ACT 3-5 SUMMARY NOTES

Created by Miss Teo Mae Yan

ACT 3 SCENE 21. THEIR FEAR & FOREBODING OF

THE EVENTS THAT WILL UNRAVEL

2. MACBETH AND LADY MACBETH’S ROLE REVERSAL: CHANGE IN THEIR CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIP

• change in dominance • the role of main conspirator • the change in their consciences

1. THEIR FEAR & FOREBODING OF THE EVENTS THAT WILL UNRAVEL

Both Macbeth (MB) and Lady Macbeth (LMB) fear that their power and title are not secure and live in fear of being exposed or being removed. Before this scene, MB states that “To be thus is nothing,/But to be safely thus.” LMB echoes these sentiments by saying that “Nought’s had, all’s spent,/Where our desire is got without content.” Both of them feel that they now have to live in “doubtful joy” as while LMB fears exposure to the deed, MB is more fearful of losing his title, hence they feel that having obtained the throne means nothing unless they have peace of mind that they are safe in their position.

1. THEIR FEAR & FOREBODING OF THE EVENTS THAT WILL UNRAVEL

Moreover, MB’s fear is heightened by the threat of Banquo that remains and wishes for him to be eradicated as a threat. Before this scene, we know that he has already ordered for the murder of BQ and Fleance due to the fear of the witches’ prophecy becoming true. MB states that they “have scorched the snake, not killed it.” This metaphorical snake symbolises MB’s obstacles and threats to his crown. Having killed King Duncan, MB has merely removed one of the threats. He is clearly hinting here that some preemptive strike must be made against BQ (the rest of the snake), before it recovers and seeks revenge.

1. THEIR FEAR & FOREBODING OF THE EVENTS THAT WILL UNRAVEL

“We have scorched the snake, not killed it.”

IRONIC that MB fails to take his own advice later

when he sets out to kill Macduff but ends up murdering his family

(without Macduff) instead. His

recklessness and failure to heed his

own warning eventually lead to his

downfall!

2. MB AND LMB’S ROLE REVERSAL

CHANGE IN THEIR CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIP•change in dominance •the role of main conspirator •the change in their consciences

CHANGE BEFORE (prior) AFTER in A3S2Dominance: LMB used to be the one giving orders and MB the one asking questions

Needing his wife’s assurance in proceeding with the plan, MB asks her, “If we should fail?” (A1S7)

LMB instead is the one in the passive role here asking “What’s to be done?”

LMB is now the one soothing MB whereas she used to be the one barking orders at him.

LMB repeatedly chided him for his lack of courage, telling him to “Infirm of purpose!” and saying to MB, “Your constancy hath left you unattended.” LMB had such an influence over MB, persuading him from deciding against the murder to being “settled” in committing it.

LMB now plays the role of a subservient wife, soothing him with words like “Come on: Gentle my lord” instead. Moreover, MB completely ignores LMB when she tells him “You must leave this”. He disregards her advice and goes ahead with the argument that BQ and Fleance have to be killed.

This change in dominance can also be seen from how MB is now the one who is the main conspirator

LMB has planned Duncan’s “fatal entrance” and asks MB to “leave this night’s great business into (her) dispatch.”

MB tells LMB to “be innocent of the knowledge” and promises that “there shall be done a deed of dreadful note.”

2. MB AND LMB’S ROLE REVERSAL

CHANGE IN THEIR CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIP•change in dominance •the role of main conspirator •the change in their consciences

CHANGE: THE ROLE OF MAIN CONSPIRATOR

Lady Macbeth: LMB was the one calling the shots, immediately thinking of murdering Duncan upon reading the letter. She plots to kill Duncan “under (her) battlements” and even uses an array of techniques to persuade Macbeth into killing King Duncan, going as far as to devise a fail-proof plan. Her fail-proof murderous plot even included deception and scapegoats. She tells MB in A1S5 to “bear welcome in (his) eye, (his) hand and (his) tongue; look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.”

CHANGE: THE ROLE OF MAIN CONSPIRATOR

Macbeth: Macbeth now holds the role as the main conspirator, aiming to convince LMB that BQ and Fleance are threats to them and will cause them to “eat (their) meal in fear and sleep in affliction”, as they are “unsafe the while”. MB also echoes LMB’s words by saying that they “must have (their) honours in these flattering streams, and make (their) faces vizards to (their) hearts, disguising what they are.”Not only does Macbeth not fully reveal the plan to LMB and keeps her out of it, telling her to “be innocent of the knowledge”, he has already gone on to order the murder to be carried out before this!

2. MB AND LMB’S ROLE REVERSAL

CHANGE IN THEIR CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIP•change in dominance •the role of main conspirator •the change in their consciences

Lady Macbeth does not know that Macbeth is thinking of how to murder BQ and Fleance and thinks he is instead still troubled by his guilt of killing KD. This is evident from how she initially tries to salve his guilt by saying that “things without all remedy, should be without regard; what’s done is done.” Ironically, Macbeth was actually just thinking about how to eliminate the other threats and commit more murders by doing so. His response to her reveals this: “we have scorched the snake, not killed it.” This shows that while LMB is trying to soothe MB’s guilt, telling him not to think of the murder he has comitted, he is actually already thinking of committing another as that would kill the metaphorical snake once and for all. He shuts down her theory that he is still troubled by KD as he is assured that “Duncan is in his grave” and that “nothing can touch him further”. This leaves just BQ and Fleance as threats remaining in MB’s mind.

