Macbeth

Acts III & IV

by Shakespeare

Act IIIAct III

““I fear / Thou play’dst I fear / Thou play’dst most most foullyfoully for’t” (III.i.2- for’t” (III.i.2-3).3).

-Banquo about -Banquo about Macbeth Macbeth

becoming becoming kingking

(Suspicious)(Suspicious)

““To be thus is To be thus is nothing, /But to be nothing, /But to be safely thus”(III.i.48-49).safely thus”(III.i.48-49).

-Macbeth wanting -Macbeth wanting to to make sure his make sure his

position as king is position as king is safesafe

““And thence it is / That I to And thence it is / That I to your assistance do make your assistance do make love, /Masking the love, /Masking the business from the common business from the common eye” (III.i.122-124).eye” (III.i.122-124).

-Macbeth to the -Macbeth to the MurderersMurderers

(Theme?)(Theme?)

“ “Come on; / Gentle my lord, Come on; / Gentle my lord, sleek o’ver your rugged looks sleek o’ver your rugged looks / Be bright and jovial among / Be bright and jovial among guests tonight” (III.ii.27-29).guests tonight” (III.ii.27-29).

-Lady Macbeth-Lady Macbeth

Masking ThemeMasking Theme

“ “Make our faces vizards to Make our faces vizards to our hearts, / Disguising our hearts, / Disguising what they are” (III.ii.33-what they are” (III.ii.33-34).34).

-Macbeth -Macbeth

(about dinner)(about dinner)

Mask theme.Mask theme.

““But Banquo’s But Banquo’s safe?” (III.iv.24)safe?” (III.iv.24)

-Macbeth-Macbeth

Irony!Irony!

““Are you a Are you a man?” (III.iv.57).man?” (III.iv.57).

-Lady Macbeth to -Lady Macbeth to Macbeth after he Macbeth after he

sees sees the ghost of the ghost of BanquoBanquo

“ “[How can] you behold such [How can] you behold such sights / And keep the natural sights / And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks/ When ruby of your cheeks/ When mine is blanch’d with fear” mine is blanch’d with fear” (III.iv.113-115).(III.iv.113-115).

-Macbeth to Lady -Macbeth to Lady MacbethMacbeth

Theme?Theme?

Act IVAct IV

Act IV, scene i: Act IV, scene i:

Macbeth visits Macbeth visits

Weird Sisters again.Weird Sisters again.

Three more prophecies:Three more prophecies:Armed head: “Beware Macduff…” Armed head: “Beware Macduff…”

(IV.i. (IV.i. 71)71)

Bloody child: “…none of whom Bloody child: “…none of whom woman born should harm Macbeth” woman born should harm Macbeth” (IV.i.81)(IV.i.81)

Crowned child w/ a tree: “Macbeth Crowned child w/ a tree: “Macbeth shall never banquished be until shall never banquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (IV. i. 92-94).him” (IV. i. 92-94).

Then, he wants to know about Then, he wants to know about Banquo---Banquo---

Sees eight kings, the last with Sees eight kings, the last with a mirror, followed by a mirror, followed by Banquo’s ghost.Banquo’s ghost.

““Angels are bright still, Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. / though the brightest fell. / Though all things foul Though all things foul would wear the brows of would wear the brows of grace, / Yet grace must grace, / Yet grace must still look so” (Iv. ii. 22-24).still look so” (Iv. ii. 22-24).

- Malcolm about - Malcolm about Macbeth Macbeth

Biblical Allusion.Biblical Allusion.Mask theme.Mask theme.

““All my pretty ones? / Did you All my pretty ones? / Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? / say all? O hell-kite! All? / What, all my pretty chickens, What, all my pretty chickens, and their dam, / At one fell and their dam, / At one fell swoop?” (IV. ii. 216-219).swoop?” (IV. ii. 216-219).

-Macduff after hearing -Macduff after hearing about his familyabout his family

Bird Bird imageryimagery Gender Gender themetheme

Act IV, scene ii- Lady Macduff Act IV, scene ii- Lady Macduff and family murdered.and family murdered.

Son speaks to mother about Son speaks to mother about his philosophy of virtue: his philosophy of virtue: “Then the liars and swearers “Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars are fools, for there are liars and swearers enough to beat and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang the honest men and hang them up” (IV.ii. 56-57).them up” (IV.ii. 56-57).

Act IV, scene iii—Act IV, scene iii—

Macduff and Malcolm unite Macduff and Malcolm unite forces in war against Macbeth: forces in war against Macbeth: “Old Siward w/ ten thousand “Old Siward w/ ten thousand men / Already at a point, was men / Already at a point, was setting forth. / Now we’ll setting forth. / Now we’ll together; and the chance of together; and the chance of goodness. / Be like our goodness. / Be like our warranted quarrel!” (IV.iii. warranted quarrel!” (IV.iii. 135-138).135-138). -Malcolm-Malcolm

““Dispute it like a man” Dispute it like a man” (IV.iii.221)(IV.iii.221)

-Malcolm to -Malcolm to Macduff after Macduff after

the the news of his news of his familyfamily

Which theme?Which theme?

“ “I shall do so; But I must feel it I shall do so; But I must feel it as a man” (IV.ii.222-223).as a man” (IV.ii.222-223).

-Macduff’s reply -Macduff’s reply to to Malcolm Malcolm

Which theme?Which theme?

“ “O, I could play the woman O, I could play the woman with mine eyes” (IV.ii.232).with mine eyes” (IV.ii.232).

-Macduff-Macduff

Gender Roles.Gender Roles.