but you’re afraid to do what you need to do
tongue to get it. You want it to be done for you.
15All that impedes thee from the Hurry home so I can persuade you and talk
golden round, you out of whatever’s keeping you from
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth going after the crown. After all, fate and
seem witchcraft both seem to want you to be
To have thee crowned withal. king.

Enter SERVANT A SERVANT enters.

What is your tidings? What news do you bring?

SERVANT SERVANT

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 40
The king comes here tonight. The king is coming here tonight.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

Thou 'rt mad to say it. You must be crazy to say that! Isn’t
20Is not thy master with him, who, Macbeth with the king, and wouldn’t
were ’t so, Macbeth have told me in advance so I could
Would have informed for preparation? prepare, if the king were really coming?

SERVANT
So please you, it is true: our thane is
coming.
One of my fellows had the speed of SERVANT
him, I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Macbeth is
Who, almost dead for breath, had coming. He sent a messenger ahead of him
scarcely more who arrived here so out of breath that he
25Than would make up his message. could barely speak his message.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

Give him tending. Take good care of him. He brings great
He brings great news. news.

Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 41
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of
Duncan
30Under my battlements. Come, you
spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex
me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe
top-full
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my
blood.
Stop up the access and passage to
remorse, So the messenger is short of breath, like a
35That no compunctious visitings of hoarse raven, as he announces Duncan’s
nature entrance into my fortress, where he will
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace die. Come, you spirits that asist murderous
between thoughts, make me less like a woman and
The effect and it! Come to my woman’s more like a man, and fill me from head to
breasts, toe with deadly cruelty! Thicken my blood
And take my milk for gall, you and clog up my veins so I won’t feel
murd'ring ministers, remorse, so that no human compassion can
Wherever in your sightless substances stop my evil plan or prevent me from
40You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, accomplishing it! Come to my female breast
thick night, and turn my mother’s milk into poisonous
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of acid, you murdering demons, wherever you
hell, hide, invisible and waiting to do evil! Come,
That my keen knife see not the wound thick night, and cover the world in the
it makes, darkest smoke of hell, so that my sharp
Nor heaven peep through the blanket knife can’t see the wound it cuts open, and
of the dark so heaven can’t peep through the darkness
To cry “Hold, hold!” and cry, “No! Stop!”

Enter MACBETH MACBETH enters.

45Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor, Great thane of Glamis! Worthy thane of

Greater than both, by the all-hail Cawdor! You’ll soon be greater than both
hereafter, those titles, once you become king! Your
Thy letters have transported me letter has transported me from the
beyond present moment, when who knows what will
This ignorant present, and I feel now happen, and has made me feel like the
The future in the instant. future is already here.

MACBETH MACBETH
My dearest love, My dearest love, Duncan is coming here
50Duncan comes here tonight. tonight.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 42
 LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
And when goes hence? And when is he leaving?

MACBETH MACBETH
Tomorrow, as he purposes. He plans to leave tomorrow.

LADY MACBETH
O, never
Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face, my thane, is as a book
where men
May read strange matters. To beguile LADY MACBETH
the time, That day will never come. Your face
55Look like the time. Bear welcome in betrays strange feelings, my lord, and
your eye, people will be able to read it like a book. In
Your hand, your tongue. Look like th' order to deceive them, you must appear
innocent flower, the way they expect you to look. Greet the
But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s king with a welcoming expression in your
coming eyes, your hands, and your words. You
Must be provided for; and you shall put should look like an innocent flower, but be
This night’s great business into my like the snake that hides underneath the
dispatch, flower. The king is coming, and he’s got to
60Which shall to all our nights and be taken care of. Let me handle tonight’s
days to come preparations, because tonight will change
Give solely sovereign sway and every night and day for the rest of our
masterdom. lives.

MACBETH MACBETH
We will speak further. We will speak about this further.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

Only look up clear. You should project a peaceful mood,
To alter favor ever is to fear. because if you look troubled, you will
65Leave all the rest to me. arouse suspicion. Leave all the rest to me.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
At Inverness, Lady Macbeth reads a letter Lady Macbeth is established as power-
in which Macbeth tells her of the witches' hungry. She sees honour as a weakness, and
prophecy. Lady Macbeth worries Macbeth knows how to push her husband's buttons:
is too kind and honourable to fulfil his question his courage.
ambition and the prophecy. She decides to
question his manhood to make him act.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 43
 A servant enters with news In order to murder Duncan, Lady Macbeth
that Duncan will spend the night, then not only renounces her womanhood, she
exits. Lady Macbeth says Duncan's visit literally asks to be turned into an unnatural
will be fatal, and calls on spirits to "unsex fiend!
me here… and take my milk for
gall" (1.5.39-46).

Macbeth enters, and says Duncan will Macbeth is still struggling against his
spend the night and leave the next ambition. Lady Macbeth's advice on how to
day. Lady Macbeth says Duncan will never hide one's true intentions involves
see that day. She counsels Macbeth to look exploiting nature. (Note: in the Garden of
like an "innocent flower," but be the viper Eden, the devil hid himself in the form of a
hiding beneath it (1.5.63). Macbeth remains snake.)
unconvinced. Lady Macbeth tells him to
leave the plan to her.

❖ “Come, you spirits

That tend on mortal thoughts! unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall.” (Act 1 Scene 5)
Explanation and Analysis:
After learning that King Duncan will remain at the castle for the evening, Lady Macbeth
plots his demise. She asks for fortitude in renouncing any human compassion in order to
best carry out the deed.
Much like Banquo, Lady Macbeth believes that supernatural forces have a corruptive
effect on human nature. She believes they “tend on mortal thoughts” and will fill her
with “direst cruelty.” Yet whereas Banquo made this point in order to avoid those
effects, Lady Macbeth fully embraces the depravity. Indeed, she uses a series of
commands in order to demand being overtaken by them. The implication is that Lady
Macbeth wishes to act entirely cruelly, but her natural human disposition will prevent
her from doing so.
To make this point, Lady Macbeth focuses on images relating to female fertility and
more generally to bodily functions. That she implores “unsex me here” indicates that
she sees her gender as preventing her from carrying out her vile purpose; while “take
my milk for gall” similarly involves a desire to give up something feminine nurturing
(mother's milk) for something destructive and acidic (gall). Repeated references to the
body further show her to be renouncing not only womanhood but humanity altogether—
as if she desires to be a supernatural entity like the witches who could then act without

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 44
 moral scruples. In wishing to give up her humanity, this passage thus paradoxically
affirms Lady Macbeth's sense that there is in fact an inherent goodness to human
nature and specifically human biology. At the same time, it shows that humans see in the
supernatural a corruptive route away from goodness—which they may flee (as Banquo
does) or full-heartedly embrace.

❖ “Look like the innocent flower,

But be the serpent under it.” (Act 1 Scene 5)
Explanation and Analysis:
Lady Macbeth entreats her husband to kill Duncan that night. She recommends he act
secretively and strike out violently.
These lines return the text to the theme of appearance versus reality. While Macbeth
still remains uncertain about whether he wishes to deceive and kill Duncan, Lady
Macbeth is fully committed to the cruel idea. She thus sees duplicity as the best route
to achieving her evil ends. She contrasts a passive image of “innocent flower” with the
active corruption of “the serpent,” much like the witches mixed up “fair” and “foul” in
the tragedy’s opening scene. For her, however, this distinction does not express a
general predicament, but rather becomes a specific strategy to gain political power.
Referencing a serpent is also an allusion to the Biblical scene in the Garden of Eden, in
which a snake tempts Eve and leads to humanity's expulsion from paradise. This
Christian reference is especially evocative considering Lady Macbeth’s engagement with
supernatural paganism: just as she has summoned the aid of fiends, Lady Macbeth
symbolically asks her husband to strike out against Christian ideals—to play the role of
a Biblical villain.

Act 1 Scene 6

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

The stage is lit by
torches. Hautboys play. DUNCAN enters,
Hautboys and torches. Enter KING together
DUNCAN , MALCOLM , DONALBAIN , BAN with MALCOLM , DONALBAIN , BANQU
QUO , LENNOX , MACDUFF , ROSS , ANG O , LENNOX , MACDUFF , ROSS , ANG
US , and attendants US , and their attendants.
DUNCAN DUNCAN
This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air This castle is in a pleasant place. The air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself is sweet and appeals to my refined
Unto our gentle senses. senses.
BANQUO BANQUO
This guest of summer, The fact that this summer bird, the
The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, house martin, builds his nests here proves
5By his loved mansionry, that the heaven’s how inviting the breezes are. There isn’t a
breath single protrusion in the castle walls where

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 45
Smells wooingly here. No jutty, frieze, these birds haven’t built their hanging
Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird nests to sleep and breed. I’ve noticed
Hath made his pendant bed and procreant that they always like to settle and mate
cradle. where the air is the nicest.
Where they most breed and haunt, I have
observed,
10The air is delicate.
Enter LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH enters.
DUNCAN DUNCAN
See, see, our honored hostess! Look, here comes our honored hostess!
The love that follows us sometime is our Sometimes the love my subjects bring me
trouble, is inconvenient, but I still accept it as
Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach love. In doing so, I’m teaching you to
you thank me for the incovenience I’m causing
How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains, you by being here, because it comes from
And thank us for your trouble. my love to you.
LADY MACBETH
All our service,
15In every point twice done and then done
double, LADY MACBETH
Were poor and single business to contend Everything we’re doing for you, even if it
Against those honors deep and broad were doubled and then doubled again, is
wherewith nothing compared to the honors you have
Your majesty loads our house. For those of brought to our family. We gladly welcome
old, you as our guests, with gratitude for both
And the late dignities heaped up to them, the honors you’ve given us before and the
20We rest your hermits. new honors you’ve just given us.
DUNCAN
Where’s the thane of Cawdor?
We coursed him at the heels and had a DUNCAN
purpose Where is Macbeth, the thane of Cawdor?
To be his purveyor; but he rides well, We followed closely after him. I hoped to
And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath arrive here before him, but he rides
holp him swiftly. And his great love, which is as
To his home before us. Fair and noble sharp as his spur, helped him beat us
hostess, here. Fair and noble hostess, we are your
25We are your guest tonight. guests tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Your servants ever LADY MACBETH
Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs We are your servants, your highness, and
in compt, as always our house and everything in it is
To make their audit at your highness' at your disposal, for after all, we keep it
pleasure, in your trust and we’re glad to give you
Still to return your own. back what’s yours.
DUNCAN DUNCAN
Give me your hand. Give me your hand. Bring me to my host,
Conduct me to mine host. We love him highly Macbeth. I love him dearly, and I shall

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 46
 30And shall continue our graces towards him. continue to favor him. Whenever you’re
By your leave, hostess. ready, hostess.
Exeunt They all exit.

Summary Analysis
Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, It is ironic that Duncan thinks the castle
Lennox, Macduff, Ross, and Angus arrive at where he'll be murdered is beautiful. The
Inverness. Duncan comments on the beauty of the castle, and the way it seems
sweetness of the air. Banquo notes that blessed by nature with sweet air and
martlets, a species of bird that usually nesting birds, also shows what Macbeth
nests in churches, have nested in the loses when he gives in to his ambition to
castle. commit the unnatural act of murder.

Lady Macbeth warmly greets the King and At this point, the planned murder weighs
the thanes, though Macbeth is nowhere to more on Macbeth than on Lady Macbeth.
be seen.

Act 1 Scene 7

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Hautboys play. The stage is lit by torches.

Hautboys. Torches. Enter a sewer and A butler enters, and various servants
divers servants with dishes and service carry utensils and dishes of food across
over the stage. Then enter MACBETH the stage. Then MACBETH enters.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 47
MACBETH
If it were done when ’tis done, then
’twere well
It were done quickly. If the
assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and
catch
With his surcease success; that but MACBETH
this blow If this business would really be finished
5Might be the be-all and the end-all when I did the deed, then it would be
here, best to get it over with quickly. If the
But here, upon this bank and shoal of assassination of the king could work like a
time, net, sweeping up everything and
We’d jump the life to come. But in preventing any consequences, then the
these cases murder would be the be-all and end-all of
We still have judgment here, that we the whole affair, and I would gladly put
but teach my soul and the afterlife at risk to do it.
Bloody instructions, which, being But for crimes like these there are still
taught, return punishments in this world. By committing
10To plague th' inventor: this even- violent crimes we only teach other people
handed justice to commit violence, and the violence of
Commends the ingredients of our our students will come back to plague us
poisoned chalice teachers. Justice, being equal to
To our own lips. He’s here in double everyone, forces us to drink from the
trust: poisoned cup that we serve to others. The
First, as I am his kinsman and his king trusts me in two ways. First of all, I
subject, am his kinsman and his subject, so I
Strong both against the deed; then, as should always try to protect him. Second,
his host, I am his host, so I should be closing the
15Who should against his murderer shut door in his murderer’s face, not trying to
the door, murder him myself. Besides, Duncan has
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this been such a humble leader, so free of
Duncan corruption, that his virtuous legacy will
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath speak for him when he dies, as if angels
been were playing trumpets against the
So clear in his great office, that his injustice of his murder. Pity, like an
virtues innocent newborn baby, will ride the wind
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, with winged angels on invisible horses
against through the air to spread news of the
20The deep damnation of his taking- horrible deed to everyone everywhere.
off; People will shed a flood of tears that will
And pity, like a naked newborn babe, drown the wind like a horrible downpour
Striding the blast, or heaven’s of rain. I can’t spur myself to action. The
cherubim, horsed only thing motivating me is ambition,
Upon the sightless couriers of the air, which makes people rush ahead of
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, themselves toward disaster.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 48
25That tears shall drown the wind. I
have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on th' other.

Enter LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH enters.

How now! What news? What news do you have?

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

He has almost supped. Why have you He has almost finished dinner. Why did
left the chamber? you leave the dining room?

MACBETH MACBETH
30Hath he asked for me? Has he asked for me?

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

Know you not he has? Don’t you know he has?

MACBETH
We will proceed no further in this
business. MACBETH
He hath honored me of late, and I have We can’t go on with this plan. The king
bought has just honored me, and I have earned
Golden opinions from all sorts of people, the good opinion of all sorts of people. I
Which would be worn now in their want to enjoy these honors while the
newest gloss, feeling is fresh and not throw them away
35Not cast aside so soon. so soon.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 49
LADY MACBETH
Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it
slept since?
And wakes it now, to look so green and
pale
At what it did so freely? From this time
Such I account thy love. Art thou
afeard LADY MACBETH
40To be the same in thine own act and Were you drunk when you seemed so
valor hopeful before? Have you gone to sleep
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou and woken up green and pale in fear of
have that this idea? From now on this is what I’ll
Which thou esteem’st the ornament of think of your love. Are you afraid to act
life, the way you desire? Will you take the
And live a coward in thine own esteem, crown you want so badly, or will you live as
Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, a coward, always saying “I can’t” after you
” say “I want to”? You’re like the poor cat
45Like the poor cat i' th' adage? in the old story.

MACBETH MACBETH
Prithee, peace: Please, stop! I dare to do only what is
I dare do all that may become a man; proper for a man to do. He who dares to
Who dares do more is none. do more is not a man at all.

LADY MACBETH
What beast was ’t, then,
That made you break this enterprise to LADY MACBETH
me? If you weren’t a man, then what kind of
When you durst do it, then you were a animal were you when you first told me
man; you wanted to do this? When you dared to
50And to be more than what you were, do it, that’s when you were a man. And if
you would you go one step further by doing what you
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor dared to do before, you’ll be that much
place more the man. The time and place weren’t
Did then adhere, and yet you would right before, but you would have gone
make both. ahead with the murder anyhow. Now the
They have made themselves, and that time and place are just right, but they’re
their fitness now almost too good for you. I have suckled a
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and baby, and I know how sweet it is to love
know the baby at my breast. But even as the
55How tender ’tis to love the babe that baby was smiling up at me, I would have
milks me. plucked my nipple out of its mouth and
I would, while it was smiling in my face, smashed its brains out against a wall if I
Have plucked my nipple from his had sworn to do that the same way you
boneless gums have sworn to do this.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 50
And dashed the brains out, had I so
sworn as you
Have done to this.

MACBETH MACBETH
If we should fail? But if we fail—

LADY MACBETH
We fail?
60But screw your courage to the
sticking-place,
And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is
asleep—
Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard
journey
Soundly invite him—his two
chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail so convince LADY MACBETH
65That memory, the warder of the We, fail? If you get your courage up, we
brain, can’t fail. When Duncan is asleep—the
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of day’s hard journey has definitely made
reason him tired—I’ll get his two servants so
A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep drunk that their memory will go up in
Their drenchèd natures lie as in a smoke through the chimneys of their
death, brains. When they lie asleep like pigs, so
What cannot you and I perform upon drunk they’ll be dead to the world, what
70The unguarded Duncan? What not put won’t you and I be able to do to the
upon unguarded Duncan? And whatever we do,
His spongy officers, who shall bear the we can lay all the blame on the drunken
guilt servants.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 51
 Of our great quell?

MACBETH
Bring forth men-children only,
For thy undaunted mettle should
compose
Nothing but males. Will it not be MACBETH
received, May you only give birth to male children,
75When we have marked with blood because your fearless spirit should create
those sleepy two nothing that isn’t masculine. Once we have
Of his own chamber and used their very covered the two servants with blood, and
daggers, used their daggers to kill, won’t people
That they have done ’t? believe that they were the culprits?

LADY MACBETH
Who dares receive it other, LADY MACBETH
As we shall make our griefs and clamor Who could think it happened any other
roar way? We’ll be grieving loudly when we
Upon his death? hear that Duncan has died.

MACBETH
I am settled, and bend up
80Each corporal agent to this terrible MACBETH
feat. Now I’m decided, and I will exert every
Away, and mock the time with fairest muscle in my body to commit this crime.
show. Go now, and pretend to be a friendly
False face must hide what the false hostess. Hide with a false pleasant face
heart doth know. what you know in your false, evil heart.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Macbeth, alone, agonizes about whether to Macbeth wrestles with his ambition and
kill Duncan. He'd be willing to murder wins! He knows that murdering Duncan will
Duncan if he thought that would be the end

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 of it. But he knows that "bloody only end up leading to more bloodshed, and
instructions, being taught, return to plague ruin his honor, which he prizes.
the inventor" (1.7.10). Also, Macbeth notes,
Duncan is a guest, kinsmen, and good king.
He decides ambition is not enough to
justify the murder.

Lady Macbeth enters, asking where he's

been. Macbeth tells her they won't
murder Duncan. She questions his manhood. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth debate about
Macbeth replies: "I dare do all that may manhood and courage. She says it's taking
become a man; who dares do more is none" what you want. He says it's the power to
(1.7.46-47). But Lady Macbeth continues, put responsibility before selfishness, the
mocking Macbeth's fickleness: she says she power to not take what you want.
has loved and nursed a baby, but she would
have sworn to "das[h] the [baby's] brains
out" (1.7.56) if her oaths were as worthless
as Macbeth's.

Macbeth asks what will happen if they Lady Macbeth's tragedy is that she
fail. Lady Macbeth assures him they won't doesn't realize that murdering Duncan will
fail if they have courage. She outlines the torment and ultimately destroy her.
plan: she'll give Duncan's bedroom Macbeth's tragedy is more profound: he
attendants enough wine to ensure they does realize it, and still gives in to his
black out from drunkenness. Then she and ambition.
Macbeth will commit the murder and frame
the attendants. Macbeth, impressed by her
courage, agrees.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other.”
Explanation and Analysis:
Macbeth ponders whether he should follow through on his plan to kill Duncan. He
observes that he is being motivated by aspirations for power rather than responding to
a specific injustice.
Shakespeare here makes a subtle point about two different reasons why one would be
impelled act. The first is to have a “spur” or clear impetus for doing something, while
the second is a more general “vaulting ambition.” By describing the spur as something
that can “prick the sides,” Macbeth stresses how it is a narrow and specific stimulus; as
a result it has a direct causal effect on his “intent.” Ambition, on the other hand, tends
to “o’erleap[] itself,” meaning that it encourages one to act beyond his or her reasonable
means. It overshoots a goal and as a result can have negative consequences.

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 What is intriguing about this passage is that Macbeth seems keenly aware of his
motivations and limitations. Though he may be acting out of “vaulting ambition,” he is not
immediately convinced by that desire. He can critically assess what stimulates him to
act, and its likely consequences. Yet, at the same, time he will ultimately ignore this
scepticism and indeed "o'erleap" himself. Shakespeare thus gives a complex
presentation of human psychology, in which people may introspectively note the flaws of
their motivations, while still falling prey to those very flaws.

❖ “I dare do all that may become a man;

Who dares do more, is none.”
Explanation and Analysis:
Having decided moments earlier against murdering Duncan, Macbeth finds his manhood
challenged by his wife. In response, he argues that composure and allegiance are more
characteristic of masculinity than rash violence.
His claim is made through somewhat indirect language. Using the term “dare” presents
manhood as adventurous, even though Macbeth defines it through inaction rather than
action. For he will only perform actions that “become a man”—a pun on “become” as
meaning both to make one seem agreeable and to turn into. If one does “more,” Macbeth
reasons, he would not be a man, for he would have overstepped the boundaries of
behaviours that define men and that make them attractive or worthy. In this way,
Macbeth describes manhood as a limit on his actions instead of a justification
for more action like Lady Macbeth.
This passage returns to the theme of gender identities. Recall that Lady Macbeth
renounced her womanhood earlier in Act 1, Scene 5 in order to disavow empathy and
heartlessly pursue her goal of power. Yet in the lines after Macbeth's quote here, she
asks Macbeth to do just the opposite with his gender: to maintain and embrace it. This
contrast shows that she sees manhood as equivalent to brute and rash action, whereas
before that cruelty seemed to stem only from the supernatural or inhuman realm.
Macbeth, however, unseats her opinion by defining manhood in terms of composure and
calm intent. Shakespeare thus places the question of gender identity at the heart of
this tragedy, presenting it as an ideological tool used by the characters to encourage
each other to act more or less aggressively.

❖ “Macbeth: If we should fail.

Lady Macbeth: We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail.” (Act 1 Scene 7)
Explanation and Analysis:
Lady Macbeth continues to convince Macbeth that they should kill Duncan. When he
wonders whether they will actually succeed, she argues that with sufficient fortitude
they will certainly triumph.
The first two lines in this passage are halting and uncertain. Macbeth begins a
hypothetical clause—“If we should fail”—but does not successfully finish it; while Lady
Macbeth offers the similarly half-formed question “We fail?” In contrast to these

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 fragmented construction, she opts for an aggressive command—“screw your courage”—
and acerbic claim: “we’ll not fail.” Bravery and adherence to one’s goals, in her opinion,
will ensure success.
Their exchange insinuates two diverging views on human destiny: Whereas Macbeth
attributes success to the whims of fates and prophecies, Lady Macbeth believes that
humans themselves can select their own destiny. Her command “screw your courage to
the sticking-place” implies that sufficient bravery will ensure success regardless of any
external influence. Between these two characters, then, Shakespeare defines a
spectrum of human relationships to destiny and personal agency—in which some
attribute success to personal prowess while others see it as being out of one’s own
hands.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. “Fair is foul and four is fair.”

Who says these words? How are these words related to the theme of the play? Do they
anticipate any contact with the main character of the play?
Ans- These words are uttered by the witches in the first scene of the play, Macbeth.
They anticipate the subversion of the values, and are related to the major theme of the
play. Macbeth will overturn the accepted values by unnatural acts. Macbeth’s first
words in the play, “Foul and Fair” are the echo of the words of the witches. It
establishes an unconscious contact with the witches, and is dramatically effective,
anticipating the blurring of good and evil in Macbeth’s mind.

2. “What bloody man is that?”

Who makes this question? What does he mean by the word bloody? How many times the
word ‘blood’ occurs in the play? Why is it a persistent Image in the drama?
Ans- This is a question made by the king Duncan at his camp near Forres. He means by
‘bloody’ bleeding. He has come from the battlefield and is bleeding (smeared with blood)
certainly due to his fighting with the enemies.
Blood image is a recurring image in the play. It occurs as many as hundred times. It
signifies the horrible crime which forms the action of the drama.

3. In what terms Macbeth is glorified as a hero?

Ans- Macbeth is called ‘brave’ Macbeth, ‘valour’s minion’, ‘valiant cousin, ‘eagle among
sparrows, ‘lion among hare, ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’, ‘noble Macbeth. He distinguished
himself as a brave captain who won two battles and thus saved Scotland from disaster.

4. Who addresses the witches first, but to whom the witches speak? How does Banquo
take the words of the witches? Is he serious or light-hearted?
Ans- Banquo first sees the witches and addresses them. But the witches answer when
Macbeth asks them to speak. Macbeth is the target of the witches. They want to tempt
Macbeth, because they know Macbeth is already tempted. He has ambition. Banquo is
however, free from ambition. Banquo, therefore, dismisses them as ‘instruments of
darkness who tell us truths, win us with honest trifles and betray us in deepest

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 consequence. He is light-hearted at first because he is amused by the fear of Macbeth.
But he is serious later, and warns his friend against being tempted by them.

5. “Happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme.”

What are the prologues? What is the imperial theme? From where the image is taken?
Ans- Macbeth is hailed by the witches as the thane of Glamis, the thane of Cawdor and
the king hereafter. By Sinel’s death, Macbeth has been the thane of Glamis. Ross
informs Macbeth that he has been appointed the thane of Cawdor because the thane of
Cawdor has proved faithless, and the king has sentenced him to death. The king has
invested him with the title. Thus two prophecies of the witches have proved true.
These two truths are prologues which mean in a drama introductions to the action,
which, in Macbeth’s case swells into the theme of becoming the king.
The image is taken from drama. A drama has prologue, crisis (climax) and catastrophe
(conclusion). For Macbeth, the two truths (his becoming the thane of Glamis and the
thane of Cawdor) are prologues. He hopes that the prologues will swell to a crisis
resulting in his attainment of kingship.

6. Why do I yield to that suggestion? What suggestion is referred to? What is the effect
of this yielding?
Ans- Macbeth considers the good and evil of the prophecies of the witches. The
prophecies have commenced in truths. So, they cannot be called evil. But Macbeth yields
to the temptation. Suggestion means the temptation to win the crown of Scotland.
The terrible imagination causes his hair to stand on end and makes his fixed heart come
out its right position and strike at his ribs. This is unnatural. The thought of murder is
fanciful, but his power of action is lost in imagination. His weak state suffers an
insurrection.

7. How does Banquo explain the rapt’ condition of Macbeth to Ross and Angus? What is
the imagery used here?
Ans- Macbeth is ‘rapt’ at the thought of the witches and does not talk with Ross and
Angus who have come with good news for Macbeth. Banquo explains his conduct by
saying that he has been invested with new honours (the title of Cawdor and praises). He
wants to wear the honours, i.e., enjoy them. But they are new, and do not fit the body:
They seem too big. However, they would be alright with the regular use. Macbeth now
finds it difficult to adjust himself to the new honours.

8. “He died as one that had been studied in his death……”

About whom is this said? How is his death compared with his life? Has it any
significance in the total pattern of the drama?
Ans- This is said about the Thane of Cawdor. The Thane of Cawdor played false with
the king, joined the king of Norway and laboured in the country’s wreck. But in his death
he confessed his sin and expressed his deep repentance. He thus gave a better account
of himself on the eve of his death than he had done before in his life. His life was one
of sin and shame; but his death was honourable. He died as if life had no meaning for
him. Thus, he cultivated the art of dying.

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 This Cawdor episode has significance because it anticipates Macbeth’s act of
ingratitude and faithlessness, and his later despair and repentance.

9. Explain the following line with reference to the context. “There’s no art to find the
mind’s construction in the face”.
Ans- Duncan confesses here that he had built an absolute trust on the Thane of Cawdor.
He trusted him most, but he was most deceived. There is no art that can teach one how
to read man’s mind in the face. The face is never the index of the mind. Duncan was
deceived by the apparent goodness of Cawdor. Thus the subject of appearance and
reality is hinted at.
These words by Duncan are full of ironical significance. Duncan was deceived by Cawdor
and he will be deceived by Macbeth. He will not implicit faith in Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth and will be misled by their outward appearance and will be deceived to death.
These words underline the fatal flaw of Duncan’s character – his blind trustfulness.
Again, these words indicate one underlying theme of the play – the sin of ingratitude
and the tragedy of unsuspecting trustfulness. As a matter of fact, the whole scene that
follows is steeped in irony.

10. “It is a peerless kinsman”.

Who says this and of whom? What makes the speaker say this? Why does he use ‘it’? Is
the remark shot with Irony?
Ans- Duncan says this about Macbeth. Macbeth goes out to give to his wife the news of
the king’s visit to his castle. Duncan is taken in by his haste and care. He is pleased with
the praises about Macbeth. He enjoys his praises just as one enjoys feast. He says to
Banquo that Macbeth is a king without a parallel. There is a touch of loving familiarity in
the word ‘it’. The remark is shot with irony because Duncan does not know the workings
of Macbeth’s mind. He thinks of murdering Duncan. Duncan’s declaration that his eldest
son Malcolm will be his heir apparent aggravates his temptation. But his yielding to the
temptation of murder is followed by his qualms of conscience – he addresses the stars
to hide their fires. He says that the eye will not see what the hand does. The audience
knows Macbeth’s thinking at the moment but Duncan is unaware. This contrast produces
the irony of the situation.

11. “The raven himself is hoarse that crooks the fatal entrance of Duncan”.
Who says this and when? Who is referred to by the word ‘raven’? What does the
speaker mean by fatal entrance?
Ans- Lady Macbeth says this when the messenger comes with the news of Duncan’s visit
to Macbeth’s castle. It is a great news for Lady Macbeth who has been planning the
murder of Duncan. Duncan almost puts himself into her clutches.
“Raven’ refers to the messenger who brings the news. Raven means jackdaw whose cry is
hoarse and ominous. Fatal entrance means that Duncan’s visit will prove fatal to Duncan
– Duncan will die.
This shows the grim determination and firm purpose of Lady Macbeth. She is ruthless in
her resolution to kill Duncan. She can make a quick decision.

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12. “Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall’.
Who says these words, and to whom these are addressed? What do ‘milk’, ‘gall’ signify?
What characteristic of the woman is revealed here?
Ans- Lady Macbeth says these words in her prayer to the murdering ministers. She
makes an appeal to them to come to her breasts and turn her motherly feeling into
poisonous feelings of a serpent.
‘Milk’ suggests the soft tender feelings of a woman and ‘gall’ suggests poisonous feelings
of a snake. Lady Macbeth wants her womanly feelings smothered so that she can do the
cruel act. She is conscious of her essential womanliness. She is not devilish or impish by
Nature. She does violence to her feminine instincts.

13. ‘Look like the innocent flower/But be the serpent under it’.
Who says and to whom? Why does the speaker make this advice to the person? What
does this advice signify?
Ans- This is said by Lady Macbeth to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth gives this advice to
Macbeth because she finds him nervous and agitated (Your face is a book where men
may read strange matters). This advice signifies that Macbeth will deceive the men by
suiting his look to the occasion. He will show welcome through his eye, hand and tongue.
He will look like the innocent beautiful flower and be the serpent under it. His face will
be beautiful, but his heart will be ugly and spiteful. He will hide his heart under a false
face. In short, he will be a hypocrite.
Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to do nothing but to put on a good face, so that his face
does not betray the heart. But a serpent also stings. So he will not be completely
passive.

14. ‘He that’s coming must be provided for:’

What does the speaker mean by this statement? What does the speaker expect from
this action? Does it show her sagacity or simplicity?
Ans- Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth to beguile the men and bear welcome with hand and
eye for the man who comes here. She means that Duncan, the king comes to their castle
that night, and he must be provided for. Literally it means that the guest must be
provided with food and shelter. But “provided for’ is euphemistic for ‘done away with’
i.e. killed. She means that Duncan must be killed.
Lady Macbeth expects that by killing Duncan that night, they will ensure for them
absolute power and complete mastery for all day and nights. Indeed, Lady Macbeth is
simple-minded. She is blind to the consequences
Her imagination is limited, and she cannot foresee the wider implications of a murder,
and specially the murder of a king.

15. “And the late dignities heaped up to them we rest your dignities”.
Who says these words and to whom? What are the late dignities and how are they
heaped to others? Finally bring out the meaning of the line: Rest your hermits.
Ans- Lady Macbeth says these words to Duncan. Duncan has come to the castle of
Macbeth and thus has given them troubles. But these are troubles of love, God rewards
us for the pains that we take for extending hospitality to the guests.

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 Lady replies that they are his subjects and are bound to offer him service. Even if their
troubles are repeated, they would appear insignificant when they are compared with the
honours that Duncan has heaped on them.
The recent dignities mean the honours of bestowing on Macbeth the title of the Thane
of Cawdor and the royal visit to their castle. The king has bestowed on them honours in
the past. For all these, they will remain bound to pray for the long life of the king.
Hermits are beadsmen who pray for the long life of men. Hermits are desert dwellers.

16. ‘Upon the bank and shoal of time,

We’ld jump the life to come. What is the meaning of bank and shoal of time? What
image is suggested here? What is meant by jump the life to come’?
Ans- Bank and shoal of time means the present time. Eternal time is compared to sea.
The present time is only a period in the eternity of time.
Jump the life to come – means future life. Macbeth is ready to risk what happens to the
soul after death for the sake of the present enjoyment. He says that if murder is
finished with the committing of the murder, then he can risk his soul after death. He
fears retribution for his deed while he lives.

17. “Vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself/And falls on the other”. Bring out the image in
the line.
Ans- Ambition is compared to a reckless rider. A reckless rider jumps on the saddle and
misses it and then falls down on the other side. Similarly ambitious men overreach
themselves and suffer the tragedy. Inordinate ambition will lead to his disaster.

18. “What beast was’t, then that made you break this enterprise to you?”
To whom is it said? Why is the person called a beast? What enterprise is referred to?
Did he really break the enterprise?
Ans- This is said to Macbeth by Lady Macbeth. He is called a beast because Macbeth
has said that he has the courage to do what may become a man. Lady Macbeth
satirically says that in that case he was a beast when he gave him the news of
murdering Duncan.
Indeed, Macbeth never intimated to Lady Macbeth any such action. He never told Lady
Macbeth that he wanted to kill Macbeth. In his letter that Lady Macbeth reads he says
about the predictions of the witches. Many editors suggest the omission or cut of a
scene between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Such suggestions are unwarranted. Lady
Macbeth with her sagacity can read the mind of Macbeth.

19. ‘I am settled.’ Who says this and to what is the person settled? How does he come to
this settlement?
Ans- Macbeth says this – he is settled to the ‘terrible feat’ of murdering Duncan.
Macbeth has a good deal of hesitation and recoiling. He considers the practical and
moral aspects of murder and decides not to proceed to the business. Lady Macbeth
then taunts and reproaches him; she charges him with cowardice. She points out to him
the sanctity of pledge. She then gives a practical scheme of murder and of how they
will pass on the guilt of murder to the chamberlains. Macbeth is impressed by the plan

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 and resolves on the murder. Macbeth is ambitious and covetous of the crown, but his
conscience deters him from the murder. The powerful rhetoric of Lady Macbeth wins
him over. Macbeth however, commits the murder of Duncan in a trance as it were.

