Macbeth (Act III, Scene IV)

The scene begins with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth welcoming their guests into their castle for a banquet. Macbeth encounters the first murderer whom he hired, who informs Macbeth that he has killed Banquo, but his son Fleance has escaped. Angered and worried, Macbeth realizes that Fleances presence threatens his status as king. As the murderer exits, Macbeth returns to the feast to see Banquos ghost sitting in his chair, which only he can see. Macbeth speaks to the apparition, disturbing his quests. Lady Macbeth apologizes for her husbands actions, with the excuse that Macbeth has suffered from this condition since childhood. She then chides him for lacking manhood, and the ghost disappears, only to return again. The apparition disturbs Macbeth further, forcing his wife to cancel the banquet. Macbeth is worried that omens such as the ghost of Banquo will reveal him to be a murderer, and tells his wife that he has placed a spy in Macduffs castle, learning that he refuses to appear in Macbeths court. Wishing to gain more information concerning his future, Macbeth decides to speak with the three witches the following day. The scene ends with Macbeth and his wife going to bed.

Images
Imagery Animal Imagery: (III. Iv. 100-104) Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The armd rhinoceros, or thHycran tiger, Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble. Explanation In lines 100 to 104, Macbeth expresses his fear towards the ghost of Banquo, using comparisons along with animal diction. Macbeth challenges the apparition to appear in the form of a bear, rhinoceros, or tiger, or any form other than Banquos ghost, stating that *his+ firm nerves shall never tremble (III. iv.104). The comparison of fierce animals to Banquos ghost underlines the guilt Macbeth feels about carrying out the murder of his friend. In these lines, Macbeth is worrying about the secret that he murdered Duncan getting out. He refers to birds that have omens related to the spreading of secrets. Birds are always chirping and know everything, sooner or later people will discuss about who is the killer; thus they will find out the secret that Macbeth was the killer. These lines show the usage of blood imagery. This blood imagery is used to show the recurring instances of murder throughout history and how Macbeth has followed this trend. In these lines, Macbeth compares Banquo and Fleance to snakes. He compares Banquo to a mature snake that has been killed, and therefore is no longer a threat. However, since Fleance escaped, Macbeth compares him with a young snake that has yet to develop fangs, but will become dangerous when he is older. This animal imagery runs throughout the play, and shows Macbeths fears.

Animal Imagery: (III.iv.124-126) Augures, and understood relations, have By maggot-pies, and choughs, and rooks brought forth.

Blood Imagery: (III.iv.74-75) Blood hath been shed now ere now, itholden time, Ere humane statue purgd the gentle weal;

Animal Imagery: (III.iv.29-32) There the grown serpent lies; the worm thats fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for thpresent. Get thee gone ; tomorrow Well hear ourselves again.

Significant Lines
Lines Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, As broad and general as the casing air: But now I am cabind. cribbd, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquos safe? (III.iv.21-25) Translation/Explanation Now Im scared again. Otherwise I would have been perfect, as solid as a piece of marble, as firm as a rock, as free as the air itself. But now Im all tangled up with doubts and fears. But Banquos been taken care of? In lines 21 to 25 in scene 4 of act 3, Macbeth expresses his worry due to that Fleance escaped the murderers. He says that if Fleance had been killed too, he would have felt Whole as the marble, founded as the rock (III.iv.22). However, since Fleance has escaped, he feels that he is bound to guilt and fear once again. In ancient times, before there were laws to make the land safe and peaceful, a lot of blood was spilled. Yes, and since then murders have been committed that are too awful to talk about. It used to be that when you knocked a mans brains out he would just die and that would be it. But now they rise from the dead with twenty fatal head wounds and push us off our stools. This haunting business is even stranger than murder. These lines spoken by Macbeth show the change of the natural order. He begins with talking about how people would normally die and their soul would rest in peace. He then shows the change when he describes Banquo who came back from the dead, with twenty gashes on his head, to haunt Macbeth. Where there is trouble: trouble brings more trouble. People make assumptions to everything. Talking birds and known relationship have been known to reveal the most hidden secrets by the means of talking. Macbeth is scared that his troubles will continuously add. Till people start putting evidences together to make the conclusion that Macbeth was the real murderer.

Blood hath been shed ere now, itholden time, Ere humane statue purgd the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performd Too terrible for the ear. The time has been That when 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. This is more strange Than such a murder is. (III.iv.75-84)

It will have blood they say: blood will have blood. Stones have been known to move and trees to speak. Augures, and understood relations, have By maggot-pies, and choughs, and rooks brought forth The secretst man of blood. What is the night? (III.iv.122-126

Tristan Labas, George Li, Daniel Gavras, David Han