Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2
Question 1: What does this scene show us about Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? Language?
This scene starts with Lady Macbeth sending a servant to bring her husband to he. While she is waiting for Macbeth, she discloses her concern for the worrying Macbeth and his fears. In her own soliloquy, she says, "Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy." This means that she knows that her husband is too fearful to gain any pleasure from the being King, and she wants to try and calm him down. She is still the practical advice giver like in the other act. When Macbeth arrives, she asks him, "Why do you keep alone of sorriest fancies your companions making? ... What's done is done." Macbeth explains that they have wounded the snake, not killed it. He here admits to growing fears of retribution for his actions. He also claims that he would rather be dead and be at peace, than to endure the "torture of mind" he is feeling, which is to be restless and uneasy all the time. Lady Macbeth, surprisingly, does not scorn his fearful words as in the earlier act, but gently warns him to appear bright and jovial amongst the guests at dinner. He then promises to disguise what
is in his heart and asks her to pay special attention to Banquo during the meal. (Macbeth's state of mind is so clouded and confused that he seems to have forgotten for the moment that Banquo should be murdered before the dinner.) She tells him to stop worrying about Banquo and Fleance, but Macbeth knows this is impossible. In fact, Macbeth replies to his wife that his mind is "full of scorpions" and that "there shall be done a deed of dreadful note." When Lady Macbeth asks what is to be done and what he means, her husband leaves her in the dark, saying to her, "Be innocent of the knowledge till thou applaud the deed." Now in this act he is in charge now, not his wife as in earlier the earlier act. He, however, is still confident that she will agree with the murders after they are accomplished and "applaud the deed." The scene then ends with Macbeth once again asking for night to come quickly. But this time he wants the darkness to "cancel and tear to pieces that great bond (Banquo) which keeps me paled."