You can watch a version of Act 3, scenes 3 and 4 below or through this linkhttp://youtu.be/AaIfPfZ7C5s to the PBS movie version (they deleted the embed feature for this scene; sorry).
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Macbeth Act 3 scene 4
Act 3, scene 4 is a critical scene in the tragedy of Macbeth. Read the scene, and in the comment section below, write a reaction that incorporates a quote along with literary analysis of the scene. Why do you think this scene is so important, and how does it serve as a turning point in the drama? How does Banquo's ghost affect the tone of the play? What does it represent or symbolize?
You can watch a version of Act 3, scenes 3 and 4 below or through this linkhttp://youtu.be/AaIfPfZ7C5s to the PBS movie version (they deleted the embed feature for this scene; sorry).
You can watch a version of Act 3, scenes 3 and 4 below or through this linkhttp://youtu.be/AaIfPfZ7C5s to the PBS movie version (they deleted the embed feature for this scene; sorry).
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ReplyDeleteThe action that occurs in scene four of act three in Macbeth, shows how Macbeth’s character is slowly descending into pure madness due to his evil deeds. Macbeth’s guilty mind plays tricks on him to the point where he hallucinates the ghost of Banquo, his friend whom he indirectly murdered. This vision is extremely significant in the play because his insanity is revealed to the public, which compromises his innocence. This means that he is in danger of more suspicion about the murder of Duncan. This is a major turning point in the play, because his mental health and well-being will decline dramatically. Banquo’s ghost symbolizes Macbeth’s remorseful subconscious. Macbeth’s guilt has grown so much that it has become something that he can see with his own eyes. It mocks him and haunts him to the point where he has a loud outburst, causing others to question his health. The ghost takes the tone of the play to the extreme. It makes everything darker and gloomier. The reader is able to see Macbeth’s thoughts after this incident. Macbeth says this to his wife once the dinner party is over, “For now I am bent to know by the worst means, the worst; for mine own good, all causes shall give way. I am in blood stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er. Strange things I have in head that will to hand, which must be acted ere they may be scann’d.” (Act 3 Scene 4, Lines 135-140) This quote shows that Macbeth is aware of his mental decline and that he is afraid he will not be able to recover from his guilt. He believes he is so far deep in regret that he will never be the same again.
In the beginning of this scene, Macbeth talks to the murderers about the assassination of Banquo and Fleance. After learning they failed to kill Fleance, Macbeth is pushed a little more over the side, becoming more and more paranoid, as seen when later in the scene he sees the ghost of Banquo sitting on his stool:
ReplyDelete“Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,
Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools: this is more strange” 3.4, lines 75-83
This scene is important because this is the first time that Macbeth shows his insanity and paranoia in front of other people. Before, he was able to hide it and keep on his happy face. This is a turning point because after this, I think people will start to be a little more suspicious of Macbeth. Banquo’s ghost makes the play a little darker than it already is. Although Macbeth has hallucinated before, for example the daggers he saw before murdering Duncan, This apparition is much more realistic and affects Macbeth much more. Banquo’s ghost represents Macbeth’s paranoia that Fleance will manage to figure out and tell somebody that Macbeth murdered Banquo, and also his guilt over murdering Duncan and his best friend Banquo.
Shakespearian plays typically have the pivotal event occur during the third act. In act 3, scene 4, Macbeth holds a banquet at his palace where him and his wife enter as king and queen. As the scene continues, the First Murderer appears in the door way. Macbeth is soon told that Banquo's death is a success, but his son, Fleance, was able to escape. After hearing this news, he begins to panic. This is important because it is the first time that Macbeth has ever showed signs of paranoia. He believes that he is seeing the ghost of Banquo, he is horror-struck and begins talking to the supposed ghost. Lady Macbeth continues her long list of lies and excuses by the the guests that it is typical for Macbeth to have such fits and "visions." "It will have blood, they say. Blood will have blood.
