Macbeth - Act Three, Scene Two & Three

Macbeth - Act Three, Scene Two & Three

1. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.'

   • Both of them are privately suppressed, by the thought of murder.
   • 'Destruction,' of nature and the natural order.

2. 'What's done is done. We have scorched the snake, not killed it.'

   • Tires to justify his actions, it is dramatically ironic as it is parallel with the quote for the serpent and the flower and how he will cause his own self destruction.
   • Could possibly be the only chance they have to turn pack and choose a good path not an evil one.

3. 'Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly.'

   • References to him not sleeping, linking to mental torture.
   • 'these terrible dreams that shake us nightly,' not infrequent, sense of turmoil and paronia as he is unable to trust.

4. 'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!'

   • Full of poison, shows natural imagery, and the disorder they have caused.

5. 'But in them nature's copy's not eterne.'

   • Suggestion that if they are causing so much turmoil, it can be gotten rid of.

6. 'Whats to be done? Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed. Come ,seeling Night, scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day.'

   • Lady Macbeth gets ignored, shows a natural progression to tell she is being sidelined into a passive female role.
   • 'Night' is given a capital letter so is personified and 'scarf' to cover up the deception of the dark.

7. 'Light thickens; and the crow makes wing to the rooky wood.'

   • 'Light thickens,' good will always triumph over evil.
   • 'Crow,' symbolises death and that death will occur over the woods, meaning Banquo.

8. 'Good things of day begin to droop and drowse.'

   • 'Droop and Drowse,' the alliteration illustrates the nature is diving because of Macbeths rule.

9. 'So, Prithee, go with me.'

   • Adresses the night to help him, this is parallel in Act 1 Scene 4 and 5.

10. 'The west yet glimmer with some streaks of day.'

    • Its is getting dark, illustrates the fading of the light and foreshadows his death.

11. 'Light.'

    • 'Who did strike out the light?'
      • Foreshadowing of his death.
    • Suggests a clean conscious contrast to Macbeths and darkness.

12. '(He is cut down and killed.)'

    • Complete contrast to Duncan's murder he was able to be killed easy and not thought was considered.