Macbeth LRJ #3

Aaron Fernandez

10IB English

Ms. Peifer

March 3, 2009

1) Macbeth has changes a lot now, after he murdered Duncan, he has become jealous of Banquo because his children will become the kings, and not him.  Macbeth finds himself murdering people for his own personal gain, and he is doing it subconsciously.  He speaks to himself and says, " Given to the common enemy of man To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings"(3.1 .70 -71).  Macbeth does not feel that remorse he should have for ordering murders to assassinate his closest friend.  He does not have that conscience, and self- pride that he had in Act 1 and 2.  Now Macbeth sees ghosts, and he is mortified.  He realizes that he killed his friend, but he didn't expect him to rise from the dead, Macbeth says, "That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end: but now they rise again"(3.4. 80- 81).  He has become very paranoid and afraid of what the consequences will be because he has made murder such a habit.

Lady Macbeth has let go of some of the power of the operation of claiming the throne.  Macbeth tells her, "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed"(3.3. 48- 49).  She has lost a little bit of power in the whole operation, and Macbeth is now starting to make his own plans.  He tells her to be innocent of the whole scheme and to stand in the background, that she shouldn't worry about it.  Lady Macbeth still does try and keep Macbeth together, she tries to calm him down when he is in mental distress.  She still insults him, but that is her way of calming him down, and making him do what she wants him to do.  Lady Macbeth says, "Why do you make such faces? When all's done, You look but on a stool"(3.4. 67- 68).  Lady Macbeth keeps her outer appearance of being tough, and strong through this act, and lies in order to save Macbeth, and her for being suspected or committing the murder.    

2)Death is a huge image pattern in Act 3, Macbeth has just killed his best friend because of jealousy, and hours later he saw his ghost.  Macbeth has made it a habit to kill whoever he thinks is going to be threat to his coronation and Thane of Cawdor.  Macbeth says to his wife, "Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear.  The time has been performed Too terrible for the ear"(3.4. 78- 79).  Macbeth describes the murder that was done to his old friend Banquo.  Later on he describes how now he has come back to life even though he is supposed to be dead.  

3)The theme which Shakespeare presents it to not let jealousy led your actions.  That a human must trust in other people in order to live a healthy life.  Shakespeare shows this by having one man kill his closest friend, and in doing so becomes crazy, and paranoid.  Macbeth says, "We have scorched the snake, not killed it"(3.2. 15).  Macbeth has become paranoid and that was started off by his jealousy of Banquo, and his fear of being caught.  Shakespeare's theme is that not to let jealousy or fear control someones actions, to know the difference between right and wrong