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READ THIS
It is after midnight. Banquo unexpectedly meets Macbeth and gives his host rich presents from the king.
He and Macbeth briefly discuss the witches' prophecies -- but it is now clear that there is little trust
between the two men.
Macbeth, left alone, has a series of sudden ghostly visions of bloody daggers pointing the way to Duncan's
chamber.
THE MENTAL SIDE OF MURDER
Murder is never an easy thing, even for a battle-hardened man like Macbeth. When someone is
superstitious, however, it is even more difficult.
The ancient peoples believed there was a direct link between nature and the goodness of one's actions.
This was especially so when it came to authorities who enjoyed God's favour -- people such as kings.
Even before Macbeth went to Duncan's bedchamber to murder the king, nature was described as
darkening over.
Then Macbeth saw visions. A ghostly dagger appeared, apparently leading the way. In another vision,
the dagger was covered in blood.
And then the noises began: the howling of wolves, owls screeching, sounds on the stairs. Even Lady
Macbeth appeared disturbed -- although she maintained an heroic front.
Macbeth shrank before the tumult. He fled the murder scene, taking the daggers with him and refusing
to return. Lady Macbeth was therefore left to do the mopping up after the murder.
We see too the first signs of regret. Macbeth wished that his actions could be undone -- and he
wondered whether his hands would ever again be clean.
This latter wish would also affect Lady Macbeth. Towards the end of the play, we find her sleepwalking
and attempting to wash her own hands clean of Duncan's blood.
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
"And she goes down at twelve."
- To what is Banquo referring? (2)
[Need help?]
Banquo is referring to Fleance's comment that "the moon is down" but Fleance doesn't know the
time.
Banquo points out that the moon goes down at twelve -- that is, the moon disappears below the horizon
at midnight on that particular night.
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"There's husbandry in heaven."
- What does Banquo mean? (3)
[Need help?]
The term "husbandry" meant "good, thrifty housekeeping".
Hence, when Banquo says that there is "husbandry in heaven", he means that the housekeepers
of the heavens are saving money by not lighting up the stars!
It is therefore an overcast night.
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Once more in this scene we are shown how much Duncan favours Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
- Explain how this is so. (4)
[Need help?]
Not only has the king been awarding special favours to Macbeth but he has also given Lady Macbeth the
gift of a diamond. He tells her how happy he is with her services while at their castle.
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Banquo mentions dreaming of the witches. Macbeth, however, denies ever thinking of them.
[Need help?]
We know that Macbeth has seldom stopped thinking of the witches! Why then would he deny it?
Is it not a human trait to deny the very thing that we think most about?
To admit to Banquo that he has been thinking of the witches would be to admit that he has also been
thinking of their promises -- and possibly planning to bring about their promises. But he certainly does
not want Banquo to know this!
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Why does Macbeth have visions of ghostly daggers? (5)
[Need help?]
Macbeth gives us a clue when he speaks of the daggers emanating from the "heat-oppressed
brain". In other words, there is too much pressure on poor old Macbeth.
All his waking moments he has been thinking about the murder of Duncan, has been planning it, has been
wracked with guilt over it, deciding that he should NOT be committing the crime.
And, of course, he has become the object of his wife's humiliation. He is therefore probably at the end
of his tether and beginning to hallucinate.
This scene more than any other tells us about Macbeth's true feelings: that deep down inside he does
not wish to commit the crime and that he is going against his better judgement.
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What words tell you that the ghostly daggers are visions, and not the real thing? (5)
[Need help?]
Look at words such as:
- "proceeding from the heat oppressed brain";
- "there is no such thing".
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Apart from the visions of the daggers, what other things does Macbeth mention which refer to the
supernatural? (3)
[Need help?]
Macbeth speaks of:
- wicked dreams abusing the sleep;
- witchcraft and pale Hecate;
- the wolf howling and striding like a ghost.
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