Act 2 Scene 1

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter BANQUO , and FLEANCE , with BANQUO enters with FLEANCE , who
a torch before him lights the way with a torch.

BANQUO BANQUO
How goes the night, boy? How’s the night going, boy?

FLEANCE FLEANCE
The moon is down. I have not heard The moon has set. The clock hasn’t struck
the clock. yet.

BANQUO BANQUO
And she goes down at twelve. The moon sets at twelve, right?

FLEANCE FLEANCE
I take ’t ’tis later, sir. I think it’s later than that, sir.

BANQUO
Hold, take my sword. There’s
husbandry in heaven;
5Their candles are all out. Take thee
that too.
A heavy summons lies like lead upon
me, BANQUO
And yet I would not sleep. Merciful Here, take my sword. The heavens are being
powers, stingy with their light. Take this, too. I’m
Restrain in me the cursèd thoughts tired and feeling heavy, but I can’t sleep.
that nature Merciful powers, keep away the nightmares
Gives way to in repose. that plague me when I rest!

Enter MACBETH and MACBETH enters with a SERVANT , who

a SERVANT with a torch carries a torch.

Give me my sword. Who’s there? Give me my sword. Who’s there?

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MACBETH MACBETH
10A friend. A friend.

BANQUO
What, sir, not yet at rest? The king’s
a-bed.
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess to your BANQUO
offices. You’re not asleep yet, sir? The king’s in bed.
This diamond he greets your wife He’s been in an unusually good mood and has
withal, granted many gifts to your household and
15By the name of most kind hostess, servants. This diamond is a present from him
and shut up to your wife for her boundless
In measureless content. hospitality. (he hands MACBETH a diamond)

MACBETH MACBETH
Being unprepared, Because we were unprepared for the king’s
Our will became the servant to defect, visit, we weren’t able to entertain him as
Which else should free have wrought. well as we would have wanted to.

BANQUO
All’s well.
I dreamt last night of the three weird BANQUO
sisters: Everything’s OK. I had a dream last night
20To you they have showed some about the three witches. At least part of
truth. what they said about you was true.

MACBETH
I think not of them.
Yet, when we can entreat an hour to
serve, MACBETH
We would spend it in some words upon I don’t think about them now. But when we
that business, have an hour to spare we can talk more
If you would grant the time. about it, if you’re willing.

BANQUO BANQUO
At your kind’st leisure. Whenever you like.

MACBETH
If you shall cleave to my consent, when MACBETH
’tis, If you stick with me, when the time comes,
25It shall make honor for you. there will be something in it for you.

BANQUO BANQUO
So I lose none I’ll do whatever you say, as long as I can do
In seeking to augment it, but still keep it with a clear conscience.

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My bosom franchised and allegiance
clear,
I shall be counselled.

MACBETH MACBETH
Good repose the while! Rest easy in the meantime.

BANQUO BANQUO
30Thanks, sir: the like to you! Thank you, sir. You do the same.

Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE BANQUO and FLEANCE exit.

MACBETH
(to the SERVANT) Go bid thy MACBETH
mistress, when my drink is ready, (to the SERVANT) Go and tell your mistress
She strike upon the bell. Get thee to to strike the bell when my drink is ready.
bed. Get yourself to bed.

Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.

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Is this a dagger which I see before
me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let
me clutch thee.
35I have thee not, and yet I see thee
still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd
brain? Is this a dagger I see in front of me, with
40I see thee yet, in form as palpable its handle pointing toward my hand? (to the
As this which now I draw. dagger) Come, let me hold you. (he grabs at
Thou marshall’st me the way that I was the air in front of him without touching
going, anything) I don’t have you but I can still see
And such an instrument I was to use. you. Fateful apparition, isn’t it possible to
Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' touch you as well as see you? Or are you
other senses, nothing more than a dagger created by the
45Or else worth all the rest. I see mind, a hallucination from my fevered brain?
thee still, I can still see you, and you look as real as
And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of this other dagger that I’m pulling out
blood, now. (he draws a dagger) You’re leading me
Which was not so before. There’s no toward the place I was going already, and I
such thing. was planning to use a weapon just like you.
It is the bloody business which informs My eyesight must either be the one sense
Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one that’s not working, or else it’s the only one
half-world that’s working right. I can still see you, and
50Nature seems dead, and wicked I see blood splotches on your blade and
dreams abuse handle that weren’t there before. (to
The curtained sleep. Witchcraft himself) There’s no dagger here. It’s the
celebrates murder I’m about to do that’s making me
Pale Hecate’s offerings, and withered think I see one. Now half the world is asleep
murder, and being deceived by evil nightmares.
Alarumed by his sentinel, the wolf, Witches are offering sacrifices to their
Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his goddess Hecate. Old man murder, having
stealthy pace, been roused by the howls of his wolf, walks
55With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, silently to his destination, moving
towards his design like Tarquin, as quiet as a ghost. (speaking to
Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and the ground) Hard ground, don’t listen to the
firm-set earth, direction of my steps. I don’t want you to
Hear not my steps, which way they echo back where I am and break the
walk, for fear terrible stillness of this moment, a silence
Thy very stones prate of my that is so appropriate for what I’m about to
whereabout, do. While I stay here talking, Duncan lives.
And take the present horror from the The more I talk, the more my courage cools.
time,

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60Which now suits with it. Whiles I
threat, he lives.
Words to the heat of deeds too cold
breath gives.

A bell rings A bell rings.

I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. I’m going now. The murder is as good as
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell done. The bell is telling me to do it. Don’t
That summons thee to heaven or to listen to the bell, Duncan, because it
hell. summons you either to heaven or to hell.

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 Exit MACBETH exits.

Summary Analysis
It is after midnight in Banquo is also struggling against ambition.
Inverness. Banquo talks with his Earlier Macbeth begged the stars to hide
son Fleance and notices the stars aren't (1.4.51). They have.
shining. He prays for angels to "restrain in
me the cursed thoughts that nature gives
way to in repose" (2.1.7-8).

Macbeth enters. Banquo tells Macbeth Banquo is open about the troubling
his sleep has been troubled by dreams of "dreams" the witches have inspired in him.
the weird sisters. Macbeth claims never to Macbeth, who has decided to act on his own
think about them. But he suggests they selfish ambition, is not.
talk about the witches soon, and adds that
if Banquo supports him when the time
comes he'll reward and honour Banquo for
it.
Banquo believes true manhood means acting
Banquo says he'll be receptive to honourably—just what Macbeth used to
what Macbeth has to say provided he loses believe.
no honour in seeking to gain more. Banquo
and Fleance head off to bed.
As Macbeth gets closer to the murder,
Alone, Macbeth sees a bloody nature starts to go haywire.
dagger floating in the air. He can't grasp it,
and can't decide whether it's a phantom or
his imagination. "Nature seems dead" to
him (2.1.50).

Offstage, Lady Macbeth rings the bell to Interesting that in Macbeth, most of the
signal that Duncan's attendants are violence happens offstage.
asleep. Macbeth goes to murder Duncan.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee;
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable

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 As this which now I draw.”
Explanation and Analysis:
After discussing the witches with Banquo, Macbeth is left alone to contemplate his
impending murder. He then sees a dagger in the air and wonders to what extent it is
real or hallucinated.
A primarily psychological analysis would see in these lines the first signs of Macbeth’s
insanity. His inability to distinguish between a physical and imaginary dagger does not
prevent him from hoping to “clutch” either one. When he can't clutch it, he notes that it
is impossible to “have” the vision and yet that he can still “see” it, and is confused why
his sense of touch and vision seem to inexplicably not accord. Characteristically,
Macbeth remains acutely aware of the conditions of his sanity, observing that his “heat-
oppressed brain” may be responsible for creating the illusion. Yet after noting how his
mind may be addled, he once more reiterates the “palpable” quality of the dagger,
comparing it to his own physical sword.
Beyond introducing the idea that Macbeth may be acting out of madness, this passage
develops the theme of appearance versus reality. Macbeth may be fixating on a false
vision, but the vision actually reveals to him a truth—for it is a portent of the murder
to come. In a sense, then, the “foul” vision is actually “fair” in that it is an accurate
representation of reality. And when Macbeth does “draw” his own sword, he implies that
even a hallucination may have a causal effect on his own actions. Shakespeare thus
presents false visions not as figments of the imagination but as capable of inducing
changes to reality itself.

Act 2 Scene 2

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH
That which hath made them drunk hath
made me bold. LADY MACBETH
What hath quenched them hath given me The alcohol that got the servants drunk
fire. has made me bold. The same liquor that
Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shrieked, quenched their thirst has fired me up.
the fatal bellman, Listen! Quiet! That was the owl that
Which gives the stern’st good-night. He is shrieked, with a scary “good night” like
about it. the bells they ring before they execute
5The doors are open, and the surfeited people. Macbeth must be killing the king
grooms right now. The doors to Duncan’s chamber
Do mock their charge with snores. I have are open, and the drunk servants make a
drugged their possets, mockery of their jobs by snoring instead
That death and nature do contend about of protecting the king. I put so many
them, drugs in their drinks that you can’t tell if
Whether they live or die. they’re alive or dead.
MACBETH MACBETH

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(within) Who’s there? What, ho! (from offstage) Who’s there? What is it?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH Oh no, I’m afraid the servants woke up,
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, and the murder didn’t happen. For us to
10And ’tis not done. Th' attempt and not attempt murder and not succeed would
the deed ruin us. (She hears a noise.) Listen to that!
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers I put the servants' daggers where
ready; Macbeth would find them. He couldn’t
He could not miss 'em. Had he not have missed them. If Duncan hadn’t
resembled reminded me of my father when I saw him
My father as he slept, I had done ’t. sleeping, I would have killed him myself.
MACBETH enters carrying bloody
Enter MACBETH , with bloody daggers daggers.
My husband! My husband!
MACBETH MACBETH
I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear I have done the deed. Did you hear a
a noise? noise?
LADY MACBETH
15I heard the owl scream and the crickets LADY MACBETH
cry. I heard the owl scream and the crickets
Did not you speak? cry. Didn’t you say something?
MACBETH MACBETH
When? When?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Now. Just now.
MACBETH MACBETH
As I descended? As I came down?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Ay. Yes.
MACBETH
MACBETH Listen! Who’s sleeping in the second
Hark! Who lies i' th' second chamber? chamber?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Donalbain. Donalbain.
MACBETH
MACBETH (looking at his bloody hands) This is a
(looking at his hands) This is a sorry sight. sorry sight.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. That’s a stupid thing to say.
MACBETH
There’s one did laugh in ’s sleep, and one
cried. “Murder!” MACBETH
That they did wake each other. I stood One of the servants laughed in his sleep,
and heard them. and one cried, “Murder!” and they woke
But they did say their prayers, and each other up. I stood and listened to
addressed them them, but then they said their prayers
25Again to sleep. and went back to sleep.

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 LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH Malcolm and Donalbain are asleep in the
There are two lodged together. same room.
MACBETH
One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the
other, MACBETH
As they had seen me with these hangman’s One servant cried, “God bless us!” and the
hands. other replied, “Amen,” as if they had seen
List'ning their fear I could not say my bloody hands. Listening to their
“Amen,” frightened voices, I couldn’t reply “Amen”
When they did say “God bless us!” when they said “God bless us!”
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
30Consider it not so deeply. Don’t think about it so much.
MACBETH
But wherefore could not I pronounce MACBETH
“Amen”? But why couldn’t I say “Amen”? I
I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” desperately needed God’s blessing, but
Stuck in my throat. the word “Amen” stuck in my throat.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
These deeds must not be thought We can’t think that way about what we
After these ways. So, it will make us mad. did. If we do, it’ll drive us crazy.
MACBETH
35Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep
no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep”—the MACBETH
innocent sleep, I thought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no
Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of more! Macbeth is murdering sleep.”
care, Innocent sleep. Sleep that soothes away
The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s all our worries. Sleep that puts each day
bath, to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second laborer and heals hurt minds. Sleep, the
course, main course in life’s feast, and the most
40Chief nourisher in life’s feast. nourishing.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
What do you mean? What are you talking about?
MACBETH
Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the
house. MACBETH
“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and The voice kept crying, “Sleep no more!” to
therefore Cawdor everyone in the house. “Macbeth has
Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep murdered sleep, and therefore Macbeth
no more.” will sleep no more.”
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy Who said that? Why, my worthy lord, you
thane, let yourself become weak when you think
45You do unbend your noble strength to about things in this cowardly way. Go get
think some water and wash this bloody evidence

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 68
So brainsickly of things. Go get some from your hands. Why did you carry these
water, daggers out of the room? They have to
And wash this filthy witness from your stay there. Go take them back and smear
hand. the sleeping guards with the blood.
Why did you bring these daggers from the
place?
They must lie there. Go carry them and
smear
50The sleepy grooms with blood.
MACBETH MACBETH
I’ll go no more: I can’t go back. I’m afraid even to think
I am afraid to think what I have done; about what I’ve done. I can’t stand to look
Look on ’t again I dare not. at it again.
LADY MACBETH
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the
dead LADY MACBETH
Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of Coward! Give me the daggers. Dead and
childhood sleeping people can’t hurt you any more
55That fears a painted devil. If he do than pictures can. Only children are afraid
bleed, of scary pictures. If Duncan bleeds I’ll
I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, paint the servants' faces with his blood.
For it must seem their guilt. We must make it seem like they’re guilty.
Exit LADY MACBETH exits.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
MACBETH
Whence is that knocking?
How is ’t with me when every noise appals MACBETH
me? Where is that knocking coming from?
What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out What’s happening to me, that I’m
mine eyes. frightened of every noise? (looking at his
60Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this hands) Whose hands are these? Ha!
blood They’re plucking out my eyes. Will all the
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will water in the ocean wash this blood from
rather my hands? No, instead my hands will stain
The multitudinous seas incarnadine, the seas scarlet, turning the green waters
Making the green one red. red.
Enter LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH My hands are as red as yours, but I would
My hands are of your color, but I shame be ashamed if my heart were as pale and
65To wear a heart so white. weak.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
I hear a knocking
At the south entry. Retire we to our I hear someone knocking at the south
chamber. entry. Let’s go back to our bedroom. A
A little water clears us of this deed. little water will wash away the evidence of

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 69
How easy is it, then! Your constancy our guilt. It’s so simple! You’ve lost your
Hath left you unattended. resolve.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
70Hark! More knocking.
Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call Listen! There’s more knocking. Put on your
us nightgown, in case someone comes and
And show us to be watchers. Be not lost sees that we’re awake. Snap out of your
So poorly in your thoughts. daze.
MACBETH MACBETH
To know my deed, ’twere best not know Rather than have to think about my crime,
myself. I’d prefer to be completely unconscious.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
75Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I Wake Duncan with your knocking. I wish
would thou couldst. you could!
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Lady Macbeth waits in agitation Lady Macbeth isn't completely cold-
for Macbeth to do the deed. She comments blooded, foreshadowing her future feelings
that had the sleeping Duncan not looked of guilt.
like her father she'd have killed him
herself.

Macbeth enters. He's killed Duncan. His Bloodstained hands and sleeplessness:
hands are bloodstained and he's upset that symbols of guilt. Macbeth is anguished: he
when one of the attendants said "God bless knows the consequences of this murder.
us" in his sleep, he was unable to say
"Amen." He also thought he heard a voice
say "Macbeth does murder sleep" (2.2.34).

Lady Macbeth soothes him and tells him to Compare Macbeth's nervousness to Lady
wash his hands, but notices he's still Macbeth's calm, collected behavior.
carrying the daggers he used to
kill Duncan. Macbeth refuses to return to
the scene of the crime. Lady Macbeth,
furious, runs off to plant the daggers on
the sleeping attendants.

A knock sounds, terrifying Macbeth. He The knock at the door parallels the
worries that not all the water in the world "knocking" of Macbeth's heart in scene 1.3.
could wash the blood from his hands. Lady Macbeth is calm. She identifies the
"mysterious" knocking as someone at the
Lady Macbeth returns, her hands now as South entrance. But she is naïve, thinking
bloody as Macbeth's. But she's calm, and water can wash away her guilt.
identifies the 'mysterious' knocking as
someone at the south entrance. She says:
"a little water clears us of this deed"

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 (2.2.65), and tells Macbeth to go and put
his nightgown on so no one will suspect
them.

Macbeth wishes that the knocking could Macbeth shows remorse

wake Duncan.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep, — the innocent sleep;
Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast.”
Explanation and Analysis:
After murdering Duncan, Macbeth begins to feel remorse for what he has done. He
fixates on a voice he claims to have overheard during the act, believing that it charges
him with deep guilt.
We see here Macbeth’s continued descent into the paranoid thinking characteristic of a
murderer. His previous visual hallucinations are now accompanied by auditory ones, but
instead of rationally ignoring them, he ruminates on how the illusion relates to his
experience. Taking the line “Sleep no more!” Macbeth at first indicates a belief that it
refers to Duncan whom he has murdered, that the words charge him with having killed a
defenceless person while they were in “innocent sleep.”
The text could easily have halted here, but the truly manic thinking comes in the
ensuing images. Macbeth begins to focus obsessively on the abstract idea of sleep. He
imagines it to be a weaver who “knits up” or makes coherent and composed “the ravell’d
sleave of care”—in which a “ravell’d sleave” is a messy and disorganized garment. This
metaphor presents sleep as a tranquil and organizing force that helps a person make
coherent the chaos of life, that allows people to be coherent and calm. In the following
lines, he casts sleep as the inverse or double to different types of daytime: the “death”
after each “life”; the restful “bath” after one works; the “balm” to ease minds that may
be overworked; a second sustenance after the meal of the day. These evocative images
show how deeply Macbeth believes to have violated human life—for not only has he
murdered Duncan but he has done so in an almost sacred space of sleeping rejuvenation.
As Macbeth's obsessive thoughts on sleep proceed, an intimation exists too that “Sleep
no more!” refers to the rampant guilt and madness that will descend now on Macbeth
and his wife, in which because of their guilt, they will lose these healthful and necessary
effects of sleep.

Act 2 Scene 3

Annotations

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 71
ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT
A sound of knocking from offstage.
A PORTER , who is obviously drunk,
Enter a PORTER . Knocking within enters.
PORTER
PORTER This is a lot of knocking! Come to think of
Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were it, if a man were in charge of opening the
porter of hell-gate, he should have old gates of hell to let people in, he would
turning the key. have to turn the key a lot.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! (pretending he’s the
gatekeeper in hell) Who’s there, in the
devil’s name? Maybe it’s a farmer who
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i' th' killed himself because grain was
name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that cheap. (talking to the imaginary
hanged himself on the expectation of farmer) You’re here just in time! I hope
plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough you brought some handkerchiefs; you’re
about you, here you’ll sweat for ’t. going to sweat a lot here.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock! Who’s there, in th' other
devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the other
that could swear in both the scales devil’s name? Maybe it’s some slick, two-
against either scale, who committed faced con man who lied under oath. But he
treason enough for God’s sake, yet could found out that you can’t lie to God, and
not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, now he’s going to hell for perjury. Come on
equivocator. in, con man.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Maybe
it’s an English tailor who liked to skimp on
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith, the fabric for people’s clothes. But now
here’s an English tailor come hither for that tight pants are in fashion he can’t
stealing out of a French hose. Come in, get away with it. Come on in, tailor. You
tailor. Here you may roast your goose. can heat your iron up in here.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock! Never at quiet. What are
you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll Knock, knock! Never a moment of peace!
devil-porter it no further. I had thought Who are you? Ah, this place is too cold to
to have let in some of all professions that be hell. I won’t pretend to be the devil’s
go the primrose way to the everlasting porter anymore. I was going to let
bonfire. someone from every profession into hell.
Knock within A sound of knocking from offstage.
Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the I’m coming, I’m coming! Please, don’t
porter. forget to leave me a tip.
Opens the gate The PORTER opens the gate.
Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX MACDUFF and LENNOX enter.
MACDUFF MACDUFF

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 72
Was it so late, friend, ere you went to Did you go to bed so late, my friend, that
bed, you’re having a hard time getting up now?
That you do lie so late?
PORTER PORTER
'Faith sir, we were carousing till the That’s right sir, we were drinking until 3
second cock. And drink, sir, is a great A.M., and drink, sir, makes a man do three
provoker of three things. things.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
What three things does drink especially What three things does drink make a man
provoke? do?
PORTER
Drinking turns your nose red, it puts you
to sleep, and it makes you urinate. Lust it
PORTER turns on but also turns off. What I mean
Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. is, drinking stimulates desire but hinders
Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes. performance. Therefore, too much drink
It provokes the desire, but it takes away is like a con artist when it comes to your
the performance. Therefore, much drink sex drive. It sets you up for a fall. It gets
may be said to be an equivocator with you up but it keeps you from getting off.
lechery. It makes him, and it mars him; it It persuades you and discourages you. It
sets him on, and it takes him off; it gives you an erection but doesn’t let you
persuades him, and disheartens him; keep it, if you see what I’m saying. It
makes him stand to and not stand to; in makes you dream about erotic
conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, experiences, but then it leaves you asleep
giving him the lie, leaves him. and needing to pee.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
I believe drink gave thee the lie last I believe drink did all of this to you last
night. night.
PORTER PORTER
That it did, sir, i' th' very throat on me; It did, sir. It got me right in the throat.
but I requited him for his lie, and, I think, But I got even with drink. I was too
being too strong for him, though he took strong for it. Although it weakened my
up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift legs and made me unsteady, I managed to
to cast him. vomit it out and laid it flat on the ground.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
15Is thy master stirring? Is your master awake?
Enter MACBETH MACBETH enters.
Our knocking has awaked him. Here he
comes. Our knocking woke him up. Here he comes.
LENNOX LENNOX
Good morrow, noble sir. Good morning, noble sir.
MACBETH MACBETH
Good morrow, both. Good morning to both of you.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Is the king stirring, worthy thane? Is the king awake, worthy thane?
MACBETH MACBETH
Not yet. Not yet.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 73
MACDUFF MACDUFF
He did command me to call timely on him. He commanded me to wake him up early.
20I have almost slipped the hour. I’ve almost missed the time he requested.
MACBETH MACBETH
I’ll bring you to him. I’ll bring you to him.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF I know the burden of hosting him is both
I know this is a joyful trouble to you, an honor and a trouble, but that doesn’t
But yet ’tis one. mean it’s not a trouble just the same.
MACBETH MACBETH
The labor we delight in physics pain. The work we enjoy is not really work. This
This is the door. is the door.
MACDUFF
25I’ll make so bold to call, MACDUFF
For ’tis my limited service. I’ll wake him, because that’s my job.
Exit MACDUFF MACDUFF exits.
LENNOX LENNOX
Goes the king hence today? Is the king leaving here today?
MACBETH MACBETH
He does. He did appoint so. He is. He told us to arrange it.
LENNOX
The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as
they say, LENNOX
Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange The night has been chaotic. The wind blew
screams of death, down through the chimneys where we
And prophesying with accents terrible were sleeping. People are saying they
Of dire combustion and confused events heard cries of grief in the air, strange
New hatched to the woeful time. The screams of death, and terrible voices
obscure bird predicting catastrophes that will usher in
Clamored the livelong night. Some say the a woeful new age. The owl made noise all
Earth night. Some people say that the earth
35Was feverous and did shake. shook as if it had a fever.
MACBETH MACBETH
'Twas a rough night. It was a rough night.
LENNOX LENNOX
My young remembrance cannot parallel I’m too young to remember anything like
A fellow to it. it.
Enter MACDUFF MACDUFF enters, upset.
MACDUFF
O horror, horror, horror! MACDUFF
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor Oh, horror, horror, horror! This is beyond
name thee! words and beyond belief!
MACBETH & LENNOX MACBETH & LENNOX
What’s the matter? What’s the matter?
MACDUFF MACDUFF

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40Confusion now hath made his The worst thing imaginable has happened.
masterpiece. A murderer has broken into God’s
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope temple and stolen the life out of it.
The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole
thence
The life o' th' building!
MACBETH MACBETH
What is ’t you say? “The life”? What are you talking about? “The life”?
LENNOX LENNOX
Mean you his majesty? Do you mean the king?
MACDUFF MACDUFF
45Approach the chamber, and destroy Go into the bedroom and see for yourself.
your sight What’s in there will make you freeze with
With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak. horror. Don’t ask me to talk about it. Go
See, and then speak yourselves. look and then do the talking yourselves.
Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX MACBETH and LENNOX exit.
Awake, awake!
Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason! Wake up, wake up! Ring the alarm bell.
50Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! Awake! Murder and treason! Banquo and
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s Donalbain, Malcolm! Wake up! Shake off
counterfeit, sleep, which looks like death, and look at
And look on death itself! Up, up, and see death itself! Get up, get up, and look at
The great doom’s image! Malcolm! Banquo! this image of doomsday! Malcolm! Banquo!
As from your graves rise up, and walk like Get up from your beds as if you were
sprites, rising out of your own graves, and walk like
55To countenance this horror! Ring the ghosts to come witness this horror. Ring
bell the bell.
Bell rings. Enter LADY MACBETH A bell rings. LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
What’s the business, What’s going on? Why is that terrifying
That such a hideous trumpet calls to trumpet calling together everyone who’s
parley sleeping in the house? Speak up and tell
The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak! me!
MACDUFF
O gentle lady, MACDUFF
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: Oh gentle lady, my news isn’t fit for your
60The repetition, in a woman’s ear, ears. If I repeated it to you, it would kill
Would murder as it fell. you as soon as you heard it.
Enter BANQUO BANQUO enters.
O Banquo, Banquo, Oh Banquo, Banquo, the king has been
Our royal master’s murdered! murdered!
LADY MACBETH
Woe, alas! LADY MACBETH
What, in our house? How horrible! What, in our own house?
BANQUO BANQUO
65Too cruel any where. It would be a terrible event no matter
Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, where it happened. Dear Macduff, I beg

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 75
And say it is not so. you, tell us you were lying and say it isn’t
so.
MACBETH and LENNOX reenter,
Enter MACBETH , LENNOX , and ROSS with ROSS .
MACBETH
Had I but died an hour before this
chance, MACBETH
I had lived a blessèd time, for from this If I had only died an hour before this
instant event I could say I had lived a blessed
70There’s nothing serious in mortality. life. Because from this moment on, there
All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead. is nothing worth living for. Everything is a
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere sick joke. The graceful and renowned king
lees is dead. The wine of life has been poured
Is left this vault to brag of. out, and only the dregs remain.
Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN MALCOLM and DONALBAIN enter.
DONALBAIN DONALBAIN
What is amiss? What’s wrong?
MACBETH
75You are, and do not know ’t.
The spring, the head, the fountain of your MACBETH
blood You are, but you don’t know it yet. The
Is stopped; the very source of it is source from which your royal blood comes
stopped. has been stopped.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Your royal father’s murdered. Your royal father is murdered.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Oh, by whom? Who did it?
LENNOX
Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had
done ’t. LENNOX
80Their hands and faces were all badged It seems that the guards who were
with blood. supposed to be protecting his chamber did
So were their daggers, which unwiped we it. Their hands and faces were all covered
found with blood. So were their daggers, which
Upon their pillows. They stared, and were we found on their pillows, unwiped. They
distracted. stared at us in confusion. No one’s life
No man’s life was to be trusted with them. should have been entrusted to them.
MACBETH MACBETH
Oh, yet I do repent me of my fury, And yet I still regret the anger that
85That I did kill them. drove me to kill them.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Wherefore did you so? What did you do that for?
MACBETH MACBETH
Who can be wise, amazed, temp'rate, and Is it possible to be wise, bewildered, calm,
furious, furious, loyal, and neutral all at once?
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man. Nobody can do that. The violent rage
Th' expedition of my violent love inspired by my love for Duncan caused me

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 76
90Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay to act before I could think rationally and
Duncan, tell myself to pause. There was Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood, his white skin all splattered with his
And his gashed stabs looked like a breach precious blood. The gashes where the
in nature knives had cut him looked like wounds to
For ruin’s wasteful entrance; there, the nature itself. Then right next to him I
murderers, saw the murderers, dripping with blood,
Steeped in the colors of their trade, their their daggers rudely covered in gore. Who
daggers could have restrained himself, who loved
95Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who Duncan and had the courage to act on it?
could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make ’s love known?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Help me hence, ho! Help me out of here, quickly!
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Look to the lady. Take care of the lady.
MALCOLM
(aside to DONALBAIN ) Why do we hold MALCOLM
our tongues, (speaking so that only DONALBAIN can
100That most may claim this argument for hear) Why are we keeping quiet? The two
ours? of us have the most to say in this matter.
DONALBAIN
DONALBAIN (speaking so that only MALCOLM can
(aside to MALCOLM) What should be hear) What are we going to say here,
spoken here, where our fate, where danger may be waiting to strike at
Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize us from anywhere? Let’s get out of here.
us? We haven’t even begun to weep yet—but
Let’s away. Our tears are not yet brewed. there will be time for that later.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
(aside to DONALBAIN) Nor our strong (speaking so that only DONALBAIN can
sorrow hear) And the time hasn’t come yet for us
105Upon the foot of motion. to turn our deep grief into action.
BANQUO BANQUO
Look to the lady. Take care of the lady.
Exit LADY MACBETH , attended LADY MACBETH is carried out.
And when we have our naked frailties hid,
That suffer in exposure, let us meet
And question this most bloody piece of When we’re properly dressed for the cold,
work, let’s meet and discuss this bloody crime to
To know it further. Fears and scruples see if we can figure anything out. Right
shake us. now we’re shaken up by fears and doubts.
110In the great hand of God I stand, and I’m putting myself in God’s hands, and
thence with his help I plan to fight against the
Against the undivulged pretense I fight secret plot that caused this treasonous
Of treasonous malice. murder.
MACDUFF MACDUFF

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And so do I. So will I.
ALL ALL
So all. So will we all.
MACBETH MACBETH
Let’s briefly put on manly readiness, Let’s get dressed quickly and then meet in
115And meet i' th' hall together. the hall.
ALL ALL
Well contented. Agreed.
Exeunt all Everyone exits
but MALCOLM and DONALBAIN except MALCOLM and DONALBAIN .
MALCOLM
What will you do? Let’s not consort with MALCOLM
them. What are you going to do? Let’s not stay
To show an unfelt sorrow is an office here with them. It’s easy for a liar to
Which the false man does easy. I’ll to pretend to feel sorrow when he actually
England. feels none. I’m going to England.
DONALBAIN
To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune DONALBAIN
120Shall keep us both the safer. Where I’ll go to Ireland. We’ll both be safer if
we are, we go separate ways. Wherever we go,
There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The near men will smile at us while hiding daggers.
in blood, Our closest relatives are the ones most
The nearer bloody. likely to murder us.
MALCOLM
This murderous shaft that’s shot MALCOLM
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way We haven’t yet encountered that danger,
125Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to and the best thing to do is avoid it
horse, entirely. With that in mind, let’s get on
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking, our horses. We’d better not worry about
But shift away. There’s warrant in that saying polite good-byes; we should just
theft get away quickly. There’s good reason to
Which steals itself when there’s no mercy escape when there’s no mercy to be found
left. anymore.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
A porter goes to the answer the door, The Porter provides a moment of ironic
joking to himself that he is the doorkeeper comedy. He imagines he's guarding hell, but
at the mouth of hell, and mocking whoever with the murder of Duncan he really is
might be knocking to get into hell. At the guarding a hellish place.
door are Macduff and Lennox. Macduff
good-naturedly asks what took so long. The
porter blames drunkenness, and makes a
series of jokes about alcohol and its
effects on men.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 78
Macbeth enters, pretending to have just Introduction of Macduff, and contrast
woken up. Macduff asks if the King has between Macbeth's lying and treachery
woken yet: Duncan had asked to see with Macduff's openness and loyalty.
Macduff early that morning. Macbeth
points out where Duncan is sleeping, and
Macduff goes off to wake him.

As they wait for Macduff to The unnatural act of killing Duncan has
return, Lennox describes the terrible caused havoc in nature.
storm that raged the previous night and
sounded like "strange screams of death"
(2.3.52).

Macduff cries out in horror and runs Everyone is being "natural" and honest in
onstage. Macbeth and Lennox ask what their grief except Macbeth and Lady
happened, then run to Duncan's Macbeth. They are the snakes hiding
chamber. Banquo, Malcolm, behind the "innocent flower." Everything
and Donalbain wake. Lady Macbeth enters, they do now must protect their secret.
pretending not to know what happened, and This secrecy becomes their defining trait,
expressing horror when Macduff tells her warping them.
of the murder. Macbeth returns, and
wishes he had died rather than have to see
such a thing. Malcolm and Donalbain enter
and ask what's happened. Lennox tells them
that Duncan was murdered by his drunken
attendants.

Macbeth wishes aloud that he hadn't killed Macbeth killed the attendants to keep
the attendants. When Macduff asks why them quiet. Does Macduff suspect already?
Macbeth did kill the attendants, Macbeth Lady Macbeth faints to head off further
says he was so furious that they had questioning.
murdered the Duncan that he couldn't
control himself. Lady Macbeth faints.

The thanes agree to meet in the hall to

discuss what’s Malcolm and Donalbain realize any one of
happened. Malcolm and Donalbain, though, the thanes could be faking his grief. The
remain behind. They realize that one of the unnatural hides itself by looking natural.
thanes is probably the murderer and fear
that they'll be the next targets. They
decide to flee: Malcolm to England and
Donalbain to Ireland.

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 Act 2 Scene 4

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter ROSS with an OLD MAN ROSS and an OLD MAN enter.

OLD MAN
Threescore and ten I can
remember well,
Within the volume of which time OLD MAN
I have seen I can remember the past seventy years pretty well,
Hours dreadful and things and in all that time I have seen dreadful hours and
strange, but this sore night strange things. But last night’s horrors make
Hath trifled former knowings. everything that came before seem like a joke.

ROSS
Ha, good father,
5Thou seest the heavens, as
troubled with man’s act,
Threatens his bloody stage. By
th' clock ’tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the ROSS
travelling lamp. Ah yes, old man. You can see the skies. They look
Is ’t night’s predominance or the like they’re upset about what mankind has been
day’s shame doing, and they’re threatening the Earth with
That darkness does the face of storms. The clock says it’s daytime, but dark night
Earth entomb is strangling the sun. Is it because night is so
10When living light should kiss strong, or because day is so weak, that darkness
it? covers the earth when it’s supposed to be light?

OLD MAN
'Tis unnatural,
Even like the deed that’s done.
On Tuesday last, OLD MAN
A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of It’s unnatural, just like the murder that has been
place, committed. Last Tuesday a falcon was circling high
Was by a mousing owl hawked at in the sky, and it was caught and killed by an
and killed. ordinary owl that usually goes after mice.

