Act 3 Notes

1. When Macbeth persuades the assassins to kill Banquo, he seems to take on the role of Lady Macbeth. Earlier, Lady Macbeth questioned Macbeth's manhood in order to convince him to kill Duncan. She said he would be "so much more the man" if he could go through with the murder. Lady Macbeth also taunts Macbeth with the question, "are you a man?" when he reacts to Banquo's ghost. Now, Macbeth uses the same tactic of questioning the assassins' masculinity when he persuades them to murder Banquo. He says there are different breeds of dogs, just as there is wide hierarchy of men, then he asks where they stand in that hierarchy.
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Macbeth says that Duncan is at peace ("sleep") because he doesn't have to fear being poisoned or stabbed. This comparison shows just how tormented Macbeth is because he considers death a better option than living in fear.
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. This passage is significant because it shows that Macbeth is now taking charge, just as Lady Macbeth did before Duncan's murder. Earlier, Lady Macbeth told Macbeth to look innocent like a flower but be the "serpent under it," whereas now, Macbeth instructs Lady Macbeth to "mask" her dislike of Banquo and put on a show of respect and flattery.  Both these examples show the appearance vs. reality theme or fair vs. foul theme.
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. This passage is significant because it shows that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are switching roles. Macbeth seems mentally strong and in charge, whereas Lady Macbeth seems to be mentally fragile and a passive observer. Macbeth is not only planning Banquo's murder on his own, but he isn't communicating his plans to Lady Macbeth. (Earlier Macbeth shared everything with Lady Macbeth, as evidenced by her letter to her telling about the witches' predictions.) Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is not only left out of the murder plan, but she is shocked and speechless by Macbeth's violent speech. Macbeth emphasizes this when he says, "you marvellest [seem shocked] at my words but hold thee still [don't be anxious]."
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. I am stepped in blood
   Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
   Returning were as tedious as go over.
   
   Literally, Macbeth says that he is in a lake of blood and it would be just as much effort to cross the lake as it would be to turn abound and go back to shore. This is a metaphor for the evil he is experiencing. He implies that it would be easier to just continue with the evil acts (killing) than to try to go back and be moral again.
   
   Strange [evil] things [thoughts] I have in head that will to hand,
   which must be acted on before they may be scanned.

Macbeth is saying that from now on, if he has an evil thought, he will act on it right away. This shows a change in his character, because when he first thought of killing Duncan, he either let his conscience push the thought away or he weighed the pros and cons of the situation, like he did before Duncan's murder. For example,