THE CHANGE IN CONSCIENCE

ACT 4 SCENE 1Second Encounter With The Witches

ACT 4 SCENE 11)The witches = The

troublemakers2)Deception and equivocation of

the three apparitions => how does this lead Macbeth to his doom?

3)Macbeth’s choice to do and be

1) THE WITCHES = THE TROUBLEMAKERSDouble, double, toil and trouble;Fire burn and cauldron bubble.•The alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia add to the rhythm of a cruel spell they are casting. It seems to resemble a chant of sorts as they repeat it several times.•Meaning of the chant: they are wishing for double of double portions of toil and trouble with the potion they are brewing.•They are the START of the whole tragedy- both the first and second portions of it. Without their prophecies and egging on, MB would not have gone down this path. They were the ones setting things into motion, playing on MB’s WEAKNESSES AND his tragic flaw- AMBITIOUSNESS.

2) Deception and equivocation of the three apparitions => how does this lead Macbeth to his doom?

Recall Hecate in A3S5: she intends to lure MB to his doom by making him recklessly bold.He shall spurn fate, scorn death and bear his hope above wisdom, grace and fear.

APPARITION PROPHECY

IMPRESSION IT GIVES TO MB

ACTUAL MEANINGACTUAL DOOM

“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife…”

He should attempt kill Macduff as Macduff is a threat.

Does not realise Macduff is the actual man who would kill him and kills his family only instead. This sets Macduff out with a vengeance to settle against MB.

“Be bloody, bold and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

Sees it as encouragement to be reckless as cannot die by human hands.

His recklessness is what essentially destroys him. He thinks he’s invincible and can continue killing foolishly. Macduff who is born through Caesarean birth kills him.

“Be lion-mettled, proud and take no care…Macbeth shall never be vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him”

Macbeth is assured that he will never be vanquished as such an occurrence is impossible.

Macbeth, becoming over-confident and highly reckless, does not consider the possibility of being defeated. Even in battle with Macduff, it does not occur to him that since this prophecy has actualised, the second one would too.

3) Macbeth’s choice to do and be EVIL

•THE WAY THE WITCHES ANNOUNCE HIS ARRIVAL: In A1S3, the witches announce Macbeth with the lines: “A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come.” [the use of drums to signal his coming are traditionally used to signal the coming of nobility or a king] VS their announcement in A4 S1: “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes” [he is not dehumanised, described as “something” and is now “wicked” as opposed to being noble.

•MACBETH WENT SEARCHING FOR THE WITCHES: his first encounter was not his fault at all, however, here, MB has come on his own accord, demanding to know more. He is essentially looking for trouble.

The witches were the ones who sparked off the fire but Macbeth with his ambition, fanned the flames. It then became out of control, consuming anything and everyone in its way.

Banquo vanquished the fire instead, knowing that it may be dangerous.

3) Macbeth’s choice to do and be EVIL

•THE WAY HE SPEAKS NOW: He rudely and demandingly questions “How now, you secret, black and midnight hags! What is’t you do?” VS the unsure and polite way he questioned them in A1S3 “Speak, if you can, what are you?”

•HIS UTTER DISREGARD FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, INCLUDING THE WELFARE OF HIS PEOPLE OR COUNTRY: MB demands for an answer even if the witches strike chaos and destruction on everything. He does not care if they weather and “untie the winds”, cause “the yesty waves” to “confound and swallow” ships up, blown down all the corn fields or topple all the castles and palaces.

3) Macbeth’s choice to do and be EVIL•HIS REACTION TO BOTH THE FIRST SET OF PROPHECIES AND THESE APPARITIONS: In both instances, Macbeth was given a CHOICE. Yet, he chose both times to take the murderous path to firstly obtain the throne and second, ensure complete domination and safety of his power.Banquo represents the option Macbeth could have taken after hearing the first set of prophecies.LMB represents the option Macbeth could have also taken after killing KD. He could have STOPPED at that.Instead, he chooses unnecessary ruthlessness and wickedness. His reaction to the apparitions: “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon Fife, give the edge of the sword to his wife, his babes and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.”

ACT 4 SCENE 3THE NEWS

THE RESOLVE

THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF MACBETH!

Malcolm: “Let’s make us medicines of our great revenge to cure this deadly grief.” Malcolm: “Dispute it like a man.”Malcolm continually urges Macduff to obtain his revenge and “dispute it like a man”, meaning to fight physically. And in doing so, Macbeth’s death will soothe Macduff’s pain over the loss of his family.

Macduff: “Front to front, bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; within my sword’s length set him…” PERSONAL VENDETTAMacduff is set on seeking Macbeth as soon as possible in order to fight him to the death.

