Act 3 Scene 1

Act 3 Scene 1

1. Banquo's suspicion

   • 'I fear thou played'st most foully'
     • GROWING IMAGERY
       • Banquo too thinks about the prophecies
         • 'be the root and father of many kings'
           • wholesome/ positive image
       • LIGHT IMAGERY
         • 'their speeches shine'
           • he is a noble, loyal man
     • echo of 'fair...foul
       • appearance and reality

2. Banquo fears that Macbeth has become King by evil means

   • Macbeth requests Banquo to attend tonights banquet
     • checks that Fleance rides too
       • He plans on murdering the two of them

3. Relationship between Macbeth and Banquo

   • Broken down to to the suspicion/ paranoia/mistrust
     • formal language
       • Banquo is almost submitting to Macbeth
         • 'your highness'
           • 'my good lord'
       • Macbeth uses imperatives
         • more controlling- echo of lady macbeth
         • 'Fail not our feast'
         • Macbeth asks questions- Banquo simply replies
           • short sentences/ simple language
       • Quick interchange

4. Macbeth's unhappiness

   • 'To be thus is nothing '
     • simple, short, monosyllabic phrase- blunt
     • historical references
       • 'Mark Antony was by Caesar'
         • Repeat in events
     • LIFELESS IMAGERY
       • Macbeth's lack of vitality and joy reflect in his language
         • 'barren'
           • 'fruitless crown'
             • contrast to Banquo's nourishing/ growing langauge
               • by murdering Duncan it has 'put rancours (poison) in the vessel'
                 • Ruined, no happiness or peace
               • 'seeds of Banquo's kings'
   • Not fully content with being king- he has sacrificed his safety and peace of mind
   • Paranoia plagues him
     • 'our fears in Banquo stick deep'
       • Verb 'stick' forceful- injury/wound -
       • He is presented as 'dauntless' and wise
         • strong rhythm also reflects this
   • Soliloquy

5. Juxtaposition between soliloquy and conversation with the murderers

   • Macbeth questions their manhood
     • Reference to men and dogs
       • Macbeth is attempting to manipulate them into killing Banquo
         • Portrays the murder to be the honoured and virtuous thing to do
           • Doesn't just tell them, but he convinces them- gives them reasons
         • 'Banquo was your enemy'
         • A tyrant and his thugs
       • Shifts from prose to verse as he begins to describe the different breeds of dogs and their characteristics
         • 'greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs....etc'
           • 'swift' 'slow' 'subtle'
             • Like dogs men can also be similar ranked by their qualities
             • LISTS
         • STRUCTURE- prose > verse
           • deceptive, manipulative nature- makes the murder seen noble and honourable
     • Similar to how Lady Macbeth mocked Macbeth
       • ('you would be so much more the man')
       • Shows Lady Macbeth's power and influence over him'
   • appearance and reality theme
   • Change in Macbeth's friends