| Think about Macbeth’s statement, “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus” (pg39) What does this line mean? | To Macbeth, being the king means nothing if he cannot be safe as the king. |
| Do you think Macbeth is smart for tying up loose ends, or is he acting paranoid? Explain | In my opinion, Macbeth is being paranoid because I don’t think Banquo would ever kill Macbeth |
| Check out lines 75-80 (Scene 1), where Macbeth addresses the murderers. What can you infer about what Macbeth has told these men? Why might Macbeth have told them this? | Macbeth convinced the murderers that Banquo is the cause of their problems. He told them that because he wants the murderers to kill Banquo instead of him. |
| Explain the external conflicts that Macbeth expresses In lines 116-126 (Scene 1). Does he express any Internal conflict in these lines? Explain. | The external conflict is Macbeth wants to keep his mutual friends of Banquo, so he wants the murderers to do the killing. Macbeth has no internal conflict because he wants him dead. |
| How and why does Macbeth arrange Banquo’s murder? How is Lady Macbeth involved in the murder? | Macbeth hires murderers and argues that their problems are Banquo’s fault. Lady Macbeth is kept out of the plan. |
| How does the appearance of Banquo’s ghost inScene four affect Macbeth? | He shows fear, guilt and paranoia |
| What goes wrong when the murderers carry out Macbeth’s plan in scene three? Why does this create an external conflict for Macbeth? | Banquo is killed but Fleance gets away. the external conflict is that Fleance may find out Macbeth killed his father and now the prophesy can still come true. |
| Macduff does not appear at all in Act 3. Where is he, and why? | He has gone to the court of Edward, King of England, to ask for an army to help overthrow Macbeth |
| By Scene 6, what opinion do Lennox and the other lords hold of Macbeth? | Lennox thinks Macbeth has handled the situation well, The other Lords believe he is guilty of the murderers of Duncan and Banquo and has become a tyrant and stole the throne |
| “Thou hast it now. King, Cawdor, Glamis all/ As the weird women promised, and I fear/ Thou play’dst most foully for it.” Who said it to whom and why is it important? | Banquo to Macbeth.Banquo knows the prophesy says his sons will become kings after Macbeth |
| …”not confessingTheir cruel parricide, filling their hearersWith strange invention.”Who said it to whom and why is it important? | Macbeth to BanquoMacbeth is trying to convince banquet that Duncans sons murdered their father |
| “Ay, my good lord. Our time does call upon ‘s.”Who said it to whom and what does this mean? | Banquo to MacbethIts time that we get going |
| “For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered;Put rancors in the vessel of my peaceOnly for them; and mine eternal jewelGiven to the common enemy of man,”Who said it to whom and what does this mean? | Macbeth to the murderersMacbeth wants to fight to keep the prophesy about Duncan’s sons becoming kings from coming true |
| ’tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”Who said it to whom and what does this mean? | Lady Macbeth to ServantIt is better to be the one killed than to be the killer and have anxiety and guilt |
| “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck”Who said it to whom and what does this mean? | Macbeth to Lady Macbeth Macbeth doesn’t want Lady Macbeth to know his plans of murder, maybe to protect her, and starts calling her pet names. |
| “We have lost best half of our affair.”Who said it to whom and what does this mean? | 2nd Murderer to the other MurderersThey have failed half the mission because Fleace got away |
Macbeth Act III Study Questions
September 10, 2019