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ROSS
And Duncan’s horses—a thing
most strange and certain—
15Beauteous and swift, the
minions of their race, ROSS
Turned wild in nature, broke And something else strange happened. Duncan’s
their stalls, flung out, horses, which are beautiful and swift and the best
Contending 'gainst obedience, as of their breed, suddenly turned wild and broke out
they would of their stalls. Refusing to be obedient as usual,
Make war with mankind. they acted like they were at war with mankind.

OLD MAN OLD MAN

'Tis said they eat each other. They say the horses ate each other.

ROSS
They did so, to th' amazement
of mine eyes ROSS
20That looked upon ’t. Here I saw it with my own eyes. It was an amazing sight.
comes the good Macduff. Here comes the good Macduff.

Enter MACDUFF MACDUFF enters.

How goes the world, sir, now? How are things going now?

MACDUFF MACDUFF
Why, see you not? Can’t you see for yourself?

ROSS ROSS
Is ’t known who did this more Does anyone know who committed this horrible
than bloody deed? crime?

MACDUFF MACDUFF
Those that Macbeth hath slain. The servants Macbeth killed.

ROSS ROSS
Alas, the day! It’s too bad he killed them. What good would it
What good could they pretend? have done those men to kill Duncan?

MACDUFF
They were suborned.
25Malcolm and Donalbain, the
king’s two sons, MACDUFF
Are stol'n away and fled, which They were paid to betray their master. Malcolm
puts upon them and Donalbain, the king’s two sons, have run away
Suspicion of the deed. and fled, which makes them the prime suspects.

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ROSS
'Gainst nature still!
Thriftless ambition, that will
raven up ROSS
30Thine own lives' means! Then Everything about this is unnatural! What a stupid
’tis most like ambition, causing a son to kill the father who
The sovereignty will fall upon supports him. Then it looks like Macbeth will
Macbeth. become king.

MACDUFF
He is already named and gone to MACDUFF
Scone He has already been named king and has left for
To be invested. Scone to be crowned.

ROSS ROSS
Where is Duncan’s body? Where is Duncan’s body?

MACDUFF
35Carried to Colmekill,
The sacred storehouse of his MACDUFF
predecessors, It was carried to Colmekill to be placed in the tomb
And guardian of their bones. of his ancestors, where their bones are kept safe.

ROSS ROSS
Will you to Scone? Are you going to Scone?

MACDUFF MACDUFF
No, cousin, I’ll to Fife. No, cousin, I’m going to Fife.

ROSS ROSS
Well, I will thither. Well, I’ll go to Scone.

MACDUFF
40Well, may you see things well
done there. Adieu, MACDUFF
Lest our old robes sit easier I hope things go well there. Good-bye! And let’s
than our new! hope things don’t get worse.

ROSS ROSS
Farewell, father. Farewell, old man.

OLD MAN
God’s benison go with you and
with those OLD MAN
That would make good of bad May God’s blessing go with you and with all who
and friends of foes. turn bad into good, and enemies into friends!

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 Exeunt They all exit.

Summary Analysis
Ross and an old man stand near Macbeth's Further havoc in nature caused by the
castle. They discuss the unnatural portents murder of Duncan and destruction of the
just before and after Duncan's murder: natural order.
darkness during the day, owls killing hawks,
horses eating one another.

Macduff enters. He says it seems Duncan's Macbeth's plot worked! If he could be a

attendants did commit the murder, and good and virtuous King, perhaps it will all
that because Malcolm and Donalbain fled turn out well…
they likely were behind the plot.

Macduff then says Macbeth has been made …but does Macduff suspect him already? It
king, and that he has already gone to Scone isn't clear. But the paranoid Macbeth must
for the coronation. Ross heads to the think he does: violence creates fear which
coronation. But Macduff returns to his own leads to violence.
castle at Fife.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. “Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts”.

Who addresses the merciful powers? What are the cursed thoughts? What does this
address signify?
Ans- Banquo addresses the merciful powers. He invokes their blessings when the
thoughts about the witches come to him in his sleep. Banquo dreams of the witches and
their predictions about the kingship of his Sons and others of his line. He feels
tempted. But he tries to restrain the temptation. While Macbeth has surrendered to
the evil, he invoke the good spirits to check his tendency to evil. He proves better than
Macbeth.

2. Comment on Macbeth’s soliloquy beginning with: ‘Is this a dagger which I see before
me?”
Ans- In Act II, Sc 1, just before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth sees a dagger floating
in the air and pointing to Duncan’s chamber. He tries to catch it, but cannot succeed. He
calls it ‘fatal’ because it is symbolic of murder. Macbeth questions about the reality of
the dagger. Is it a figment of his heated brain? He can see it but he cannot grasp it.
Macbeth is puzzled. He thinks that either his eyes are wrong and the other senses
correct-the vision is an illusion, or his eyes alone can perceive, the rest have gone
wrong. The vision becomes more concrete, more tangible, more vivid. The vision
vanishes. Macbeth is convinced that it is a hallucination, a creation of the oppressed
mind.
Macbeth’s feverish anxiety is conveyed by the hallucination of the danger – the symbol

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 83
 of temptation to murder and the rhythm of the lines captures the fear–he feels in his
monstrous commitment to the deed. The soliloquy has powerful visual effects-gouts of
blood’ and shows Macbeth’s own imaginative association with the supernatural and with
evil. He thinks of the witches offering sacrifices to Hecate, of the withered murderer
going to the wicked deed, to Tarquin who violated Lucrece at night. He identifies
himself with the darkness of the night and with all the wicked elements in Nature and in
humanity. This soliloquy contains self knowledge, analysis, guilty conscience and a
terrifying self-accusation. Grierson makes the apt remark: “Macbeth’s moral agitation is
clearly evinced in this scene. The fearless warrior is unmanned by the evocations of a
shaken conscience, and crosses the ‘Rubicon of Crime’ trembling at every step.”

3. “Had he not resembled

My father as he slept, I had done it.”
Give the context of the remark and bring out the character of the speaker as revealed
in the line.
Ans- Lady Macbeth is awaiting her husband’s return after the murder of Duncan. She
hears the shriek of the owl. She has taken wine to nerve herself. She hears a noise
made by Macbeth. She is afraid that Macbeth is confounded by the attempt. She says
that the face of Duncan resembles the face of her father and so she could not do the
murder.
The line shows the essential womanliness of Lady Macbeth. The daughter image comes
up to her mind just as in the earlier scene, the mother image occurs as she thinks of
cruel action for the sanctity of pledge. She has an incipient daughter within her.

4. “I have done the deed.”

What deed is referred to? How does the speaker react to the deed? What is the
difference of reactions between him and his co-partner?
Ans- The deed refers to the murder of Duncan. Macbeth says this to Lady Macbeth
after committing the murder. He has done it almost in a trance. He has been impelled to
the deed by the powerful taunting rhetoric of Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth lapses into complete self-absorption. He hears noises from within. He hears
voices saying “God bless us’, ‘amen’ etc. he has murdered sleep, and he will not sleep
anymore. He looks at his blood-stained hands and his eyes come out of their sockets. He
thinks that Neptune’s ocean cannot wash the hands clean. He is repentant and
remorseful; he wants Duncan to wake up so that he may be free from the sense of guilt.
Lady Macbeth is practical and self-controlled by contrast. However, she does not have
her earlier ruthlessness. She has taken wine to nerve herself, she thinks of her father’s
face as she looks at the face of Duncan. She has, however, command of the situation.
She asks her husband not to brood on the deed. She reproaches Macbeth with
cowardice when he refuses to revisit the room of dead Duncan. She says that the
sleeping and the dead are but pictures. She says to Macbeth that a little water will
clear us of the deed. She asks Macbeth to retire to the chamber and wash the hands
and put on the nightgowns ‘lest occasion call us’.
Lady Macbeth is simple-minded. She cannot understand the voices and visions of

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 Macbeth with her limited imagination and thought. She cannot follow the ravings and
remorse of Macbeth.

5. “It was a rough night”

Who says this? What night is referred to? How is the night described by another
speaker?
Ans- Macbeth describes the night of the murder of Duncan. He describes it in a simple
sentence with a simple word, ‘rough’.
Lennox however describes it as ‘unruly’. Chimneys were blown down, lamentings were
heard in the air, strange screams of death, and terrible accents predicting dire
destruction were heard also. The owl clamoured all through the night. Earth was shaking
as if in fever. All these are signs of some impending disaster.

6. “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece”.

Who says this? What is the confusion referred to? What do masterpiece mean here?
How does the speaker express his feeling about this confusion?
Ans- Macduff says this when he discovers murdered Duncan lying in a pool of blood. He
is so puzzled and dismayed by this discovery that he expresses it in emotional
hyperbolic language. The repetition of the word ‘horror’ shows that he is emotionally
shaken. Destruction has done its deadliest work. The murder of a king is the deadliest
work of destruction A king is a divine representative. Murder of a king is a sacrilegious
act. The king is the temple of God. He further says that if one sees the murdered
Duncan, one will be turned to stone (just as the sight of Medusa turns one to stone).
Macduff is so emotionally disturbed that he says that the murder of Duncan predicts
the last day of judgment.

7. “Woe, alas!
What, in our house?”
Who says this and about what? Does it show any weakness on the part of the speaker?
Ans- Lady Macbeth says this when he hears the news of the murder of Duncan. She
strikes a false note. Her remark suggests that the murder of Duncan is not so unhappy
in itself – but it is sad because it has taken place in her house. Now she cannot act well.
She shows signs of nervousness. She cannot disguise her feelings and deceive the time
as she has instructed her husband.

8. “Wherefore did you so?”

Who asks this question and why? How does the man addressed, reply to the question?
Is the reply convincing? What does the question imply?
Ans- Macduff asks this question of Macbeth when the latter says that he has killed the
chamberlains of Duncan out of fury. He explains that no man can be wise, neutral and
temperate and at the same time amazed, furious and loyal. He saw Duncan lying in a pool
of blood, and he was so amazed and furious that he could not control himself. His love
of Duncan outran his reason. He saw the murderers smeared with blood were lying
there. He killed them out of fury and impatience. He now repents of his fury. This
explanation is rather laboured and sounds artificial. This is uttered in such violent and
verbose language that its artificiality becomes prominent.

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 85
 Macduff asks this question because his suspicion is roused. Macbeth should not have
killed the sleeping chamberlains. The chamberlains could have given them clues to the
murder had they been alive.

9. “To show an unfelt sorrow is an office which the false man does easy.”
Who says this and to whom and under what circumstances? What does the speaker
mean?
Ans- Malcolm says this to his brother Donalbain. Their royal father, Duncan is
murdered. All the lords are busy with lamentations, questions and resolves about the
murder. They are however silent and stand aloof. They hold that their life is in danger
and so they should remain silent. When all go away, Malcolm says to his brother that
they will not associate with these lords. They are making noise about their sorrows.
Feigned sorrow is lauder than real sorrow. False man can easily show his unfelt sorrow.
Their sorrow is not yet prepared. They would leave the place quietly and secretly at
once. There are daggers in men’s smiles. They are near in blood to Duncan, so they can
be killed. It is wise for them to seek their fortunes in different places. They would
leave the place without any formal leave-taking. There is justification for secret flight
when there is no mercy left.

10. What are the abnormalities seen in nature and the animal world on the night of Duncan’s
murder? Who do they portend?
Ans- There were fierce tempest and rains. Chimneys were blown down and strange
screams of death were heard. Darkness had pervaded the following day. This is
unnatural. A falcon was preyed on by a mousing owl. Duncan’s horses, most beauteous
and obedience turned wild; and horses did eat each other. Amazement and mystery
pervaded the whole atmosphere.
The unnatural act of murder has disrupted the natural and the animal worlds. Order-
disorder symbolisms heighten the enormity of the crime.

11. ‘Lest our old robes sit easier than our new.’
Who says this and to whom and in what circumstances? What is the image here and
what is the tone of the speaker?
Ans- Macduff says this to Ross when the latter expresses his desire to join Macbeth’s
coronation at Scone. Macduff will not attend this coronation.
This refusal to attend the coronation of the new king amounts to disobedience and open
revolt. Macbeth has been named the king, and it is a citizen’s duty to offer loyalty to
the new king. Lennox is an ordinary loyal citizen who accepts the accomplished fact. But
Macduff is brave, he cannot accept Macbeth as a king because he is now convinced that
Macbeth is not the lawful king-Malcolm is the legitimate king.
Macduff’s tone here is ironical. He says to Ross that if he does not attend the
coronation of the new king, then the old regime i.e. the regime of Duncan) would seem
more comfortable, and thus the new king would be annoyed. A common citizen cannot
annoy a king and thus endangers his life.
The imagery is that of the clothes. Old robes fit easier than the new robes.

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 Act 3 Scene 1

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter BANQUO BANQUO enters.
BANQUO
Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and I fear
Thou played’st most foully for ’t. Yet it was BANQUO
said Now you have it all: you’re the king, the
It should not stand in thy posterity, thane of Cawdor, and the thane of Glamis,
5But that myself should be the root and just like the weird women promised you.
father And I suspect you cheated to win these
Of many kings. If there come truth from titles. But it was also prophesied that the
them— crown would not go to your descendants,
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches and that my sons and grandsons would be
shine— kings instead. If the witches tell the
Why, by the verities on thee made good, truth—which they did about you—maybe
May they not be my oracles as well, what they said about me will come true
10And set me up in hope? But hush, no more. too. But shhh! I’ll shut up now.
A trumpet plays. MACBETH enters
dressed as king, and LADY
Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH , as MACBETH enters dressed as queen,
king, LADY MACBETH , as together
queen, LENNOX , ROSS , LORDS , LADIES with LENNOX , ROSS , LORDS , LADIES
, and attendants , and their attendants
MACBETH
MACBETH (indicating BANQUO) Here’s our most
Here’s our chief guest. important guest.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
If he had been forgotten, If we forgot him, our big celebration
It had been as a gap in our great feast, wouldn’t be complete, and that wouldn’t be
And all-thing unbecoming. any good.
MACBETH
MACBETH (to BANQUO) Tonight we’re having a
15Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir, ceremonial banquet, and I want you to be
And I’ll request your presence. there.
BANQUO
Let your highness
Command upon me, to the which my duties BANQUO
Are with a most indissoluble tie Whatever your highness commands me to
Forever knit. do, it is always my duty to do it.
MACBETH MACBETH
20Ride you this afternoon? Are you going riding this afternoon?
BANQUO BANQUO
Ay, my good lord. Yes, my good lord.
MACBETH MACBETH

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We should have else desired your good We would have liked to have heard your
advice— good advice, which has always been serious
Which still hath been both grave and and helpful, at the council today, but we’ll
prosperous— wait until tomorrow. Are you riding far?
In this day’s council, but we’ll take
tomorrow.
25Is ’t far you ride?
BANQUO
As far, my lord, as will fill up the time BANQUO
'Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse the I’m going far enough that I’ll be riding
better, from now until dinner. Unless my horse
I must become a borrower of the night goes faster than expected, I will be back
For a dark hour or twain. an hour or two after sunset.
MACBETH MACBETH
Fail not our feast. Don’t miss our feast.
BANQUO BANQUO
30My lord, I will not. My lord, I won’t miss it.
MACBETH MACBETH
We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed We hear that the princes, those
In England and in Ireland, not confessing murderers, have hidden in England and
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers Ireland. They haven’t confessed to cruelly
With strange invention. But of that murdering their own father, and they’ve
tomorrow, been making up strange lies to tell their
35When therewithal we shall have cause of hosts. But we can talk more about that
state tomorrow, when we’ll discuss matters of
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse. Adieu, state that concern us both. Hurry up and
Till your return at night. Goes Fleance with get to your horse. Good-bye, until you
you? return tonight. Is Fleance going with you?
BANQUO
BANQUO Yes, my good lord. It’s time we hit the
Ay, my good lord. Our time does call upon ’s. road.
MACBETH MACBETH
I wish your horses swift and sure of foot, I hope your horses are fast and
40And so I do commend you to their backs. surefooted. And with that, I send you to
Farewell. them. Farewell.
Exit BANQUO BANQUO exits.
Let every man be master of his time Everybody may do as they please until
Till seven at night. To make society seven o'clock tonight. In order to make
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself your company even more enjoyable, I’m
45Till suppertime alone. While then, God be going to keep to myself until suppertime.
with you! Until then, God be with you!
Exeunt all except MACBETH and Everyone exits except MACBETH and
a SERVANT a SERVANT
(to the SERVANT) You there, let me have
Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men a word with you. Are those men waiting
Our pleasure? for me?
SERVANT SERVANT

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They are, my lord, without the palace gate. They’re waiting outside the palace gate,
my lord.
MACBETH MACBETH
Bring them before us. Bring them to me.
Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.
50To be thus is nothing,
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be feared. 'Tis
much he dares,
And to that dauntless temper of his mind
55He hath a wisdom that doth guide his
valor To be the king is nothing if I’m not safe as
To act in safety. There is none but he the king. I’m very afraid of Banquo.
Whose being I do fear, and under him There’s something noble about him that
My genius is rebuked, as it is said makes me fear him. He’s willing to take
Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the risks, and his mind never stops working. He
sisters has the wisdom to act bravely but also
60When first they put the name of king safely. I’m not afraid of anyone but him.
upon me Around him, my guardian angel is
And bade them speak to him. Then, frightened, just as Mark Antony’s angel
prophetlike, supposedly feared Octavius Caesar.
They hailed him father to a line of kings. Banquo chided the witches when they first
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown called me king, asking them to tell him his
And put a barren scepter in my grip, own future. Then, like prophets, they
65Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal named him the father to a line of kings.
hand, They gave me a crown and a scepter that I
No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so, can’t pass on. Someone outside my family
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind; will take these things away from me, since
For them the gracious Duncan have I no son of mine will take my place as king.
murdered; If this is true, then I’ve tortured my
Put rancors in the vessel of my peace conscience and murdered the gracious
70Only for them; and mine eternal jewel Duncan for Banquo’s sons. I’ve ruined my
Given to the common enemy of man, own peace for their benefit. I’ve handed
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo over my everlasting soul to the devil so
kings! that they could be kings. Banquo’s sons,
Rather than so, come fate into the list, kings! Instead of watching that happen, I
And champion me to th' utterance. Who’s will challenge fate to battle and fight to
there? the death. Who’s there!
The SERVANT comes back in with
Enter SERVANT and two MURDERERS two MURDERERS
75Now go to the door and stay there till we Now go to the door and stay there until I
call. call for you.
Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.
Wasn’t it just yesterday that we spoke to
Was it not yesterday we spoke together? each other?
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER

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It was, so please your highness. It was yesterday, your highness.
MACBETH
Well then, now
Have you considered of my speeches? Know
That it was he, in the times past, which held
you MACBETH
80So under fortune, which you thought had Well, did you think about what I said? You
been should know that it was Banquo who made
Our innocent self. This I made good to you your lives hell for so long, which you
In our last conference, passed in probation always thought was my fault. But I was
with you, innocent. I showed you the proof at our
How you were borne in hand, how crossed, last meeting. I explained how you were
the instruments, deceived, how you were thwarted, the
Who wrought with them, and all things else things that were used against you, who
that might was working against you, and a lot of other
85To half a soul and to a notion crazed things that would convince even a half-wit
Say, “Thus did Banquo.” or a crazy person to say, “Banquo did it!”
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
You made it known to us. You explained it all.
MACBETH
I did so, and went further, which is now MACBETH
Our point of second meeting. Do you find I did that and more, which brings me to
Your patience so predominant in your nature the point of this second meeting. Are you
90That you can let this go? Are you so so patient and forgiving that you’re going
gospeled to let him off the hook? Are you so pious
To pray for this good man and for his issue, that you would pray for this man and his
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the children, a man who has pushed you toward
grave an early grave and put your family in
And beggared yours forever? poverty forever?
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
We are men, my liege. We are men, my lord.
MACBETH MACBETH
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men, Yes, you’re part of the species called men.
95As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, Just as hounds and greyhounds, mongrels,
spaniels, curs, spaniels, mutts, shaggy lapdogs, swimming
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves are dogs, and wolf-dog crossbreeds are all
clept dogs. But if you list the different kinds of
All by the name of dogs. The valued file dogs according to their qualities, you can
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, distinguish which breeds are fast or slow,
The housekeeper, the hunter, every one which ones are clever, which ones are
100According to the gift which bounteous watchdogs, and which ones hunters. You
nature can classify each dog according to the
Hath in him closed, whereby he does receive natural gifts that separate it from all
Particular addition, from the bill other dogs. It’s the same with men. Now,
That writes them all alike. And so of men. if you occupy some place in the list of men
Now, if you have a station in the file, that isn’t down at the very bottom, tell
Not i' th' worst rank of manhood, say ’t, me. Because if that’s the case, I will tell

[Link] PARMAR-9930004480 90
And I will put that business in your bosoms, you a plan that will get rid of your enemy
Whose execution takes your enemy off, and bring you closer to me. As long as
Grapples you to the heart and love of us, Banquo lives, I am sick. I’ll be healthy
Who wear our health but sickly in his life, when he is dead.
110Which in his death were perfect.
SECOND MURDERER
I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the SECOND MURDERER
world My lord, I’ve been so kicked around by the
Have so incensed that I am reckless what world, and I’m so angry, that I don’t even
I do to spite the world. care what I do.
FIRST MURDERER
And I another FIRST MURDERER
115So weary with disasters, tugged with I’m the same. I’m so sick of bad luck and
fortune, trouble that I’d risk my life on any bet, as
That I would set my life on any chance, long as it would either fix my life or end it
To mend it or be rid on ’t. once and for all.
MACBETH
Both of you MACBETH
Know Banquo was your enemy. You both know Banquo was your enemy.
BOTH MURDERERS BOTH MURDERERS
True, my lord. It’s true, my lord.
MACBETH
So is he mine; and in such bloody distance
120That every minute of his being thrusts
Against my near’st of life. And though I
could MACBETH
With barefaced power sweep him from my He’s my enemy too, and I hate him so much
sight that every minute he’s alive it eats away at
And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not, my heart. Since I’m king, I could simply
For certain friends that are both his and use my power to get rid of him. But I can’t
mine, do that, because he and I have friends in
125Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his common whom I need, so I have to be able
fall to moan and cry over his death in public
Who I myself struck down. And thence it is, even though I’ll be the one who had him
That I to your assistance do make love, killed. That’s why I need your help right
Masking the business from the common eye now. I have to hide my real plans from the
For sundry weighty reasons. public eye for many important reasons.
SECOND MURDERER
130We shall, my lord, SECOND MURDERER
Perform what you command us. We’ll do what you want us to, my lord.
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
Though our lives— Though our lives—
MACBETH MACBETH
Your spirits shine through you. Within this (interrupts him) I can see the
hour at most determination in your eyes. Within the
I will advise you where to plant yourselves, next hour I’ll tell you where to go and

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Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' th' exactly when to strike. It must be done
time, tonight, away from the palace. Always
135The moment on ’t; for ’t must be done remember that I must be free from
tonight, suspicion. For the plan to work perfectly,
And something from the palace; always you must kill both Banquo and his son,
thought Fleance, who keeps him company. Getting
That I require a clearness. And with him— rid of Fleance is as important to me as
To leave no rubs nor botches in the work— knocking off Banquo. Each of you should
Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, make up your own mind about whether
140Whose absence is no less material to me you’re going to do this. I’ll come to you
Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate soon.
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart.
I’ll come to you anon.
BOTH MURDERERS BOTH MURDERERS
We are resolved, my lord. We have decided, my lord. We’re in.
MACBETH MACBETH
145I’ll call upon you straight. Abide within. I’ll call for you soon. Stay inside.
Exeunt MURDERERS The MURDERERS exit.
The deal is closed. Banquo, if your soul is
It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, going to make it to heaven, tonight’s the
If it find heaven, must find it out tonight. night.
Exit He exits.

Summary Analysis
In the royal palace of Banquo suspects Macbeth, but it is his own
Forres, Banquo states his suspicion ambition—the possibility that the prophecy
that Macbeth fulfilled the witches' might be true for him too—that occupies
prophecy by foul play. But he notes that his mind.
since the prophecy came true for Macbeth,
perhaps it will come true for him as well.

Macbeth enters, with other thanes Macbeth wants to kill Banquo because he
and Lady Macbeth. He asks Banquo to resents Banquo's honour and because the
attend a feast that evening. Banquo says he prophecy makes Banquo a threat. Also,
will, but that meanwhile he has to ride Macbeth's guilt at murdering Duncan makes
somewhere on business. Macbeth asks him want that murder to be "worthwhile."
if Fleance will be riding with him. Banquo Macbeth's guilt about one crime pushes
says yes, then departs. Once he's him to commit another.
alone, Macbeth sends a servant to summon
two men. As he waits for them to arrive, he
muses if the witches prophecy is true,
then Banquo's descendants will be king, and
he'll have murdered Duncan for nothing.

The two men (identified in the stage Macbeth uses the same methods to get the
directions as "murderers") murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance that
enter. Macbeth tells them it's Banquo's

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 fault they're poor, then questions their Lady Macbeth used against Macbeth: he
manhood for bearing such offenses. The questions their manhood.
murderers agree to kill Banquo and Fleance.

Act 3 Scene 2

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter LADY
MACBETH and
a SERVANT LADY MACBETH and a SERVANT enter.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

Is Banquo gone from court? Has Banquo left the court?

SERVANT
Ay, madam, but returns SERVANT
again tonight. Yes, madam, but he’ll be back tonight.

LADY MACBETH
Say to the king I would
attend his leisure LADY MACBETH
For a few words. Go tell the king I want to talk to him for a few minutes.

SERVANT SERVANT
5Madam, I will. No problem, madam.

Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.

LADY MACBETH
Naught’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got
without content. LADY MACBETH
'Tis safer to be that which If you get what you want and you’re still not happy,
we destroy you’ve spent everything and gained nothing. It’s better
Than by destruction dwell to be the person who gets murdered than to be the
in doubtful joy. killer and be tormented with anxiety.

Enter MACBETH MACBETH enters.

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10How now, my lord! Why
do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your
companions making,
Using those thoughts which What’s going on, my lord? Why are you keeping to
should indeed have died yourself, with only your sad thoughts to keep you
With them they think on? company? Those thoughts should have died when you
Things without all remedy killed the men you’re thinking about. If you can’t fix it,
Should be without regard. you shouldn’t give it a second thought. What’s done is
What’s done is done. done.

MACBETH
15We have scorched the
snake, not killed it.
She’ll close and be herself
whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her
former tooth.
But let the frame of things
disjoint, both the worlds
suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in
fear, and sleep
20In the affliction of
these terrible dreams
That shake us nightly. MACBETH
Better be with the dead, We have slashed the snake but not killed it. It will heal
Whom we, to gain our and be as good as new, and we’ll be threatened by its
peace, have sent to peace, fangs once again. But the universe can fall apart, and
Than on the torture of the heaven and earth crumble, before I’ll eat my meals in
mind to lie fear and spend my nights tossing and turning with
In restless ecstasy. Duncan these nightmares I’ve been having. I’d rather be dead
is in his grave. than endure this endless mental torture and harrowing
25After life’s fitful fever sleep deprivation. We killed those men and sent them
he sleeps well. to rest in peace so that we could gain our own peace.
Treason has done his Duncan lies in his grave, through with life’s troubles,
worst; nor steel nor poison, and he’s sleeping well. We have already done the worst
Malice domestic, foreign we can do to him with our treason. After that, nothing
levy, nothing can hurt him further—not weapons, poison, rebellion,
Can touch him further. invasion, or anything else.

LADY MACBETH
Come on, gentle my lord,
30Sleek o'er your rugged LADY MACBETH
looks. Be bright and jovial Come on, relax, dear. Put on a happy face and look
Among your guests tonight. cheerful and agreeable for your guests tonight.

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MACBETH
So shall I, love,
And so, I pray, be you. Let
your remembrance
Apply to Banquo; present
him eminence,
Both with eye and tongue:
unsafe the while that we MACBETH
35Must lave our honors in That’s exactly what I’ll do, my love, and I hope you’ll do
these flattering streams, the same. Give Banquo your special attention. Talk to
And make our faces vizards him and look at him in a way that will make him feel
to our hearts, important. We’re in a dangerous situation, where we
Disguising what they are. have to flatter him and hide our true feelings.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

You must leave this. You have to stop talking like this.

MACBETH
Oh, full of scorpions is my MACBETH
mind, dear wife! Argh! I feel like my mind is full of scorpions, my dear
Thou know’st that Banquo, wife. You know that Banquo and his son Fleance are still
and his Fleance, lives. alive.

LADY MACBETH
40But in them nature’s LADY MACBETH
copy’s not eterne. But they can’t live forever.

MACBETH
There’s comfort yet; they
are assailable.
Then be thou jocund. Ere
the bat hath flown
His cloistered flight, ere
to black Hecate’s summons
The shard-borne beetle
with his drowsy hums MACBETH
45Hath rung night’s That’s comforting. They can be killed, it’s true. So be
yawning peal, there shall be cheerful. Before the bat flies through the castle, and
done before the dung beetle makes his little humming noise
A deed of dreadful note. to tell us it’s nighttime, a dreadful deed will be done.

LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

What’s to be done? What are you going to do?

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 MACBETH
Be innocent of the
knowledge, dearest chuck,
Till thou applaud the deed.
Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of
pitiful day
50And with thy bloody and
invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces
that great bond
Which keeps me pale. Light
thickens, and the crow
Makes wing to th' rooky MACBETH
wood. It’s better you don’t know about it until after it’s done,
Good things of day begin to when you can applaud it. (to the night) Come, night, and
droop and drowse; blindfold the kindhearted day. Use your bloody and
55Whiles night’s black invisible hand to tear up Banquo’s lease on life, which
agents to their preys do keeps me in fear. (to himself) The sky’s getting dark,
rouse. and the crow is returning home to the woods. The
Thou marvel’st at my gentle creatures of the day are falling asleep, while
words: but hold thee still. night’s predators are waking up to look for their
Things bad begun make prey. (to LADY MACBETH) You seem surprised at my
strong themselves by ill. words, but don’t question me yet. Bad deeds force you
So, prithee, go with me. to commit more bad deeds. So please, come with me.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
After sending a servant to First indication that all is not well with
fetch Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, waits, and Lady Macbeth.
muses that she has what she desires but
isn't happy.

Macbeth enters. She asks why he spends In order to keep power built by violence,
so much time alone. Macbeth responds: more violence is always needed. Macbeth
"We have scorched the snake, not killed it" knew this would happen; he's caught in the
(3.2.15). He fears someone might try to kill vicious cycle of violence...
him as he killed Duncan, and seems envious
of Duncan's "sleep" (3.2.25).

Lady Macbeth reminds him to be "bright ...and that vicious cycle begins to take a
and jovial" at the feast. Macbeth tells her psychological toll on Macbeth.
to act the same. But then Macbeth moans,
"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!"
(3.2.37) because Banquo and Fleance are
still alive.

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 Macbeth says that before the night is Macbeth tries to protect Lady Macbeth:
through there shall be a "deed of dreadful traditional male-female roles.
note" (3.2.45), but adds that she's better
off being innocent until she can applaud
what has happened.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Nought's had, all's spent

Where our desire is got without content.”
Explanation and Analysis:
Lady Macbeth ponders why she continues to be dissatisfied with her existence. She
acknowledges that she has had complete success in her endeavors but somehow remains
vexed.
These lines reveal a sharp change in Lady Macbeth’s disposition. Whereas before, she
believed completely that ambition (and the murder of Duncan) would generate positive
results, here she concludes just the opposite. “Nought’s had, all’s spent” must be taken
metaphorically—because Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have in fact achieved their goal of
becoming king and queen—to refer to their contentment and emotional stability. But
now she states that the trade-off of political power in exchange for "content," which
we can take to mean "guilt-free contentment," wasn't at all worth it.
Beyond revealing a growing dissatisfaction in Lady Macbeth, this passage makes a
broader claim on the trappings of power and fame. Lady Macbeth points out that the
status she had pursued does not in fact grant her happiness, but rather has brought
her into greater misfortune. Thus Shakespeare uses her psychological anxiety as a way
to illustrate the self-defeating natures of avarice and desire.

Act 3 Scene 3

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter three MURDERERS The two MURDERERS enter with a third MURDERER .

FIRST MURDERER
But who did bid thee join FIRST MURDERER
with us? But who told you to come here and join us?

THIRD MURDERER THIRD MURDERER

Macbeth. Macbeth.

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SECOND MURDERER
He needs not our
mistrust, since he delivers
Our offices and what we SECOND MURDERER
have to do We can trust this guy. He was given exactly the same
5To the direction just. orders we were.

FIRST MURDERER
Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers
with some streaks of day.
Now spurs the lated
traveler apace
To gain the timely inn, and FIRST MURDERER
near approaches Then stay with us. There’s still a bit of daylight in the
10The subject of our sky. Now all the late travellers are hurrying to reach
watch. their inns. Banquo is almost here.

THIRD MURDERER THIRD MURDERER

Hark, I hear horses. Listen! I hear horses.

BANQUO
(within) Give us a light BANQUO
there, ho! (from offstage) Hey, give us some light here!

SECOND MURDERER
Then ’tis he: the rest
That are within the note SECOND MURDERER
of expectation That must be him. The rest of the king’s guests are
Already are i' th' court. already inside.

FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER You can hear his horses moving around as the servants
His horses go about. take them to the stables.

THIRD MURDERER
Almost a mile; but he does
usually—
15So all men do—from THIRD MURDERER
hence to the palace gate It’s almost a mile to the palace gate, but Banquo, like
Make it their walk. everybody else, usually walks from here to the palace.

Enter BANQUO and FLE

ANCE with a torch BANQUO and FLEANCE enter with a torch.

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SECOND MURDERER SECOND MURDERER
A light, a light! Here comes a light! Here comes a light!

THIRD MURDERER THIRD MURDERER

'Tis he. That’s him.

FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER

Stand to ’t. Prepare yourselves.

BANQUO BANQUO
It will be rain tonight. It will rain tonight.

FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER

Let it come down. Then let the rain come down.

The MURDERERS attack

BANQUO The MURDERERS attack BANQUO .

BANQUO
O treachery! Fly, good BANQUO
Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Oh, this is treachery! Get out of here, good Fleance, run,
20Thou may ’st revenge — run, run! Someday you can get revenge.—Oh, you
O slave! bastard!

BANQUO dies.
Exit FLEANCE BANQUO dies. FLEANCE escapes.

THIRD MURDERER
Who did strike out the THIRD MURDERER
light? Who put out the light?

FIRSTMURDERER FIRST MURDERER

Was ’t not the way? Wasn’t that the best thing to do?

THIRD MURDERER
There’s but one down. The THIRD MURDERER
son is fled. There’s only one body here. The son ran away.

SECOND MURDERER
We have lost best half of SECOND MURDERER
our affair. We failed in half of our mission.

FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER

Well, let’s away and say Well, let’s get out of here and tell Macbeth what we did
how much is done. accomplish.

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 Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
The two murderers lie in wait a mile from The Third Murderer is an unsolved
the royal castle. A third murderer joins mystery. No critics know who he is or why
them, sent by Macbeth. he's there.