ReplyDeleteStones have been known to move, and trees to speak." (3.4 129-130) Macbeth knows that there is an old saying that the dead will have their revenge, so he is being haunted in order to pay for the bad things that he has done. The ghost and hallucinations represent the growing body count of all of the people who where murdered because of Macbeth. This motif creates a dark and mysterious mood of the play because it adds more layers to the plot by increasing the severity of the reoccurring hallucinations.
After reading this scene, I have a better understanding of why it is considered so important and is a turning point in the play. Macbeth is turning into a mad man and cannot prevent his extreme wishes and wants. When the murderers tell Macbeth that they have killed Banquo, but Fleance got away, he lashes out with anger. Macbeth returns to his guests and sees the ghost of Banquo in his chair. He tries to talk to the ghost, coming off as insane to his other guests. This is such a turning point because it shows that Macbeth’s actions are made public. As he talks to the ghost, the other guests have some knowledge of what he is talking about. The ghost makes the tone of the play very dark and makes everything serious and suspenseful. He symbolizes Macbeth’s slow transformation into madness and insanity. He feels an extreme amount of guilt, to the point where he sees the ghost of his friend that was killed by his orders. His mental health and safety is at risk and gets riskier each day. “Come we’ll to sleep. My strange and self- abuse is the initiate fear that wants hard use; we are yet but young in deed.” (3.5 142-144) This quote shows how Macbeth knows his sanity as risk and he wants to use it against himself and his guilt.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the mind can be a confusing thing and trick one into imagining something, but Macbeth's constant hallucinations that reveal his dark intentions (the dagger) prove to the reader that he is descending into insanity. Macbeth finally understands that his deeds will come back and haunt him because the dead always get their revenge. "You can’t say I did it. Don’t shake your bloody head at me. "(3.4.53-54) Not only does the quote make the lords invited to the dinner fear for Macbeth's mental health, but also hints to them that he is the killer. Macbeth hires the murderers to kill Banquo because he doesn't want another murder on his conscience, but he knows he is still the one at fault. Banquo's ghost symbolizes Macbeth's fear and guilt of killing his closest friend, but it also taunts him. The ghost sits in Macbeth's seat, the seat for the king, signifying that though Macbeth is the king now, Banquo's lineage will eventually take it from him. After Macbeth sees Banquo, the tone of the drama turns darker, due to the fact that Macbeth's true intentions have been revealed.
ReplyDeleteIn Act 3 section 4 of the tragedy “Macbeth” a lot is going through his mind. The line, “It will have blood they say: blood will have blood.” (Page 56, lines 125) This shows a great example on showing how Macbeth is paranoid. He is worried that He will be killed or that another innocent person will be killed. He just wants to get all of this murder, or death out of his head. He wishes that his eyes not to witness his hands. He would rather have been Duncan, because he would already be dead and not have to worry about such painful things. In Act 3 Banquo is finally killed and he is happy about that but he is worried Fleance is going to become king. He then witnesses Banquo’s ghost at his party that Banquo was invited to. He spoke nonsense and he was paranoid and worried. Many traumatic things are happening and I cannot wait to see what’s in play.
ReplyDeleteThis scene is important because it shows Macbeth's full descent into insanity. Whether it be guilt-driven, or from sleep deprivation, the Ghost of Banquo is a key turning point in the play. He represents Macbeth's guilt and spiraling sanity. No longer is Macbeth remotely the same man he was just a few scenes ago. Nor does it appear that he can ever return to his former self. His conscience is too bloody, his paranoia too frantic, and he is desperate beyond repair. "I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go'er." (3:4, 136-138) This may be the only sane and rational thing Macbeth says in scene 4, realizing the full depth of his troubles. It is typical, that when a character is in a very desperate condition, he makes even worse decisions and things do not end well. Knowing that Macbeth is a tragedy, this scene is most likely the unraveling to a tragic ending.
