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Unit 5: Macbeth: Detailed Analysis of the Text

his children kings. He will put an end to such worries by hiring two men to kill Banquo and Fleance. Notes
The men are not professional assassins, but rather poor men who are willing to work as mercenaries.
Macbeth has already blamed their current state of poverty on Banquo. He now tells them that while
Banquo is his own enemy as much as theirs, loyal friends of Banquo’s prevent him from killing
Banquo himself. Macbeth proceeds to detail the particulars of the murder: they must attack him as
he returns from his ride—at a certain distance from the palace—and they must also kill Fleance at
the same time.
Scene 2
Alone on stage, Lady Macbeth expresses her unhappiness: there seems to be no end to her desire for
power and she feels insecure and anxious. Macbeth enters looking upset and she counsels him to
stop mulling over the crimes they have committed. But Macbeth declares that their job is not done:
he still spends every waking moment in fear and every night embroiled in nightmares. He even
envies Duncan, who now sleeps peacefully in his grave. Lady Macbeth warns him to act cheerful in
front of their dinner guests. She also tries to comfort him by reminding him that Banquo and Fleance
are by no means immortal. Macbeth responds by telling her that “a deed of dreadful note” will be
done in the night, though he will not divulge the details.
Scene 3

The two murderers are joined by a third, who says that he has also been hired by Macbeth. Horses
are heard approaching and Banquo and Fleance enter. The murderers attack Banquo but Fleance
manages to escape. The murderers leave to report back to Macbeth.

Scene 4

At the banquet, a murderer arrives and reports to Macbeth just as the dinner guests begin to arrive.
He informs Macbeth that Banquo is dead but Fleance has escaped. Shaken, Macbeth thanks him for
what he has done and arranges another meeting on the following day. The murderer leaves and
Macbeth returns to the feast.
Looking over the table, Macbeth declares that the banquet would be perfect if only Banquo were
present. At this point Banquo’s ghost appears unobserved and takes Macbeth’s seat. The guests
urge Macbeth to sit and eat with them but Macbeth says that the table is full. When Lennox points
to Macbeth’s empty seat, Macbeth is shocked to see Banquo’s ghost. He addresses the ghost, saying,
“Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake / Thy gory locks at me”. The guests, confused by his
behavior, think that he is ill. Lady Macbeth reassures them, however, by saying that he has had
similar fits since youth and that he will soon be well. She draws Macbeth aside and attempts to calm
him by asserting that the vision is merely a “painting of [his] fear”—just like the dagger he saw
earlier. Ignoring her, Macbeth charges the ghost to speak but it disappears. After Lady Macbeth
scolds him for being “unmanned in folly”, Macbeth returns to his guests and claims that he has “a
strange infirmity,” which they should ignore.
Just as the party resumes and Macbeth is offering a toast to Banquo, the ghost reappears. As Macbeth
once again bursts out in a speech directed at the ghost, Lady Macbeth tries to smooth things over
with the guests. In response to Macbeth’s exclamation that he sees sights that make his cheeks
“blanched with fear,” Ross asks what sights Macbeth means. Lady Macbeth asks the guests to leave,
since Macbeth’s “illness” seems to be deteriorating. Alone with Lady Macbeth, Macbeth expresses
his deep anxieties and vows to return to the Weird Sisters.
Scene 5

On the heath, the witches meet Hecate, queen of witches, who chastises them for meddling in
Macbeth’s affairs without involving her or showing him any fancy magic spectacles. She tells them
that Macbeth will visit them tomorrow and that they must put on a more dramatic show for him.

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