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Macbeth Act 3
Scenes 1-6
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Scene 1
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Banquo – “Now you have it all don’t you Macbeth”
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Extremely suspicious of Macbeth – knows that he has
cheated to earn the what the weird sisters promised him.
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Macbeth comes in and has adopted the royal “we” in speech.
– how impressive!
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He asks Banquo 3 important questions:
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Ride you this afternoon? (Line 19)
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Are you riding far? (Line 24)
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Is Fleance going with you? (Line 36)
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Theme of 3 as a supernatural number again
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These questions are deeply ironic because Banquo will be at
the feast, but as a ghost!
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Macbeth’s 3rd Soliloquy
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To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus
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“To be the king is nothing if I’m not safe as the king.”
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“greatly fear Banquo”
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“The witches prophecies: I’ve killed the gracious Duncan all for
Banquo’s sons! I;ve handed over my everlasting soul to the devil
so they can be kings… well I will challenge fate and fight to the
death.”
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Crazy Macbeth
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Paranoia growing
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Eternal jewel is his soul
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Fruitless crown – unable to bear children? He will not have
any and so the crown will be theirs.
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He is going along with the witches prophesy because
everything he has told them has come true.
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Murderers
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2 murders come before him
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These men are probably army deserters which Macbeth
probably has put in jail before.
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But he’s pinning that on Banquo.
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Notice that he doesn’t do this killing himself.
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Switched back to “I” personal touch to win the murderers
over.
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“are you so religious that you can forgive the man who
brought ruin to your family and had you killed?!”
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Banquo (or Macbeth) must have done something terrible to
the murderers to have ruined their lives.
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Scene 2
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We get great insight into Macbeth’s character from this
scene. We can see how he has developed from the
exposition.
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He knows how to manipulate men now, taught well by his
wife.
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He has no reason to kill Banquo except for the fact that he
feels judged by him.
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Lady Macbeth
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Lady Macbeth – is not enjoying being queen.
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Line 6 -10
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If you get what you want and
you’re still not happy, you’ve
spent everything and gained
nothing. Its better to be the
person who gets murdered
than to be the killer and be
tormented by anxiety.”
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He’s a loner and he prefers
to be alone.
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As Macbeth matures in evil
she dwindles.
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Part of the tragedy is the
break up of their relationship.
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Role reversal
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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
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He’s not sleeping properly. Deeply
tormented
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He envies the dead king!
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Hiding the true self in the face (visor)
Lack of confidence between them. He
won’t tell his wife.
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She is surprised by his craziness. And he
tells her not to fear. Lady Macbeth is
looking at her husband in amazement.
First time she realizes he’s left her
behind.
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He’s matured in evil and moved into his
dark side.
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Ironic because she was the one who said
“Come thick night” but he is the one who
loves the blackness of night.
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Act 3 scene 3
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Macbeth has sent a 3rd murderer because he does not trust the
first 2.
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They are waiting in a cluster of trees about a half mile from the
castle.
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It was customary for men to dismount their horses and give
them to the stable boy and continue on foot and this is exactly
what Banquo does.
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Three men attack – Fleance runs!!!!
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Banquo is dead. And the murderers realize the fatal mistake.
They leave but they know its going to be bad news for when they
get back.
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Act 3 Scene 4
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Banquet for coronation
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Everything that goes wrong tonight is a symbol for Macbeth’s
reign. EVERYTHING GOES WRONG.
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Macbeth sits in order of importance according to their titles.
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Macbeth beams at everyone smiling.
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Bloody face appears. He goes to talk to the murderer.
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Scene 4
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Witches predictions can still come true
so Macbeth is thrown into a rage and
into despair!
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Macbeth is talking with the murderer
but everyone is waiting for him to finish
the toast!?!
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Lady Macbeth is really gross. As we saw
when the murder of Duncan was taking
place she puns in moments of stress.
Meeting and meat pun.
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Banquet Scene
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Empty seat is offered to Macbeth but of course it is not empty it is being
occupied by Banquo.
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Macbeth finally sees the ghost and turns white and drops his goblet.
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She pulls Macbeth aside and taunts him again about cowardice. Trying to
pull him together. She is trying to shame him again.