ReplyDeleteAct 3 Scene 4 is important and it shows how Macbeth’s head is really messing with him and that his actions are making him insane. In the beginning of this scene he is acting like he is worried about Banquo and making sure that he is dead and is still mad that his son got away. “Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ th’ olden time, Ere humane statue purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear. The [time] has been, That when the brains were out the man would die, And there an end. But now they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools. This is more strange Than such a murder is” (A. 3 S.4 Lines 75-80). This quote is showing that Banquo’s ghost is haunting Macbeth and this is the big turning point for him and that he is becoming crazy.
ReplyDeleteAct 3 Scene 4 is an important scene in Macbeth because it displays his thoughts as he becomes a man that is willing to murder in order to keep his power. This scene shows the anger and hate he has towards Banquo, his trustworthy friend. He has this hate towards him because the witches said that Banquo's sons would become king after Macbeth. Macbeth feels threatened by this because he wants to keep his power. When the murderers come back from killing Banquo, Macbeth notices that they have blood on their faces. He says "'Tis better thee without than he within. Is he dispatched?" (3.4 16-17). Macbeth is saying that he would rather have Banquo's blood splattered all over there faces rather than have his blood flowing through his veins. In this moment, Macbeth feels no regret; no remorse for what he has done to his good friend. Usually in Shakespeare plays, the third act serves as the turning point for the play. This clearly represents the turning point because it shows Macbeth's decline of morality and his descend into hell for the murders he commits.
ReplyDeleteThe appearance of the ghost of Banquo is symbolic of Macbeth’s descent into madness; his evil deeds have put him in a perpetual cycle of fear that results in immoral conduct. This event proves that Macbeth has passed the point of no return in terms of his struggle to keep both his life and power. He says, “I am in blood stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (3.5. 136-138) This quote shows that Macbeth vows to continue his bloody conflict until his inevitable fall guaranteed by the Weird Sisters. His turn to utter evil is, as said above, driven completely by fear of losing both his life and the throne. Witnessing Banquo’s ghost only proves the extent of his fear, as it echoes Macbeth’s original quote, “This even-handed justice commends th’ingredience of our poison’d chalice to our own lips.” (1.7. 10-12) In other words, as Macbeth has done to Banquo, Banquo will, in time, do to him. In a wild and desperate effort to protect himself, Macbeth has vowed to do everything he can to save himself, as he cannot go back on his bloody actions. Also, the ghost is a clever literary device that is used to place the audience in the mind of Macbeth without the use of soliloquy or monologue.
ReplyDeleteIn act 3 scene 4 Macbeth struggles with his sanity and stresses the fact that Fleance has escaped. Macbeth says “the worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed”(act 3 scene 4 line 29-30) This quote shows that Macbeth is nervous about his position as king on the throne and he just wishes that Fleance had been killed at the same time as Banquo. Also, Macbeth is seeing and talking to the ghost of Banquo at the dinner party. His guests become worried, but Lady Macbeth just tells them that he has been doing it ever since he was a kid. Macbeth is falling apart and he is feel a lot of guilt for murdering Duncan and Banquo and he just wishes that the three witches had not told Banquo that his son would be king. I cannot wait to see if Macbeth will be able to build himself back up or continue to fall.
ReplyDeleteAct 3 Scene 4 is indeed a pivotal scene. Although Macbeth has been facing some mental issues after he killed King Duncan, they were always fairly minor and reasonable due to the horrendous act that he committed. However, in this scene, Macbeth is so full of paranoia that when he learns that his murder plot has partially failed, Macbeth snaps. He finally chooses that the power of the throne is all-important and must be kept. He therefore will do anything to protect himself as king. “This even-handed justice commends th’ingredience of our poison’d chalice to our own lips.” (1.7. 10-12) This quote is a perfect example of Shakespeare's use of imagery. Shakespeare is using the idea of a poisoned chalice that must be shared with both the murderer and the victim as what is happening to Macbeth. Macbeth now thinks that his murder of Banquo will eventually come back to haunt him when Fleance returns.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Act three: Scene four, a dramatic change in Macbeth’s character is apparent. Macbeth’s remorse is a reoccurring idea in the play, and it is particularly demonstrated in this scene because his terrible deeds have literally come back to haunt him. “Blood hath been shed ere no, i’th’olden time, ere humane statute purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since to, murders have been perform’d too terrible for the ear. That time has been that when the brains were out, the man would die, and there an end. But now they rise again with twenty mortal murders on their crowns and push us from our stools. This is more strange than such a murder is.” (3.4, 75-84) In this quote, Macbeth expresses the reappearance of a murdered companion, Banquo, whom he betrayed. This is important because it shows that Macbeth, who expected to be able to forget about Banquo, is feeling guilt for his actions. Before and after he killed Duncan, he knew it was wrong and felt shameful just thinking about murder, but now this feeling has come up again because Macbeth’s mind tricks him into thinking that Banquo’s ghost is there, a symbol that what Macbeth thought would be erased from his mind, is clearly still present. Although Macbeth tries to avoid thinking about Banquo because it makes him regret his actions, he is unable to control the effects of his insecurity on his imagination.
