Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s deception in the wake of Duncan’s murder
(Deception = an act or statement which deliberately misleads or hides the truth)
In the build up to Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth to ‘look like the innocent
flower’, but Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth might be unable to maintain the false
appearance of the hospitable host (eg, Macbeth is notably absent when Lady Macbeth
greets the King). However, on his way to murder Duncan he says ‘Let not light see my black
and deep desires’ and ‘False face must hide what the false heart doth know’, which suggest
that he is becoming more scheming.In the aftermath of Duncan’s murder, however,
Shakespeare shows Macbeth to be an expert in the art of deception, symbolic of his
character’s growing corruption.
Task: Re-read Act 2 Scene 3 from ‘Twas a rough night’ to the end of Macbeth’s ‘Who can be
wise...Courage to make love’s own’, completing the following table as you do so. The first
one has been done for you.
Example (quotation) of M and LM’s
deception
Explain what this reveals about their characters
(remember to comment on Shak’s language if you
can and possible audience response)
‘Twas a rough night’
Audience will recognise this as a grimly humorous
euphemistic pun - Macbeth’s apparent use of
polite small talk, through his reference to the
weather, disguises the true significance of ‘rough’,
which is that his night was spent in turmoil, first
butchering the king and then suffering sleepless
guilt.
Example (quotation) of M and LM’s
deception
Explain what this reveals about their characters
(remember to comment on Shak’s language if you
can and possible audience response)