Macbeth Act 3 & 4
Macbeth Act THREE & FOUR
Act 3
 sc 1 plot summary
 sc 1 questions
 sc 2 plot summary
 sc 2 questions
 sc 3 plot summary
 sc 3 questions
 sc 4 plot summary
 sc 4 questions
 sc 5 plot summary
 sc 5 questions
 sc 6 plot summary
Act 4
 sc 1 plot summary
 sc 2 plot summary
 sc 3 plot summary
 sc 3 questions
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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Act 3 sc 1
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Macbeth has changed castles. He now lives in the King’s castle which is at
__________________. He can live there now because he is __________.
Banquo reveals that he ______________ that Macbeth ___________ Duncan.
Macbeth arrives and announces that there is to be a ________ later that night.
He asks ___________ a lot of ________________ . Banquo leaves. Macbeth gives a
speech, called a ________________, in which he reveals that he is not happy with being
King because ___________________________________________________. So he
decides to hire two ____________ to ________________. He persuades them that
____________________ has been working against them, has been __________ them
down. They agree to kill ________________ and _________________.
questions:
1. Banquo
“Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all.
As the weird sisters promised; and I fear
Thou play’dst most foully for’t”
(1-3)
What does Banquo suspect?
2. a) Macbeth asks Banquo three questions. Record them here:
(line 21)
(line 26)
(line 39)
b) Why do you think he’s asking Banquo these questions?
3. Macbeth’s soliloquy
To be thus is nothing;
But to be safely thus.
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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a) Macbeth says that to be King is worth nothing unless ________
______________________
--Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares;
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety.
b) Macbeth is afraid of Banquo because of his character. Banquo is
________________ and _______________ and ________________.
...
They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If 't be so,
For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;
c)
Why is Macbeth’s crown fruitless, and why is his sceptre barren?
d) For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;
translated, means: For Banquo’s ___________ I have ___________ my mind.
By which, Macbeth is saying that __________________________________.
Act 3 sc 2
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Lady Macbeth is now ____________ about the murders. Macbeth comes in and talks to her about his concerns about
_________________. He does/does not tell her his plans.
Questions
1. This is almost exactly the middle of the play, and everything flips around.
It’s as if Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have switched roles.
For example, we see Lady Macbeth saying the following lines:
Lady Macbeth:
Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content:
a) meaning :
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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and:
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
b) meaning:
And then we see Macbeth saying:
Macbeth:
we Must lave our honours in these flattering streams,
And make our faces vizards to our hearts,
Disguising what they are.
c) meaning:
d) which reminds us of the lines in Act 1, scene 5, when Lady Macbeth said:
2. Finally, this scene is important because it shows us another change in Macbeth’s relationship with Lady Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth asks what they are goin g to do about Banquo, and Macbeth replies:
LADY MACBETH
What's to be done?
MACBETH
Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,
Till thou applaud the deed.
a)
which means:
b) which shows us that
Act 3 scene 3
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
As the murderers plan to kill Banquo & Fleance, __________________
appears. He says he has been sent by __________________. When ____________ and __________ arrive, one of
the murderers ________________
_________________. ______________ is killed but _______________ escapes.
Questions:
1. Who do you think the third murderer is?
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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Act 3 sc 4
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
At the Banquet, Macbeth learns from the murderers that _________ has been killed but ______________ has not.
Macbeth goes to sit down but sees ____________ sitting in his chair. He panics. Lady Macbeth tries to __________
him down. When the Ghost disappears again, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth blame Macbeth’s behaviour on his
_____________. Macbeth calls for a ____________ to _____________ and
______________ appears again. Macbeth comments indicate that he knows _____
_____________________________. Lady Macbeth is so concerned that she ___
______________________________________. Macbeth reveals that he is angry with _______________ and that
he plans to visit _____________ to find out what will happen next.
1.
Although Macbeth is upset that Fleance wasn’t killed, he rationalizes that he doesn’t need to worry about it
yet with the following lines.
Macbeth:
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present.
Why is Macbeth not worried?
2. LADY MACBETH
O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear:
This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,
Led you to Duncan.
When Lady Macbeth hears Macbeth anting about Banquo’s ghost, she is reminded about
another strange vision Macbeth once had. Of what is she reminded?
3. Put the following lines in your own words:
Macbeth:
the times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; but now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools:
4. I think this line is really, really cool. Macbeth asks what time it is:
What is the night?
and then Lady Macbeth replies:
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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LADY MACBETH
Almost at odds with morning, which is which.
meaning, the night and morning are fighting. It’s right in the middle, between night and day, impossible to say
which is which. Why are these lines cool?