Banquo and Fleance enter. Macbeth's effort to control fate seals his
The murderers attack. Banquo is killed, but doom. Fleance lives and Banquo's death
Fleance escapes. The murderers return to makes the Thanes suspicious.
the castle to tell Macbeth what's
happened.

Act 3 Scene 4

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

The stage is set for a
Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH , LADY banquet. MACBETH enters with LADY
MACBETH , ROSS , LENNOX , LORDS , MACBETH , ROSS , LENNOX , LORDS ,
and attendants. and their attendants.
MACBETH
MACBETH You know your own ranks, so you know
You know your own degrees; sit down. At where to sit. Sit down. From the highest
first to the lowest of you, I bid you a hearty
And last, the hearty welcome. welcome.
The LORDS sit The LORDS sit down.
LORDS LORDS
Thanks to your majesty. Thanks to your majesty.
MACBETH MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society I will walk around and mingle with all of
And play the humble host. you, playing the humble host. My wife will
5Our hostess keeps her state, but in best stay in her royal chair, but at the
time appropriate time I will have her welcome
We will require her welcome. you all.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends, Say welcome to all of our friends for me,
For my heart speaks they are welcome. sir, for in my heart they are all welcome.
The FIRST MURDERER appears at the
Enter FIRST MURDERER at the door door.
MACBETH
MACBETH And they respond to you with their
See, they encounter thee with their hearts as well. The table is full on both
hearts' thanks. sides. I will sit here in the middle. Be

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Both sides are even. Here I’ll sit i' th' free and happy. Soon we will toast
midst. around the table.
Be large in mirth. Anon we’ll drink a
measure
The table round.
(approaching the door and speaking to
(aside to FIRST MURDERER) There’s blood the MURDERER) There’s blood on your
upon thy face. face.
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
'Tis Banquo’s then. Then it must be Banquo’s.
MACBETH
MACBETH I’d rather see his blood splattered on
15'Tis better thee without than he within. your face than flowing through his veins.
Is he dispatched? Did you finish him off?
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
My lord, his throat is cut. That I did for My lord, his throat is cut. I did that to
him. him.
MACBETH
MACBETH You are the best of the cutthroats. But
Thou art the best o' th' cutthroats: whoever did the same to Fleance must
Yet he’s good that did the like for Fleance. also be good. If you cut both their
20If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil. throats, then you are the absolute best.
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
Most royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped. Most royal sir, Fleance has escaped.
MACBETH
Then comes my fit again. I had else been
perfect, MACBETH
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, Now I’m scared again. Otherwise I would
As broad and general as the casing air. have been perfect, as solid as a piece of
25But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, marble, as firm as a rock, as free as the
bound in air itself. But now I’m all tangled up with
To saucy doubts and fears.—But Banquo’s doubts and fears. But Banquo’s been
safe? taken care of?
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER Yes, my good lord. He’s lying dead in a
Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides, ditch, with twenty deep gashes in his
With twenty trenchèd gashes on his head, head, any one of which would have been
The least a death to nature. enough to kill him.
MACBETH
Thanks for that. MACBETH
30There the grown serpent lies. The worm Thanks for that. The adult snake lies in
that’s fled the ditch. The young snake that escaped
Hath nature that in time will venom breed; will in time become poisonous and
No teeth for th' present. Get thee gone. threatening, but for now he has no fangs.
Tomorrow Get out of here. I’ll talk to you again
We’ll hear ourselves again. tomorrow.
Exit FIRST MURDERER The FIRST MURDERER exits.

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LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
My royal lord, My royal lord, you’re not entertaining the
You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold guests. If you don’t make your guests
35That is not often vouched, while ’tis a- know they’re welcome, they’ll feel like
making, they’re paying for their meal. When you
'Tis given with welcome. To feed were best just want to eat, it’s better to do that at
at home; home. When you’re eating out with
From thence, the sauce to meat is people, you need to have a little more
ceremony; ceremony. Otherwise dinner parties
Meeting were bare without it. would be boring.
MACBETH
It’s nice of you to remind me. (raising a
glass to toast his guests) Since good
MACBETH digestion requires a good appetite, and
Sweet remembrancer! good health requires both of those,
Now, good digestion wait on appetite, here’s to good appetites, good digestion,
40And health on both! and good health!
LENNOX
LENNOX Why don’t you have a seat, your
May ’t please your highness sit. highness?
Enter the GHOST OF BANQUO , and sits The GHOST OF BANQUO enters and
in MACBETH ’s place sits in MACBETH ’s place.
MACBETH MACBETH
Here had we now our country’s honor We would have all the nobility of
roofed, Scotland gathered under one roof, if
Were the graced person of our Banquo only Banquo were here. I hope it turns
present, out that he’s late out of rudeness, and
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness not because something bad has happened
45Than pity for mischance. to him.
ROSS ROSS
His absence, sir, His absence means he’s broken his
Lays blame upon his promise. Please ’t your promise, sir. If it pleases you, your
highness highness, why don’t you sit with us and
To grace us with your royal company? grace us with your royal company?
MACBETH MACBETH
The table’s full. The table’s full.
LENNOX LENNOX
Here is a place reserved, sir. Here’s an empty seat, sir.
MACBETH MACBETH
50Where? Where?
LENNOX
LENNOX (pointing to where
Here, my good lord. What is ’t that moves the GHOST sits) Here, my good lord.
your highness? What’s wrong, your highness?
MACBETH
MACBETH (seeing the GHOST) Which one of you
Which of you have done this? did this?

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LORDS LORDS
What, my good lord? What, my good lord?
MACBETH
(to GHOST) Thou canst not say I did it. MACBETH
Never shake (to the GHOST) You can’t say I did it.
Thy gory locks at me. Don’t shake your bloody head at me.
ROSS
ROSS Gentlemen, stand up. His highness is not
55Gentlemen, rise. His highness is not well. well.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH Sit down, worthy friends. My husband is
Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus often like this, and he has been since he
And hath been from his youth. Pray you, was a child. Please stay seated. This is
keep seat. just a brief fit. In a moment he’ll be well
The fit is momentary; upon a thought again. If you pay too much attention to
He will again be well. If much you note him, him you’ll make him angry, and that will
60You shall offend him and extend his make his convulsions go on longer. Eat
passion. your dinner and pay no attention to
Feed and regard him not. (aside him. (speaking so that
to MACBETH) Are you a man? only MACBETH can hear) Are you a man?
MACBETH
MACBETH Yes, and a brave one, who dares to look
Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that at something that would frighten the
Which might appall the devil. devil.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
O proper stuff! Oh, that’s nonsense! This is just another
This is the very painting of your fear. one of the hallucinations you always get
65This is the air-drawn dagger which you when you’re afraid. This is like that
said floating dagger you said was leading you
Led you to Duncan. Oh, these flaws and toward Duncan. These outbursts of yours
starts, don’t even look like real fear. They’re
Impostors to true fear, would well become more like how you would act if you were a
A woman’s story at a winter’s fire, woman telling a scary story by the
Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! fireside in front of her grandmother.
70Why do you make such faces? When all’s Shame on you! Why are you making these
done, faces? When the vision passes, you’ll see
You look but on a stool. that you’re just looking at a stool.
MACBETH
MACBETH Please, just look over there. Look! Look!
Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How See! (to the GHOST) What do you have
say you? to say? What do I care? If you can nod,
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak then speak too. If the dead are going to
too. return from their graves, then there’s
If charnel houses and our graves must send nothing to stop the birds from eating the
75Those that we bury back, our monuments bodies. So there’s no point in our burying
Shall be the maws of kites. people.
Exit GHOST The GHOST vanishes.

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 LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH What, has your foolishness paralyzed you
What, quite unmanned in folly? completely?
MACBETH MACBETH
If I stand here, I saw him. As sure as I’m standing here, I saw him.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Fie, for shame! Nonsense!
MACBETH
Blood hath been shed ere now, i' th' olden
time,
Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal; MACBETH
80Ay, and since too, murders have been In ancient times, before there were laws
performed to make the land safe and peaceful, a lot
Too terrible for the ear. The time has been of blood was spilled. Yes, and since then
That, when the brains were out, the man murders have been committed that are
would die, too awful to talk about. It used to be
And there an end. But now they rise again that when you knocked a man’s brains out
With twenty mortal murders on their he would just die, and that would be it.
crowns But now they rise from the dead with
85And push us from our stools. This is twenty fatal head wounds and push us
more strange off our stools. This haunting business is
Than such a murder is. even stranger than murder.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
My worthy lord, My worthy lord, your noble friends miss
Your noble friends do lack you. your company.
MACBETH MACBETH
I do forget. I forgot about them. (to the
Do not muse at me, my most worthy guests) Don’t be alarmed on my account,
friends. my most worthy friends. I have a strange
90I have a strange infirmity, which is disorder, which no longer shocks those
nothing who know me well. (raising his glass to
To those that know me. Come, love and toast the company) Come, let’s drink a
health to all. toast: love and health to you all. Now I’ll
Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine. Fill sit down. Give me some wine. Fill up my
full. cup.
The GHOST OF BANQUO reappears
Enter the GHOST OF BANQUO in MACBETH ’s seat.
I drink to the general joy o' th' whole
table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we I drink to the happiness of everyone at
miss; the table, and to our dear friend Banquo,
95Would he were here! To all and him we whom we miss. I wish he were here! Let’s
thirst, drink to everyone here, and to Banquo.
And all to all. Now, everybody, drink
LORDS LORDS
Our duties, and the pledge. Hear, hear.
They drink They drink.

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MACBETH
(seeing the GHOST) Avaunt, and quit my MACBETH
sight! Let the earth hide thee. (to the GHOST) Go! And get out of my
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is sight! Stay in your grave. There’s no
cold. marrow in your bones, and your blood is
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes cold. You’re staring at me with eyes that
100Which thou dost glare with! have no power to see.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH Good friends, think of this as nothing
Think of this, good peers, more than a strange habit. It’s nothing
But as a thing of custom. 'Tis no other; else. Too bad it’s spoiling our pleasure
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time. tonight.
MACBETH
What man dare, I dare.
Approach thou like the rugged Russian MACBETH
bear, I am as brave as any other man. Come at
105The armed rhinoceros, or th' Hyrcan me in the form of a rugged Russian bear,
tiger; an armor-plated rhinoceros, or a tiger
Take any shape but that, and my firm from Iran. Take any shape other than
nerves the one you have now and I will never
Shall never tremble. Or be alive again, tremble in fear. Or come back to life
And dare me to the desert with thy sword. again and challenge me to a duel in some
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me deserted place. If I tremble then, you
110The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible can call me a little girl. Get out of here,
shadow! you horrible ghost, you hallucination. Get
Unreal mockery, hence! out!
Exit GHOST The GHOST vanishes.
Why so, being gone, Look, now that it’s gone, I’m a man again.
I am a man again. Pray you sit still. Please, remain seated.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
You have displaced the mirth, broke the You have ruined our good cheer and
good meeting, disrupted the gathering by making a
With most admired disorder. spectacle of yourself.
MACBETH
Can such things be,
115And overcome us like a summer’s cloud, MACBETH
Without our special wonder? You make me (to the guests) Can things like this
strange happen so suddenly without making us all
Even to the disposition that I owe, astonished? You make me feel like I
When now I think you can behold such don’t know myself, when I see you looking
sights, at these terrible things and keeping a
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, straight face, while my face has gone
120When mine is blanched with fear. white with fear.
ROSS ROSS
What sights, my lord? What things, my lord?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

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I pray you, speak not. He grows worse and Please, don’t speak to him. He’s getting
worse. worse and worse. Talk makes him crazy.
Question enrages him. At once, good night. Everybody, please leave right now. Don’t
Stand not upon the order of your going, bother exiting in the order of your rank,
But go at once. but just leave right away.
LENNOX LENNOX
125Good night, and better health Good night. I hope the king recovers
Attend his majesty! soon!
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
A kind good night to all! A kind good night to all!
Everyone leaves
Exeunt all but MACBETH and LADY except MACBETH and LADY
MACBETH MACBETH .
MACBETH
It will have blood, they say. Blood will have
blood. MACBETH
Stones have been known to move, and trees There’s an old saying: the dead will have
to speak. their revenge. Gravestones have been
130Augurs and understood relations have known to move, and trees to speak, to
By magot pies and choughs and rooks bring guilty men to justice. The craftiest
brought forth murderers have been exposed by the
The secret’st man of blood.—What is the mystical signs made by crows and
night? magpies. How late at night is it?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Almost at odds with morning, which is It’s almost morning. You can’t tell
which. whether it’s day or night.
MACBETH MACBETH
How say’st thou that Macduff denies his What do you think about the fact that
person Macduff refuses to come to me when I
135At our great bidding? command him?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Did you send to him, sir? Did you send for him, sir?
MACBETH MACBETH
I hear it by the way; but I will send. I’ve heard about this indirectly, but I
There’s not a one of them but in his house will send for him. In every one of the
I keep a servant fee’d. I will tomorrow— lords' households I have a servant paid
And betimes I will—to the weird sisters. to spy for me. Tomorrow, while it’s still
140More shall they speak, for now I am early, I will go see the witches. They will
bent to know, tell me more, because I’m determined to
By the worst means, the worst. For mine know the worst about what’s going to
own good, happen. My own safety is the only
All causes shall give way. I am in blood important thing now. I have walked so
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no far into this river of blood that even if I
more, stopped now, it would be as hard to go
Returning were as tedious as go o'er. back to being good as it is to keep killing
145Strange things I have in head, that will people. I have some schemes in my head
to hand, that I’m planning to put into action. I

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Which must be acted ere they may be have to do these things before I have a
scanned. chance to think about them.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
You lack the season of all natures, sleep. You haven’t slept.
MACBETH MACBETH
Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and self- Yes, let’s go to sleep. My strange self-
abuse delusions just come from inexperience.
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use. We’re still just beginners when it comes
150We are yet but young in deed. to crime.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Macbeth bids all the lords welcome to the Macbeth learns that his first attempt to
feast. Just at that moment, he notices that control fate has failed.
one of the murderers is standing at the
door. The murderer tells Macbeth
that Banquo is dead but Fleance escaped.
Macbeth comforts himself that Fleance will
not be a threat for quite some time.

Lady Macbeth calls to Macbeth and asks Is Banquo's ghost real or a figment of
him to return to the feast and sit. But Macbeth's guilty mind? The uncertainty
Macbeth doesn't see an empty seat at the emphasizes that Macbeth's fate is part of
table. When Lennox gestures at a seat, him, caused by his character: his ambition
saying it's empty, Macbeth sees Banquo's and guilt.
ghost sitting there. Macbeth alone can see
the ghost. He astonishes the thanes by
shouting at the empty chair.

Lady Macbeth tells the thanes not to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth continue to try
worry, that since childhood Macbeth has to lie to keep their secrets and hold on
suffered fits. She pulls Macbeth aside and power, but these lies become less and less
once again questions his manhood. The effective as guilt about the violence they
ghost disappears. Macbeth rambles about have committed begins to affect them.
murders and spirits risen from the grave
until Lady Macbeth reminds him of his
guests. He echoes her story about his fits,
then leads a toast to the missing Banquo.

The ghost reappears and Macbeth, Macbeth has become so warped he cannot
terrified, starts shouting at it. Lady tell the unnatural from the natural
Macbeth tries to play down her husband's anymore. Lady Macbeth sees lying is
strange behavior. The ghost again useless and chooses isolation: she tells the
disappears. Macbeth is amazed that thanes to leave.
everyone could be so calm in the face of
such sights. When Ross asks what sights,

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 Lady Macbeth steps in and asks the guests
to leave at once. The thanes exit.
Macbeth's desperation to keep power
Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth: "Blood will motivates him to visit the weird sisters. He
have blood" (3.4.121), and asks what Lady has sacrificed everything for his ambition…
Macbeth makes of the fact that Macduff
does not appear at the royal court. He
decides to visit the weird sisters to find
out more about his fate.
… now ambition and violence are all he has
He says: "I am in blood / Stepped in so far" left, and he knows it.
(3.4.135) that turning back is as difficult
as continuing on.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.”
Explanation and Analysis:
After seeing Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth decides to return to consult the witches on his
fate. He points out to his wife that he has pursued his murderous destiny too far to
stop doing so now.
When Macbeth says, “I am in blood” he presents himself as entirely immersed in
murder: Instead of causing blood to simply flow from others, he also feels the effects
of that violent action – the blood he has spilled surrounds him. He then clarifies that
this is the result of having “Stepp’d in so far” into the metaphorical bloody pool; while
“wade no more” signifies that he cannot stay afloat but will drown in the liquid. Thus
Macbeth uses the metaphor of a pool of blood to articulate his own guilt and culpability:
He believes that what he has done has inescapably sealed his fate and that trying to
shift destinies at this point is pointless.
His choice of the word “tedious,” however, complicates the passage somewhat. Instead
of saying that “returning” is impossible or undesirable, he claims it is boring or insipid.
This distinction seems to indicate that Macbeth could indeed change his bloody
behaviour and that he fails to do so simply out of apathy or inertia. In this way, he
presents a somewhat more ambivalent version of fate’s determinism: Destiny may very
well have dictated his actions, but he could potentially shift them if he were more
courageous.

Act 3 Scene 5

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

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Thunder. Enter the Thunder. The three WITCHES enter,
three WITCHES meeting HECATE meeting HECATE .

FIRST WITCH
Why, how now, Hecate! You look FIRST WITCH
angerly. What’s wrong, Hecate? You look angry.

HECATE
Have I not reason, beldams as you
are?
Saucy and overbold, how did you
dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
5In riddles and affairs of death,
And I, the mistress of your
charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never called to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
10And, which is worse, all you have
done
Hath been but for a wayward son, HECATE
Spiteful and wrathful, who, as Don’t I have a reason to be angry, you
others do, disobedient hags? How dare you give Macbeth
Loves for his own ends, not for riddles and prophecies about his future without
you. telling me? I am your boss and the source of
But make amends now. Get you your powers. I am the one who secretly decides
gone, what evil things happen, but you never called me
15And at the pit of Acheron to join in and show off my own powers. And
Meet me i' th' morning. Thither he what’s worse, you’ve done all this for a man who
Will come to know his destiny. behaves like a spoiled brat, angry and hateful.
Your vessels and your spells Like all spoiled sons, he chases after what he
provide, wants and doesn’t care about you. But you can
Your charms and everything make it up to me. Go away now and in the morning
beside. meet me in the pit by the river in hell. Macbeth
20I am for the air. This night I’ll will go there to learn his destiny. You bring your
spend cauldrons, your spells, your charms, and
Unto a dismal and a fatal end. everything else. I’m about to fly away. I’ll spend
Great business must be wrought tonight working to make something horrible
ere noon. happen. I have a lot to do before noon. An
Upon the corner of the moon important droplet is hanging from the corner of
There hangs a vap'rous drop the moon. I’ll catch it before it falls to the
profound. ground. When I work it over with magic spells,
25I’ll catch it ere it come to the drop will produce magical spirits that will
ground. trick Macbeth with illusions.

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 And that distilled by magic
sleights
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion.

30He shall spurn fate, scorn

death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and He will be fooled into thinking he is greater than
fear. fate, he will mock death, and he will think he is
And you all know, security above wisdom, grace, and fear. As you all know,
Is mortals' chiefest enemy. overconfidence is man’s greatest enemy.

Music and a song within: 'Come Music plays offstage, and voices sing a song with
away, come away,' &c the words “Come away, come away.”

Hark! I am called. My little spirit,

see,
35Sits in a foggy cloud and stays Listen! I’m being called. Look, my little spirit is
for me. sitting in a foggy cloud waiting for me.

Exit HECATE exits.

FIRST WITCH
Come, let’s make haste; she’ll soon FIRST WITCH
be back again. Come on, let’s hurry. She’ll be back again soon.

Exeunt They all exit.

Summary Analysis
The weird sisters meet with Hecate, the Many productions of Macbeth cut this
goddess of witches. She rebukes the scene. It introduces Hecate, and
sisters for meddling with Macbeth without establishes that the witches truly are out
first consulting her. But she says she'll to get Macbeth. Many productions of the
help them when Macbeth comes to see play prefer to keep the witches'
them tomorrow. She says that they'll show motivations more vague.
him visions that will give him confidence
and "draw him to his confusion" (3.5.29).

Act 3 Scene 6

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Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter LENNOX and

another LORD LENNOX and another LORD enter.

LENNOX
My former speeches have
but hit your thoughts,
Which can interpret farther.
Only I say
Things have been strangely
borne. The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth.
Marry, he was dead.
5And 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. LENNOX
Who cannot want the What I’ve already said shows you we think alike, so you
thought how monstrous can draw your own conclusions. All I’m saying is that
It was for Malcolm and for strange things have been going on. Macbeth pitied
Donalbain Duncan—after Duncan was dead. And Banquo went out
10To kill their gracious walking too late at night. If you like, we can say that
father? Damnèd fact! Fleance must have killed him, because Fleance fled the
How it did grieve Macbeth! scene of the crime. Clearly, men should not go out
Did he not straight walking too late! And who can help thinking how
In pious rage the two monstrous it was for Malcolm and Donalbain to kill
delinquents tear their gracious father? Such a heinous crime—how it
That were the slaves of saddened Macbeth! Wasn’t it loyal of him to kill those
drink and thralls of sleep? two servants right away, while they were still drunk
Was not that nobly done? and asleep? That was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?
Ay, and wisely too, Yes, and it was the wise thing, too, because we all
15For ’twould have angered would have been outraged to hear those two deny their
any heart alive crime. Considering all this, I think Macbeth has
To hear the men deny ’t. So handled things well. If he had Duncan’s sons in prison—
that, I say, which I hope won’t happen—they would find out how
He has borne all things well. awful the punishment is for those who kill their
And I do think fathers, and so would Fleance. But enough of that. I
That had he Duncan’s sons hear that Macduff is out of favor with the king
under his key— because he speaks his mind too plainly, and because he
As, an’t please heaven, he failed to show up at Macbeth’s feast. Can you tell me
shall not—they should find where he’s hiding himself?

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20What ’twere to kill a
father. So should Fleance.
But, peace! For from broad
words, and 'cause he failed
His presence at the tyrant’s
feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace.
Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

LORD
The son of Duncan—
25From whom this tyrant
holds the due of birth—
Lives in the English court and
is received
Of the most pious Edward
with such grace
That the malevolence of
fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect.
Thither Macduff
30Is gone to pray the holy LORD
king upon his aid Duncan’s son Malcolm, whose birthright and throne
To wake Northumberland and Macbeth has stolen, lives in the English court. There,
warlike Siward, the saintly King Edward treats Malcolm so well that
That by the help of these— despite Malcolm’s misfortunes, he’s not deprived of
with Him above respect. Macduff went there to ask King Edward for
To ratify the work—we may help. He wants Edward to help him form an alliance
again with the people of Northumberland and their lord,
Give to our tables meat, Siward. Macduff hopes that with their help—and with
sleep to our nights, the help of God above—he may once again put food on
35Free from our feasts and our tables, bring peace back to our nights, free our
banquets bloody knives, feasts and banquets from violent murders, allow us to
Do faithful homage and pay proper homage to our king, and receive honors
receive free honors. freely. Those are the things we pine for now. Macbeth
All which we pine for now. has heard this news and he is so angry that he’s
And this report preparing for war.

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Hath so exasperated the
king that he
Prepares for some attempt
of war.

LENNOX LENNOX
40Sent he to Macduff? Did he tell Macduff to return to Scotland?

LORD
He did, and with an absolute
“Sir, not I,”
The cloudy messenger turns
me his back, LORD
And hums, as who should say He did, but Macduff told the messenger, “No way.”
“You’ll rue the time The messenger scowled and rudely turned his back on
That clogs me with this Macduff, as if to say, “You’ll regret the day you gave
answer.” me this answer.”

LENNOX
And that well might
45Advise him to a caution, t'
hold what distance
His wisdom can provide.
Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England
and unfold
His message ere he come, LENNOX
that a swift blessing That might well keep Macduff away from Scotland.
May soon return to this our Some holy angel should go to the court of England and
suffering country give Macduff a message. He should return quickly to
50Under a hand accursed! free our country, which is suffering under a tyrant!

LORD LORD

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 I’ll send my prayers with him. I’ll send my prayers with him.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Lennox and another lord talk sarcastically Macbeth's murder of Banquo, committed to
about Macbeth and the too great control his fate, has had the opposite
similarities between the murders effects. Now the thanes see Macbeth for
of Duncan and Banquo, what he is: a tyrant.
with Donalbain and Malcolm accused of the
first and Fleance blamed for the second.

Macduff, the lord says, has gone to Compare Macduff and Macbeth: Macbeth
England to meet with Malcolm and try to will do anything for personal power;
get the English King Edward and his lords Macduff will do anything to save his
to gather an army to help them country.
defeat Macbeth. The rumour is that
Macbeth sent a messenger to Macduff.
Macduff rebuffed the messenger, who
turned his back as if to say that Macduff
would pay for that decision.

Both men hope Macduff remains safe and Ambition has made Macbeth a violent
soon returns with the armies tyrant who holds the throne only through
of Malcolm and England to free Scotland fear.
from Macbeth.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. “But, hush! no more.”

Who utters these words and in what context? Why does he want to be silent?
Ans- Banquo utters these final words in his soliloquy at the palace at Forres. Banquo
thinks that the predictions of the witches for Macbeth have been fulfilled; Macbeth
has become the thanes of Glamis, Cawdor and king. Banquo has the suspicion that
Macbeth has played most foully for it. But the witches have predicted that kingship
would pass on to his descendants. Banquo would be the root and father of many kings.
So if the predictions have been fulfilled in the case of Macbeth, so they may prove true
in his case also. He is encouraged by the hope that his sons and descendants would be
future kings. However, Banquo recoils from this thought, because it means that he is
yielding to temptation. The witches are devils and to be influenced by them is to yield
to evil forces. On another occasion, he had been plagued by these cursed thoughts. Now
again, these cursed thoughts come to his mind. So he asks himself not to entertain this

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 thought any more. He restrains himself.
There are critics who hold that Banquo hears the footsteps of men coming to the place,
and so he keeps silent. But the soliloquy is loud thinking. It cannot be heard by other
characters. It is meant for the audience.

2. ‘Let your highness

Command upon me; to the which my duties
Are with a most indissoluble tie
For ever knit’.
Who says this and to whom and when? Does this obedient tone agree with our earlier
estimate of the speaker? Is there any irony in the expression ‘indissoluble tie’?
Ans- This is said by Banquo to Macbeth when the latter invites Banquo to the solemn
coronation supper. Banquo offers his complete obedience to the command of Macbeth
who is now king. He says his duties as his subject are tied to his command in indissoluble
bond.
But this obedience to Macbeth does not agree with our earlier estimate of Banquo.
Banquo solemnly declared that he would fight the unknown design of malicious traitor.
In the soliloquy just before this talk with Macbeth, Banquo has said “Thou hast played
most foully for it”. Thus he suspects foul play on the part of Macbeth. Again, earlier
when Macbeth offers him honourable position if he ‘cleaves to his consent’, Banquo
bravely says that he will keep his bosom clear and franchise free. But here we see
Banquo meekly submitting to the kingly authority of Macbeth. He proves an ordinary
citizen who offers conventional loyalty to a king whoever he may be.

3. “Ride you this afternoon?”

Who asks this question and to whom? Why does he ask the question? What aspect of
the character do you get from this question?
Ans- Macbeth asks this question to Banquo. He asks this question in order to know the
whereabouts of Banquo in the afternoon. He asks the question suddenly in the course of
his other discussions. He manages tactfully to elicit from Banquo information about his
movements. He plans his murder. Here Macbeth has degenerated into a trickster, a
mean cunning fellow.

4. What is Macbeth’s estimate of Banquo’s character? Does his estimate agree with what
we see Banquo in the action of the drama?
Ans- Macbeth finds his genius rebuked by that of Banquo. Banquo has royalty of nature,
dauntless temper of mind, wisdom that doth guide his valour. Macbeth sees himself
weak by contrast with Banquo because Banquo addressed the witches, chide them and
dismissed them as insubstantial. But Macbeth has yielded to the supernatural
solicitings. In his encounter with the witches, Banquo has shown courage, control and
self-possession. Reason and passion are comingled; Macbeth finds the lack of it in his
character. He is impelled by impulse.
But in the action of the drama, we do not find any traces of the qualities mentioned by
Macbeth and offers his complete obedience to him, although he knows that he has
played most foully for it”. He thus yields to evil.

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5. When does Macbeth say “Come fate into the list/And champion me to the utterance”. Is
the mood revealed here constant in him?
Ans- Macbeth says this when he thinks that his kingship would pass on to the posterity
of Banquo. It would be taken away violently by one not belonging to his line (family).
He thinks that he has vitiated his mind and disturbed his peace by murdering Duncan.
He has sold his soul to Satan by this horrid act. He cannot reconcile himself to the idea
that he has done this horrid deed for the sons of Banquo.
Actually, Macbeth suffers heart-sickness and sense of guilt for this enormity of crime.
His heart-sickness is followed by his desperate, bellicose mood. He challenges fate to
the list for fight with him. He would fight to the uttermost with fate and destroy the
frame of things rather than give the crown to the sons of Banquo. He plans the murder
of Banquo in order to be safe in his position. He is led by illusions. The more he will try
to gain security, the more insecure he would be. Murders will beget murders. Once a
man yields to evil, he is engulfed by it.

6. How does Macbeth incite the murderers against Banquo? Why does he incite them when
he hires them to do the murder? What aspect of the character of Macbeth is revealed
here?
Ans- Macbeth incites the murderers against Banquo by imputing to Banquo false
charges. He says that Banquo has kept these men (the hired murderers) under check.
He has not allowed them to prosper. If they are patient and religious minded, they
would not take revenge on one who has crushed them and deprived them and their
children of what they deserve. If they are men in the valued list of men i.e. if they have
manly qualities, they would kill Banquo in order to take revenge on him who has done so
much to them. He further explains that he could have done it himself as a king but he
would not do it because in that case some common friends will be alienated from him. He
incites them to provide a personal motive for their killing.
Macbeth is here a liar, a hypocrite. He falsely accuses Banquo of thwarting these men.
He proves a cunning smooth-tongued politician. He excites the men against Macbeth so
that they may be actuated by a personal motive, and then the murder would be less
cruel. It is important to note that no murder is done by Macbeth himself. Shakespeare
is careful that Macbeth does not alienate the sympathy of the audience by the act of
murder.

7. “Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue.”

Who gives this advice and to whom? Does this advice recall a similar advice of the
person to whom this advice is tendered? How are the roles reversed? Distinguish
between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth at this stage.
Ans- This advice is tendered to Lady Macbeth by Macbeth. She will show great honour
to Banquo both with eye and tongue. They are unsafe so long as they will have to
maintain their position by flattery.
A similar advice was given by Lady Macbeth to Macbeth when Duncan was due to arrive
at Macbeth’s castle. She asked him to bear welcome in eye, tongue and hand – he would
be the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.
Macbeth has here turned out to be a complete hypocrite. He now plays false with his

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 wife who had been his so close a partner in his first crime. He has planned the murder
of Banquo and knows that Banquo will not be able to attend the banquet. He keeps his
wife ignorant about his plan.
Lady Macbeth now is listless; Macbeth is dominating: Lady Macbeth feels that once
everything is over, it should be forgotten. Macbeth feels that he must go on killing in
order to make himself insecure, there is the lack of confidence between Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth’s conscience gnaws within herself and leads to madness,
Macbeth has come to ride roughshod over his conscience. In effect, their earlier roles
are reversed.

8. “‘I’ is better thee without thou be within.”

Who says this and to whom? What does the speaker mean?
Ans- This is said to the first murderer who comes to inform Macbeth of the murder of
Banquo. He finds blood on the face of the murderer. The latter says that the blood is
that of Banquo.
Macbeth means that blood is better on your face than in the body of Banquo. It may
also mean that it is better that the murderer is outside the room than Banquo is within
the room. Thus, he is pleased to know that Banquo is killed.

9. “Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.’ Who makes this remark? What does
the remark imply? Is there any difference of attitude between the speaker of the line
and that of the person spoken to?
Ans- This remark is made by Macbeth to Lady Macbeth. He hints to Lady Macbeth that
some dreadful deed is going to happen that night. He keeps her, once a partner in crime,
ignorant of what he is going to do Macbeth now dominates the action, and Lady Macbeth
is listless, tired and disinclined to any further action. Macbeth justifies his further
actions. He has started upon a career of crime and so for his safety, he must go on
committing crimes. The roles are now reversed.

10. “We are yet but young in deed.”

Who says this and what is the occasion? Why does the speaker make this estimate of
himself?
Ans- Macbeth says this at the end of the Banquet scene (Act III, Sc iv). He has seen
the ghost of Banquo whom he has killed. He is so frightened at the sight that he has
made compromising disclosures. The lords have come to suspect his guilt in the murder
of Duncan and Banquo. He comes to realise that the ghost is the projection of his
heated brain and fevered mind. He has raved and spoken out what he should not have
said. He realises that murderers will be out. Immediately he makes up his mind to visit
the weird sisters and know the worst by the worst means. He knows that what he has
done under fear is the beginning of his end. But, still he must carry on his criminal
career. He cannot retrace his steps. He must now act as soon as he plans. His fear is
the fear felt by a novice in crime. They have not yet been hardened, because they are
unused to the crime.

11. Do you think that Scene V, Act III is un-Shakespearean? Does it have any relation to
the rest of the play?

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 Ans- In the brief scene (Act III, Sc v) Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft reprimands
the witches for not keeping her informed of their dealings with Macbeth and tells them
to meet her the next morning, since Macbeth is coming to hear his destiny from them.
The rhyming couplets in weak iambs are un-Shakespearean. The witches speak in
trochee. The witches here are on a lower level than they were in the first scene.
Hecate speaks the wretched doggerel “which lacks the grim power of the witches’
incantation”. Hecate’s presence does not add to the action or impressiveness. The scene
recalls closely the witch scenes in Middleton’s drama, ‘The Witches’ and contains an
unintelligible allusion to ‘wayward sin’. All these are cited as grounds against its
authenticity and importance in the play.
But Hecate’s presence is a necessity. She is the queen of the witches. She may use
a rhyme different from that of the other witches. Now is her presence unexpected? It
follows from the previous scene in which Macbeth decides on meeting the witches.
Hecate, the goddess appears to prepare the witches to meet Macbeth and deal with him
appropriately. The scene shows the limitations of the power of the witches. “The
wayward son’ refers to Macbeth. He is now one of them, but the play reveals that he
has not been completely won over by them. He would challenge them. “Deny me this/And
an eternal curse fall on you!” He calls them later “juggling fiends”. Hecate can anticipate
the conduct of Macbeth.
However,” the doubts about the authenticity of the scene fall short of certainty. The
scene is at least entitled to the benefit of doubt”.

