MACBETH - Act III Study Questions
Scene I:
1. What hope does Banquo maintain? What phrase indicates that Banquo suspects Macbeth of wrongdoing?
2. How is Banquo treated by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? What does Macbeth want to learn from Banquo? How does
Banquo respond?
3. According to Macbeth's soliloquy (48-72), what threatens his future as king? Does Macbeth truly believe the witches’
prophecy? Explain.
4. How does Macbeth persuade the murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance? What reason does he give for wanting to
keep secret his connection with the murderers?
5. How has Macbeth's planning of Banquo's murder differed from his planning of Duncan's murder?
Quotation ID and significance: a) speaker, b) audience, c) significance – do not merely translate.
A. “As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, / Thou play'dst most foully for't”
B. “To be thus is nothing; / But to be safely thus:−−our fears in Banquo. / Stick deep”
C. “For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind, / For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered, / Put rancors in the vessel
of my peace / Only for them, and mine eternal jewel / Given to the common enemy of man, / To make them kings, the
seed of Banquo kings. / Rather than so, come fate into the list, And champion me to th' utterance!
D. “Do you find / Your patience so predominant in your nature, / That you can let this go?”
Scene II:
1. In what way do Lady Macbeth's words (III, ii, 4-7) echo Macbeth's words in the previous scene?
2. What is ironic about Lady Macbeth’s statement, “What’s done is done”?
3. Compare and contrast the feelings of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this scene. How has Macbeth’s character
changed?
4. How does Macbeth now feel about being a murderer? How do these feelings contrast with his feelings before the
murder of Duncan?
5. How does Act III, scene ii demonstrate the following quote written by Sir Walter Scott in 1808: “What a tangled web
we weave, when first we attempt to decieve.”?
Quotation ID and significance: a) speaker, b) audience, c) significance – do not merely translate.
A. “Nought's had, all's spent / Where our desire is got without content.”
B. “We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; / She'll close, and be herself; whilst our poor malice / Remains in danger of
her former tooth.”
C. “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed.”
Scene III:
1. How does the inclusion of a third murderer demonstrate that Macbeth feels insecure?
2. What does the audience have to imagine in order to understand the action in this scene?
3. Explain the meaning of the murderer’s statement, “We have lost/ Best half of our affair.”
4. Do the witches predictions come true? How is Banquo greater and happier than Macbeth?
5. Why is Fleance’s escape especially important to Macbeth?
Scene IV:
1. How does Macbeth behave at the banquet? How does Lady Macbeth explain her husband's behavior?
2. How are Lady Macbeth’s words similar to her words in Act I, scene vii? How are they different?
3. Besides Banquo, who is absent from the banquet? Why is his absence a serious matter?
4. How does Macbeth demonstrate that he is becoming increasingly insecure about his reign as king?
5. How has the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth changed?
Quotation ID and significance: a) speaker, b) audience, c) significance – do not merely translate.
A. “This is the very painting of your fear. / This is the air-drawn dagger which you said / Led you to Duncan.”
B. “For mine own good / All causes shall give way. I am in blood / Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, /
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.” (3.4)
Scene 5:
1. What acts of folly does Hecate say Macbeth will commit?
2. What does Hecate mean when she states "Security is mortals' chiefest enemy."
3. According to Hecate, what will be the cause of Macbeth’s downfall?
Scene 6
1. How is verbal irony used in this scene?
2. According to Lennox, where are Macduff and Malcolm? Why are they there?
3. How have the people suffered in Scotland during Macbeth’s rule?
Quotation ID and significance: a) speaker, b) audience, c) significance – do not merely translate.
A. And the right valiant Banquo walk'd too late; / Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, / For Fleance fled. /
Men must not walk too late.
B. “…did he not straight, / In pious rage, the two delinquents tear / That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? /
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; / For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive, / To hear the men deny't.”
C. The son of Duncan / (From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth) (3.6.28-29)