Well, we’re still in the middle of the play. We’ve come so far into the NIGHT of Macbeth’s SOUL. Is he going to
go forward or back? Which will win, good or evil?
No question here. Just wanted you to notice that.
Let’s find out what happens.
5.
MACBETH
How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?
LADY MACBETH
Did you send to him, sir?
MACBETH
I hear it by the way; but I will send:
There's not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd.
We find out here that Macduff __________ to come when Macbeth asked him to.
We also find out that Macbeth keeps _____________ in all of the houses of his Thanes. This shows that he doesn’t
_____________ any of them.
6.
I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er:
meaning:
I am steeped (like a tea bag in hot water) in so much blood, that it is just as tedious to go back as it is to go on.
a) Which will win, good or evil? Will Macbeth stop and repent or go on and do more evil?
7. Macbeth says:
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd.
meaning:
Act 3 sc. 5
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Hecate, who’s basically the witches’ boss, appears. She’s ticked off.
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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Question
Put these lines in your own words:
There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that distill'd by magic sleights
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
He hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear:
And you all know, security
Is mortals' chiefest enemy.
Act 3 sc 6
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Lennox & another Thane discuss the recent events and show that they believe that they
have been committed by ________________. They also reveal that ________ is furious
with ______________ because he _____________ to ___________ the ___________.
Macduff is on his way to join _____________ in England to seek help in raising an
________________ against ______________. ______________ is full of fear and suffering
because it is being ruled by a ____________________.
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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ACT 4
Act 4 sc 1
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Macbeth visits the witches again. He asks them what’s going to happen next. This time, the
prophecies are shown to him by _______________ which means _________________.
The first ____________________ is a ________________________. It tells him to
_______________________________________. The second _________________ is a
______________________________ which tells him that no one who has been _________
of a __________________ can _______________ him. The third ________________ is a
____________ with a ______________ in his _______________. He tells him that he will
never be defeated until ________________________ comes to __________________.
Finally, Macbeth asks one last question. He asks whether ________________________
_____________________________. In answer, he is shown a line of ___________ Kings
all of whom look like __________________. They are followed by ________________.
Macbeth decides to pay a visit to _______________ to ________________________ and
________________________________.
Act 4 sc 2
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
_____________________ and __________________ get __________________.
Act 4 sc 3
Plot Summary
when: ______________
Where: ______________
Macduff talks to Malcolm, hoping to convince him to raise an army to attack Macbeth.
Macolm tries to test Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland by pretending that he would be a vicious
King, much more deceptive and tyrannical than Macbeth. Malcolm is so devastated by this,
that he prepares to give up. Malcolm sees this as a sign that Macduff doesn’t just want
power, but he wants what’s best for Scotland. He tells him that he was just testing his
loyalty, and tell shim that he’s really a good guy. What’s more, England is prepared to offer
10, 000 soldiers for the attack.
Ross arrives, and breaks the horrible news to Macduff that ____________________.
Macduff is overcome with sorrow first, and then swears revenge on Macbeth.
Questions
MALCOLM
It is myself I mean: in whom I know
All the particulars of vice so grafted
That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth
Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state
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Macbeth Act 3 & 4
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Esteem him as a lamb, being compared
With my confineless harms.
1. Malcolm basically says here, “I’m so evil, that when you see how bad I am, Macbeth
will seem _______________.
2. Malcolm tells Macduff a few of the ways he will be evil:
your wives, your daughters,
Your matrons and your maids, could not fill up
The cistern of my lust,
a) meaning, he’s going to _____________________
were I king,
I should cut off the nobles for their lands,
Desire his jewels and this other's house:
And my more-having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more; that I should forge
Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal,
Destroying them for wealth.
b) meaning, he’s going to _____________________
_____________________________________________________
2.
MACDUFF
O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,
Since that the truest issue of thy throne
By his own interdiction stands accursed,
And does blaspheme his breed?
a) Macduff is pretty upset by this, and cries out for Scotland, ruled (sceptered) by a tyrant.
He wonders when Scotland will see wholesome days again, since the “truest issue of the
throne,” by which he means ______________, has revealed himself to be so cursed & evil.
....Fare thee well!
These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself
Have banish'd me from Scotland. O my breast,
Thy hope ends here!
b) He decides to _____________ Scotland- the evils have banished him. He has lost all _______________.
Malcolm
Macduff, this noble passion,
Child of integrity, hath from my soul
Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts
To thy good truth and honour
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c) Malcom says that his passionate outburst has convinced him that he is actually ________________.
3
MALCOLM
Dispute it like a man.
MACDUFF
I shall do so;
But I must also feel it as a man:
. When Macduff learns that his family has been killed, Malcolm tells him that he should ______________________.
Macduff says
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