12. ‘How did it grieve Macbeth! Did he not in pious rage the two delinquents tears.’
Who say this? What does the speaker mean? What is the tone of the speaker?
Ans- Lennox says this to another Lord. He speaks how Duncan was killed. It grieved
Macbeth so much that he killed the chamberlains who were supposed to be the
murderers. They were heavily drunk and were sleeping heavily
The tone is here ironical. The lords are not convinced that Macbeth murdered Duncan in
his castle in order to gain the throne. Lennox uses verbal irony. He says that Malcolm
and Donalbain fled, and so the guilt of the murder fell on them. And chamberlains were
delinquents because they were suborned by the two sons of Duncan to do the murder,
Macbeth has managed the whole affair very cleverly.

Act 4 Scene 1

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

A cavern. In the middle, a boiling
cauldron. Thunder. Enter the A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
three WITCHES . Thunder. The three WITCHES enter.
FIRST WITCH
Thrice the brinded cat hath FIRST WITCH
mewed. The tawny cat has meowed three times.
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH

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Thrice, and once the hedge-pig Three times. And the hedgehog has whined
whined. once.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH My spirit friend, Harpier, is yelling, “It’s
Harpier cries, “'Tis time, ’tis time.” time, it’s time!”
FIRST WITCH
Round about the cauldron go,
5In the poisoned entrails throw. FIRST WITCH
Toad, that under cold stone Dance around the cauldron and throw in the
Days and nights has thirty-one poisoned entrails. (holding up a toad) You’ll go
Sweltered venom sleeping got, in first—a toad that sat under a cold rock for
Boil thou first i' th' charmèd pot. a month, oozing poison from its pores.
ALL ALL
10Double, double toil and trouble, Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Fillet of a fenny snake, (holding something up) We’ll boil you in the
In the cauldron boil and bake. cauldron next—a slice of swamp snake. All
Eye of newt and toe of frog, the rest of you in too: a newt’s eye, a frog’s
15Wool of bat and tongue of dog, tongue, fur from a bat, a dog’s tongue, the
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s forked tongue of an adder, the stinger of a
sting, burrowing worm, a lizard’s leg, an owl’s
Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing, wing. (speaking to the ingredients) Make a
For a charm of powerful trouble, charm to cause powerful trouble, and boil and
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. bubble like a broth of hell.
ALL ALL
20Double, double toil and trouble, Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
THIRD WITCH
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf THIRD WITCH
Of the ravined salt-sea shark, Here come some more ingredients: the scale
25Root of hemlock digged i' th' of a dragon, a wolf’s tooth, a witch’s
dark, mummified flesh, the gullet and stomach of a
Liver of blaspheming Jew, ravenous shark, a root of hemlock that was
Gall of goat and slips of yew dug up in the dark, a Jew’s liver, a goat’s bile,
Slivered in the moon’s eclipse, some twigs of yew that were broken off
Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips, during a lunar eclipse, a Turk’s nose, a
30Finger of birth-strangled babe Tartar’s lips, the finger of a baby that was
Ditch-delivered by a drab, strangled as a prostitute gave birth to it in a
Make the gruel thick and slab. ditch. (to the ingredients) Make this potion
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, thick and gluey. (to the
For the ingredients of our other WITCHES) Now let’s add a tiger’s
cauldron. entrails to the mix.
ALL ALL
35Double, double toil and trouble, Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

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SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Cool it with a baboon’s blood, We’ll cool the mixture with baboon blood.
Then the charm is firm and good. After that the charm is finished.
Enter HECATE and the other HECATE enters with three
three WITCHES other WITCHES .
HECATE
Oh well done! I commend your
pains,
40And every one shall share i' th' HECATE
gains. Well done! I admire your efforts, and all of
And now about the cauldron sing, you will share the rewards. Now come sing
Like elves and fairies in a ring, around the cauldron like a ring of elves and
Enchanting all that you put in. fairies, enchanting everything you put in.
Music and a song: “Black spirits,” Music plays and the six WITCHES sing a
&c. HECATE retires song called “Black Spirits.” HECATE leaves.
SECOND WITCH
By the pricking of my thumbs,
45Something wicked this way SECOND WITCH
comes. I can tell that something wicked is coming by
Open, locks, the tingling in my thumbs. Doors, open up for
Whoever knocks. whoever is knocking!
Enter MACBETH MACBETH enters.
MACBETH
How now, you secret, black, and MACBETH
midnight hags? What’s going on here, you secret, evil,
What is ’t you do? midnight hags? What are you doing?
ALL ALL
A deed without a name. Something there isn’t a word for.
MACBETH
50I conjure you by that which you
profess—
Howe'er you come to know it—
answer me.
Though you untie the winds and let
them fight
Against the churches, though the MACBETH
yeasty waves I don’t know how you know the things you do,
Confound and swallow navigation but I insist that you answer my questions. I
up, command you in the name of whatever dark
55Though bladed corn be lodged powers you serve. I don’t care if you unleash
and trees blown down, violent winds that tear down churches, make
Though castles topple on their the foamy waves overwhelm ships and send
warders' heads, sailors to their deaths, flatten crops and
Though palaces and pyramids do trees, make castles fall down on their
slope inhabitants' heads, make palaces and
Their heads to their foundations, pyramids collapse, and mix up everything in
though the treasure nature. Tell me what I want to know.

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Of nature’s germens tumble all
together,
60Even till destruction sicken,
answer me
To what I ask you.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Speak. Speak.
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Demand. Demand.
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH
We’ll answer. We’ll answer.
FIRST WITCH
Say, if th' hadst rather hear it FIRST WITCH
from our mouths, Would you rather hear these things from our
Or from our masters'. mouths or from our master’s?
MACBETH MACBETH
Call 'em. Let me see 'em. Call them. Let me see them.
FIRST WITCH
65Pour in sow’s blood, that hath
eaten
Her nine farrow; grease that’s FIRST WITCH
sweaten Pour in the blood of a sow who has eaten her
From the murderer’s gibbet throw nine offspring. Take the sweat of a murderer
Into the flame. on the gallows and throw it into the flame.
ALL ALL
Come, high or low; Come, high or low spirits. Show yourself and
70Thyself and office deftly show! what you do.
Thunder. FIRST APPARITION : Thunder. The FIRST APPARITION appears,
an armed head looking like a head with an armored helmet.
MACBETH MACBETH
Tell me, thou unknown power— Tell me, you unknown power—
FIRST WITCH
He knows thy thought. FIRST WITCH
Hear his speech but say thou He can read your thoughts. Listen, but don’t
nought. speak.
FIRST APPARITION
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! FIRST APPARITION
Beware Macduff. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware
Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife. Let me
me. Enough. go. Enough.
Descends The FIRST APPARITION descends.
MACBETH
75Whate'er thou art, for thy good MACBETH
caution, thanks. Whatever you are, thanks for your advice.
Thou hast harped my fear aright. You have guessed exactly what I feared. But
But one word more— one word more—
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH

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He will not be commanded. Here’s He will not be commanded by you. Here’s
another another, stronger than the first.
More potent than the first.
Thunder. The SECOND
Thunder. SECOND APPARITION : APPARITION appears, looking like a bloody
a bloody child child.
SECOND APPARITION SECOND APPARITION
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!— Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
MACBETH MACBETH
80Had I three ears, I’d hear thee. If I had three ears I’d listen with all three.
SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and resolute.
Laugh to scorn SECOND APPARITION
The power of man, for none of Be violent, bold, and firm. Laugh at the power
woman born of other men, because nobody born from a
Shall harm Macbeth. woman will ever harm Macbeth.
Descends The SECOND APPARITION descends.
MACBETH
85Then live, Macduff. What need
I fear of thee?
But yet I’ll make assurance double
sure, MACBETH
And take a bond of fate. Thou Then I don’t need to kill Macduff. I have no
shalt not live, reason to fear him. But even so, I’ll make
That I may tell pale-hearted fear doubly sure. I’ll guarantee my own fate by
it lies, having you killed, Macduff. That way I can
And sleep in spite of thunder. conquer my own fear and sleep easy at night.
Thunder. THIRD APPARITION : a Thunder. The THIRD APPARITION appears,
child crowned, with a tree in his in the form of a child with a crown on his
hand head and a tree in his hand.
90What is this
That rises like the issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby-brow the
round What is this spirit that looks like the son of
And top of sovereignty? a king and wears a crown on his young head?
ALL ALL
Listen but speak not to ’t. Listen but don’t speak to it.
THIRD APPARITION
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no
care
95Who chafes, who frets, or
where conspirers are. THIRD APPARITION
Macbeth shall never vanquished be Be brave like the lion and proud. Don’t even
until worry about who hates you, who resents you,
Great Birnam Wood to high and who conspires against you. Macbeth will
Dunsinane Hill never be defeated until Birnam Wood
Shall come against him. marches to fight you at Dunsinane Hill.

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Descends The THIRD APPARITION descends.
MACBETH
That will never be.
Who can impress the forest, bid
the tree
100Unfix his earthbound root?
Sweet bodements! Good!
Rebellious dead, rise never till the
wood
Of Birnam rise, and our high- MACBETH
placed Macbeth That will never happen. Who can command
Shall live the lease of nature, pay the forest and make the trees pull their
his breath roots out of the earth? These were sweet
To time and mortal custom. Yet my omens! Good! My murders will never come
heart back to threaten me until the forest of
105Throbs to know one thing. Tell Birnam gets up and moves, and I will be king
me, if your art for my entire natural life. But my heart is
Can tell so much: shall Banquo’s still throbbing to know one thing. Tell me, if
issue ever your dark powers can see this far: will
Reign in this kingdom? Banquo’s sons ever reign in this kingdom?
ALL ALL
Seek to know no more. Don’t try to find out more.
MACBETH
I will be satisfied. Deny me this, MACBETH
110And an eternal curse fall on you! I demand to be satisfied. If you refuse, let
Let me know. an eternal curse fall on you. Let me know.
Why sinks that cauldron? And Why is that cauldron sinking? And what is
what noise is this? that music?
Hautboys play music for a ceremonial
Hautboys procession.
FIRST WITCH FIRST WITCH
Show. Show.
SECOND WITCH SECOND WITCH
Show. Show.
THIRD WITCH THIRD WITCH
Show. Show.
ALL
115Show his eyes and grieve his ALL
heart. Show him and make him grieve. Come like
Come like shadows; so depart! shadows and depart in the same way!
A show of eight kings, the last Eight kings march across the stage, the last
with a glass in his hand, followed one with a mirror in his hand, followed by
by BANQUO the GHOST OF BANQUO .
MACBETH
MACBETH You look too much like the ghost of Banquo.
Thou art too like the spirit of Go away! (to the first) Your crown
Banquo. Down! hurts my eyes. (to the second) Your blond

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Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs. hair, which looks like another crown
And thy hair, underneath the one you’re wearing, looks just
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like like the first king’s hair. Now I see a third
the first. king who looks just like the second. Filthy
120A third is like the former.— hags! Why are you showing me this? A fourth!
Filthy hags! My eyes are bulging out of their sockets! Will
Why do you show me this? A this line stretch on forever? Another one!
fourth? Start, eyes! And a seventh! I don’t want to see any more.
What, will the line stretch out to And yet an eighth appears, holding a mirror in
th' crack of doom? which I see many more men. And some are
Another yet? A seventh? I’ll see no carrying double balls and triple scepters,
more. meaning they’re kings of more than one
And yet the eighth appears, who country! Horrible sight! Now I see it is true,
bears a glass they are Banquo’s descendants. Banquo, with
125Which shows me many more, his blood-clotted hair, is smiling at me and
and some I see pointing to them as his.
That twofold balls and treble
scepters carry.
Horrible sight! Now I see ’tis true;
For the blood-boltered Banquo
smiles upon me
And points at them for his.
The spirits of the kings and the GHOST OF
Apparitions vanish BANQUO vanish.
What, is this so? What? Is this true?
FIRST WITCH
130Ay, sir, all this is so. But why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
Come, sisters, cheer we up his
sprites,
And show the best of our delights. FIRST WITCH
I’ll charm th' air to give a sound, Yes, this is true, but why do you stand there
135While you perform your antic so dumbfounded? Come, sisters, let’s cheer
round. him up and show him our talents. I will charm
That this great king may kindly the air to produce music while you all dance
say, around like crazy, so this king will say we did
Our duties did his welcome pay. our duty and entertained him.
Music. The WITCHES dance and Music plays. The WITCHES dance and then
then vanish vanish.
MACBETH
Where are they? Gone? Let this MACBETH
pernicious hour Where are they? Gone? Let this evil hour be
Stand aye accursèd in the marked forever in the calendar as
calendar! cursed. (calls to someone offstage) You
140Come in, without there. outside, come in!
Enter LENNOX LENNOX enters.
LENNOX LENNOX

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What’s your grace’s will? What does your grace want?
MACBETH MACBETH
Saw you the weird sisters? Did you see the weird sisters?
LENNOX LENNOX
No, my lord. No, my lord.
MACBETH MACBETH
Came they not by you? Didn’t they pass by you?
LENNOX LENNOX
No, indeed, my lord. No, indeed, my lord.
MACBETH
Infected be the air whereon they
ride, MACBETH
And damned all those that trust The air on which they ride is infected. Damn
them! I did hear all those who trust them! I heard the
145The galloping of horse. Who galloping of horses. Who was it that came
was ’t came by? here?
LENNOX
'Tis two or three, my lord, that LENNOX
bring you word Two or three men, my lord, who brought the
Macduff is fled to England. message that Macduff has fled to England.
MACBETH MACBETH
Fled to England? Fled to England?
LENNOX LENNOX
Ay, my good lord. Yes, my good lord.
MACBETH
150Time, thou anticipat’st my
dread exploits.
The flighty purpose never is
o'ertook
Unless the deed go with it. From
this moment
The very firstlings of my heart
shall be MACBETH
The firstlings of my hand. And Time, you thwart my dreadful plans. Unless a
even now, person does something the second he thinks
155To crown my thoughts with of it, he’ll never get a chance to do it. From
acts, be it thought and done: now on, as soon as I decide to do something
The castle of Macduff I will I’m going to act immediately. In fact, I’ll
surprise, start following up my thoughts with actions
Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' right now. I’ll raid Macduff’s castle, seize the
th' sword town of Fife, and kill his wife, his children,
His wife, his babes, and all and anyone else unfortunate enough to stand
unfortunate souls in line for his inheritance. No more foolish
That trace him in his line. No talk. I will do this deed before I lose my
boasting like a fool. sense of purpose. But no more spooky
160This deed I’ll do before this visions!—Where are the messengers? Come,
purpose cool. bring me to them.

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But no more sights!—Where are
these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
In a cavern, the weird sisters throw awful There is a resemblance between Macbeth
ingredients such as "eye of newt and toe of and the witches now. All are wicked, all are
frog" (4.1.14) into a cauldron full of a unnatural.
boiling brew. Hecate arrives, and all dance
and sing. One witch cries out "Something
wicked this way comes"
(4.1.62): Macbeth enters. He commands the
witches to answer his questions.

The witches conjure up three apparitions. The head symbolizes either Macduff's
First, a floating head appears and rebellion or Macbeth's fate.
tells Macbeth to beware Macduff.

Next, a bloody child appears. The child The bloody child symbolizes Macduff's
says that "no man of woman born / Shall birth by caesarean section.
harm Macbeth" (4.1.95-96).

Finally, a child wearing a crown and holding The child with crown and tree symbolizes
a tree appears. It says that Macbeth will Malcolm.
not be defeated until Great Birnam Wood
marches to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth is
pleased: since forests don't march, he
must be invincible!

Macbeth wants to know one more thing: The king holding the mirror symbolizes King
will Banquo's heirs have the throne? James who ruled England when
The witches perform a final conjuring. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, and whose
Eight kings appear walking in a line, the family traced its ancestry back to Banquo.
eighth holding a mirror, and all of them
followed by Banquo's ghost. Macbeth,
furious at this sign that Banquo's heirs will
get the throne, demands answers.
But Hecate mocks him and the witches
vanish.

Lennox enters. He brings word Ambition and fear have pushed Macbeth
that Macduff has fled to England. In an that final step: he is no longer targeting
aside, Macbeth scolds himself for failing to just his political enemies, but also their
kill Macduff when he wanted to earlier. He innocent families. Macbeth is now truly a
vows in the future to act on every impulse, monster.
and decides to attack Macduff's castle and

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 kill anyone connected to him: servants,
wife, and children.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes.”
Explanation and Analysis:
The witches prepare for Macbeth’s arrival by mixing an unnatural brew in the cauldron.
During their incantation, one makes this pronouncement on impending evil.
These lines firstly verify the supernatural powers of the witches. They are able to
sense from physical stimuli—“the pricking”—in their bodies that something “wicked” will
take place in the future. Although the audience might be sceptical of the actual
mystical powers the witches possess, this image confirms that they have at least a
limited capacity to make sense of the future.
At the same time, by describing the wicked phenomenon as a separate external force —
the phrasing of “this way comes” is a passive construction — the witches also present
themselves as observers of fate, rather than active agents that bring certain events to
pass. So while other human characters may see the witches as manipulative spirits
willing bad events into existence, their actual incantations show them to be mere
bystanders and oracles for fate. The witches comment describes Macbeth as the
wicked one, implying that while their prophecy may have been accurate, it was
Macbeth's wickedness that caused him to pursue it as he did (or perhaps that his
choice to pursue it as he did has made him wicked).

Act 4 Scene 2

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter LADY MACDUFF , her SON , LADY MACDUFF , her SON ,
and ROSS and ROSS enter.
LADY MACDUFF
What had he done to make him fly the LADY MACDUFF
land? What did he do that made him flee this land?
ROSS ROSS
You must have patience, madam. You have to be patient, madam.
LADY MACDUFF
He had none. LADY MACDUFF
His flight was madness. When our actions He had no patience. He was crazy to run
do not, away. Even if you’re not a traitor, you’re going
Our fears do make us traitors. to look like one if you run away.
ROSS ROSS
You know not You don’t know whether it was wisdom or fear
5Whether it was his wisdom or his fear. that made him flee.

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LADY MACDUFF
Wisdom! To leave his wife, to leave his
babes,
His mansion and his titles in a place LADY MACDUFF
From whence himself does fly? He loves How could it be wisdom! To leave his wife, his
us not; children, his house, and his titles in a place so
He wants the natural touch. For the poor unsafe that he himself flees it! He doesn’t
wren, love us. He lacks the natural instinct to
10The most diminutive of birds, will protect his family. Even the fragile wren, the
fight, smallest of birds, will fight against the owl
Her young ones in her nest, against the when it threatens her young ones in the nest.
owl. His running away has everything to do with
All is the fear and nothing is the love, fear and nothing to do with love. And since
As little is the wisdom, where the flight it’s so unreasonable for him to run away, it
So runs against all reason. has nothing to do with wisdom either.
ROSS
My dearest coz,
15I pray you school yourself. But for your
husband,
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best
knows
The fits o' th' season. I dare not speak ROSS
much further; My dearest relative, I’m begging you, pull
But cruel are the times when we are yourself together. As for your husband, he is
traitors noble, wise, and judicious, and he understands
And do not know ourselves; when we hold what the times require. It’s not safe for me
rumor to say much more than this, but times are
20From what we fear, yet know not what bad when people get denounced as traitors
we fear, and don’t even know why. In times like these,
But float upon a wild and violent sea we believe frightening rumors but we don’t
Each way and none. I take my leave of even know what we’re afraid of. It’s like
you. being tossed around on the ocean in every
Shall not be long but I’ll be here again. direction, and finally getting nowhere. I’ll say
Things at the worst will cease, or else good-bye now. It won’t be long before I’m
climb upward back. When things are at their worst they
25To what they were before.—My pretty have to stop, or else improve to the way
cousin, things were before. My young cousin, I put
Blessing upon you. my blessing upon you.
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Fathered he is, and yet he’s fatherless. He has a father, and yet he is fatherless.
ROSS
I am so much a fool, should I stay longer ROSS
It would be my disgrace and your I have to go. If I stay longer, I’ll embarrass
discomfort. you and disgrace myself by crying. I’m leaving
30I take my leave at once. now.
Exit ROSS exits.
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF

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Sirrah, your father’s dead. Young man, your father’s dead. What are you
And what will you do now? How will you going to do now? How are you going to live?
live?
SON SON
As birds do, Mother. I will live the way birds do, Mother.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF What? Are you going to start eating worms
What, with worms and flies? and flies?
SON
SON I mean I will live on whatever I get, like birds
With what I get, I mean, and so do they. do.
LADY MACDUFF
35Poor bird! Thou ’dst never fear the net LADY MACDUFF
nor lime, You’d be a pitiful bird. You wouldn’t know
The pitfall nor the gin. enough to be afraid of traps.
SON
SON Why should I be afraid of them, Mother? If
Why should I, mother? Poor birds they I’m a pitiful bird, like you say, hunters won’t
are not set for. want me. No matter what you say, my father
My father is not dead, for all your saying. is not dead.
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Yes, he is dead. How wilt thou do for a Yes, he is dead. What are you going to do for
father? a father?
SON
SON Maybe you should ask, what will you do for a
40Nay, how will you do for a husband? husband?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF Oh, I can buy twenty husbands at any
Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. market.
SON SON
Then you’ll buy 'em to sell again. If so, you’d be buying them to sell again.
LADY MACDUFF
Thou speak’st with all thy wit; and yet, i' LADY MACDUFF
faith, You talk like a child, but you’re very smart
With wit enough for thee. anyway.
SON SON
45Was my father a traitor, Mother? Was my father a traitor, Mother?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Ay, that he was. Yes, he was.
SON SON
What is a traitor? What is a traitor?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Why, one that swears and lies. Someone who makes a promise and breaks it.
SON
SON And is everyone who swears and lies a
And be all traitors that do so? traitor?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF

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50Every one that does so is a traitor and Everyone who does so is a traitor and should
must be hanged. be hanged.
SON SON
And must they all be hanged that swear And should everyone who makes promises and
and lie? breaks them be hanged?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Every one. Everyone.
SON SON
Who must hang them? Who should hang them?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Why, the honest men. The honest men.
SON
Then the liars and swearers are fools, SON
for there are liars and swearers enough Then the liars are fools, for there are
to beat the honest men and hang up enough liars in the world to beat up the
them. honest men and hang them.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF (laughing) Heaven help you for saying that,
Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But boy! (sad again) But what will you do without a
how wilt thou do for a father? father?
SON SON
If he were dead, you’d weep for him. If If he were dead, you’d be weeping for him. If
you would not, it were a good sign that I you aren’t weeping, it’s a good sign that I’ll
should quickly have a new father. soon have a new father.
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
Poor prattler, how thou talk’st! Silly babbler, how you talk!
Enter a MESSENGER A MESSENGER enters.
MESSENGER
Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you
known,
60Though in your state of honor I am
perfect.
I doubt some danger does approach you
nearly. MESSENGER
If you will take a homely man’s advice, Bless you, fair lady! You don’t know me, but I
Be not found here. Hence with your little know you’re an important person. I’m afraid
ones. something dangerous is coming toward you. If
To fright you thus methinks I am too you’ll take a simple man’s advice, don’t be
savage; here when it arrives. Go away and take your
65To do worse to you were fell cruelty, children. I feel bad for scaring you like this,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven but it would be much worse for me to let you
preserve you! come to harm. And harm is getting close!
I dare abide no longer. Heaven keep you safe!
Exit The MESSENGER exits.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF Where should I go? I haven’t done anything
Whither should I fly? wrong. But I have to remember that I’m here

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I have done no harm. But I remember on Earth, where doing evil is often praised,
now and doing good is sometimes a stupid and
70I am in this earthly world, where to do dangerous mistake. So then why should I
harm offer this womanish defense that I’m
Is often laudable, to do good sometime innocent?
Accounted dangerous folly. Why then,
alas,
Do I put up that womanly defense,
To say I have done no harm?
Enter MURDERERS The MURDERERS enter.
What are these faces? Who are these men?
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
75Where is your husband? Where is your husband?
LADY MACDUFF LADY MACDUFF
I hope, in no place so unsanctified I hope he’s not anywhere so disreputable
Where such as thou mayst find him. that thugs like you can find him.
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
He’s a traitor. He’s a traitor.
SON SON
Thou liest, thou shag-haired villain! You’re lying, you shaggy-haired villain!
FIRST MURDERER FIRST MURDERER
(Stabbing him) What, you egg? (stabbing him) What’s that, you runt? Young
Young fry of treachery! son of a traitor!
SON SON
80He has killed me, mother. He has killed me, Mother. Run away, I beg
Run away, I pray you! you!
The SON dies. LADY MACDUFF exits,
He dies. Exit LADY MACDUFF , crying crying “Murder!” The MURDERERS exit,
“Murder!” followed by MURDERERS following her.

Summary Analysis
At Fife (Macduff's castle), Lady Another debate about manhood. Does a real
Macduff is angry. She demands to know man sacrifice the safety of his family for
why Macduff has gone to England, leaving the good of his country?
her behind. She thinks Macduff is a
coward. Ross says Macduff's flight could
be the result of wisdom, not fear.

After Ross leaves, Lady Macduff turns to Lady Macduff is accusing Macduff of
her son. She tells the boy that his father is breaking his marriage oath to her by
dead. The boy doesn't believe her, but asks leaving the family behind when he goes to
if his father is a traitor. Lady Macduff England in his attempt to save Scotland
says yes, Macduff is a traitor: a man who from Macbeth. Macduff's son is wise
swore an oath and broke it and now must beyond his years, noting that those who put
hang. The boy thinks if traitors allow themselves above society far outnumber
themselves to be hanged they must be

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 fools, since there are undoubtedly more those who put the common good above
traitors than honest men in the world. their own selfish ambitions.

A servant bursts in to warn of coming

danger, then rushes out. Before Lady Macbeth has ordered the murder of the
Macduff or her children can innocent. His loss of humanity is complete,
run, murderers enter the chamber, and the seeds of his self-destruction are
stab Macduff's son, and chase Lady sown.
Macduff offstage.

Act 4 Scene 3

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter MALCOLM and MACDUFF MALCOLM and MACDUFF enter.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Let us seek out some desolate shade and Let’s seek out some shady place where
there we can sit down alone and cry our hearts
Weep our sad bosoms empty. out.
MACDUFF
Let us rather
Hold fast the mortal sword and, like good
men, MACDUFF
Bestride our downfall'n birthdom. Each new Instead of crying, let’s keep hold of our
morn swords and defend our fallen homeland
5New widows howl, new orphans cry, new like honorable men. Each day new widows
sorrows howl, new orphans cry, and new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds slap heaven in the face, until it sounds
As if it felt with Scotland and yelled out like heaven itself feels Scotland’s
Like syllable of dolor. anguish and screams in pain.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
What I believe I’ll wail; I will avenge whatever I believe is wrong.
What know believe, and what I can redress, And I’ll believe whatever I’m sure is
10As I shall find the time to friend, I will. true. And I’ll put right whatever I can
What you have spoke, it may be so when the time comes. What you just said
perchance. may perhaps be true. This tyrant, whose
This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our mere name is so awful it hurts us to say
tongues, it, was once considered an honest man.
Was once thought honest. You have loved You were one of his favorites. He hasn’t
him well. done anything to harm you yet. I’m
He hath not touched you yet. I am young, inexperienced, but maybe you’re planning
but something to win Macbeth’s favor by betraying me
15You may deserve of him through me, and to him. It would be smart to offer
wisdom someone poor and innocent like me as a
To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb sacrificial lamb to satisfy an angry god
T' appease an angry god. like Macbeth.

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MACDUFF MACDUFF
I am not treacherous. I am not treacherous.
MALCOLM
But Macbeth is.
20A good and virtuous nature may recoil MALCOLM
In an imperial charge. But I shall crave But Macbeth is. Even someone with a
your pardon. good and virtuous nature might give way
That which you are, my thoughts cannot to a royal command. But I beg your
transpose. pardon. My fears can’t actually make you
Angels are bright still, though the evil. Angels are still bright even though
brightest fell. Lucifer, the brightest angel, fell from
Though all things foul would wear the heaven. Even though everything evil
brows of grace, wants to look good, good still has to look
25Yet grace must still look so. good too.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF I have lost my hope of convincing you to
I have lost my hopes. fight against Macbeth.
MALCOLM
Perchance even there where I did find my MALCOLM
doubts. Maybe you lost your hopes about me
Why in that rawness left you wife and where I found my doubts about you. Why
child, did you leave your wife and child
Those precious motives, those strong knots vulnerable—the most precious things in
of love, your life, those strong bonds of love?
Without leave-taking? I pray you, How could you leave them behind? But I
30Let not my jealousies be your dishonors, beg you, don’t interpret my suspicions as
But mine own safeties. You may be rightly slander against you. You must understand
just, that I want to protect myself. You may
Whatever I shall think. really be honest, no matter what I think.
MACDUFF
Bleed, bleed, poor country!
Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure, MACDUFF
For goodness dare not check thee. Wear Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyrant,
thou thy wrongs; go ahead and build yourself up, because
35The title is affeered.—Fare thee well, good people are afraid to stand up to
lord. you. Enjoy everything you stole, because
I would not be the villain that thou think’st your title is safe! Farewell, lord. I
For the whole space that’s in the tyrant’s wouldn’t be the villain you think I am
grasp, even if I were offered all of Macbeth’s
And the rich East to boot. kingdom and the riches of the East too.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Be not offended. Don’t be offended. I don’t completely
I speak not as in absolute fear of you. distrust you. I do think Scotland is
40I think our country sinks beneath the sinking under Macbeth’s oppression. Our
yoke. country weeps, it bleeds, and each day a
It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a fresh cut is added to her wounds. I also
gash think there would be many people willing

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Is added to her wounds. I think withal to fight for me. The English have
There would be hands uplifted in my right; promised me thousands of troops. But
And here from gracious England have I even so, when I have Macbeth’s head
offer under my foot, or stuck on the end of my
45Of goodly thousands. But, for all this, sword, then my poor country will be
When I shall tread upon the tyrant’s head, plagued by worse evil than it was before.
Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor It will suffer worse and in more ways
country than ever under the reign of the king
Shall have more vices than it had before, who follows Macbeth.
More suffer, and more sundry ways than
ever,
50By him that shall succeed.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
What should he be? Who are you talking about?
MALCOLM
It is myself I mean, in whom I know MALCOLM
All the particulars of vice so grafted I’m talking about myself. I know I have
That, when they shall be opened, black so many vices that when people see all of
Macbeth them exposed, evil Macbeth will seem as
Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor pure as snow in comparison, and poor
state Scotland will call him a sweet lamb when
55Esteem him as a lamb, being compared they compare him to me and my infinite
With my confineless harms. evils.
MACDUFF
Not in the legions
Of horrid hell can come a devil more MACDUFF
damned Even in hell you couldn’t find a devil
In evils to top Macbeth. worse than Macbeth.
MALCOLM
I grant him bloody,
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
60Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin MALCOLM
That has a name. But there’s no bottom, I admit that he’s murderous, lecherous,
none, greedy, lying, deceitful, violent,
In my voluptuousness. Your wives, your malicious, and guilty of every sin that has
daughters, a name. But there is no end, absolutely
Your matrons, and your maids could not fill none, to my sexual desires. Your wives,
up your daughters, your old women, and your
The cistern of my lust, and my desire young maids together could not satisfy
65All continent impediments would my lust. My desire would overpower all
o'erbear restraints and anyone who stood in my
That did oppose my will. Better Macbeth way. It would be better for Macbeth to
Than such an one to reign. rule than someone like me.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Boundless intemperance Endless greed and lust in a man’s nature
In nature is a tyranny. It hath been is a kind of tyranny. It has caused the
The untimely emptying of the happy throne downfall of many kings. But don’t be

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70And fall of many kings. But fear not yet afraid to take the crown that belongs to
To take upon you what is yours. You may you. You can find a way to satisfy your
Convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty desires in secret, while still appearing
And yet seem cold; the time you may so virtuous. You can deceive everyone.
hoodwink. There are more than enough willing
We have willing dames enough. There women around. Your lust can’t possibly be
cannot be so strong that you’d use up all the women
75That vulture in you to devour so many willing to give themselves to the king
As will to greatness dedicate themselves, once they find out he wants them.
Finding it so inclined.
MALCOLM
With this there grows
In my most ill-composed affection such MALCOLM
80A stanchless avarice that, were I king, Along with being full of lust, I’m also
I should cut off the nobles for their lands, incredibly greedy. If I became king, I
Desire his jewels and this other’s house. would steal the nobles' lands, taking
And my more-having would be as a sauce jewels from one guy and houses from
To make me hunger more, that I should another. The more I had, the greedier I
forge would grow, until I’d invent false quarrels
85Quarrels unjust against the good and with my good and loyal subjects,
loyal, destroying them so I could get my hands
Destroying them for wealth. on their wealth.
MACDUFF
This avarice
Sticks deeper, grows with more pernicious MACDUFF
root The greed you’re talking about is worse
Than summer-seeming lust, and it hath than lust because you won’t outgrow it.
been Greed has been the downfall of many
The sword of our slain kings. Yet do not kings. But don’t be afraid. Scotland has
fear; enough treasures to satisfy you out of
90Scotland hath foisons to fill up your will, your own royal coffers. These bad
Of your mere own. All these are portable, qualities are bearable when balanced
With other graces weighed. against your good sides.
MALCOLM
But I have none. The king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, MALCOLM
95Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, But I don’t have any good sides. I don’t
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude, have a trace of the qualities a king
I have no relish of them but abound needs, such as justice, truth,
In the division of each several crime, moderation, stability, generosity,
Acting it many ways. Nay, had I power, I perseverance, mercy, humility, devotion,
should patience, courage, and bravery. Instead,
100Pour the sweet milk of concord into I overflow with every variation of all the
hell, different vices. No, if I had power I
Uproar the universal peace, confound would take world peace and throw it
All unity on earth. down to hell.
MACDUFF MACDUFF

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O Scotland, Scotland! Oh Scotland, Scotland!
MALCOLM
MALCOLM If someone like me is fit to be king, let
If such a one be fit to govern, speak. me know. I really am exactly as I have
I am as I have spoken. described myself to you.
MACDUFF
Fit to govern?
105No, not to live.—O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered, MACDUFF
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days (to MALCOLM) Fit to be king? You’re not
again, fit to live!—Oh miserable nation, ruled by
Since that the truest issue of thy throne a usurping, murderous tyrant, when will
By his own interdiction stands accursed, you see peaceful days again? The man
110And does blaspheme his breed?—Thy who has a legal right to the throne is, by
royal father his own admission, a cursed man and a
Was a most sainted king. The queen that disgrace to the royal family.—Your royal
bore thee, father Duncan was a virtuous king. Your
Oftener upon her knees than on her feet, mother spent more time on her knees in
Died every day she lived. Fare thee well! prayer than she did standing up, and she
These evils thou repeat’st upon thyself lived a life of absolute piety. Good-bye.
115Have banished me from Scotland.—O my The evils you have described inside
breast, yourself have driven me out of Scotland
Thy hope ends here! forever. Oh my heart, your hope is dead!
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Macduff, this noble passion, Macduff, this passionate outburst, which
Child of integrity, hath from my soul proves your integrity, has removed my
Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my doubts about you and made me realize
thoughts that you really are trustworthy and
To thy good truth and honor. Devilish honorable. That devil Macbeth has tried
Macbeth many times to trick me and lure me into
120By many of these trains hath sought to his power, and prudence prevents me
win me from believing people too quickly. But
Into his power, and modest wisdom plucks with God as my witness, I will let myself
me be guided by you, and I take back my
From overcredulous haste. But God above confession. I take back all the bad things
Deal between thee and me, for even now I said about myself, because none of
I put myself to thy direction and those flaws are really part of my
125Unspeak mine own detraction, here character. I’m still a virgin. I have never
abjure told a lie. I barely care about what I
The taints and blames I laid upon myself, already own, let alone feel jealous of
For strangers to my nature. I am yet another’s possessions. I have never
Unknown to woman, never was forsworn, broken a promise. I wouldn’t betray the
Scarcely have coveted what was mine own, devil himself. I love truth as much as I
130At no time broke my faith, would not love life. The lies I told about my
betray character are actually the first false
The devil to his fellow, and delight words I have ever spoken. The person

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No less in truth than life. My first false who I really am is ready to serve you and
speaking our poor country.
Was this upon myself. What I am truly,
Is thine and my poor country’s to command.
135Whither indeed, before thy here-
approach, Indeed, before you arrived here, old
Old Siward, with ten thousand warlike men, Siward, with ten thousand soldiers
Already at a point, was setting forth. already prepared for battle, was making
Now we’ll together, and the chance of his way here. Now we will fight Macbeth
goodness together, and may the chances of our
Be like our warranted quarrel! Why are you success be as great as the justice of our
silent? cause! Why are you silent?
MACDUFF
140Such welcome and unwelcome things at MACDUFF
once It’s hard to make sense of such
'Tis hard to reconcile. different stories.
Enter a DOCTOR A DOCTOR enters.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM Well, we’ll speak more soon. (to
Well, more anon.—Comes the king forth, I the DOCTOR) Is King Edward coming
pray you? out?
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls Yes, sir. A crowd of sick people is waiting
That stay his cure. Their malady convinces for him to heal them. Their illness
145The great assay of art, but at his confounds the most advanced techniques
touch— of modern medicine, but when he touches
Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand— them, they heal immediately because of
They presently amend. the power granted to him by heaven.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
I thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor.
Exit DOCTOR The DOCTOR exits.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
What’s the disease he means? What disease is he talking about?
MALCOLM
'Tis called the evil. MALCOLM
A most miraculous work in this good king, It’s called the evil. Edward’s healing
150Which often since my here-remain in touch is a miracle that I have seen him
England perform many times during my stay in
I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven, England. How he receives these gifts
Himself best knows, but strangely visited from heaven, only he can say. But he
people, cures people with strange conditions—all
All swoll'n and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye, swollen, plagued by ulcers, and pitiful to
The mere despair of surgery, he cures, look at, patients who are beyond the help
155Hanging a golden stamp about their of surgery—by placing a gold coin around
necks, their necks and saying holy prayers over
Put on with holy prayers. And, ’tis spoken, them.