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We might as well put people on the outside on hills instead of burying
them. This implies that he might have had people killed recently and the
Thanes are worried.
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Murders have been performed too terrible – they should be dead but now
they push us from our stools. He is almost confessing!
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Macbeth finally pulls himself together. There he sees the ghost again and
jumps back in his chair and drops the goblet again.
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Everyone is standing and staring at him. Chaos has come from all
directions. He alone has seen the ghost but he doesn’t understand that.
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Act 3 Scene 5
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Not written by Shakespeare
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Someone thought that Macbeth was too short and needed to be a bit
cheerier. Changes found their way into the play and have survived until
modern day. Most directors cut these scenes
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Strongest evidence is the meter its written in.
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Tetrameter – makes the audience feel stressed and anxious and makes the
audience fear the power of the witches. And this scene is not written that
way. Hecate speaks in Iambic pentameter.
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How did you dare trade and traffic with Macbeth. Thomas Littleton –
wrote about the supernatural during Shakespeare’s day
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Back on the blasted heath enter three witches and Hecate.
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Beldams – old crows. How did you dare trade and traffic with Macbeth.
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Macbeth is wayward. – contradiction to the play so far.
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Scene 5
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They need to tell him untruths
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It doesn’t make any sense.
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Contradiction because we have scene that Macbeth is evil
inside and only needed a push and that the Witches chose
him because his ambition is strong. Not that he is inherently
good. And they need to manipulate him.
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Song doesn’t fit in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. He used the
claustrophobia of the scene to draw you in and make you
uncomfortable. That’s why a song seems wrong.
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Destroys one of the most important aspects of Macbeth - the
number 3
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Scene 6
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Lennox is prominent here – Speaking sarcastically about
Macbeth and refers to him as a Tyrant
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This scene is used to move the plot forward. Like a Chorus –
Remember Romeo and Juliet
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Information is given that would not have been shown without
this scene.
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Scene 6
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Malcolm and Edward the confessor are getting an army together.
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Scotland is in famine and there is fear and terror.
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Macduff has been sent for and refused to come.
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Prayer – Macbeth can’t pray.
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“…this our suffering country under a hand accursed”
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Macbeth is possessed by something?
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1.
Act 3: Study Questions
Why does Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead?
Answer: He knows they suspect him of foul play, and he is furious that he
has done all the work of becoming king, and Banquo’s descendants
will benefit from it.
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2. What is Macbeth’s plan for killing Banquo and Fleance? Does
it work?
Answer: He gets two convicted murderers to wait along the
road to ambush them. The murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance
escapes.
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2. What is Macbeth’s plan for killing Banquo and Fleance? Does
it work?
Answer: He gets two convicted murderers to wait along the
road to ambush them. The murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance
escapes.
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3. Macbeth says, “The worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time
will venom breed, No teeth for the present.” What does that
mean?
Answer: Fleance will be a problem in the future, since he will
have children who will become kings, but for now Macbeth
can let him go and deal with other things because Fleance is
of no immediate threat to him personally.
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4. Who (what) did Macbeth see at the banquet table?
Answer: He saw Banquo’s Ghost
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5. How does Lady Macbeth cover for Macbeth at the
banquet? What excuses does she give for his wild talk?
Answer: She tells the guests that he often has these fits, that
those who know him well have learned to ignore them. When
Macbeth really gets out of hand, she sends the guests home.
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6. Who else was missing from the banquet tabel (besides
Banquo)
Answer: Macduff is missing
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7. Macbeth says, “I am in blood stepped in so far that should I
wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’ er’.” What
does he mean?
Answer: There is no going back now. Macbeth is committed to
this course of action, whatever terrible things he may yet
have to do.
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8. What does Hecate want the witches to do?
Answer: She wants the witches to give Macbeth some visions
which will give him false impressions, false hopes for his
personal safety and the safety of his rule, so he will continue
on his path of destruction.
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9. What does Lennox think about Macbeth, Fleance and
Duncan’s sons?
+Macbeth:
Act 1-3 (Quiz)
Notes for the Quiz
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Goal:
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To review Acts 1-3 of Macbeth
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To identify and discuss major events, important passages and
literary elements.
