Macbeth Act 3, scene 3

 

Macbeth Act 3, scene 3

Summary

The scene opens with the two Murderers Macbeth recruited joined by a mysterious Third Murderer. The First Murderer is suspicious, demanding to know who sent him. The Third Murderer answers "Macbeth," and the Second Murderer verifies his trustworthiness, stating he knows their exact instructions. They settle in to wait.

They note the last glimmers of daylight, a time when late travelers hurry to their lodgings. Hearing horses, they realize their target approaches. They confirm it is Banquo, as the other expected guests are already at the palace. They note that Banquo has dismounted and is walking the final distance to the castle gate, as is customary.

Banquo and his son, Fleance, enter carrying a torch. The Murderers see the light and prepare. Banquo's innocuous line, "It will be rain tonight," is met with the First Murderer's deadly cry, "Let it come down!" They attack in the darkness.

Banquo, mortally wounded, cries out to Fleance to "Fly!" and urges him to seek revenge. He dies. In the chaos, someone (likely Fleance in the struggle) extinguishes the torch. The Third Murderer asks who put out the light, and the First Murderer realizes the consequence: "There's but one down. The son is fled." The Second Murderer laments that they have lost the best half of their mission. With only Banquo dead and Fleance escaped, they resolve to go and report what they have done to Macbeth.

Analysis

1. The Third Murderer:

This figure is one of the scene's great mysteries. His identity is never confirmed, leading to scholarly debate (is he a spy for Macbeth? A servant like Seyton? An embodiment of Macbeth's own distrust?). His primary dramatic functions are:

  • To heighten Macbeth's paranoia: Even his hired killers cannot be fully trusted, so he sends a supervisor. This mirrors his distrust of everyone, including Banquo.
  • To ensure the job's details are known: He confirms they are to kill both Banquo and Fleance, emphasizing the importance of extinguishing Banquo's line.
  • To create dramatic irony: He is the one who asks, "Who did strike out the light?"—the act that enables Fleance's escape and ensures Macbeth's downfall.

2. Imagery of Light and Dark:

The scene is structurally built on this motif.

  • The Fading Light: The "streaks of day" are disappearing, symbolizing the last vestiges of natural order and goodness being swallowed by the darkness of Macbeth's reign and this murderous act.
  • The Torch: Represents Banquo's life and, symbolically, the "light" of his lineage (the promised kings). The Murderers attack from and depend on darkness.
  • "Strike out the light": The literal plunging into darkness allows Fleance to escape, but it also marks the moment the prophecy (that Banquo's sons will be kings) remains alive. The light is not fully extinguished; it flees into the future.

3. The Theme of Time:

The Murderers speak of the "lated traveler" seeking a "timely inn." Banquo is this traveler, but he will never reach his rest. Macbeth, in his earlier soliloquy, feared Banquo's children would "put rancours in the vessel of my peace." Here, Banquo himself is denied peace permanently. Macbeth seeks to control time (his future kingship) by murdering it, but fails.

4. The Partial Success and Its Consequences:

The scene is a turning point of catastrophic failure for Macbeth.

  • He succeeds in eliminating his immediate rival, Banquo, who posed a threat of knowledge and suspicion.
  • However, Fleance's escape is a disaster. It means the witches' prophecy for Banquo's line remains viable, rendering Banquo's murder almost pointless and guaranteeing Macbeth's fears will continue to haunt him. The Second Murderer's line, "We have lost best half of our affair," is a profound understatement. For Macbeth, losing Fleance means he has committed a mortal sin (killing his noble friend) and damned his soul for no ultimate gain.

5. Dramatic Irony and Tension:

Shakespeare masterfully builds tension. The audience knows the plan. The casual small talk from Banquo ("It will be rain tonight") is heartbreakingly mundane against the impending violence. His final words, "O treachery!" and his cry for Fleance to seek revenge, plant the seed for future retribution and frame Macbeth's act as a gross violation of loyalty and hospitality.

6. Language and Pace:

The dialogue among the Murderers is terse and practical, reflecting their grim business. The action accelerates rapidly from the sighting of the light to the attack and its aftermath. The quick, panicked lines after the murder ("Who did strike out the light?"/"There's but one down.") effectively convey the confusion and failure.

Act 3, Scene 3 is a short but pivotal scene of brutal action and profound thematic significance. It executes a critical plot point (Banquo's death) while ensuring Macbeth's overarching goal fails (Fleance's escape). It deepens the themes of paranoia, the conflict between light and dark, and the futility of trying to alter fate through violence. The scene directly leads to the haunting appearance of Banquo's ghost at the banquet in the next scene, where Macbeth's psychological unraveling becomes public.

 

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