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To the succeeding royalty he leaves
The healing benediction. With this strange They say that he bequeaths this ability
virtue, to heal to his royal descendants. Along
He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy, with this strange power, he also has the
160And sundry blessings hang about his gift of prophecy and various other
throne, abilities. All of these signs mark him as a
That speak him full of grace. man graced by God.
Enter ROSS ROSS enters.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
See, who comes here? Who’s that coming over here?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM By his dress I can tell he’s my
My countryman, but yet I know him not. countryman, but I don’t recognize him.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
My ever-gentle cousin, welcome hither. My noble kinsman, welcome.
MALCOLM
I know him now.—Good God, betimes MALCOLM
remove I recognize him now. May God alter the
165The means that makes us strangers! circumstances that keep us apart!
ROSS ROSS
Sir, amen. Hello, sir.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Stands Scotland where it did? Is Scotland the same as when I left it?
ROSS
Alas, poor country!
Almost afraid to know itself. It cannot
Be called our mother, but our grave, where ROSS
nothing, Alas, our poor country! It’s too
But who knows nothing, is once seen to frightened to look at itself. Scotland is
smile; no longer the land where we were born;
170Where sighs and groans and shrieks it’s the land where we’ll die. Where no
that rend the air one ever smiles except for the fool who
Are made, not marked; where violent knows nothing. Where sighs, groans, and
sorrow seems shrieks rip through the air but no one
A modern ecstasy. The dead man’s knell notices. Where violent sorrow is a
Is there scarce asked for who, and good common emotion. When the funeral bells
men’s lives ring, people no longer ask who died. Good
Expire before the flowers in their caps, men die before the flowers in their caps
175Dying or ere they sicken. wilt. They die before they even fall sick.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Oh, relation Oh, your report is too poetic, but it
Too nice and yet too true! sounds so true!
MALCOLM MALCOLM
What’s the newest grief? What is the most recent news?
ROSS ROSS
That of an hour’s age doth hiss the Even news an hour old is old news. Every
speaker. minute another awful thing happens.

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Each minute teems a new one.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
How does my wife? How is my wife?
ROSS ROSS
Why, well. She’s well.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
And all my children? And all my children?
ROSS ROSS
Well too. They’re well too.
MACDUFF
180The tyrant has not battered at their MACDUFF
peace? Macbeth hasn’t attacked them?
ROSS
No, they were well at peace when I did ROSS
leave 'em. They were at peace when I left them.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Be not a niggard of your speech. How goes Don’t be stingy with your words. What’s
’t? the news?
ROSS
When I came hither to transport the
tidings,
Which I have heavily borne, there ran a ROSS
rumor While I was coming here to tell you my
185Of many worthy fellows that were out; sad news, I heard rumors that many good
Which was to my belief witnessed the men are arming themselves to rebel
rather against Macbeth. When I saw Macbeth’s
For that I saw the tyrant’s power afoot. army on the move, I knew the rumors
Now is the time of help. Your eye in must be true. Now is the time when we
Scotland need your help. Your presence in
Would create soldiers, make our women Scotland would inspire people to fight.
fight, Even the women would fight to rid
190To doff their dire distresses. themselves of Macbeth’s oppression.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Be ’t their comfort Let them be comforted—I’m returning to
We are coming thither. Gracious England Scotland. Gracious King Edward has sent
hath us noble Siward and ten thousand
Lent us good Siward and ten thousand men; soldiers. There is no soldier more
An older and a better soldier none experienced or successful than Siward in
That Christendom gives out. the entire Christian world.
ROSS
Would I could answer ROSS
195This comfort with the like. But I have I wish I could repay this happy news with
words good news of my own. But I have some
That would be howled out in the desert air, news that should be howled in a barren
Where hearing should not latch them. desert where nobody can hear it.
MACDUFF
What concern they? MACDUFF

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The general cause, or is it a fee-grief What is this news about? Does it affect
Due to some single breast? all of us? Or just one of us?
ROSS
No mind that’s honest ROSS
200But in it shares some woe, though the No decent man can keep from sharing in
main part the sorrow, but my news affects you
Pertains to you alone. alone.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
If it be mine, If it’s for me, don’t keep it from me. Let
Keep it not from me. Quickly let me have it. me have it now.
ROSS
Let not your ears despise my tongue ROSS
forever, I hope you won’t hate me forever after I
205Which shall possess them with the say these things, because I will soon fill
heaviest sound your ears with the most dreadful news
That ever yet they heard. you have ever heard.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF I think I can guess what you’re about to
Hum! I guess at it. say.
ROSS
Your castle is surprised, your wife and ROSS
babes Your castle was attacked. Your wife and
Savagely slaughtered. To relate the children were savagely slaughtered. If I
manner, told you how they were killed, it would
Were, on the quarry of these murdered cause you so much pain that it would kill
deer you too, and add your body to the pile of
210To add the death of you. murdered corpses.
MALCOLM
Merciful heaven!
What, man! Ne'er pull your hat upon your MALCOLM
brows. Merciful heaven! (to MACDUFF) Come on,
Give sorrow words. The grief that does not man, don’t keep your grief hidden. Put
speak your sorrow into words. The grief you
Whispers the o'erfraught heart and bids it keep inside you will whisper in your heart
break. until it breaks.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
My children too? They killed my children too?
ROSS ROSS
215Wife, children, servants, all that could They killed your wife, your children, your
be found. servants, anyone they could find.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
And I must be from thence! And I had to be away! My wife was killed
My wife killed too? too?
ROSS ROSS
I have said. I said she was.
MALCOLM
Be comforted. MALCOLM

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220Let’s make us med'cines of our great Take comfort. Let’s cure this awful grief
revenge, by taking revenge on Macbeth.
To cure this deadly grief.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF He doesn’t have children. All my pretty
He has no children. All my pretty ones? little children? Did you say all? Oh, that
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? bird from hell! All of them? What, all my
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam children and their mother dead in one
225At one fell swoop? fell swoop?
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Dispute it like a man. Fight it like a man.
MACDUFF
I shall do so,
But I must also feel it as a man.
I cannot but remember such things were MACDUFF
230That were most precious to me. Did I will. But I also have to feel it like a
heaven look on, man. I can’t help remembering the things
And would not take their part? Sinful that were most precious to me. Did
Macduff, heaven watch the slaughter and not send
They were all struck for thee! Naught that down any help? Sinful Macduff, they
I am, were killed because of you! As wicked as
Not for their own demerits, but for mine, I am, they were slaughtered because of
Fell slaughter on their souls. Heaven rest me, not because of anything they did.
them now. May God give their souls rest.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
235Be this the whetstone of your sword. Let this anger sharpen your sword.
Let grief Transform your grief into anger. Don’t
Convert to anger. Blunt not the heart, block the feelings in your heart; let them
enrage it. loose as rage.
MACDUFF
Oh, I could play the woman with mine eyes
And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle MACDUFF
heavens, I could go on weeping like a woman and
Cut short all intermission. Front to front bragging about how I will avenge them!
240Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and But gentle heavens, don’t keep me
myself. waiting. Bring me face to face with
Within my sword’s length set him; if he Macbeth, that devil of Scotland. Put him
’scape, within the reach of my sword, and if he
Heaven forgive him too. escapes, may heaven forgive him as well!
MALCOLM
MALCOLM Now you sound like a man. Come on, let’s
This tune goes manly. go see King Edward. The army is ready.
Come, go we to the king. Our power is All we have to do now is say goodbye to
ready; the king. Macbeth is ripe for the picking.
Our lack is nothing but our leave. Macbeth We’ll be acting as God’s agents. Cheer up
245Is ripe for shaking, and the powers as much as you can. A new day will come
above at last.

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Put on their instruments. Receive what
cheer you may.
The night is long that never finds the day.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
In England, near the palace of King Why does Macduff leave his family behind
Edward, Macduff urges Malcolm to quickly when he goes to England? Does he
raise an army against Macbeth. But underestimate Macbeth's depravity, or has
Malcolm says Macduff might actually be he put too much emphasis on country at the
working for Macbeth, a suspicion expense of family?
heightened by the fact that Macduff left
his family behind and unprotected in
Scotland.

Malcolm then adds that he delays Macduff proves that his morality and love
attacking Macbeth because he fears that of country is greater than his ambition.
he himself would perhaps be even a worse
ruler. Malcolm describes himself as so
lustful, vicious, and greedy that he makes
Macbeth look kind. Macduff cries out in
horror, and says he will leave Scotland
forever since there is no man fit to rule it.
Malcolm then reveals that none of his self-
description was true: it was a trick to test
Macduff's loyalty. Malcolm now believes
that Macduff is loyal to Scotland and not
Macbeth, and that he has an army of ten
thousand men commanded by the English
Lord Siward, ready to invade Scotland.

Just then an English In contrast to Macbeth, Edward is so

doctor enters. Malcolm speaks with the virtuous his touch restores order to
doctor, then tells Macduff that King nature: it heals.
Edward of England is so saintly that he can
cure disease.

Ross enters. He tells Malcolm that if he True manhood, Macduff realizes in his
invaded the Scottish people would line up moment of anguish, involves not just
to join his army against Macbeth. Finally, strength, honour, and loyalty, but also
Ross tells Macduff his family has been emotion, feeling, and love.
murdered. Macduff cries out in anguish.
Malcolm tells him to fight it like a man.
Macduff responds that he must also "feel
it like a man" (4.3.223). But they agree

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 that Macduff's anger and grief should be
used to fuel his revenge.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. “Double, double, toil and trouble.”

Who utters these words? In what connection are these words uttered? What do the
words mean?
Ans- The witches utter these words as a part of their incantation for preparing their
charm by which they intend to seduce Macbeth further.
They throw into the cauldron poisoned entrails, toad who has oozed out venom for
thirty one days and nights under cold stone and other vulgar poisonous materials for
concocting the spell. They will accumulate trouble and toil for Macbeth. “Double, double’
– suggests that the both will boil and burn doubly so that the troubles of Macbeth are
doubled. “The repetition suggests the intensification of trouble.

2. Indicate the three Apparitions conjured up by the witches and point out what they
mean and how they seduce Macbeth.
Ans- The first Apparition is that of an armed head – it is Macbeth’s own head cut off
by Macduff. It is prophetic. The second Apparition is that of a bloody child. It
indicates Macduff as he was born (untimely ripped from his mother’s womb). The third
Apparition is that of a child crowned with a tree in his head. This suggests Malcolm who
commands “let every soldier hew him down a bough” ([Link].4.)
Thus all their supernatural suggestions are fraught with irony. Macbeth is warned
against Macduff (Macbeth knows that he has to fear Macduff and he has known that
Macduff has fled to England). But the second prophecy gives him false assurance of
security by predicting that no one born of a woman would kill him. Macbeth feels safe
but still Macduff must die so that he may have double security. Macbeth is further
assured of safety by saying that Macbeth will never be vanquished till Birnam wood
moves to high Dunsinane. So Macbeth may sleep in defiance of thunder.
Macbeth will soon see how he has been seduced by the juggling fiends who lie like
truths. He is trafficking with things of nightmare fantasy whose truth is falsehood and
falsehood truth”.

3. ‘Some I see that two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry.’

Who does see? What does the sight symbolise?
Ans- Macbeth now sees a mirror reflecting eight kings. Stuart kings of Scotland,
Robert II and III and the six James-es.
Two-fold balls and treble sceptres are used as a compliment to James I. His two
coronations first as king of Scotland and then at Westminster are suggested. Treble
sceptres suggest the three kingdoms over which James I ruled – Scotland, England and
Ireland. Chambers thinks “the treble sceptres are the two used for investment in the
English coronation and the one used in the Scottish coronation.” Balls mean the orbs
carried in the left-hand during coronation.

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4. “His flight was madness.”
Whose flight is referred to? Does the speaker say that the flight was madness? Was it
really madness?
Ans- Lady Macduff attributes Macduff’s flight to England to madness. According to her
Macduff has fled out of fear. He has done no treacherous work to Macbeth and so he
should not have fled. His flight is an evidence of treason. Moreover, he lacks love. He
should not have left the family in the lurch. His fear has dominated over his love. So the
flight runs against reason.
Macduff has fled to England to seek the assistance of the English king for leading an
opposition to Macbeth, and to rid Scotland of the tyranny. His patriotism has dominated
over his family affection. Lady Macduff’s complaint is genuine – she and her children are
left alone at the mercy of the tyrant. A little later it will be seen that the Macduff
family is slaughtered. Macbeth has done it to show his wrath against Macduff who has
fled England to mobilise forces against him. Lady Macduff cannot think beyond her
home. She cannot understand Macduff’s patriotism.

5. Comment in brief on the dramatic importance of the conversation between Macduff and
Malcolm. (Act IV, Scene II).
Ans- The longest scene in the play (Act I, Sc ii) begins with the conversation between
Macduff and Malcolm. Malcolm tests the honesty of Macduff (he suspects he may be an
agent of Macbeth) before he accepts him as his ally. He says that he is vicious,
tyrannical, luxurious -Scotland will be worse under him. Macduff is prepared to make
concessions to his alleged vices. but when Malcolm says that he has no ‘king becoming
graces’, Macduff is frustrated and says in holy anger that Scotland is doomed. Malcolm
appreciates the bonafides of Macduff and he withdraws all his allegations and places
himself unreservedly in Macduff’s hands for country’s service.
Through this conversation, we know that Macduff is a sincere patriot and Malcolm is
cautious and calculating. He is not blindly trustful like his father Duncan. Shakespeare
indirectly suggests the ‘king-becoming graces’ – a king must be temperate in morals and
material desires. The conversation provides a little pause before the introduction of
tension with the entrance of Ross. Thus dramatically it is important. It is an admirable
non-action prelude to the dramatic entrance of Ross with terrible news. There is also a
subtle contrast between the tyrant king and the good king – Edward the confessor.

6. ‘He has no children.’

Who says this? What makes the speaker say this? Whose children are meant here?
Ans- Macduff says this when he is told of the slaughter of his wife and children. He is
profoundly shocked and grieved, but he gives expression to his grief in simple controlled
language.
Macduff says this when Malcolm asks him not to give way to grief, but to make
medicines out of revenge. Macduff says that Malcolm can say this because he has no
children. He does not understand the feelings of a father. He has to grieve for the loss
of children and then he can think of taking revenge.
Some people hold that here Macduff refers to Macbeth who has no children. Macbeth
can kill his pretty ones because he has not children. But the text of the play offers

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 evidence that Macbeth has children. Lady Macbeth has said that she knows how tender
is to love the babe. Macbeth kills Banquo because he does not want the kingship to pass
on to the ‘unlineal hand.

Act 5 Scene 1

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter a DOCTOR of physic and a waiting- A DOCTOR and a
GENTLEWOMAN waiting- GENTLEWOMAN enter.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR I’ve stayed up with you for two nights now,
I have two nights watched with you but can and I haven’t seen any evidence of what you
perceive no truth in your report. When was were talking about. When was the last time
it she last walked? you saw her sleepwalking?
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
Since his majesty went into the field, I Since Macbeth went to war, I have seen
have seen her rise from her bed, throw her her rise from her bed, put on her
nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take nightgown, unlock her closet, take out some
forth paper, fold it, write upon ’t, read it, paper, fold it, write on it, read it, seal it up,
afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; and then return to bed, remaining asleep
yet all this while in a most fast sleep. the entire time.
DOCTOR
A great perturbation in nature, to receive
at once the benefit of sleep, and do the DOCTOR
line>effects of watching. In this slumbery It’s unnatural to be asleep and act as if
agitation, besides her walking and other you’re awake. When she is like this, besides
actual performances, what, at any time, walking and performing various activities,
have you heard her say? have you heard her say anything?
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN She says something, sir, but I will not
That, sir, which I will not report after her. repeat it to you.
DOCTOR
You may to me, and ’tis most meet you DOCTOR
should. You can tell me. You really should.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN I will not confess it to you nor to anyone
Neither to you nor any one, having no else, because there was no one else to
witness to confirm my speech. witness her speech.
Enter LADY MACBETH with a taper LADY MACBETH enters, holding a candle.
Lo you, here she comes. This is her very Look, here she comes! This is exactly how
guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep. she always looks, and—I swear it—she is
Observe her, stand close. fast asleep. Watch her. Keep hidden.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
15How came she by that light? How did she get that candle?

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 GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN It stands by her bedside. She always has
Why, it stood by her. She has light by her to have a light next to her. Those are her
continually. 'Tis her command. orders.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
You see her eyes are open. You see, her eyes are open.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
Ay, but their sense is shut. Yes, but they don’t see anything.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
What is it she does now? Look, how she What’s she doing now? Look how she rubs
rubs her hands. her hands.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
It is an accustomed action with her to She often does that. She looks like she’s
seem thus washing her hands. I have known washing her hands. I’ve seen her do that
her continue in this a quarter of an hour. before for as long as fifteen minutes.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Yet here’s a spot. There’s still a spot here.
DOCTOR
Hark! She speaks. I will set down what DOCTOR
comes from her, to satisfy my Listen! She’s talking. I’ll write down what
remembrance the more strongly. she says, so I’ll remember it better.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH (rubbing her hands) Come out, damned spot!
Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Out, I command you! One, two. OK, it’s time
Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is to do it now.—Hell is murky!—Nonsense, my
murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and lord, nonsense! You are a soldier, and yet
afeard? What need we fear who knows it, you are afraid? Why should we be scared,
when none can call our power to account?— when no one can lay the guilt upon us?—But
Yet who would have thought the old man to who would have thought the old man would
have had so much blood in him. have had so much blood in him?
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Do you mark that? Did you hear that?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she
The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—What, will my hands never be
now?—What, will these hands ne'er be clean?—No more of that, my lord, no more
clean?—No more o' that, my lord, no more of that. You’ll ruin everything by acting
o' that. You mar all with this starting. startled like this.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Go to, go to. You have known what you Now look what you’ve done. You’ve heard
should not. something you shouldn’t have.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
She has spoke what she should not, I am She said something she shouldn’t have said,
sure of that. Heaven knows what she has I’m sure of that. Heaven knows what
known. secrets she’s keeping.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH

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Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the I still have the smell of blood on my hand.
perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this All the perfumes of Arabia couldn’t make
little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh! my little hand smell better. Oh, oh, oh!
DOCTOR DOCTOR
What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely What a heavy sigh! Her heart is carrying a
charged. heavy weight.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
I would not have such a heart in my bosom I wouldn’t want a heart like hers even if
for the dignity of the whole body. you made me queen.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Well, well, well. Well, well, well.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
Pray God it be, sir. I hope what she’s saying is well, sir!
DOCTOR
This disease is beyond my practice. Yet I DOCTOR
have known those which have walked in This disease is beyond my medical skills.
their sleep who have died holily in their But I have known people who sleepwalked
beds. and weren’t guilty of anything.
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown.
Look not so pale.—I tell you yet again, Don’t look so frightened. I tell you again,
Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on ’s Banquo is buried. He cannot come out of his
grave. grave.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Even so? Is this true?
LADY MACBETH LADY MACBETH
To bed, to bed. There’s knocking at the To bed, to bed! There’s a knocking at the
gate. Come, come, come, come. Give me your gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your
hand. What’s done cannot be undone.—To hand. What’s done cannot be undone. To
bed, to bed, to bed! bed, to bed, to bed!
Exit LADY MACBETH exits.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Will she go now to bed? Will she go to bed now?
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
Directly. Yes, right away.
DOCTOR
Foul whisp'rings are abroad. Unnatural DOCTOR
deeds Evil rumors are going around. Unnatural
50Do breed unnatural troubles. Infected acts will cause supernatural things to
minds happen. People with guilty and deranged
To their deaf pillows will discharge their minds will confess their secrets to their
secrets. pillows as they sleep. This woman needs a
More needs she the divine than the priest more than a doctor. God forgive us
physician. all! (to the waiting- GENTLEWOMAN) Look
God, God forgive us all! Look after her, after her. Remove anything she might hurt
Remove from her the means of all herself with. Watch her constantly. And
annoyance, now, good-night. She has bewildered my

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 55And still keep eyes upon her. So, good mind and amazed my eyes. I have an
night. opinion, but I don’t dare to say it out loud.
My mind she has mated, and amazed my
sight.
I think, but dare not speak.
GENTLEWOMAN GENTLEWOMAN
Good night, good doctor. Good night, good doctor.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
It is night in Macbeth's castle of When he killed Duncan, Macbeth thought
Dunsinane. A doctor and he heard a voice say he had murdered
a gentlewoman wait. The gentlewoman sleep. Well, he did: Lady Macbeth's sleep.
called the doctor because she has
seen Lady Macbeth sleepwalking the last
few nights, but she refuses to say what
Lady Macbeth says or does.

Lady Macbeth enters, holding a candle, but Lady Macbeth, who once naively thought
asleep. Lady Macbeth keeps rubbing her she could just wash her hands and forget
hands as if to wash them while saying "out, Duncan's murder, is now sleepwalking and
damned spot" (5.1.30). Then Lady Macbeth so full of guilt that she imagines her hands
seems to relive her attempt to are always covered in blood.
convince Macbeth to kill Duncan, concluding
with the words: "Yet who would have
thought the old man to have had so
much blood in him" (5.1.33-34)?

The horrified doctor and gentlewoman Lady Macbeth's guilt makes it impossible
watch as Lady Macbeth then relives for her to hide the horrors that she and
conversations with Macbeth after the Macbeth have committed. Her conscience
murder of Banquo and hears an imaginary is rebelling against the unnatural fiend that
knocking and rushes off to bed. ambition has turned her into.
The doctor says the disease is beyond his
power to cure, and that "unnatural deeds
do breed unnatural troubles" (5.1.61-62).
He also says he dares not speak about what
he's just witnessed.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”

Explanation and Analysis:
Lady Macbeth has taken to sleepwalking. One night, she wanders and rubs her hands
while saying this line.

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 We see here the extent to which guilt has crippled Lady Macbeth and disrupted her
ability to live a normal life. Saying this line while trying to wash her hands shows that
while she earlier believed that she could simply wash her hands clear of Duncan's blood,
that in fact she could not psychologically escape that blood at all. She obsessively
repeats the action, believing that the “damned spot” that morally implicates her has
refused to disappear. In this way, the play makes clear that the guilt that first caused
Lady Macbeth to question her contentment has now caused her to enter a full-blown
psychosis.
The text also returns to its ever-pressing concern of illusions and false appearances.
Whereas Lady Macbeth was able to remove the physical blood from her hands after the
murder, she remains unable to do away with its metaphorical counterpart. Much like
Macbeth saw a hallucinatory knife before the murder, she visualizes non-existent blood
after the deed has been completed. Although we might be likely to write these images
off as false apparitions, one should also note the significance of
their psychological reality. That is to say, although the “spot” is not palpable to anyone
else, it is indeed a honest “fair” expression of Lady Macbeth’s guilt. Shakespeare’s work
thus presents illusions as having their own kind of unique reality, a reality founded in
the inner workings of the mind.

Act 5 Scene 2

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Drum and colors. MENTEITH , CAITHNESS , ANGUS , L
Enter MENTEITH , CAITHNESS , ANGUS , ENNOX , and soldiers enter with a
LENNOX , and soldiers drummer and flag.
MENTEITH MENTEITH
The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, The English army is near, led by Malcolm,
His uncle Siward and the good Macduff. his uncle Siward, and the good Macduff.
Revenges burn in them, for their dear causes They burn for revenge. The wrongs they
Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm have suffered would make dead men rise
5Excite the mortified man. up and fight.
ANGUS
Near Birnam Wood ANGUS
Shall we well meet them; that way are they We’ll meet them near Birnam Wood.
coming. They are coming that way.
CAITHNESS
CAITHNESS Does anyone know if Donalbain is with his
Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother? brother?
LENNOX
LENNOX He is definitely not there, sir. I have a
For certain, sir, he is not. I have a file list of all the important men. Siward’s
Of all the gentry. There is Siward’s son, son is there, as well as many boys too
10And many unrough youths that even now young to have beards who will become
Protest their first of manhood. men by joining in this battle.

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MENTEITH MENTEITH
What does the tyrant? What is the tyrant Macbeth doing?
CAITHNESS
Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies. CAITHNESS
Some say he’s mad, others that lesser hate He is fortifying his castle at Dunsinane
him with heavy defenses. Some say he’s
Do call it valiant fury. But, for certain, insane. Those who hate him less call it
15He cannot buckle his distempered cause brave anger. One thing is certain: he’s
Within the belt of rule. out of control.
ANGUS
ANGUS Now Macbeth feels the blood of his
Now does he feel murdered enemies sticking to his hands.
His secret murders sticking on his hands. Now, rebel armies punish him every
Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith- minute for his treachery. The soldiers
breach. he commands are only following orders.
Those he commands move only in command, They don’t fight because they love
20Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title Macbeth. Now he seems too small to be a
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe great king, like a midget trying to wear
Upon a dwarfish thief. the robes of a giant.
MENTEITH
Who then shall blame MENTEITH
His pestered senses to recoil and start, Who can blame him for acting crazy,
When all that is within him does condemn when inside he condemns himself for
25Itself for being there? everything he’s done?
CAITHNESS CAITHNESS
Well, march we on, Well, let’s keep marching and give our
To give obedience where ’tis truly owed. loyalty to someone who truly deserves it.
Meet we the medicine of the sickly weal, We’re going to meet Malcolm, the doctor
And with him pour we in our country’s purge who will cure our sick country. We’ll pour
Each drop of us. out our own blood to help him.
LENNOX
LENNOX However much blood we need to give to
Or so much as it needs, water the royal flower and drown the
30To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds—to make Malcolm king and get rid
weeds. of Macbeth. Let’s proceed on our march
Make we our march towards Birnam. to Birnam.
Exeunt, marching They exit, marching.

Summary Analysis
Lennox and other Scottish lords and With the mention of Birnam Wood and
soldiers discuss the situation: Malcolm and Dunsinane, the audience can see that
his army are at Birnam Wood. Macbeth, in a Macbeth's fate is approaching.
constant rage verging on madness, is
fortifying the stronghold of Dunsinane.

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 The lords agree that Macbeth is Macbeth's efforts to maintain power
tormented by his terrible actions, and that through violence have, in fact, turned
those who follow him do so out of fear, not people against him and made him weak.
love. The lords ride to join Malcolm.

Act 5 Scene 3

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter MACBETH , DOCTOR , and MACBETH , a DOCTOR , and attendants
attendants enter.
MACBETH
Bring me no more reports. Let them fly all.
Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane
I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy
Malcolm? MACBETH
Was he not born of woman? The spirits Don’t bring me any more reports. I don’t
that know care if all the thanes desert me. Until
5All mortal consequences have pronounced Birnam Wood gets up and moves to
me thus: Dunsinane, I won’t be affected by fear.
“Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of What’s the boy Malcolm? Wasn’t he born
woman from a woman? The spirits that know the
Shall e'er have power upon thee.” Then fly, future have told me this: “Don’t be afraid,
false thanes, Macbeth. No man born from a woman will
And mingle with the English epicures. ever defeat you.” So get out of here,
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear disloyal thanes, and join the weak and
10Shall never sag with doubt nor shake decadent English! My mind and courage will
with fear. never falter with doubt or shake with fear.
Enter a SERVANT A SERVANT enters.
The devil damn thee black, thou cream- May the devil turn you black, you white-
faced loon! faced fool! Why do you look like a
Where got’st thou that goose look? frightened goose?
SERVANT SERVANT
There is ten thousand— There are ten thousand—
MACBETH MACBETH
Geese, villain? Geese, you idiot?
SERVANT SERVANT
15Soldiers, sir. Soldiers, sir.
MACBETH
Go, prick thy face and over-red thy fear, MACBETH
Thou lily-livered boy. What soldiers, patch? Go pinch your cheeks and bring some color
Death of thy soul! Those linen cheeks of back into your face, you cowardly boy.
thine What soldiers, fool? Curse you! That pale
Are counselors to fear. What soldiers, face of yours will frighten the others as
whey-face? well. What soldiers, milk-face?
SERVANT SERVANT

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20The English force, so please you. The English army, sir.
MACBETH MACBETH
Take thy face hence. Get out of my sight.
Exit SERVANT The SERVANT exits.
Seyton!—I’m sick at heart when I see—
Seyton!—I am sick at heart, Seyton, come here!—This battle will either
When I behold—Seyton, I say!—This push secure my reign forever or else topple me
Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now. from the throne. I have lived long enough.
I have lived long enough. My way of life The course of my life is beginning to wither
25Is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf, and fall away, like a yellowing leaf in
And that which should accompany old age, autumn. The things that should go along
As honor, love, obedience, troops of with old age, like honor, love, obedience,
friends, and loyal friends, I cannot hope to have.
I must not look to have, but, in their stead, Instead, I have passionate but quietly
Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, whispered curses, people who honor me
breath with their words but not in their hearts,
30Which the poor heart would fain deny and lingering life, which my heart would
and dare not. gladly end, though I can’t bring myself to
Seyton! do it. Seyton!
Enter SEYTON SEYTON enters.
SEYTON SEYTON
What’s your gracious pleasure? What do you want?
MACBETH MACBETH
What news more? Is there more news?
SEYTON
All is confirmed, my lord, which was SEYTON
reported. All the rumors have been confirmed.
MACBETH
I’ll fight till from my bones my flesh be MACBETH
hacked. I’ll fight until they hack the flesh off my
Give me my armor. bones. Give me my armor.
SEYTON SEYTON
35'Tis not needed yet. You don’t need it yet.
MACBETH
I’ll put it on.
Send out more horses. Skirr the country MACBETH
round. I’ll put it on anyway. Send out more cavalry.
Hang those that talk of fear. Give me mine Scour the whole country and hang anyone
armor. spreading fear. Give me my armor. (to
How does your patient, doctor? the DOCTOR) How is my wife, doctor?
DOCTOR
Not so sick, my lord, DOCTOR
40As she is troubled with thick-coming She is not sick, my lord, but she is troubled
fancies with endless visions that keep her from
That keep her from her rest. sleeping.
MACBETH
Cure her of that. MACBETH

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Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, Cure her of that. Can’t you treat a diseased
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, mind? Take away her memory of sorrow?
Raze out the written troubles of the brain Use some drug to erase the troubling
45And with some sweet oblivious antidote thoughts from her brain and ease her
Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous heart?
stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Therein the patient For that kind of relief, the patient must
Must minister to himself. heal herself.
MACBETH
MACBETH Medicine is for the dogs. I won’t have
Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it. anything to do with it. (to SEYTON) Come,
50Come, put mine armor on. Give me my put my armor on me. Give me my lance.
staff. Seyton, send out the soldiers. (to
Seyton, send out.—Doctor, the thanes fly the DOCTOR) Doctor, the thanes are
from me. running away from me. (to SEYTON) Come
Come, sir, dispatch.—If thou couldst, on, sir, hurry. (to the DOCTOR) Can you
doctor, cast figure out what’s wrong with my country?
The water of my land, find her disease, If you can diagnose its disease by
And purge it to a sound and pristine health, examining its urine, and bring it back to
55I would applaud thee to the very echo, health, I will praise you to the ends of the
That should applaud again.—Pull ’t off, I Earth, where the sound will echo back so
say.— you can hear the applause again.—
What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative (to SEYTON) Pull it off, I tell you. (to
drug, the DOCTOR) What drug would purge the
Would scour these English hence? Hear’st English from this country? Have you heard
thou of them? of any?
DOCTOR DOCTOR
Ay, my good lord. Your royal preparation Yes, my good lord. Your preparation for war
60Makes us hear something. sounds like something.
MACBETH
MACBETH (to SEYTON) Bring the armor and follow
Bring it after me. me. I will not be afraid of death and
I will not be afraid of death and bane, destruction until Birnam forest picks itself
Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane. up and moves to Dunsinane.
DOCTOR DOCTOR
(aside) Were I from Dunsinane away and (to himself) I wish I were far away from
clear, Dunsinane. You couldn’t pay me to come
Profit again should hardly draw me here. back here.
Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Macbeth dismisses all reports Macbeth is fearless because of the
about Malcolm's army, saying he'll fear prophecies, but he seems to wish he
nothing until Birnam Wood marches to weren't. He knows his life is awful, but

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 Dunsinane and mocking Malcolm as a man he's so gripped by ambition that he can't
born of woman. He shouts for his turn back.
servant Seyton to bring his armor, then
muses how sick at heart he feels, how
withered his life has become.

