Notes

MACBETH ACT 3 SCENE 1 (REVISED ANSWERS)

How would you describe Banquo’s mood based on his soliloquy at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 1? Is he envious or troubled? Why/Why not?
I feel like he was suspicious of Macbeth, thinking that he had something to do with the murder of King Duncan. I think he was also envious of Macbeth as the prophecies that the witches foretold him about his future actually came true. However, he then thought of the prophesy that the witches told him about his future, and that is that his children will become kings. Since Macbeth has become king, I think that that thought troubled Banquo.

What were Macbeth’s three important questions to Banquo? What are these questions for?
Macbeth asked Banquo, "Ride you this afternoon?", "Is't far you ride?" and "Goes Fleance with you?". I think he asked these questions so that it could be easier for him to plan the murder of both Banquo and his son.

What is an unlineal hand? What is a barren scepter? What is eating at Macbeth now?
An unlineal hand may refer to a hand of one that doesn't belong to the lineage of Macbeth. The barren scepter means that Macbeth was handed a scepter by prophesying that he will become king, but the scepter is barren since the witches also told him that he will not have sons so he may not have any royal descendants. All these thoughts are eating at Macbeth now.

Why does Macbeth want Banquo and Fleance dead? How does he plan to do this?
Macbeth wants Banquo and Fleance dead because he does not want Banquo's sons (one of which is Fleance) to become kings. He plans to do this by hiring murderers to murder them while they have a walk with their horses.

What technique/s did Macbeth use to convince the murderers?
He convinced the murderers by making them think that Banquo is their enemy, which led them to become more motivated to kill Banquo.

How did he justify to the murderers the fact that he has to kill Banquo?
He tells them that the reason why he wants to kill Banquo and Fleance is because he sees them as threats to his throne. He doesn't want Banquo's sons to be king, for he wants to keep the kingship to himself.