Act 3 Scene 4

Act 3 Scene 4

1. Banquet scene

   • Macbeth switches between being fear and composure
   • public setting
     • humiliation is heightened

2. Change in Lady macbeth

   • 'our hostess keeps her state'
     • withdrawal, contrast from her trying to take control before
   • but still attempts to control Macbeth/ calm his unsuccessfully
   • Lady Macbeth's use of Asides
     • '[to Macbeth] Are you a man?'
       • 'Shame itself!'
       • like before she continues to mock him
         • 'You look but on a stool'
           • monosyllabic- simplicity
             • disgust
     • trying to appear natural

3. conversations with the murderers

   • removed from the banquet- secretive, distant from the others
     • extra conversations- similar to asides

4. Macbeth's reaction to the ghost of Banquo

   • ROCK IMAGERY
     • 'whole as marble, founded as the rock'
       • reflect the firm, bold state of before- now he is shattering to pieces
   • entrapemment
     • 'cabin'd, cribb'd, confined
       • alliteration of the harsh 'c' sounds
         • reflects his constraint/ paranoia
     • contrasts with the 'casing air'
   • 'grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled'
     • snake imagery- echo of Lady Macbeth
       • imagery of the 'venom breed' and 'teeth'
   • hallucinations
     • 'Which of you have done this?'
       • questions- confusion/disorientation
     • LANGUAGE
       • repeated exclamation marks
         • Avant! and quit my sight!
         • exasperated/shouting
       • 'Thoy/thy'
         • Talking down to him
       • STRUCTURE
         • lists of strong/fierce animals
           • 'rugged Russian bear, the arm's rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan Tiger'
             • Ready to tackle any physical threat, except the ghost
             • alliteration of 'r' sound- harsh/savage animals
             • 'What man dare, I dare'
               • rebuttal to Lady Macbeth
           • List of 3
   • 'tremble' 'trembling'
     • fear- physical effect
     • 'hence the horrible shadow!' ...'hence'
       • alliteration of 'h' harsh sounding
   • Guilt
     • 'I am in blood'
       • river/tide of blood- current is too strong to stop
         • powerless to stop it -
       • Blood imagery- hellish, evil murderous nature
       • 'I wade no more'
         • thickness/heavy, reluctant movements

5. Portrayal of Banquo's ghost

   • 'bones are marrowless'
     • 'thy blood is cold'
       • 'no speculation in those eyes'
         • 'glare'
           • 'gory locks'
   • Blood and gore- shocking for a Shakespearean audience- dramatic effect