ReplyDelete“MURDERER
ReplyDeleteMost royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped.
MACBETH,aside
Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect,
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
As broad and general as the casing air.
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears.—But Banquo’s safe?” (3.4. 22-27)
In the fourth scene of Act 3, Macbeth mentions when the murderer informs him that Fleance had escaped that he had been perfect in everything else that he had done to that point. This almost gives the impression that Macbeth is coming to terms with the murder of King Duncan as well as Banquo and believes both of them to be justified and perfect acts. Along with the appearance of Banquo’s ghost, these are sure signs of the onset of madness in Macbeth’s mind and the further corruption of his morals. This is a turning place in the play because it shows a definite point where Macbeth’s mind first becomes unwell, and will become worse as time goes on and Macbeth becomes more paranoid. We know that as the play continues that the tragedy of Macbeth will only grow and this is a major landmark in that descent into darkness. The ghost changes the almost politically driven feeling of the play and turns it darker because the dead is coming back to haunt Macbeth’s conscience.
"There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for th'present." (Macbeth, act 3 Scene 4 lines 29-31)
ReplyDeleteIn this passage Macbeth poetically expresses his concerns about Banquo's descendants overthrowing him. Banquo is "the grown serpent," being far more dangerous at the moment to Macbeth than Fleance. Banquo has now been successfully dispatched, but his son, Fleance, the "worm that's fled," has escaped. While Fleance is not currently much of a threat, Macbeth fears that he may become a danger to him as he matures, given the witches' prophecy that Banquo's descendants will take the throne. Therefore Macbeth draws a comparison between Fleance and a larval worm, which, while harmless now, can mature into a much more dangerous snake, with teeth and venom. This is not the first time Macbeth has used a snake as a metaphor for those who pose a danger to him; in Act 3 Scene 2, he claims that "We have scorch'd the snake, not kill'd it; She'll close, and be herself, whilst our poor malice remains in danger of her former tooth." Macbeth sees the various dangers that his regicide has caused him as one entity, embodied as a serpent. Duncan, his heirs, Banquo, and his heirs are all snakes or worms that will become snakes if they are not killed soon. The sinister images conjured up by the idea of a venomous snake make this an excellent and very interesting motif.
“I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. Strange things I have in head that will to hand, Which must be acted ere they may be scann’d.” (3.4, 136-40)
ReplyDeleteMacbeth, as this quote illustrates, has gone too far with his violent acts, and he realizes that they are coming back to haunt him. He also claims that he has very strange and unsettling thoughts that must be acted upon, and he knows that he will most likely continue down this murderous path, and he will be tormented by the ghosts of his enemies until the day he dies. This, of course, terrifies Macbeth, but he knows that in order to maintain his kingship, he will have to commit more crimes and murders. Banquo’s ghost is the first of many that will visit him. Banquo’s ghost appropriately adds to the already dark tone of the play by making it a little darker. This play was already dreary, but the addition of a solemn, silent ghost makes it slightly more dismal. Banquo’s ghost also represents the guilt and remorse that Macbeth will feel for the rest of his life for killing the king and having a good and loyal friend murdered.