ACT 5 SCENE 1

LADY MACBETH’S MIDNIGHT MADNESS

IMPORTANT POINTSHER GUILT causing:•Fear of darkness and damnation•Illusion that she still has blood on her hands•Erratic changes in her thought process as she recalls the murder

FEAR OF DARKNESS AND DAMNATION

In earlier acts, we see LMB boldly calling upon spirits and on the “thick Night” to “pall (her) in the dunnest smoke of hell” in order for her to commit the murder. She also calls upon evil spirits to “unsex (her)” and “fill (her) from crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty”. However, in this scene, LMB “has light by her continually; ‘tis her command.” fears darkness and ultimately, fears damnation as she pictures herself in hell and comments that “hell is murky”, full of darkness.It is obvious that Lady Macbeth’s guilt has gotten the better of her and she fears the darkness that is now overwhelming her both mentally and emotionally.

ILLUSION THAT SHE STILL HAS BLOOD ON HER HANDS

It is ironic to note how Lady Macbeth initially thought that “a little water” would “clear (them) of this deed”. However, in this scene, she is consistently grappling with removing the imaginary blood from her hands in her sleepwalking.She cannot seem to remove the “damned spot” from her hands, including the “smell of blood…(which) all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten”. She questions “will these hands never be clean?” after continually rubbing her hands together in an attempt to remove all the blood. Her guilt here resembles that of Macbeth’s in A2S2 where he questions if “all great Neptune’s oceans” will be able to wash the blood from his hands. He comes to a conclusion that that will never occur as the sin they have committed has left an indelible mark and is so irremovable that it will instead turn “the multitudinous seas incardine, making the green one red”. No matter how hard LMB tries to physically remove the blood from her hands, there will always metaphorically be blood on her hands.

ERRATIC CHANGES IN HER THOUGHT PROCESS

1) “here’s a spot”2) Out, damned spot! Out, I say! 3) – One; two; why, then ‘tis time to do it. 4) –Hell is murky.5) Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier and afeard? What need we fear

who knows it, when none can call our power to account? 6) –Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so

much blood in him?7) The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now?8) –what, will these hands never be clean? 9) –no more of that, my lord, no more of that. You mar all

this with starting.10) Here’s the smell of blood still…

ERRATIC CHANGES IN HER THOUGHT PROCESS

The many dashes in her speech indicate an interruption in her own thoughts. It is as if Lady Macbeth is interrupting herself as she thinks out loud in her sleepwalking state. These show how quickly her thought process changes.Moreover, Lady Macbeth’s troubled mind can also be seen from how she jumps from topic to topic. She constantly returns to the issue of trying to wash off blood from her hands in between her own interjections of recalling what she said to Macbeth, speaking out her own fears of darkness and hell, the sight of King Duncan’s bloody body and the recount of their murderous act. She jumps from topic to topic without ever completing it fully. It is evident that Lady Macbeth is deeply troubled by her guilt and has problems heeding her own advice from A2S2 when she told Macbeth that “These deeds must not be thought after these ways;” for if they do so, “it will make (them) mad”.

ACT 5 SCENE 5DEATH OF LADY MACBETH

MACBETH’S FOOLISHNESS & DOWNFALL

DEATH OF LADY MACBETH [MB’s character revealed through his response]Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, cannot once start me.He has become so well-acquainted with horror and wickedness that he seems to be desensitised to any other form of terror that he may witness.

She should have died hereafter; There would have been such a for such a word.HIS FIRST THOUGHT: CONVENIENCEHe does not seem to be heartbroken by the news at all and seems to first think of his own power and that the timing of her death is inconvenient for him. This is tragic, seeing how his own obsession with his throne has led to him neglecting his own wife.

MACBETH’S FOOLISHNESS The cry is still ‘They come’. Our castle’s strength will laugh a siege to scorn…We might have met them dareful, beard to beard, and beat them backward home.

Analysis: Macbeth is highly over-confident and defiant at the start of this scene. He claims that “Our castle’s strength will laugh a siege to scorn”. He seems to think that his castle is so formidable and impenetrable that an attempt to take it under siege would be laughable and surely unsuccessful. Moreover, he also thinks that they would definitely be victorious even it were to come to physical man-to-man battle as they would be so invincible that they would easily “beat them backward home.” It is this very over-confidence and foolishness that catches him off-guard and eventually brings about his destruction.

BIRNAM WOOD STARTS TO MOVE

MACBETH’S FOOLISHNESSI pull in resolution and begin to doubt the equivocation of the fiend that lies like truth.Macbeth has only just BEGUN to doubt the witches and their “good” news. He is so foolish to have not even considered that there may be a double meaning or an air of deception in their words. BLINDSIDED BY THE WITCHES FOR A SECOND TIMEIt is doubly ironic then, that Macbeth recklessly proclaims to Macduff later that he bears “a charmed life which must not yield to one of woman born”. It does not occur to Macbeth at all that since the second prophecy turned against him, the third would too!