Sleep & Guilt
Macbeth envies Duncan's peaceful slumber while he himself is plagued by restlessness.
What does sleep (or lack thereof) symbolize?
Banquo fears that Macbeth "played'st most foully" to get the crown.
What suspicion does Banquo voice at the start of Act 3?
This spectral entity appears exclusively to Macbeth, sitting in the king's designated chair.
What is Banquo's Ghost?
This Greek goddess and queen of the witches makes her debut appearance in Act 3, Scene 5.
Who is Hecate?
Macbeth advises his wife to remain "innocent of the knowledge" regarding his plans for Banquo.
What phrase marks Macbeth’s new independence in plotting evil?
Macbeth laments that his mind is full of these painful, stinging insects.
What is "scorpions" ("O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!")?
Macbeth recruits these desperate figures to eliminate Banquo by convincing them Banquo is their oppressor.
Who are the Murderers?
Lady Macbeth tries to cover for her husband's erratic outbursts by telling the banquet guests he has had this condition since childhood.
What is a momentary fit/illness?
Hecate claims this specific human emotion is "mortals' chiefest enemy" (3.5.32-33).
What is security/overconfidence?
In Acts 1-2, she engineered the plot; in Act 3, she is relegated to managing the fallout of his choices.
How does Lady Macbeth's role change in Act 3?
Lady Macbeth tells her husband that this physical element can no longer clear them of their psychological stains.
What is water?
He manages to escape the murderers' ambush in the dark, preserving the witches' prophecy of lineage.
Who is Fleance?
This pivotal event marks the moment Macbeth's mental deterioration becomes undeniable to the Scottish lords.
What is the Banquet/Feast scene?
If the world is in order, the universe sings; Macbeth’s actions cause this Elizabethan concept to emit chaotic noise instead.
What is the Music of the Spheres?
Macbeth realizes his crown is fruitless and his scepter is this, meaning he has no heir to pass it to.
What is a "barren scepter"?
This color dominates Act 3 imagery, shifting from a mark of physical violence to a permanent mental stain.
What is red?
Macbeth fears Banquo because Banquo possesses this specific trait alongside a "dauntless temper of his mind."
What is a "royalty of nature"?
Macbeth realizes his path is irreversible, stating he is stepped so far into this substance that turning back is as tedious as going over.
What is blood? ("I am in blood / Stepped in so far...")
Hecate reprimands the three witches because they traded riddles and prophecies with Macbeth without doing this.
What is including her / consulting their queen?
This character refuses Macbeth’s invitation to the great feast, signaling the initial stirrings of political rebellion.
Who is Macduff?
The profound psychological state of torment, agitation, and complete loss of inner peace caused by deep guilt.
What does Macbeth's permanent sleeplessness signify?
The primary reason Macbeth orders the simultaneous murders of Banquo and Fleance.
What is to prevent Banquo’s line from inheriting the throne and securing his own lineage?
The precise literary term for the appearance of Banquo's ghost, serving as the irrevocable turning point where control slips away.
What is the Climax / Turning Point of the play?
Hecate intends to use these tricky manifestations to draw Macbeth onto a path of false security and total ruin.
What are illusions / artificial sprites / magic vessels?
In Act 1, he was a reluctant, noble soldier; by the end of Act 3, he transforms into this political archetype.
What is a tyrant?