He asks the doctor about Lady Macbeth, Macbeth seems totally out of touch with
then commands that the man cure her. In reality. He is a man warped beyond any
an aside, the doctor says that if he could semblance of humanity.
escape Dunsinane, no fee of any size could
bring him back.

Act 5 Scene 4

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Drum and colors.
Enter MALCOLM , SIWARD , MACDUFF MALCOLM , old SIWARD and
, his SON , MACDUFF , MENTEITH , CAITH
Siward’s SON , MENTEITH , CAITHNE NESS , ANGUS , LENNOX , ROSS ,
SS , ANGUS , LENNOX , ROSS , and SOLDIERS enter marching, with a
and SOLDIERS , marching drummer and flag.
MALCOLM MALCOLM
Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand Kinsmen, I hope the time is coming when
That chambers will be safe. people will be safe in their own bedrooms.
MENTEITH MENTEITH
We doubt it nothing. We don’t doubt it.
SIWARD SIWARD
What wood is this before us? What’s the name of this forest behind us?
MENTEITH MENTEITH
The wood of Birnam. Birnam Wood.
MALCOLM
Let every soldier hew him down a bough MALCOLM
5And bear ’t before him. Thereby shall Tell every soldier to break off a branch and
we shadow hold it in front of him. That way we can
The numbers of our host and make conceal how many of us there are, and
discovery Macbeth’s spies will give him inaccurate
Err in report of us. reports.
SOLDIERS SOLDIERS
It shall be done. We’ll do it.
SIWARD
We learn no other but the confident SIWARD
tyrant We have no news except that the
Keeps still in Dunsinane and will endure overconfident Macbeth is still in Dunsinane
10Our setting down before ’t. and will allow us to lay siege to the castle.
MALCOLM MALCOLM

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 'Tis his main hope: He wants us to lay siege. Wherever his
For, where there is advantage to be soldiers have an opportunity to leave him,
given, they do, whatever rank they are. No one
Both more and less have given him the fights with him except men who are forced
revolt, to, and their hearts aren’t in it.
And none serve with him but constrainèd
things
Whose hearts are absent too.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Let our just censures We shouldn’t make any judgments until we
15Attend the true event, and put we on achieve our goal. Let’s go fight like
Industrious soldiership. hardworking soldiers.
SIWARD
The time approaches
That will with due decision make us know
What we shall say we have and what we SIWARD
owe. Soon we’ll find out what’s really ours and
Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes what isn’t. It’s easy for us to get our hopes
relate, up just sitting around thinking about it, but
20But certain issue strokes must the only way this is really going to be settled
arbitrate. is by violence. So let’s move our armies
Towards which, advance the war. forward.
Exeunt, marching They exit, marching.

Summary Analysis
In Birnam Wood, Malcolm walks The first block in Macbeth's fate falls into
with Macduff, Siward, Young Siward, and place: Birnam Wood will march on
others Scottish and English lords. Malcolm Dunsinane.
gives orders that to hide the size of their
army, all soldiers should cut a branch from
a tree and hold it upright as they march.

Act 5 Scene 5

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

MACBETH , SEYTON ,
Enter MACBETH , SEYTON , and SOLDIERS enter with a drummer and
and SOLDIERS , with drum and colors flag.

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MACBETH
Hang out our banners on the outward
walls. MACBETH
The cry is still “They come!” Our Hang our flags on the outer walls.
castle’s strength Everyone keeps yelling, “Here they come!”
Will laugh a siege to scorn. Here let Our castle is strong enough to laugh off
them lie their seige. They can sit out there until
Till famine and the ague eat them up. they die of hunger and disease. If it
5Were they not forced with those that weren’t for the fact that so many of our
should be ours, soldiers revolted and joined them, we
We might have met them dareful, beard could have met them out in front of the
to beard, castle, man to man, and beaten them back
And beat them backward home. to England.

A cry within of women A sound of women crying offstage.

What is that noise? What’s that noise?

SEYTON SEYTON
It is the cry of women, my good lord. It’s women crying, my good lord.

Exit SEYTON exits.

MACBETH
I have almost forgot the taste of fears.
10The time has been my senses would
have cooled
To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of
hair MACBETH
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and I’ve almost forgotten what fear feels like.
stir There was a time when I would have been
As life were in ’t. I have supped full terrified by a shriek in the night, and the
with horrors. hair on my skin would have stood up when
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous I heard a ghost story. But now I’ve had
thoughts my fill of real horrors. Horrible things are
15Cannot once start me. so familiar that they can’t startle me.

Enter SEYTON SEYTON comes back in.

Wherefore was that cry? What was that cry for?

SEYTON SEYTON
The queen, my lord, is dead. The queen is dead, my lord.

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MACBETH
She should have died hereafter.
There would have been a time for such a
word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, MACBETH
20Creeps in this petty pace from day to She would have died later anyway. That
day news was bound to come someday.
To the last syllable of recorded time, Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.
And all our yesterdays have lighted The days creep slowly along until the end
fools of time. And every day that’s already
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief happened has taken fools that much
candle! closer to their deaths. Out, out, brief
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor candle. Life is nothing more than an
player illusion. It’s like a poor actor who struts
25That struts and frets his hour upon and worries for his hour on the stage and
the stage then is never heard from again. Life is a
And then is heard no more. It is a tale story told by an idiot, full of noise and
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, emotional disturbance but devoid of
Signifying nothing. meaning.

Enter a MESSENGER A MESSENGER enters.

Thou comest to use You’ve come to tell me something. Tell me

Thy tongue; thy story quickly. quickly.

MESSENGER
Gracious my lord,
30I should report that which I say I MESSENGER
saw, My gracious lord, I should tell you what I
But know not how to do ’t. saw, but I don’t know how to say it.

MACBETH MACBETH
Well, say, sir. Just say it.

MESSENGER
As I did stand my watch upon the hill, MESSENGER
I looked toward Birnam, and anon As I was standing watch on the hill, I
methought looked toward Birnam, and I thought I
The wood began to move. saw the forest begin to move.

MACBETH MACBETH
Liar and slave! Liar and slave!

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 MESSENGER
35Let me endure your wrath, if ’t be not
so. MESSENGER
Within this three mile may you see it Punish me if it’s not true. Three miles
coming; from here you can see it coming, a moving
I say, a moving grove. forest.

MACBETH
If thou speak’st false,
Upon the next tree shall thou hang alive
Till famine cling thee. If thy speech be
sooth,
40I care not if thou dost for me as
much.
I pull in resolution and begin
To doubt th' equivocation of the fiend MACBETH
That lies like truth. “Fear not, till If you’re lying, I’ll hang you alive from the
Birnam wood nearest tree until you die of hunger. If
Do come to Dunsinane”; and now a wood what you say is true, you can do the same
Comes toward Dunsinane.—Arm, arm, to me. (to himself) My confidence is
and out!— failing. I’m starting to doubt the lies the
If this which he avouches does appear, devil told me, which sounded like truth.
There is nor flying hence nor tarrying “Don’t worry until Birnam Wood comes to
here. Dunsinane.” And now a wood is coming to
I 'gin to be aweary of the sun, Dunsinane. Prepare for battle, and go! If
And wish th' estate o' th' world were what this messenger says is true, it’s no
now undone.— use running away or staying here. I’m
50Ring the alarum-bell!—Blow, wind! starting to grow tired of living, and I’d
Come, wrack! like to see the world plunged into chaos.
At least we’ll die with harness on our Ring the alarms! Blow, wind! Come, ruin! At
back. least we’ll die with our armor on.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Macbeth laughs at the coming army, but Macbeth has become so numb because of
seems bored by his lack of fear. Suddenly, his own terrible actions that he can't even
a woman cries out. Seyton investigates, and react when his wife dies. All he can do is
returns with news that Lady Macbeth has comment on how meaningless life is.
died. Macbeth gives a speech about life:
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow /
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,"
concluding that life "is a tale / told by an
idiot, full of sound and fury, / signifying
nothing" (5.5.18-27).

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 A servant rushes in with news that Birnam The prophecy gives Macbeth courage, but
Wood is marching toward also makes his life empty. He almost seems
Dunsinane. Macbeth rushes to see for to look forward to dying.
himself, and realizes the witches tricked
him. He feels fear for the first time, calls
to raise the alarm, and says that at least
he'll die fighting.

Important Quotes & Explanations

❖ “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
Explanation and Analysis:
As the final battle against Macduff's army approaches, Macbeth gives this moving
soliloquy. He claims that life is an endless repetition and inherently meaningless.
To arrive at this nihilistic conclusion, Macbeth first ponders the succession of day
after day. He notes how monotonous they are—a series of “Tomorrow, and tomorrow,
and tomorrow”—to the extent that life never seems to significantly shift. If the future
holds nothing novel, the past is similarly devoid of meaning—only ever bringing
indications of “dusty death” to come. Instead of hoping to grasp closely life’s fleeting
existence, however, Macbeth commands it to depart as rapidly as possible with the
phrase “Out, out, brief candle!” His ambitious and cruel nature has thus culminated in a
complete rejection of the significance to life itself: at the apex of his success, life has
become to him nothing but a series of haphazard noises and commotions with no
underlying meaning.
Shakespeare brilliantly links this general pronouncement to the more specific case of
reading and analyzing literature. Alliterating “petty pace” and repeating “day to day”
reiterates how repeating patterns appear in language as well as in time; casting time to
be made of “syllables” presents it as a construction of language. Presenting humans as “a
poor player” and his environment as “the stage” similarly makes the experience of
theater a metaphor for one’s life in the world. Macbeth’s “tale” becomes a symbol for
the larger tale of human experience. Shakespeare makes a castigating self-allusion with
the phrase “told by an idiot,” which shows that he has no greater access to truth or
meaning than any of his readers. His text itself resists pure comprehension in that it is
“sound and fury” alone—“signifying nothing” because no single meaning can be attributed

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 to its characters or constructions. In this way, Shakespeare presents the finitude and
emptiness of Macbeth’s experience and the void of his language as a layered metaphor
for each human’s eventual demise.

Act 5 Scene 6

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

MALCOLM ,
Drum and colors. old SIWARD , MACDUFF , and their
Enter MALCOLM , SIWARD , MACDUFF , army enter carrying branches, with a
and their army, with boughs drummer and flag.

MALCOLM
Now near enough. Your leafy screens
throw down,
And show like those you are.—You, worthy
uncle, MALCOLM
Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble son, We’re close enough now. Throw down
Lead our first battle. Worthy Macduff these branches and show them who you
and we really are. Uncle Siward, you and your
5Shall take upon ’s what else remains to son will lead the first battle. Brave
do, Macduff and I will do the rest,
According to our order. according to our battle plan.

SIWARD SIWARD
Fare you well. Good luck. If we meet Macbeth’s army
Do we but find the tyrant’s power tonight, tonight, let us be beaten if we cannot
Let us be beaten if we cannot fight. fight.

MACDUFF
10Make all our trumpets speak; give them
all breath, MACDUFF
Those clamorous harbingers of blood and Blow all the trumpets. They loudly
death. announce the news of blood and death.

Exeunt They exit.

Summary Analysis
Malcolm orders his men to throw down the The very quick and sudden scenes in the
branches they carry. The first charge second half of Act 5 capture the chaos of
against Dunsinane commences battle.
under Siward and Macduff.

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 Act 5 Scene 7

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Trumpets and the noise of

Alarums. Enter MACBETH battle. MACBETH enters.

MACBETH
They have tied me to a stake. I
cannot fly,
But, bearlike, I must fight the MACBETH
course. What’s he They have me tied to a stake. I can’t run away. I
That was not born of woman? have to stand and fight, like a bear. Where’s the
Such a one man who wasn’t born from a woman? He’s the
Am I to fear, or none. only one I’m afraid of, nobody else.

Enter YOUNG SIWARD YOUNG SIWARD enters.

YOUNG SIWARD YOUNG SIWARD

5What is thy name? What’s your name?

MACBETH MACBETH
Thou 'lt be afraid to hear it. You’ll be afraid to hear it.

YOUNG SIWARD
No, though thou call’st thyself a YOUNG SIWARD
hotter name No I won’t, even if you were one of the worst
Than any is in hell. demons in hell.

MACBETH MACBETH
My name’s Macbeth. My name’s Macbeth.

YOUNG SIWARD
10The devil himself could not YOUNG SIWARD
pronounce a title The devil himself couldn’t say a name I hate
More hateful to mine ear. more.

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 MACBETH
MACBETH No, nor could the devil’s name be more
No, nor more fearful. frightening.

YOUNG SIWARD
Thou liest, abhorrèd tyrant. YOUNG SIWARD
With my sword You lie, you disgusting tyrant. I’ll prove with my
I’ll prove the lie thou speak’st. sword that I’m not scared of you.

They fight and YOUNG

SIWARD is slain They fight and YOUNG SIWARD is killed.

MACBETH
Thou wast born of woman.
But swords I smile at, weapons MACBETH
laugh to scorn, You were born from a woman. Swords don’t
15Brandished by man that’s of a frighten me. I laugh at any weapon used by a man
woman born. who was born from a woman.

Exit MACBETH exits.

Alarums. Enter MACDUFF Trumpets and battle sounds. MACDUFF enters.

MACDUFF
That way the noise is. Tyrant,
show thy face!
If thou beest slain, and with no
stroke of mine,
My wife and children’s ghosts will
haunt me still.
I cannot strike at wretched
kerns, whose arms
20Are hired to bear their staves. MACDUFF
Either thou, Macbeth, The noise is coming from over there. Tyrant,
Or else my sword with an show your face! If someone other than me kills
unbattered edge you, the ghosts of my wife and children will
I sheathe again undeeded. There haunt me forever. I can’t be bothered to fight
thou shouldst be; these lame soldiers who only fight for money. I’ll
By this great clatter, one of the either fight you, Macbeth, or else I’ll put down
greatest note my sword unused. You must be over there. By the
Seems bruited. Let me find him, great noise, it sounds like one of the highest-
Fortune, ranking men is being announced. I hope I find
25And more I beg not. him! I ask for nothing more than that.

Exit. Alarums MACDUFF exits. More battle noises.

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 Enter MALCOLM and SIWARD MALCOLM and old SIWARD enter.

SIWARD
This way, my lord. The castle’s
gently rendered.
The tyrant’s people on both sides
do fight, SIWARD
The noble thanes do bravely in Come this way, my lord. The castle has been
the war, surrendered without a fight. Macbeth’s soldiers
The day almost itself professes are fighting on both sides. Our noblemen are
yours, battling bravely. The victory is almost yours, and
30And little is to do. it seems like there’s not much left to do.

MALCOLM MALCOLM
We have met with foes Our enemies fight as if they’re trying not to
That strike beside us. hurt us.

SIWARD SIWARD
Enter, sir, the castle. Sir, enter the castle.

Exeunt. Alarums They exit. Battle noises continue.

Summary Analysis
In the fighting, Macbeth encounters and A reminder of the second half of the
fights Young Siward. Though Young Siward prophecy protecting Macbeth.
is brave, Macbeth quickly kills him and says
in a mocking tone that he fears no man of
woman born.

Act 5 Scene 8

Annotations

ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT

Enter MACBETH MACBETH enters.
MACBETH
MACBETH Why should I commit suicide like one
Why should I play the Roman fool and die of the ancient Romans? As long as I
On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the see enemies of mine alive, I would
gashes rather see my sword wound them
Do better upon them. than me.
Enter MACDUFF MACDUFF enters.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF Turn around, you dog from hell, turn
Turn, hellhound, turn! around!

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MACBETH MACBETH
Of all men else I have avoided thee. You are the only man I have avoided.
5But get thee back. My soul is too much charged But go away now. I’m already guilty
With blood of thine already. of killing your whole family.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
I have no words. I have nothing to say to you. My
My voice is in my sword. Thou bloodier villain sword will talk for me. You are too
Than terms can give thee out! evil for words!
They fight They fight.
MACBETH
Thou losest labor. MACBETH
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air You’re wasting your time trying to
10With thy keen sword impress as make me wound me. You might as well try to
bleed. stab the air with your sword. Go
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; fight someone who can be harmed. I
I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield lead a charmed life, which can’t be
To one of woman born. ended by anyone born from a woman.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF You can forget about your charm.
Despair thy charm, The evil spirit you serve can tell you
And let the angel whom thou still hast served that I was not born. They cut me out
15Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb of my mother’s womb before she
Untimely ripped. could bear me naturally.
MACBETH
MACBETH Curse you for telling me this. You’ve
Accursèd be that tongue that tells me so, fightened away my courage. I don’t
For it hath cowed my better part of man! believe those evil creatures anymore.
And be these juggling fiends no more believed, They tricked me with their
20That palter with us in a double sense, wordgames, raising my hopes and
That keep the word of promise to our ear, then destroying them. I won’t fight
And break it to our hope. I’ll not fight with thee. you.
MACDUFF MACDUFF
Then yield thee, coward, Then surrender, coward, and we’ll put
And live to be the show and gaze o' th' time. you in a freakshow, just like they do
25We’ll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, with deformed animals. We’ll put a
Painted on a pole, and underwrit, picture of you on a sign, right above
“Here may you see the tyrant.” the words “Come see the tyrant!”
MACBETH
I will not yield, MACBETH
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet, I’m not going to surrender and have
And to be baited with the rabble’s curse. to kiss the ground in front of
30Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, Malcolm, or be taunted by the
And thou opposed, being of no woman born, common people. Even though Birnam
Yet I will try the last. Before my body Wood really did come to Dunsinane,
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, and I’m fighting a man not of woman
And damned be him that first cries, “Hold, born, I’ll fight to the end. I’ll put up
enough!” my shield and battle you. Come on,

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 let’s go at it, Macduff, and damn the
first man who cries, 'Stop! Enough!'
They exit fighting. Trumpets and
battle noises. The trumpet of one
army sounds a call to retreat. The
other army’s trumpet sounds a call of
Exeunt, fighting. Alarums. They enter fighting, victory. The victorious army enters,
and MACBETH slain. Retreat. Flourish. Enter, led by MALCOLM ,
with drum and old SIWARD , ROSS , the
colors MALCOLM , SIWARD , ROSS , THANES , other THANES , and soldiers, with a
and SOLDIERS drummer and flag.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM I wish all of our friends could have
35I would the friends we miss were safe arrived. survived this battle.
SIWARD
In every battle, some people will
SIWARD always be killed, but judging from
Some must go off. And yet, by these I see, the men I see around us, our great
So great a day as this is cheaply bought. victory didn’t cost us very much.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM Macduff is missing, and so is your
Macduff is missing, and your noble son. noble son.
ROSS ROSS
Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier’s debt. My lord, your son has paid the
40He only lived but till he was a man, soldier’s price: death. He only lived
The which no sooner had his prowess confirmed long enough to become a man, and as
In the unshrinking station where he fought, soon as he proved that he was a man
But like a man he died. by fighting like one, he died.
SIWARD SIWARD
Then he is dead? So he’s dead?
ROSS ROSS
Ay, and brought off the field. Your cause of Yes, and he’s been carried off the
sorrow field. Your grief should not be equal
45Must not be measured by his worth, for then to his worth, because then your
It hath no end. sorrow would never end.
SIWARD SIWARD
Had he his hurts before? Were his wounds on his front side?
ROSS ROSS
Ay, on the front. Yes, on his front.
SIWARD
SIWARD Well then, he’s God’s soldier now! If
Why then, God’s soldier be he! I had as many sons as I have hairs on
Had I as many sons as I have hairs, my head, I couldn’t hope that any of
I would not wish them to a fairer death. them would die more honorably than
50And so, his knell is knolled. he did. And that’s all there is to it.
MALCOLM
He’s worth more sorrow, MALCOLM

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And that I’ll spend for him. He is worth more mourning than that,
and I will mourn for him.
SIWARD SIWARD
He’s worth no more. He is worth no more than that. They
They say he parted well and paid his score. tell me he died well, and settled his
And so, God be with him! Here comes newer scores. With that, I hope God is with
comfort. him! Here comes better news.
MACDUFF enters,
Enter MACDUFF with MACBETH ’s head carrying MACBETH ’s head.
MACDUFF
Hail, king! Because that’s what you
MACDUFF are now. Look, here I have Macbeth’s
Hail, king! For so thou art. Behold where stands cursed head. We are free from his
55The usurper’s cursèd head. The time is free. tyranny. I see that you have the
I see thee compassed with thy kingdom’s pearl, kingdom’s noblemen around you, and
That speak my salutation in their minds, they’re thinking the same thing as
Whose voices I desire aloud with mine. me. I want them to join me in this
Hail, King of Scotland! loud cheer, Hail, King of Scotland!
ALL ALL
60Hail, King of Scotland! Hail, King of Scotland!
Flourish Trumpets play.
MALCOLM
It won’t be long before I reward
MALCOLM each of you as he deserves. My
We shall not spend a large expense of time thanes and kinsmen, I name you all
Before we reckon with your several loves earls, the first earls that Scotland
And make us even with you. My thanes and has ever had. We have a lot to do at
kinsmen, the dawn of this new era. We must
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland call home all of our exiled friends
65In such an honor named. What’s more to do, who fled from the grip of Macbeth’s
Which would be planted newly with the time, tyranny, and we must bring to justice
As calling home our exiled friends abroad all the evil ministers of this dead
That fled the snares of watchful tyranny, butcher and his demon-like queen,
Producing forth the cruel ministers who, rumor has it, committed suicide.
70Of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen, This, and whatever else we are called
Who, as ’tis thought, by self and violent hands to do by God, we will do at the right
Took off her life; this, and what needful else time and in the right place. So I
That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace, thank you all, and I invite each and
We will perform in measure, time, and place. every one of you to come watch me
75So, thanks to all at once and to each one, be crowned king of Scotland at
Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone. Scone.
Flourish. Exeunt Trumpets play. They all exit.

Summary Analysis
Macduff searches for Macbeth, vowing to
kill him to avenge his family.

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 Emphasis on Macduff's need for revenge
against Macbeth. The play is building
suspense.

Act 5 Scene 9

Summary Analysis
Malcolm and Siward meet. They have easily Macbeth's men don't even fight for him.
captured the castle because Macbeth's His rule is utterly hollow.
men barely fight back.

Act 5 Scene 10

Summary Analysis
Macbeth and Macduff meet. Macbeth says It's unclear if Macbeth is being honest or
he has avoided fighting Macduff because if he's baiting Macduff.
he has too much blood on his hands already.

They fight. Macbeth mocks Macduff, The second block of Macbeth's fate slides
saying his effort is wasted: no one of into place.
woman born can beat Macbeth. But
Macduff replies that he was "untimely
ripped" from his mother's womb" (5.10.16).

Macbeth, suddenly fearful now that the Macbeth dies as he lived—a slave to
prophecy has turned against him, refuses ambition. Lady Macbeth convinced him to
to fight him. But Macduff calls Macbeth a sacrifice his honour by questioning his
coward and says that Macbeth will be courage, now Macduff gets Macbeth to
mocked across Scotland if he surrenders. fight for a lost cause to prove his courage.
Despite certain death, Macbeth attacks.
Macduff kills him.

Act 5 Scene 11

Summary Analysis
Malcolm, Siward, Ross, and others enter. Siward is an ambiguous part of an
Ross tells Siward of Young Siward's death. otherwise happy ending. Siward prizes
Siward asks if his son died from wounds on strength and courage above all things, even
the front or back. Ross replies the front. love for his family. Might he one day
Siward is content, denying Malcolm's become another Macbeth?
comment that his son is worth more
mourning than that.

Macduff enters, carrying Macbeth's Macduff shows his loyalty to King and
severed head. He proclaims Malcolm to be country.
King of Scotland and swears his loyalty.

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 Malcolm accepts the thanes' loyalty and Malcolm returns Scotland to political order,
makes them all earls (a higher rank). He as his use of nature metaphors shows.
pledges to "plant" a new peace, and to heal Malcolm wants to make his country great,
the wounds Macbeth and his "fiend-like not himself.
queen" (5.11.35) inflicted on Scotland.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. “Now does he feel his title.

Hang loose about him like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief”.
About whom is this said ? What does the speaker mean? What image is suggested here?
Ans- This is said about Macbeth. Menteith says this to suggest the diminishing power of
Macbeth as a king. Every minute he feels his treachery because his own men are
revolting against him. Those still support him offer lip-service, they do not serve him in
love. Thus, he feels ill-at case with his kingship.
The imagery is taken from dress. His robe of kingship hangs loose upon him, just as a
giant’s robe sit loose upon a dwarf. The clothes image is brilliantly distorted. – Macbeth
aspired to be giant (king) but only succeeded in being a dwarfish thief (by stealing the
kingdom from Malcolm).

2. Who was the English king referred to? What was his special power? Does it have any
relevance to the play?
Ans- English King referred to was Edward the confessor. He was a pious king. He had
the special power of curing the people of a strange disease called ‘Scrofula’ – king’s evil.
People become swollen and full of ulcers. Even the surgeons despair of curing this
disease. But the solicits heaven, hangs a golden stamp round the necks of the patients
and cures them. This blessed gift of leading is passed on to his posterity. The English
king was possessed of many graces.
This praise is meant for James I at whose court this play was acted. It has dramatic
relevance in so far as it suggests a contrast with the Scottish king (Macbeth) who is a
tyrant causing disease and discomforts to his subjects.

3. ‘This push will cheer me ever or disseat me now.’

What is the mood of the speaker indicated here? Say what follows this remark.
Ans- Macbeth is impatient and irritated to hear his own men flying. He then hears that
ten thousand English soldiers are advancing towards him. Although he pins his faith on
the prophecy of the witches that none of woman born can touch him, he feels extremely
uneasy and restless. He has an instinctive sense that crisis has come to his life. This
“push’ means the crisis or the enemy’s drive to oust him. This crisis will either cheer him
or drive him out of the chair (seat).
This mood of impatience and desperation is followed by a mood of despair. He compares
his life to autumnal season. His leaves are dry and yellow. He laments the loss of love,
friendship and honour which old age longs for. He now gets lip-service and insincere

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 homage. This longing for love and honour in his misery rouses our compassion for the
man who is an irredeemable sinner.

4. “I have almost forgot the taste of fears.”

What light does it throw on the mind of the speaker?
Ans- Macbeth says this when a cry of woman is heard. Macbeth has lost his sense of
fear. In his early days, a nigh-shriek would have cooled his senses. A tale of suffering
would have sent a cool shudder running down his spine. But now fears do not stir him. He
has had too much of horrors, so horrors do not affect him. Here Macbeth deplores his
mental apathy. This feeling that he cannot feel makes us feel for him. We have
compassion for this unfortunate villain.

5. “Blow wind! come wrack!

At least, I’ll die with harness on our back.”
Who says this? What light does it throw on the speaker?
Ans- Macbeth says this when he hears from a messenger that he has seen Birnam wood
move. Macbeth now prepares to put on armour and meet the enemies in the battlefield.
Now his optimism is shaken, he knows the equivocation of the juggling fiends. He now
checks confidence in the witches and calls for the arm. Sense of weariness is followed
by the mood of desperation. He says that he is wearied of this life, and then he is
lashed into fury to challenge fate and unsettle the settled order of things. He calls
upon nature to bring destruction. He will die with armour on his back. He will die bravely.
Thus, his heroic spirit is maintained till the last.

6. ‘Why should I play the Roman fool?’ Who says this? Who are the Roman fools? What
does the speaker want to do?
Ans- Macbeth says this when he has come to the battlefield to meet the enemies. He
will fight the enemies although he knows his cause is lost. Brutus, Cato, Antony, the
Roman heroes committed suicide when they found that their defeat was inevitable. It
was considered honourable by the Romans to commit suicide. But Macbeth intends to die
fighting bravely in the battlefield.

7. “The time is free.”

Who says this and on what occasion? What does he mean?
Ans- Macduff says this when he brings Macbeth’s head and offers it to Malcolm. He has
succeeded in killing the tyrant. He hails Malcolm as the king of Scotland. He says that
time is now free from tyranny. Men are now free, they will pay homage where it is due
and eat and drink with easy minds. It recalls the hope of the lord “free from our feasts
and banquets bloody knives, do faithful homage and receive free honours.

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MISCELLANEOUS Q&A

1. Are the witches in Macbeth real?

Ans- Yes. Macbeth really does see the three Witches in the play. Banquo also sees them
and speaks with them. Initially, Banquo questions the Witches about whether they are
real or possibly a hallucination he and Macbeth both share, but throughout the rest of
the play both men seem to accept the Witches as physical beings. Later in the play, the
Witches appear with their Queen, Hecate, in a scene without any human characters. If
Macbeth had been hallucinating the Witches, he would need to be onstage for them to
be seen. He is not, which is more proof that in the world of this play, they are real.
We can also contrast the treatment of the Witches to Banquo’s ghost. When Macbeth
claims he sees the ghost, Lady Macbeth insists she doesn’t see anything, telling
Macbeth “When all’s done/ You look but on a stool.” In the play, both Macbeth and his
wife have hallucinations which they alone see, but the Witches are clearly visible to
more than just Macbeth.

2. Describe the first meeting of Macbeth with the witches?

Ans-The witches met Macbeth for the first time in the blasted heath when Macbeth
and Banquo were coming back after crushing a rebellion led by the Thane of Cawdor and
assisted by the King of Norway. The first witch hailed Macbeth as the Thane of Glamis.
The second witch called him the Thane of Cawdor and the third witch hailed him as the
future King. Then turning to Banquo, the witches said that Banquo would be lesser than
Macbeth yet greater, not so happy yet much happier, and he would be the father of
future kings. Macbeth was amazed and puzzled at the prophecies and wondered how he
could be the king when Duncan was living and having two sons to succeed him to the
throne.

3. ”Macbeth is more guided by his wife and less by his ambition “–Do you support this
statement? Give reasons.
Ans-Though this is the general perception that Macbeth is more guided by his wife and
less by his ambition, we think this statement is far away from the truth. If Macbeth
did not have strong ambition within, his wife could not have instigated him to commit
the murder of Duncan. In fact, Macbeth was planning so from the moment he was hailed
by the witches as the King of Scotland. Later in the play Macbeth kills Banquo,
Macduff’s family and other people without any instigation from Lady Macbeth. He is
remorseless and remains self-assured of his indestructibility. Therefore, though Lady
Macbeth was responsible, it was Macbeth’s ambition which guided him throughout.

4. What role does the witches play in “Macbeth”?

Ans-The witches play a very important role in “Macbeth”. Had they not been there,
perhaps, Macbeth’s ambition of becoming the king would have remained suppressed in
his heart. The witches act as a catalyst and increase Macbeth’s desire. It is because of
the witches that Macbeth decides so early to plunge into criminality and realize his
ambitions. The witches first make Macbeth hope, then give him the confidence only to

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 lead him slowly and steadily towards his tragedy. But the witches cannot be held
absolutely responsible for Macbeth’s fall. Unlike Banquo, Macbeth could not show the
strength of character and falls prey to the dark desires of his mind.

5. Describe in detail Macbeth’s experience when he goes to kill Duncan?

Ans-When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan he experiences some of the most miserable
moments of his life. He hallucinates and sees an air drawn dagger which is bloody. When
he tries to get hold of the dagger, it vanishes into the air. Then as he murders Duncan,
one of the grooms cry out “murder” and both the grooms wake up. They pray together
and say “amen”. Macbeth also tries to say “amen”, but words would not come out from
him. Then Macbeth hears(because of his heat oppressed brain) someone saying that
Macbeth has murdered sleep and as a result Macbeth shall sleep no more. Facing all
these nightmares, Macbeth returns to his wife.

6. Why did Macbeth murder Banquo? How was Banquo murdered?

Ans-Macbeth murdered Banquo because Macbeth knew that only Banquo was witness to
what the witches said and had strong reasons to suspect and investigate Macbeth’s
hand in the murder of Duncan. Moreover, Macbeth was also jealous of Banquo as the
witches had foretold that many of Banquo’s successors would be kings. So, to eliminate
that chance, Macbeth wanted to kill Banquo and his son Fleance.
Macbeth invited Banquo to a banquet and hired three murderers to kill Banquo and
Fleance on their way to the Banquet. The murderers attacked them but could manage to
kill only Banquo while Fleance escaped.

7. What role did Lady Macbeth play in the murder of Duncan?

Ans-Lady Macbeth played a very important role in the murder of Duncan. Macbeth had
his ambitions but was not bold enough to achieve it by murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth
instigated him and successfully put pressure on him to kill the king. She did it by just
using the valour off her tongue. Though she herself failed to stab Duncan as the
sleeping old king resembled her dead father, she convinced Macbeth that he should go
and do the job instead. They could then easily fix the blame on the grooms. So, the
planning of the murder and the way it was to be executed had come out from the mind
of Lady Macbeth though Macbeth himself remains responsible for his crime.

8. Narrate the fight between Macbeth and Macduff.

Ans-Macbeth and Macduff fights each other towards the end of the play when the
army of Malcolm, of which Macduff is a part, invades Scotland to dethrone and punish
Macbeth. In the battlefield, Macbeth tries to avoid Macduff because of the
Apparition’s warning where he was told to be “beware of Macduff”. But Macduff had
many scores to settle with him and attacked him. Replying to Macbeth’s assertion,
Macduff informs him that he was not of woman born and was from his mother’s womb
untimely ripped off. Macbeth then realizes that his end was near but he carries on his
fight with Macduff and gets killed in the battlefield in Macduff’s hands.

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9. Narrate the banquet scene in Macbeth.
Ans-The Banquet Scene is an important part of the play “Macbeth.” The banquet is
hosted by Macbeth to celebrate his accession to the throne. People attending the
banquet was supposed to have allegiance for Macbeth. In the meantime Macbeth gets
Banquo killed by hired murderers. In the banquet Macbeth complains about the absence
of Banquo and questions his friendship. Suddenly Macbeth sees the blood smeared
ghost of Banquo starts talking to him. He even challenges the ghost to fight with him.
Nobody else sees the ghost, though. Fearing that Macbeth would reveal his crime in
front of others, Lady Macbeth immediately orders dispersal of the crowd citing
Macbeth’s illness.

10. How did the witches deceive Macbeth through the apparitions they conjured in their
second meeting with him?
Ans-The witches deceived Macbeth in their second meeting through the apparitions.
The second apparition told him that he would not be killed until the Birnam Woods come
walking to Dunsinane and Macbeth was not to be killed by any man who was “woman
born”. This was deception as the soldiers in Malcolm’s army cut down branches from the
Birnam Wood and, holding them up, marched to Dunsinane to hide their actual numbers.
It was also revealed that Macduff was not normally born. He was from his mother’s
womb “untimely ripped”. Thus, the witches, through their equivocation, deceived
Macbeth with statements that had double meaning.