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Why? In order to prepare you for the quiz (suggestion: take
notes)
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Get out two Pieces of paper
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Title-Paper # 1: Notes
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Paper one will be for your notes
Title- Paper #2: Activities
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This paper will be handed into me at the end of class.
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You will complete a series of activities on this paper.
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What is a Soliloquy?
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Soliloquy: In drama, a moment when a character is alone
and speaks his or her thoughts aloud.
On paper 2- #1. Please translate Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act
1 Scene 7. (Lines 1-10)
-10 min
Be sure to define the word “Trammel”
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 MACBETH:
Translation
If this deed were done when it is done, then it
would be better If it were done quickly. If the assassination
of the King
Could be entangled with the consequences, then I could,
With his murder, be a success. If only this blow Could be the
be-all and the end-all right here, Only here, upon this bank
and shallows of time,
We’d risk it for the life to come. Only in these things, We are
always punished here because we teach others How to
murder, and once they learn, they come back To murder us.
This balanced justice
+ Why is Macbeth confused in Act 1 Scene 7?
P. 57
-Macbeth is confused about his course of action.
-He wishes that Duncan’s murder were an end in itself. He does not like
tying up all the loose ends.
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He also, wonders if the crime is worth all the effort.
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Trammel: to catch in a net (that is prevent)
What
is
comic
relief?
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Comic relief (also called episode and interlude) - a humorous scene,
incident, or remark occurring in the midst of a serious or tragic
literary selection and deliberately designed to relieve emotional
intensity and simultaneously to heighten, increase, and highlight the
seriousness or tragedy of the action. Apart from being a simple
diversion, though, comic relief normally plays some part in advancing
the action of drama.
Can you find an example of Comic Relief in the
+ play “Macbeth”?
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Hint: Act 2: Scene 3
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Shakespeare’s drunken porter in Act 2: Scene 3:
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Act II, scene iii : lines 1 – 19
Why is the Porter’s soliloquy an example of comic
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The scene opens in comic relief from the drunken porter. It is the only
humorous scene in the play and is purposefully placed to relieve
audience tension between the actual murder and its discovery. When the
porter is awakened from his stupor by the knocking, he thinks he is
going to open hell's gate (an in truth he is, for his castle walls - from the
moment of the murder to the play's end - is a living hell for Macbeth).
+ The porter names the sinners who are waiting to enter, and
each one possesses one of Macbeth's tragic flaws. The farmer
is too ambitious (Macbeth is also ambitious for power).
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Equivocator: someone who is deliberately unclear or silent
in order to deceive a listener.
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The equivocator is full of pretense and lies (Macbeth lies to others and,
more importantly, to himself); and the tailor is a thief (Macbeth has just
stolen Duncan's life). All three of these traits contribute to Macbeth's
downfall and total ruin. His ambition for power leads him to dream of
being king and causes him to murder.
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Statement: Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his
ambition.
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Why?
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#2. Find two quotes to support this statement?
What
is
a
character
foil?
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A character that serves by contrast to highlight or
emphasize opposing traits in another character.
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What character in the play is Macbeth’s character foil?
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Answer: Banquo serves as a foil to Macbeth, showing an
alternate reaction to the witches prophecy. Banquo
retains his morals and allegiances, but ends up dying. He
is brave and ambitious, but this is tempered by
intelligence.
Quiz
on
Acts
1-3
Tomorrow
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
– Quiz Act’s 1-3
Act
4:
Scene
1
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The witches chant and dance around a babbling cauldron. Macbeth
enters their cave, demanding that they answer his questions. Macbeth
does not like the witches answers. He curses the witches and swears to
kill Macduff’s family.
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Macbeth: “Howe’er you come to know it, answer me.” P. 171
Act
4:
Scene
2
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Lady Macduff is upset because her husband, macduff has fled to
England. She does not understand why he would leave her. Ross
leaves and the murderers that Macbeth hired kill Lady Macduff and
her son.
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Son: He has kill’d me, mother: / Run away, I pray you. [dies]
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Act 4: Scene 3
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Malcolm and Macduff discuss how Scotland under Macbeth’s
rule has been plunged into despair. Malcolm tests Macduff’s
integrity. We learn that a large army is gathering to defeat
Macbeth.