ACT III

"To be thus is nothing; But to be safely thus.--Our fears in Banquo"
It seems MacBeth has caught a terrible case of paranoia.

"Given to the common enemy of man, To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!"

"So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, That every minute of his being thrusts
Against my near'st of life: and though I could With barefaced power sweep him from my sight And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not"
 I find it interesting how MacBeth and Banquo are good friends until MacBeth allows his wife to get into his head.  Even in "hate", Macbeth cannot kill Banquo himself. It seems somewhat like a guilty conscience to me.

"Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most I will advise you where to plant yourselves; Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time,The moment on't; for't must be done to-night, "
Personally, I find it a little crazy how MacBeth can go form mental distraught after killing the king to having a flat our murder plan for Banquo. Maybe this was his design all along?

"Fleance his son, that keeps him company, Whose absence is no less material to me Than is his father's, must embrace the fate Of that dark hour."
So Banquos children have to suffer as well?

"'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy."
Fair is foul and foul is fair honey.

"Using those thoughts which should indeed have died With them they think on? Things without all remedy Should be without regard: what's done is done."
It seems Lady MB has created a monster. I don't think Lady MB or the audience expected MacBeths dramatic change of heart.

"In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave; After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;"
It seems like yesterday that MacBeth was upset about killing Duncan.. oh wait. 

"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives."
He's somewhat admitting to his sanity..


"O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou mayst revenge. O slave!"

"Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. Get thee gone: to-morrow We'll hear, ourselves, again."
Too bad Banquo wasn't the real snake in the sand.


"Are you a man?"
Best line of the play so far.

 "Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence!"
His guilt seems to be driving him mad.  He can't control his outbursts and he's been paranoid this entire scene.

"Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead: And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late; Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late."


"How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight In pious rage the two delinquents tear,"
Yeah, "grief".


Macbeth was acting very strange in this chapter. Mainly paranoid. I suppose it's understandable, but even Lady MB is starting to sense his insanity.