He is admitting to having a servant of every noble in Scotland spying on their boss. Now Macbeths’ evil and deceit are spreading all over Scotland.
Shakespeare is also showing Macbeths’ progressing evil a lot in this scene. It is evident at the start and the end of the scene. Earlier in the play Macbeth is very remorseful after he murdered Duncan. Now Macbeth shows no signs of remorse after he has had Banquo murdered, Macbeth shows more signs of being happy with murder.
“Thou art the best o’ the cut-throats; yet he’s / good”
Macbeth is actually congratulating the murderer over the death of Banquo. Macbeth is now volunteering to use the witches as guides. In this play the witches are referred to evil so Macbeth choosing to use evil is a sign of his progressing evil because at the start of the play the witches choose to come to Macbeth. He is also claiming that everything will now take second place for him to get what he wants, by using the most evil ways of going about doing it.
“ By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good / All causes shall give way”
Macbeth now plans to act more swiftly upon his thoughts rather than to ponder over them for too long.
“Strange things I have in head, that will to hand / Which must be acted on, ere they may be scanned.”
Macbeth also shows signs to lady Macbeth that there may be more murders to come.
“We are yet but young in deed”
Macbeth thinks that he is simply inexperienced in murder and by killing more it will make killing again a lot easier.
Macbeth is clearly shown as a very unstable king in this scene. When he first hears that Fleance escaped the attack, Macbeths’ mood completely changes. He doesn’t even speak to the murderer. Macbeth talks of feeling a “fit” coming on and the everything else was “perfect” until this news. I think Shakespeare is trying to show us how uncomfortable and fearful he is of Fleance because he knows that the threat still remains.
“Cabined, cribbed, confined, bound into saucy doubts and fears”
Macbeth uses quick single words to express the feeling that he is trapped by Fleaonce. He knows that there is no way of escaping what the witches have said. Even in the way that Macbeth is describing this in single words shows that he is unstable. When Macbeth first notices the ghost Lenox is the first to realise something is wrong even before Macbeth has spoken. Shakespeare has done this to show that Macbeth is clearly very disturbed by what he is seeing and that Macbeth clearly believes there is something there. Macbeth starts ranting at the lords. Trying to bring their attention to the ghost He is accusing the lords of doing a prank on him. Macbeth is clearly disturbed by this and it is evident by the way that he is speaking. Again he is ranting short and sometimes single word sentences.
“Pr’ythee, see there! behold! look! lo! / How say you?”
This is a sign that he is worried and disturbed. Macbeth shows more signs of being unstable when he is saying that he would take on Banquo with no fear if he were only in a natural state, reinforcing Macbeths obvious fear of the supernatural.
“What man dare, I dare……..desert with my sword”
Lady Macbeth describes Macbeth “with most admired disorder.” Even she thinks that Macbeth has lost all self-control.
In both the Royal Shakespeare Company and Macbeth on the Estate versions of act 3 scene 4 starts with a pleasant atmosphere. Ian Mckellen acts Macbeth in the RSC version and James Frain acts Macbeth in the Macbeth on the Estate version. In the RSC version Macbeth enters with Lady Macbeth in a ceremonial manner. The music is also ceremonial, like wedding music showing a sign of order to the scene. Although in the Macbeth on the Estate version the music is more happy and lively. The song is “ We are family”. This song also adds to the feeling of togetherness. The lyrics suit the point of Macbeth having the banquet, trying to bring everyone together.
When Mckellen first enters he walks very confidently and holds his head up high trying to show that he is in charge and that he is of a higher rank than everyone else there. Mckellans costume stands out with lots of gold trimmings and the camera emphasises on his posture. In the Macbeth on the estate version there is little emphasis on Frains’ entrance.
When the murderer enters in the RSC version he lingers around Mckellen. When Mckellen talks to him his voice changes from being happy and welcoming to evil and devious. The cameras use a close up effect to show that they are talking privately. In Macbeth on the Estate Frain and the murderer go into another room away from the banquet to discuss the murder. When Mckellen hears of Fleances escape his voice completely changes. He becomes breathless and starts panicking. He grips onto the chalice firmly for comfort. These lines are delivered very well as they clearly show his fear and panic over Fleance. When Frain is told this news he reacts differently. Frain reacts aggressively to this and grabs the murderer by the throat still suggesting his fear of Fleance.
In the RSC version the ghost of Banquo cannot be seen by the viewers but in the Macbeth on the Estate version there is an actor playing Banquo. This would make it much harder for Mckellen to act so he would have to be more convincing. Mckellen freezes at the first sight of the ghost. It looks as if he is staring at nothing so the viewers are seeing it from the same point of view as the lords. Frain backs away as far as possible at the first sight of the ghost, showing his obvious fear of the ghost. His facial expressions also show signs of extreme fear. The music also changes; it is now calm and relaxed. The lyrics may also stand some significance, “wise men say, only fools rush in.” In both videos this completely changes the atmosphere. Mckellan darts about the stage never taking his eyes of what appears to him as a ghost. He shouts and sounds out of breath and is even breaking out in a sweat. This is very convincing that he is obviously very scared.
Mckellan tries to reassert himself by smiling and laughing. He is trying to get the good atmosphere back. He starts to drink out of the chalice which appears to be some kind of a ritual as all the other lords start to stamp their feet From doing this he successfully gets the positive atmosphere back. Frain acts in quite a similar manner when he tries to bring back the atmosphere. He starts smiling and acting jolly trying to compensate for his strange behaviour. Frain buys drinks and starts to join in the drinking games. He also successfully got the positive atmosphere back. When the ghost now reappears Frain acts even more scared and falls to the ground. He slithers into a corner and he is whimpering and sobbing. His speech is breathless and rushed. Mckellen also delivers a very convincing act of fear when he sees the ghost again. Mckellen is very hysterical as he starts to slobber everywhere. His delivery of the lines are unclear and his facial expressions are grotesque. Even Mckellens hair has changed from being neat to a mess showing that he has lost control. In this part of the scene Mckellan waves a dagger at the ghost but Frain uses a stool. These both methods are very convincing way to show their fear.
Now that the ghost has gone both Mckellen and Frain are left looking pathetic kneeling and sobbing at Lady Macbeths’ feet. When the lords are leaving Mckellen gives a pathetic wave like a pathetic child with a pathetic expression on his face.
Mckellen and Frain both deliver a similar act at the end of the scene when they are left with Lady Macbeth. They still look quite distracted and a bit nervous but have nearly regained their composure. When they are talking although they are with Lady Macbeth they don’t appear to be talking to her. They are staring into the air. It seems more like they are speaking their thoughts out loud and not consulting Lady Macbeth.
