Comment on Banquo’s speech beginning “There’s husbandry in heaven…” and ending “…in repose”. Remember that this play would originally have been performed in the daytime, using natural light.
oAfter his servant leaves him (line 33 and following) Macbeth imagines he can see something (in some film version the audience may be shown this, too). What is it? Explain why, you think, Macbeth sees this, especially at this time and place.
Atmosphere
oTense and ominous atmosphere
oEntrance of Macbeth breaks the dark silence
oMacbeth’s description of the sleeping night – atmospheric and poetic
oImages of terror, violence and treachery
oScene creates atmosphere for the murder of D.
oIssue of the supernatural surfaces again
oTalk of the witches and their prophecies
oThe dagger – real or just a figment of Macbeth’s imagination?
Macbeth’s character
oScene reveals the new Macbeth
oMore determined to commit the murder
oMore steeped in evil
oNow capable of outright lying and deceit
oStill seems to contemplate some from of secretive conspiracy with B.
oPromises honour to B if he remains true to M
oFollows the devious details of the treacherous plan
oAppears casual and unconcerned when instructing his servant about the ringing of the bell
oThe dagger episode is the first of a series of hallucinations
oReveals an unsteady mind, fearful heart and fevered imagination
oProbably stemming from feeling of guilt
oThe apparition serves to strengthen his evil resolve
oNew tone evident in his description of the dark, silent night.
oFeels in tune with the images of stealth and destruction he describes
oScene ends on menacing note (couplet)
Banquo’s character
oB, too, is tempted by the witches’ prophecies of great things
oYet, in direct contrast to M, he struggles against the thoughts he knows to be wrong.
oThough tempted by promises of grandeur, does not succumb to such thoughts.
oHis final words to M indicate that he is already concerned, even suspicious, about what M might have in mind.
oStresses that although a loyal friend of M’s, he is above all else a man of honour.
Duncan’s character
oGift of diamond for LM
oA further example of his generosity
oIncreases the impending irony and horror of what is about to happen.
Saturday, October 07, 2006;
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