Act 3

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Act 3, Scenes 1-2

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2:

Act 3, Scene 1

The scene begins just after Macbeth has been crowned king.
Banquo speaks to himself. He is afraid that Macbeth has done something bad to get the crown: ‘I fear / Thou played’st most foully for’t’. Banquo still hopes that this means his children will be kings.
Macbeth enters. He calls Banquo his ‘chief guest’. This implies that he still treats Banquo like his best friend. Banquo sets out on a horse ride with Fleance.

Act 3, Scene 1 - Macbeth's soliloquy

Macbeth speaks in another soliloquy (speech to himself). He says that having the crown is not enough. He must feel secure as king: ‘To be thus is nothing, / But to be safely thus’.
Macbeth is afraid that the wise Banquo is a threat to his crown: ‘There is none but he, / Whose being I do fear’.
Macbeth knows that the witches also prophecised (predicted) that Banquo’s sons would be kings, and so he feels they must be a threat.
Two murderers enter the stage and agree to kill Banquo and Fleance.

Act 3, Scene 2

Lady Macbeth is worried that Macbeth is thinking a lot of bad thoughts about killing King Duncan. She says: ‘what’s done, is done’.
Macbeth tells her that this is just the beginning: ‘We have scorch’d the snake, not killed it.’ This means he still feels that his crown is at risk.
This shows where Macbeth is beginning to take control of his own future, instead of letting Lady Macbeth tell him what to do. Here, she wants him to enjoy being king and move on, but Macbeth wants to secure his future by continuing to kill anyone that threatens his rule.
Macbeth is almost shown to be paranoid here.

Act 3, Scene 2 (continued)

Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he is suffering from nightmares.
Macbeth hints that something bad is about to happen, but does not tell Lady Macbeth of his plan to kill Banquo. This is surprising because she seemed to be the driving force behind the murder of King Duncan.
When Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth what he means, he says that she doesn’t need to know: ‘Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck’.
This is a turning point – before this point, Macbeth has told his wife everything and allowed her to take control of his decisions. Now, Macbeth doesn’t even feel the need to tell his wife about his plan.

Act 3, Scenes 3-4

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 3, Scenes 3 and 4:

Act 3, Scene 3

The two men hired to kill Banquo are waiting for him when a third man comes - Macbeth has sent another murderer. He wants to make absolutely sure that Banquo is killed.
Banquo and Fleance show up and they are attacked.
Banquo is killed: ‘O treachery!’
When he is dying, he tells Fleance to run so that he can take revenge later. Fleance escapes.

Act 3, Scene 4

Macbeth’s feast has begun. He tells the lords to sit.
One of the murderers arrives at a side door and tells Macbeth that Banquo is dead but Fleance escaped.
Macbeth feels scared again (‘I am cabin’d, cribb’d, confin’d, bound in / To saucy doubts and fears’) because he has not eliminated the threat to his crown. But he is happy Banquo is dead and returns to the feast.

Act 3, Scene 4 - Banquo's ghost

The ghost of Banquo enters the stage. He sits in Macbeth’s seat. Macbeth doesn’t notice until he raises a toast to his absent friend.
The ghost points at Macbeth and Macbeth becomes very distressed – ‘never shake / Thy gory locks at me!’ – however it becomes clear that he is the only one who can see it.
Out of earshot, Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's manhood: ‘Are you a man?’ She eventually asks the guests to leave.
After the guests have left, Macbeth says ‘It will have blood they say: blood will have blood.’ This suggests that he fears being punished for the murders he has committed.

Act 3, Scene 4 - The witches

Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth he plans to go and see the three witches the next day because he needs to know more about his future.
Lady Macbeth is worried about him and says that he needs more sleep.
Macbeth fears they are still just starting out on the path of destruction: ‘We are yet but young in deed’.
Macbeth feels scared and paranoid about the future – the initial murders are not enough for him because he feels that he has to keep killing people to try to protect his crown.

Act 3, Scenes 5-6

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 3, Scenes 5 and 6:

Act 3, Scene 5

The witches meet with Hecate, their queen.
Hecate is angry that she has been left out of the witches’ meeting with Macbeth.
She tells them to meet with her later. She will share his destiny (fate) with them.
They plan to trick Macbeth by showing him illusions (fake images).

Act 3, Scene 6

Lennox is talking to another lord (thane). Both Lennox and the other lord suspect that Macbeth has been involved in the murders.
The other lord reveals that Macduff has gone to England to join with Malcolm, King Duncan’s son. He is trying to petition King Edward for help to gather an army. He wants the people of Northumberland, under Lord Siward, to return to Scotland so that Macbeth can be removed from power and peace can be restored.
Macbeth has heard this and is preparing for war. He ordered Macduff to return to Scotland. Macduff refused.
Lennox says that Macbeth is a 'tyrant' and Scotland needs saving.

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3Characters

3.1Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain

3.1.2Ambition & Fate

3.1.3Relationship

3.1.4Unstable

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo

3.3.2The Witches

3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4King Duncan

3.3.5Macduff

3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

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