Macbeth Act 3, Scenes 1 & 2

In this episode of Read It and (Don’t) Weep, we move into Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2 of Macbeth. Now that Macbeth has become king, the prophecy about Banquo’s descendants begins to trouble him. As Banquo reflects on the witches’ predictions, Macbeth starts to worry about what the future might hold for the crown he fought so hard to obtain.

Meanwhile, a conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth reveals that becoming king has not brought the peace either of them expected. Instead, tension and suspicion are beginning to grow, and Macbeth starts to consider actions that will push the story in an even darker direction.

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Transcript

Hello and welcome to "Read it and (Don't) Weep," the podcast that will help you breeze through your high school literature classes. Are you tired of struggling to understand the themes and characters in classic works of literature? Well, I’ve got you covered! I am your host, Jackey Taggart, and I taught high school English for almost 20 years. Join me each episode as I dive into the world of high school literature and break down the essential elements of each work. From Shakespeare to Steinbeck, I'll cover it all. My goal is to give you valuable insights and analysis on some of the most popular high school literary texts, as well as tips and tricks for acing your tests and essays. Let’s start reading!

Act 3, Scene 1

Hello and welcome back to "Read it and (Don't) Weep." I’m Jackey Taggart, and in this episode, we are going to talk about Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2 in Macbeth. At this point in the play, Duncan has been murdered, his sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, have fled the country and Macbeth has been crowned King of Scotland. We get to see exactly what type of king Macbeth is going to be. If you have not yet read up to this point in the play, it would be a good idea to get caught up with your reading and listen to my other episodes before continuing.

Scene 1 opens in the royal palace at Forres, and Banquo enters thinking out loud.

He admits that everything the witches promised Macbeth has come true. Macbeth is now king, but Banquo is a little suspicious. He suspects Macbeth may have “played’st most foully” to get the crown.

Still, Banquo cannot ignore his own prophecy. So, the witches said Macbeth’s children would not inherit the throne, and that Banquo would be the father of a line of kings. Since the predictions came true for Macbeth, Banquo wonders if they might come true for him as well.

Just then, we hear a trumpet sounds and Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen. They greet Banquo and invite him to a royal banquet that night. Banquo promises he will attend and act as a loyal subject.

But the conversation takes a darker turn. Macbeth starts asking Banquo about his plans for the day. Banquo says he will be riding until late this evening, and Macbeth reminds him not to miss the feast. Then Macbeth asks the key question, Is Fleance, his son, be with him? Banquo confirms his son is going along. Not sure what you think, but I think this conversation is a little shady.  What exactly is Macbeth up to?

Once Banquo leaves, Macbeth sends everyone else away, “Let every man be master of his time / Till seven at night,” and once his is alone, we immediately learn what’s really on his mind. He is feeling paranoid that someone is going to try to kill him and take his crown away.  His thoughts turn straight to Banquo. Remember the witches’ prophecy? Macbeth will be king, but Banquo’s sons will be king. Macbeth knows that Banquo’s is strong and smart making him dangerous. He admits Banquo is the one person he truly fears. 

Macbeth starts becoming angry and a little manic because if Banquo’s sons inherit the throne, then everything he did was for nothing. He says he wears a “fruitless crown” and holds a “barren scepter,” meaning his legacy will not be passed to his own children. He has risked his soul only to hand the future to Banquo’s sons.

At this point, Macbeth decides he will not let fate control his life. He decides he is going to make sure the prophecy does not come true.  

At this point, his servant enters with two murders, and the audience realizes Macbeth did not just come up with this plan to kill Banquo, and he has already  started putting this plan in motion. 

Macbeth tells the two hired hitmen that Banquo is responsible for their hardships and misfortune, pushing them to see Banquo as their enemy. It’s also important to notice that Shakespeare shifts out of iambic pentameter here, just like he did in the Porter scene, but this moment is not meant to be funny. Instead, the change in language highlights the social divide between the king and these hired hitmen.

Macbeth explains to the murders that he cannot kill Banquo himself because they’re friends and they share powerful friends, so the murder must be done secretly. He also makes it very clear that Banquo’s son, Fleance, must die too.  If both Banquo and his son are killed, then then prophecy cannot come true.

The murderers agree, and Macbeth closes the scene with a chilling line, saying, “It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” Basically saying that if Banquo is going to go to heaven, he will find out tonight.

Before moving on to Scene 2, take a few minutes to record your thoughts in your reading journal. In this scene, Banquo and Macbeth respond very differently to the prophecy. How do their choices show two different approaches to ambition?

Hey teachers! Are you looking for some top-notch resources to go along with this podcast episode? You'll find them right in my store. A quick click on the link in the show notes gets you right there. What awaits? A stash of guided questions, note-taking aids, and assessments to use with your students. Go ahead, make the most of these resources today!

Act 3, Scene 2

Let’s continue with our reading. Scene 2 takes place back inside the castle and focuses on a tense private conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth enters first, and we can tell right away she isn’t happy. Even though she and Macbeth got what they wanted, the crown didn’t bring them peace. Instead, they’re constantly on edge, always looking over their shoulders. She even says it almost feels safer to be dead, like Duncan, than to live with the anxiety they feel now.

When Macbeth arrives, she tells him he needs to stop obsessing over what has already happened. What is done is done.

But Macbeth does not see it that way at all. He says they have only “scorched the snake, not killed it,” meaning danger is still out there. He admits he cannot rest, saying his mind is full of fear and terrible thoughts. He even suggests that Duncan is actually better off dead than they are alive and haunted by what they have done. I find it interesting that Lady Macbeth was just saying this to herself but thinks Macbeth should just put these thoughts aside.

Anyway, Lady Macbeth tries to calm him down and reminds him he needs to chill out and act cool, calm, and collected in front of their guests. She tells him to fix his expression and act happy at the banquet that night, so no one suspects anything. Macbeth agrees, saying they must hide their true feelings and keep up appearances that everything is just fine.

But then he confesses what is really bothering him. He says his mind is racing and his thoughts are “full of scorpions.” He is just so focused on the fact that Banquo and Fleance are still alive.

Lady Macbeth tries to reassure him, pointing out that everyone eventually dies. But instead of calming Macbeth down, this pushes him over the edge. He hints that something is going to happen tonight.  He is not specific, but it puts Lady Macbeth on full alert.

She tries to press him for details, but Macbeth shuts her out completely. He tells her to “Be innocent of the knowledge,” of what is about to go down. This is a huge shift from earlier in the play. In Act 1, Lady Macbeth was the one pushing Macbeth into action. Now Macbeth is acting on his own. This makes him much more dangerous.

The scene ends with Macbeth fully committed to his plan, saying that now that he has started moving in this direction, the only way out if to keep moving forward.

That brings us to the end of Scene 2. Before moving on, take a few minutes to record your thoughts in your reading journal. In this scene, we see Macbeth and Lady Macbeth beginning to change roles in their relationship. How does this conversation show that Macbeth is becoming both more independent and more dangerous?

Closing

Thanks for listening to this episode of Read it and (Don’t) Weep. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you will be notified when new episodes are released. If you liked today’s show, please leave a review so others can discover my show.  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, drop me an email at readitanddontweep@gmail.com, or reach out to me on social media. I would love to hear from you. The links are in the show notes.  

Thank you for listening.  I am Jackey Taggart and remember to Read It and Don’t Weep.