11. Did Macbeth always want to be king?

Ans- The audience sees Macbeth for the first time just moments before he and Banquo
encounter the Witches. Thus, there’s not much time for the audience to learn anything
about Macbeth before the Witches’ prophesy. However, immediately upon hearing that
he will be king, Macbeth seems to have a strong reaction, causing Banquo to say “Good
sir, why do you start and seem to fear/ Things that do sound so fair?”. Macbeth’s
reaction suggests he has powerful feelings about the prospect of being king. Similarly,
when Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth telling of the prophecies for his
future, she immediately begins to plot to kill Duncan and take the throne, suggesting
that Lady Macbeth has also always dreamed of being queen.

12. Why does Macbeth think the Witches want to help him?
Ans- When Malcom reveals that he was taken from his mother’s womb – or, in other
words, delivered via Caesarean section – Macbeth finally understands that the Witches’
prophecies meant his downfall, not his elevation. Up to the end of the play, Macbeth has
confused the fact that the Witches’ predictions always came true with the idea that
their predictions were helpful to him. Everything the Witches predict does come true,
but everything that happens ends up hurting Macbeth as well. He does become Thane of
Cawdor, but that feeds his ambition so he kills Duncan. He becomes the king, but as a
result kills many people, including his best friend.
When Macbeth hears the Witches’ final prediction, he is tormented by the vision of
Banquo’s children ruling instead of him, but he still doesn’t understand that the Witches

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 are not on his side. He sees their predictions that he can’t be defeated until Birnam
Wood moves and that he can’t be killed except by a man not born of a woman as proof
that he is protected. He is very wrong.

13. Does Lady Macbeth commit suicide?

Ans- Shakespeare leaves the exact nature of Lady Macbeth’s death ambiguous. When
Macbeth is told that his wife has died, no details are given and he does not ask for
them. Instead, he talks about how futile and pointless life is. At the end of the play,
Malcolm tells the noblemen that “’tis thought, by self and violent hands” the Queen
killed herself, but the inclusion of the word “thought” implies her suicide is a rumour.
Suicide is considered a mortal sin by the Roman Catholic Church, and thus frowned upon
throughout England. According to church law, if Lady Macbeth killed herself, she would
be eternally damned. Yet the question is never fully answered.

14. How did Birnam Wood move and why was Macduff able to kill Macbeth?
Ans- When Malcolm, Macduff, Siward and the other nobles are planning to attack
Macbeth’s castle and overthrow him, in Act V, scene 4, they are in Birnam Wood, across
the fields. Malcolm orders the soldiers to break off boughs from a tree in the Wood
and hold the boughs in front of them as they march toward Macbeth. He says that
doing so will conceal their true numbers from those watching for Macbeth, who will not
be able to report an accurate count to the king. From Macbeth’s perspective, many
yards away, it does look like the Wood itself is moving when the men do this.
Although the Witches tell Macbeth he cannot be killed by a man “of woman born,”
Macduff reveals to Macbeth that he was delivered by what we call a Caesarean section,
cut out of his mother’s body instead of being born in the more usual manner. Thus,
Macduff fulfils the Witches’ prediction that a man not born of a woman is the only
person who can kill Macbeth.

15. What convinces Macbeth that the Witches’ prophecy is true?

Ans- Macbeth becomes convinced that the Witches’ prophecy is true when Duncan
names him Thane of Cawdor, which the Witches prophesied would happen. When the
three Witches first approach Macbeth, they acknowledge Macbeth as Thane of Glamis
(his current title) as well as Thane of Cawdor. This puzzles Macbeth since he can’t
figure out how he is both. Shortly after, Ross delivers the news that the king has given
Macbeth the new title of Thane of Cawdor, since the previous Thane of Cawdor has
been executed for treason. This unexpected event causes Macbeth to become
convinced that the Witches were telling the truth.

16. Why does Banquo not trust the Witches?

Ans- Banquo is sceptical of the Witches’ intentions and remains unconvinced of the
Witches’ prophecy. Banquo warns Macbeth that “instruments of darkness” often tell
half-truths “to win us to our harm”. While the Witches have prophesied great futures
for both Macbeth and Banquo, Banquo is less inspired and intrigued than Macbeth and
would rather leave the matter safely alone.

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17. Why does Macbeth believe he needs to kill King Duncan?
Ans- Macbeth believes he needs to kill King Duncan because he sees the king’s son,
Malcolm, as a threat to the throne. Macbeth has already felt confused about whether
he needs to leave the Witches’ prophecy in the hands of fate or do some “dark” deeds
to help their prophecies along. However, when Macbeth hears Duncan declare his
intention to make Malcolm his heir, Macbeth becomes convinced he needs to take
matters into his own hands and kill King Duncan himself.

18. How does Lady Macbeth persuade Macbeth to kill King Duncan?
Ans- Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill King Duncan by preying on his sense of
manhood and courage. When Macbeth reveals that he has had a change of heart and is
no longer willing to kill King Duncan, Lady Macbeth becomes enraged. She openly
questions whether he is a man who is willing to act on his desires, asking, “Art thou
afeard / To be in the same in thine own act and valour / As thou art in desire?”, and
further calls his manhood into question by stating, “When you durst do it, then you were
a man”. Lady Macbeth’s tactics work: Even though Macbeth is disgusted by his wife’s
ruthlessness, he resolves to kill Duncan.

19. Why does Macbeth kill King Duncan’s two chamberlains?

Ans- While Macbeth’s motive is unclear, it is suggested that Macbeth kills King Duncan’s
two chamberlains in an act of fear and horror. Lady Macbeth’s original plan is to get
King Duncan’s chamberlains so drunk that they pass out and then frame them for King
Duncan’s murder by having Macbeth leave two bloody daggers in their hands. The plan
goes well until Macbeth fails to leave the bloody daggers by the drunken men. In a
confused manner, Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he thought he heard the
chamberlains say, “God bless us!” in their drunken sleep as if they saw him, but it’s not
clear whether this is true. Macbeth is notably rattled and has ostensibly murdered the
chamberlains out of fear of being caught and in horror for what he has chosen to be a
part of.

20. Why do King Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee to England after their father is
murdered?
Ans- Malcolm and Donalbain flee from Scotland to England after their father’s murder
because they are afraid that whoever killed their father will kill them next. While such
a move would seem logical given the circumstances, some view it differently. Some
characters view their escape as a symptom of guilt and wonder if Malcolm and Donalbain
are actually the murderers.

21. How does Lady Macbeth’s death affect Macbeth?

Ans- When Macbeth hears of Lady Macbeth’s death, he responds that she was
eventually going to die anyway—“She should have died hereafter”- just like everyone
else. Macbeth then goes on to comment on the brevity of life: “Life’s but a walking
shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage”. Macbeth might

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 be emotionally numb at this point in the play, beyond the point of sadness or even
regret, especially for a wife who has helped bring him to ruin.

22. What convinces Macbeth that he is invincible over Macduff’s army?

Ans- Macbeth believes that he is invincible over Macduff’s army because the Witches
and the apparitions prophesied “none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth” and
“Macbeth shall never vanquished be until / Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill /
Shall come against him”. Macbeth interprets such prophecies literally. He reasons that
since all men are born from women and woods can’t move, he is invincible.

23. How does the Witches' prophecy about Banquo come true?
Ans- It can be assumed that Banquo’s son, Fleance, eventually becomes king. This
assumption is based partly on the Witches’ prophecy that while Banquo would never be
king, his son and descendants would be. When Macbeth sends a group of murderers to
kill Banquo and Fleance, Fleance escapes, and the murderers only complete half their
task, leaving an open path for Banquo’s line to inherit the throne. The only king actually
crowned after Macbeth in the play, however, is Malcolm, Duncan’s son.

ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Macbeth calls the day of the battle “foul and fair.” What does he mean by this? How
can a situation be both foul and fair?
Ans- Macbeth calls the day of the battle “foul and fair”. It states in the novel, “So foul
and fair a day I have not seen”. The thing he means by this is the day was both good and
bad. This echoes the witches when they say, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” in scene one.
This also foreshadows what is going to happen later on and also shows that Macbeth is
the main focus. Macbeth and Banquo treat the witches with disdain because they
weren’t expecting them after a battle which they won. This could be the reason why
Macbeth says the day is “foul and fair”. Foul means bad and fair means good. A situation
could be both good and bad. Macbeth called this situation good and bad because they
won but it was difficult to win, many men died due to fighting in the battle. A situation
could be good and bad because to achieve something in life you’ll have to work very hard
and sacrifice many things but the outcome will most likely be good which is achieving
your goal. This is what Macbeth meant by “foul and fair”. This is how a situation in
reality could be good and bad at the same time.

2. Why, in Macbeth’s opinion, is murdering Duncan so wrong? Discuss at least three of the
reasons Macbeth provides.
Ans- Although Macbeth is hesitant to kill King Duncan his ambitions get the better of
him as Lady Macbeth pushes him to do the dirty deed. After the murder Macbeth feels
guilty of killing Duncan because he was not a cruel king to his people and did provide
Macbeth with a title, he deserved due to being victorious in battle. Additionally,
Macbeth is family members with Duncan, and it is a disgrace to kill your own blood in
order to elevate your status in society. They are cousins and should be side by side and

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 should not be planning to kill one another. Lastly, the most important reason is that
Duncan is a guest in Macbeth’s house, Macbeth says “As his host, / Who should be
against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself” (Shakespeare,39). As
he believed it is wrong for the host to be the one to stab the guest behind his back
instead of respecting them and showing their hospitality. No matter how cruel a person
is, once they enter your doors they should be respected and treated to the best of the
ability of the host.

3. Characterize the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. If the main theme
of Macbeth is ambition, whose ambition is the driving force of the play—Macbeth’s,
Lady Macbeth’s, or both?
Ans- The Macbeths’ marriage, like the couple themselves, is atypical, particularly by the
standards of its time. Yet despite their odd power dynamic, the two of them seem
surprisingly attached to one another, particularly compared to other married couples in
Shakespeare’s plays, in which romantic felicity appears primarily during courtship and
marriages tend to be troubled. Macbeth offers an exception to this rule, as Macbeth
and his wife are partners in the truest sense of the word. Of course, the irony of their
“happy” marriage is clear—they are united by their crimes, their mutual madness, and
their mounting alienation from the rest of humanity.
Though Macbeth is a brave general and a powerful lord, his wife is far from subordinate
to his will. Indeed, she often seems to control him, either by crafty manipulation or by
direct order. And it is Lady Macbeth’s deep-seated ambition, rather than her husband’s,
that ultimately propels the plot of the play by goading Macbeth to murder Duncan.
Macbeth does not need any help coming up with the idea of murdering Duncan, but it
seems unlikely that he would have committed the murder without his wife’s powerful
taunts and persuasions.

4. What flaws in Macbeth’s character lead to his downfall?

Ans- One major character flaw that led to Macbeth’s downfall is ambition. His ambition
caused him to go way too far which was killing Duncan so he can become king. His
ambition was out of control it led him to being an evil tyrant at the end. The effect the
flaw had on him is it caused him to get killed. Macbeth says “I have no spur, To prick
the sides of my intent, but only, Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, And falls on
the other” (Shakespeare,41) meaning that he knows he had no good reason to kill Duncan
since he was a fine ruler but he wanted that power to himself. An example of an
individual whose ambitions got the better of him was Adolf Hitler. Although he had
control of all of Germany and turned it into a dominant powerhouse industrially and
militarily not only in Europe but in the world that was not enough for his greedy
ambition. He pushed his superior armies outside the German borders into lands that he
claimed were the German peoples and were given to him by the allies initially. This was
not enough to stop his ambitions as he led campaigns in Russia, England, France, and
North Africa in an attempt for global conquest. His ambition got the better of him as
the allied forces teamed up and he could not fight a war in two fronts and then was
eventually defeated. As a result of his ambition millions of people perished from the

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 face of the earth as the ground was littered with dismembered people and the rivers
ran red from blood.

5. One of the important themes in Macbeth is the idea of political legitimacy, of the moral
authority that some kings possess and others lack. With particular attention to
Malcolm’s questioning of Macduff in Act 4, scene 3, try to define some of the
characteristics that grant or invalidate the moral legitimacy of absolute power. What
makes Duncan a good king? What makes Macbeth a tyrant?
Ans- After Duncan’s death, the nobles of Scotland begin to grumble among themselves
about what they perceive as Macbeth’s tyrannical behaviour. When Macduff meets
Malcolm in England, Malcolm pretends that he would make an even worse king than
Macbeth in order to test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland. The bad qualities he claims to
possess include lust, greed, and a chaotic and violent temperament. These qualities all
seem characteristic of Macbeth, whereas Duncan’s universally lauded reign was marked
by the king’s kindness, generosity, and stabilizing presence. The king must be able to
keep order and should reward his subjects according to their merits. For example,
Duncan makes Macbeth thane of Cawdor after Macbeth’s victory over the invaders.
Perhaps the most important quality of a true king to emerge in Malcolm’s conversation
with Macduff is loyalty to Scotland and its people above oneself. Macbeth wishes to be
king to gratify his own desires, while Duncan and Malcolm wear the crown out of love for
their nation.

6. An important theme in Macbeth is the relationship between gender and power,

particularly Shakespeare’s exploration of the values that make up the idea of
masculinity. What are these values, and how do various characters embody them? How
does Shakespeare subvert his characters’ perception of gender roles?
Ans- Manhood, for most of the characters in Macbeth, is tied to ideals of strength,
power, physical courage, and force of will; it is rarely tied to ideals of intelligence or
moral fortitude. At several points in the play, the characters goad one another into
action by questioning each other’s manhood. Most significantly, Lady Macbeth
emasculates her husband repeatedly, knowing that in his desperation to prove his
manhood he will perform the acts she wishes him to perform. Macbeth echoes Lady
Macbeth’s words when he questions the manhood of the murderers he has hired to kill
Banquo, and after Macduff’s wife and children are killed, Malcolm urges Macduff to
take the news with manly reserve and to devote himself to the destruction of Macbeth,
his family’s murderer. Ultimately, there is a strong suggestion that manhood is tied to
cruelty and violence: note Lady Macbeth’s speech in Act 1, scene 5, when she asks to be
“unsexed” so that she can help her husband commit murder. Yet, at the same time, the
audience is clearly meant to realize that women provide the push that sets the bloody
action of the play in motion. Macduff, too, suggests that the equation of masculinity
with cruelty is not quite correct. His comments show that he believes emotion and
reflection are also important attributes of the true man.

7. What does the ending of the play mean?

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 Ans- At the end of the play, Macbeth’s severed head is brought to Malcolm by Macduff,
proof that Macbeth has been overthrown, and that Scotland is now Malcom’s to rule.
Malcolm promises rewards to all who have fought for him, and names them all earls, the
first in Scotland. He announces that they will now work to welcome back all the people
of Scotland who fled under Macbeth’s tyranny, and invites all present to watch him be
crowned at Scone Castle, the traditional coronation site of Scottish kings. In his final
speech, Malcolm also mentions that Lady Macbeth is said to have committed suicide.
Thus, the play ends with very little ambiguity: the good side has won, and the evil side
has been vanquished.
Yet there is one remaining thread that is not resolved: that of Fleance, Banquo’s son,
who was able to flee his father’s murderers. The Witches predicted that Banquo would
“get” kings, that is, be the patriarch in a line of rulers, although not becoming a ruler
himself. Whether this will happen or not is unclear. Malcolm is the direct descendent of
King Duncan (and, in historical fact, took the throne from Macbeth). There was a real
Banquo, and King James I was thought to be descended from his line, so perhaps
Shakespeare left the status of Banquo’s descendants ambiguous in order to please his
patron.

8. Is Lady Macbeth a Villain or a Victim?

Ans- When audiences first encounter Lady Macbeth, she seems a very forceful and
dominant personality, and we can assume that she is the villain, or antagonist, of the
play. Unlike Macbeth, who deliberates over whether or not to kill Duncan and who
wrestles with loyalty to his king, Lady Macbeth is single-minded in her lust for power.
She has no loyalty to any cause beyond her own ambition, and is willing to manipulate her
husband to achieve what she wants. Her desire for Macbeth to be king doesn’t stem
from a belief he’d be a good ruler; she wants him to be king because she wants to be
queen. As a woman, queen is the most powerful role she can hope for in the court. Unlike
Macbeth, who hopes there’s a way he can become king without taking action himself,
Lady Macbeth immediately accepts that murder is necessary to achieve her goals, and
prays for the resolve necessary to commit the act: “Come, you spirits that tend on
mortal thoughts, unsex me here/ and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/of
direst cruelty.”
However, if we look more closely at the difference between who Lady Macbeth is and
who she wants to be, we begin seeing a different side of Lady Macbeth, suggesting that
she is not as villainous as we might have thought. While her boast to Macbeth that, if
she had promised to kill her own child, she would have “dashed its brains out” without
hesitation is certainly blood-chilling, she is only saying what she would do, not telling us
about something she has actually done. In the lines before this shocking claim, she
admits, “I have given suck, and know/How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me.” In
reality, she is capable of tenderness and warmth. Her wish to be “unsexed” and request
that the spirits to “take my milk for gall,” so that she can act without remorse, indicate
that, rather than lacking compassion, she fears she has too much. In fact, it may be
Lady Macbeth, not her husband, who may be “too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness.”
Another contrast between what Lady Macbeth says she would do and what she actually

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 does comes on the night of Duncan’s murder. While waiting for Macbeth to kill Duncan,
she admits “Had he not resembled/ my father as he slept, I had done’t.” Again, she is
portraying herself as ruthless and violent, but her action (or lack of action) tells a
different story. Maybe she would have killed Duncan if he didn’t look like her father;
maybe not – all we know is, given the opportunity to kill the king, she couldn’t go through
with it. Her previous wish that her blood would “stop up th’ access and passage to
remorse” has not come true. When Macbeth announces Duncan’s death, she faints. One
reading is that her faint is faked to distract from Macbeth’s shaky story. But if the
faint is real, it suggests she just now realizes the truth of what they’ve done, and is
overwhelmed by her husband’s ability to kill not only Duncan but also the attendants,
and lie so easily about it.
After Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth’s role is of comforter and protector of Macbeth,
rather than instigator of murder, and her character becomes more sympathetic.
Immediately after the murder, Macbeth says, “to know my deed, ‘twere best not know
myself,” and the rest of the play sees him becoming further estranged from himself
and his essential humanity. Lady Macbeth, in contrast, stops pretending to be someone
she’s not, and begins admitting who she actually is. She recognizes the error of their
actions, saying, “’Tis safer to be that which we destroy/Than by destruction dwell in
doubtful joy.” They’ve killed Duncan, but the murder only made them miserable, and in
some ways they’d be better off dead. However, she continues to put on a brave face for
her husband, encouraging him to put the past behind him (“what’s done is done”) and
stop worrying. When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet, Lady Macbeth again
covers for him. But, sensing her regret, he hides his plans to kill Lady Macduff and her
children. Not only has Macbeth become a stranger to himself, he is also a stranger to
his wife, who now has no ally and is isolated in her guilt.
The last time we see Lady Macbeth she is raving about blood on her hands, signalling
that she is a victim of her husband and her own overwrought emotional state. Over the
course of the play we’ve seen her evolve from a crafty manipulator to a guilt-ridden
casualty of her husband’s ambition who has lost all agency over her own life. “The Thane
of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?” she asks, in what sounds like babble but is
actually a poignant acknowledgment of her own irrelevance. Her husband is off
murdering more innocent people in his quest to hold onto his ill-gotten crown, while Lady
Macbeth, who hoped to share in his glory, has been abandoned. Her obsession with
cleaning the phantom blood off her hands signals that she has been just as tainted as
Macbeth by his murders, even though she did not commit them herself, nor has she
benefitted from them. While Lady Macbeth is far from blameless for her role in
inciting her husband to action, she ends the play a far more sympathetic character than
she began.

9. Write about the significance of equivocation in Macbeth.

Ans- Macbeth is a play about subterfuge and trickery. Macbeth, his wife, and the three
Weird Sisters are linked in their mutual refusal to come right out and say things
directly. Instead, they rely on implications, riddles, and ambiguity to evade the truth.
Macbeth’s ability to manipulate his language and his public image in order to hide his

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foul crimes makes him a very modern-seeming politician. However, his inability to see
past the witches’ equivocations—even as he utilizes the practice himself—ultimately
leads to his downfall.
Sometimes, equivocations in Macbeth are meant kindly, as when Ross tries to spare
Macduff’s feelings by telling him that his wife and son are “well.” Macduff initially takes
this to mean that his family is alive and healthy, but Ross means that they are dead and
in heaven. More often than not, though, such ambiguous statements lead to harm. The
witches’ deceptive prophecies are perhaps the most destructive instances of
equivocation. They tell Macbeth that he can never be harmed by anyone “of woman
born,” but they neglect to tell him that Macduff was surgically removed from his
mother’s womb and therefore doesn’t fall into that category. Similarly, they tell
Macbeth that he can’t be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, but they
don’t alert him to the possibility that the opposing army might advance on his castle
under cover of branches cut from Birnam trees.
Macbeth ignores several signs that might have alerted him to the witches’ deceptive
capabilities. Banquo warns Macbeth to be wary of their predictions, since evil creatures
will sometimes win people’s confidence with “honest trifles”—small truths—only to
betray them more deeply in the future. Indeed, the witches promise Macbeth fame and
honour while withholding important information about the consequences that will follow.
If Macbeth had been listening closely to the witches’ language, he might have picked up
on their potential for trickery himself. The three Weird Sisters greet Banquo with a
series of riddling titles, hailing him as “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” and “Not so
happy, yet much happier.” The phrases sound like nonsense, but in reality both
assertions in each statement are true. Banquo will have a lesser title than Macbeth, but
is the greater (i.e., more moral) man. He will not be as fortunate as Macbeth in the
short term, as he will soon be assassinated, but will ultimately be much more fortunate
because he won’t be made to suffer the everlasting torments of hell. At no point do the
witches lie to Macbeth—he simply hears what he wants to hear and ignores the rest.
It is ironic that Macbeth falls for the witches’ equivocations, because Macbeth and his
wife are master equivocators themselves. Duncan laments that there’s no method with
which one may find “the mind’s construction in the face,” meaning that it is impossible to
know what a person is truly thinking just from his or her outward appearance. Lady
Macbeth mimics this language when she directs her husband to look like an “innocent
flower” in order to hide the “serpent” that truly lurks in his heart. The Macbeths know
how to use imagery and appearance to conceal the truth, and sometimes they even use
those skills on themselves. Macbeth asks the stars to extinguish their light so that his
“eye” cannot see what his “hand” does. Similarly, Lady Macbeth asks the night to grow
as dark as the “smoke of hell” so that her knife cannot see itself slash its victim. The
Macbeths know that their acts are wicked, so they try to hide the knowledge of their
deeds from their own consciousness. In a sense, they wish to equivocate to themselves.
Just before Macduff kills him, Macbeth swears that he will never again believe those
“juggling fiends” that manipulate words and speak “in a double sense.” However, it’s
possible that the three Weird Sisters are not “fiends,” or demons, at all, but rather
agents of morality who bring Macbeth to justice by trapping him with his own tricks.

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 The drunken porter, imagining himself the keeper of hell’s gates, pretends to admit “an
equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed
treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven.” One can imagine
Macbeth receiving a similar welcome from the true porter of hell’s gates.

10. Write about the ways Shakespeare explores the theme of guilt through the characters
in Macbeth.
Ans- Guilt is a profound emotion that is uniquely characterized by the complex human
nature of individuals and their perspectives. William Shakespeare’s eponymous text
Macbeth, written in 1606 embodies prominent values as it demonstrates the uprise of
his status and his eventual downfall. The thematic concern of guilt moulds life in the
text and depicts a significant aspect of Macbeth’s life to increase the understanding of
life during the Elizabethan Era.
Shakespeare demonstrated that out of all the virtues and excellence a man can acquire,
bravery universally defeats the seemingly impossible adversity. This is precisely
portrayed when Macbeth fought the arduous battle depicting his ruthlessness and
supreme virtue. “Which smoked with bloody execution, till he unseamed him from the
nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements.” Clearly indicating how
Macbeth is a mighty warrior as he leads the Scottish troops to victory over an invading
force. The persona’s human nature is undoubtedly the particular defining aspect that
evidently surpasses all greatness as he violently kills the enemy displaying no remorse.
Shakespeare utilized literary techniques to fabricate the text, and he deliberately used
a metaphor when saying “which smoked with bloody execution” to convey the literal
meaning of a sword by mentioning the smoke. The utilization of a metaphor was
distinctly portrayed as the sword seemed to erupt smoke due to the merciless killing of
the enemy. Macbeth’s bravery is depicted as he shows no emotion and does not
procrastinate about the consequences as he faces situations upfront. Hence, once the
sword came into contact with the enemy, Macbeth split his body open from his navel
down to his jaw and placed his head on the sword as a sign of victory. The historical
context during the 1600s was a time where men possessed all power and Shakespeare
highlighted this issue through all his plays and actors. Macbeth does not only explore
his bravery and lack of remorse but also his vulnerable state of being.
Shakespeare illustrates vulnerability through the eyes of the persona denoting the
emotional state of Macbeth. This is accurately presented when Macbeth hallucinates
the dagger before committing the ultimate sin of regicide. “And on thy blade and
dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before.” Incorporating a confused tone of
voice, Macbeth showcases his psychological nature as he is unable to think clearly.
Reinforcing the importance of the character’s state of mind to strengthen the overall
atmosphere of the play. Shakespeare applied symbolism to clearly annotate meaning in
the text. The blood is symbolized as a constant reminder of guilt even before the crime
has been committed and the outcomes of his power. It also serves as an image that
provokes Macbeth to reflect in his deeds. Imagery is essentially created to stimulate
the reader’s imagination and Shakespeare purposely used this to illustrate Macbeth’s
state of delusion as he hallucinates the dagger. Macbeth’s vulnerability is demonstrated

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 as signs and indications of guilt through the persona’s hallucination. Macbeth becomes
emotional at the thought of murdering an individual who trusts and values him. The
persona does not only experience a vulnerable state of mind but also encounters the
consequence of guilt.
Due to unlawful and shameful deeds, Shakespeare exemplifies how a guilty conscience
plagues the mind of Macbeth. This is accurately illustrated when Macbeth is distressed
about murdering a righteous man while being in a peaceful state. For sleep in
Shakespeare is the privilege of the good and the innocent. The voice kept crying. “Sleep
no more. Macbeth has murdered sleep, and therefore will sleep no more.” Integrating an
emphatic tone of voice, this showcases how Macbeth will never be at peace with his
mind. Duncan is not even alive for his presence to be felt however Macbeth’s conscience
is eating away his sanity. The persona crumbles as he suffers the guilt and this plays
heavily upon his character until his personality is completely destroyed. This statement
also succeeds in demonstrating the internal conflict and paranoia that torments
Macbeth for the rest of the play. Shakespeare has effectively assimilated the
utilization of foreshadowing as this allows the audience to predict and anticipate the
character’s next action as they are knowledgeable of Macbeth’s fears and intentions.
This literally foreshadows the persona’s suffering of insomnia and insanity that plagues
Macbeth as he hallucinates a voice crying out to him. This quote reflects the fact that
Macbeth murdered Duncan in his sleep and therefore will not be able to rest easy any
longer. The world is accompanied by decisions and in regards to Macbeth, due to his
poor decision making the consequences carved a dent in his life.
To conclude, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a prominent text set during the 1600s
during the Elizabethan Era. The eponymous text explored the element of guilt through
the eyes of Macbeth as it succeeds in displaying the uprise of his social status and his
eventual downfall. The text depicts a momentous aspect as our understanding of life
during the 1600s were enhanced as we got exposed to Macbeth’s decisions as he faced
the consequences of his illicit actions.

11. How does William Shakespeare use imagery of nature to create central ideas in
Macbeth?
Ans- Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare and is thought to have been first
performed in 1606. The play dramatizes the damaging physical and psychological
effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake. William
Shakespeare, the author uses imagery of nature to convey and create central ideas
throughout the play. He does this for a number of reasons; to portray the mood at the
time, to foreshadow important events of portray his thoughts clearly and get the right
message across to his readers. He shows this through hallucinations Macbeth
experiences after each death, the gardens and harvest imagery representing the
disorderly acts of the characters throughout the play, and the weather due to Banquo’s
death (storms, sun and stars).
Shakespeare explores the idea of nature through a series of hallucinations Macbeth
experiences on many different occasions. Every hallucination he experiences is at night,
and only when bad things happen. An example of this is in act 2, scene 1 when Macbeth

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sees the dagger for the first time; ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle
toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee, I have not, and yet I see thee still, art thou
not, fatal vision, sensible, to feeling as to sight, or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a
false creation, proceeding from a heat-oppressed brain?’, later on in the play, in act 2,
scene 2, Macbeth hears warning voices of sleepless days ahead of him as the murderer
of King Duncan, “Methought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder
sleep” – the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care, the death of
each day’s life, sore labour’s bath, balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,
chief nourisher in life’s feast. This quote symbolises innocence, purity, peace of mind
and for Macbeth, and guilt. Finally, in act 3 scene 4 Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the
post-coronation banquet; ‘Avaunt! And quit my sight! let the earth hide thee! Thy bones
are marrow less, thy blood is cold; thou hast no speculation in those eyes, which thou
dost glare with!’
Another way Shakespeare uses imagery of nature to convey and create central ideas in
the play Macbeth, is by using garden and harvest imagery to demonstrate the disorderly
acts of the characters. The imagery of seeds is used to convey the witches’ power.
Showing how unnatural it would be to tell which seeds will grow and which wont and
proving that their prophesies can only bring up more unusual beginnings. “If you can look
into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not speak, speak
then to me”. Another example of gardens and harvesting is the symbolism of the Birnam
Wood. One of the witches’ predictions states that Macbeth will only be defeated when
Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. This is one of Macbeth’s main ways of reinforcing
his own belief that he cannot be defeated. However, at the end, Siward’s forces
disguise hide their numbers by dressing themselves in the branches of the forest.
Finally, in the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses weather as imagery to create
ideas within his play. The weather symbolises the evil and darkness throughout the play.
For example, The King represents the good. If the King is good, then the harvests and
weather will be good. When Macbeth kills the King, nature becomes out of control.
Storms begin to rage, it is always dark, there are earth tremors, and the animals go mad
and eat one another. This represents the Macbeth’s horrible acts. Adding on, storm
imagery is used to reflect the death of King Duncan; the night had been extremely
strange and unnatural, just like the murder of a great king is unnatural. “Our chimneys
were blown down, and, as they say, lamenting’s heard i’ the air, strange screams of
death”. Another use of imagery is the sun which is used to reveal Duncan’s death; nature
is unbalanced because the human world is unbalanced. Once everything is brought back
to its normal order, capture can continue on its expected course. “By clock, ‘tis day, and
yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp/ is’t night’s predominance, or the day’s
shame, that darkness does the face of earth entomb (2.4.7-10). Finally, imagery of
stars refers to good people, Duncan is giving stars the attributes of being noble and
honourable; while using them to say the stars’ light will shine on all the good people. “But
signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers” (1.4.47-48)
In conclusion, Shakespeare uses several different ways of imagery to create central
ideas of nature in his play, Macbeth. He shows this through hallucinations Macbeth
experiences after each death, the gardens and harvest imagery representing the

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 disorderly acts of the characters throughout the play, and the weather due to Banquo’s
death (storms, sun and stars).
12. How does Shakespeare use ambition as a destructive trait in the play Macbeth?
Ans- Shakespeare uses ambition in ‘Macbeth’ as a destructive trait, that follows the
religious beliefs of the Elizabethan era; that god gave you your place on earth, and an
attempt to desire or upstage this status was a direct act against him. Therefore,
Shakespeare uses ambition as a tragic flaw of the main protagonists (Macbeth and Lady
Macbeth), it is the source of their, and over 12 characters deaths in the play.
Macbeth monologues his desire to “jump the life to come”. The verb “jump” suggests an
overwhelming desire to leap forth, unrestricted, into the supposed power and good
times that await for him. The irony of this is shown in the following scenes of the play,
as Macbeth’s ambition becomes the cause of his eventual downfall; the audience
responds to the end of Macbeth’s tyrannical rule with relief, as the noble Malcolm
restores order to Scotland. The notion of a “jump” also suggests to Macbeth’s intention
to cheat his way through the hierarchy, not only by killing the king but by deception:
framing Duncan’s sons to ensure his own coronation – as historically in Scotland, the heir
was chosen and not automatically the oldest son of the current Monarch. However,
Macbeth is not historically accurate as the play was based off Holinshed’s Chronicles.
Shakespeare uses imagery relating to the bible or Christ to warn the audience of how
dangerous Macbeth’s ambition will become. The metaphor of the “poison’d chalice”
renders the audience horrified as they realise the magnitude of disrespecting a sacred
object. This calls attention to the widespread belief in the Late Renaissance era in
divine order, and hence killing the king would not only be a high treason, but a betrayal
of God. This image effectively demonstrates the potentially large scale violence that
the impossible to satisfy Ambition can bring, foreshadowing the other brutal murders
Macbeth organises in the following scenes.
Macbeth ends his monologue with a warning to himself not to allow the ambition to
overwhelm him, by describing an image of a horseman attempting to mount his horse,
but is too eager and falls regardless: “o’erleaps itself strongly foreshadows the tragic
hero’s own demise in the play. Macbeth fails to pay attention to his own warning, instead
becoming excessively proud, and self-admiring. However, o’erleap could be interpreted
as a comedic act of misjudgement, very similar to Mcbeth’s almost laughable ignorance
of his approaching death in Act 5.
Lady Macbeth is portrayed as an ambitious woman with immoral intentions. She calls
upon the spirits to fill her “toe-top full of direst cruelty”, connecting the separation
between the human and paranormal realms in the play. Her impossible to satisfy lust for
power is evident in her use of “toe-top”, she speaks iambic pentameter in her speech as
well, suggesting to the audience that she feels the cruelty inside her almost overflowing
– to the point where a change of the smallest proportions could be motivation enough
for her to act on her desires, sending her “cruelty” spilling over into the world around
her and demonstrating itself in the murder of Duncan. This comes on the messenger
informing Lady Macbeth that she will play hostess to Duncan that very night, creating
great tension as the audience realises her intention to kill the King.

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In contrast, ambition begins to appear as a negative theme for the tragic couple as
their paranoia sets in. Lady Macbeth’s helpless cries of “out, out, damned spot!” reflect
her overwhelming regret – she feels as though the “blood on her hands” is noticeable to
those around her, and she spends her days scrubbing her hands anxiously, signalling to
the audience that she is in a state of hallucination.
Macbeth’s sending of a third murderer to ensure the homicide of Banquo and Fleance
has been carried out suggests that Macbeth is brutal in his demands, and wants to rest
in the knowledge that there is no threat to his throne. Alternatively, it could imply that
he could not fully trust the first two assassins – which shows deep irony, as Macbeth
himself is the one who shouldn’t be trusted.
Overall, ambition in the case of these two tragic protagonists eventually presents upon
them the opposite way of what they had hoped; instead of becoming King and Queen of
Scotland, both are dead and the audience is left to reflect on Macbeth’s moral message:
that selfish ambition ultimately leads to destruction.

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