ISC Class 12 English Drama Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ISC Class 12 – Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4
By William Shakespeare
Macbeth Act 3, Scene 4 is a famous banquet scene. Macbeth, now king, hosts Scottish lords but is troubled by guilt and anxiety after killing Banquo. Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the table, but only he can see it. This causes him to act strangely in front of the guests, and Lady Macbeth has to dismiss everyone. Macbeth then decides to revisit the witches, showing his slide into madness and the decline of his reign.
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Summary
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Summary in Hindi
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Theme
- Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Explanation
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Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Summary
In Act 3, Scene 4, often called the Banquet Scene, Macbeth’s psychological state reaches a breaking point. The scene begins with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth welcoming the Scottish lords to a grand feast at the palace. Macbeth attempts to play the role of a humble and gracious king, but the atmosphere of celebration is quickly shattered when one of the murderers appears at the door to report that Banquo has been killed, but his son Fleance has escaped.
This news triggers a fit of intense anxiety in Macbeth. While he is relieved that Banquo is dead, describing him as a grown serpent, he fears Fleance, whom he calls the worm that will eventually grow venomous and threaten his throne. This moment marks the beginning of Macbeth’s loss of control; he realizes that despite his violent efforts, he has failed to secure his legacy and is now confined by his own fears.
The scene takes a supernatural turn when the Ghost of Banquo enters and sits in Macbeth’s reserved seat. Because the ghost is visible only to Macbeth, his terrified reaction of shouting at an empty chair and telling the ghost that Banquo’s ghost can not say Macbeth did it, bewilders the guests. Lady Macbeth tries to save the situation by claiming her husband has suffered from such fits since childhood. She privately mocks Macbeth’s cowardice, comparing the ghost to the air-drawn dagger he saw before killing Duncan, and questions his manhood to snap him back to reality.
The ghost disappears and reappears, eventually causing Macbeth to break down completely. He claims that in the past, when a man died, he would stay in grave, but now the ghost of Banquo rose from his grave to push Macbeth from his throne. Fearing that Macbeth will accidentally confess to their crimes, Lady Macbeth abruptly ends the banquet and asks the lords to leave immediately, without following the usual formal order of departure.
Once alone, Macbeth’s thoughts turn even darker. He reflects on the proverb ‘blood will have blood’, acknowledging that his crimes will inevitably lead to his own destruction. He reveals his growing paranoia by mentioning that he keeps paid spies in the houses of all his nobles, including Macduff, who refused to attend the feast. The scene ends with Macbeth deciding to visit the Weird Sisters again to learn his fate at any cost. He concludes that he has committed so many murders that it is easier to continue his path of violence than to turn back and seek forgiveness.
Summary of Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 in Hindi
एक्ट 3, सीन 4 में, जिसे अक्सर बैंक्वेट सीन कहा जाता है, मैकबेथ की मनोवैज्ञानिक स्थिति एक निर्णायक बिंदु तक पहुँच जाती है। दृश्य मैकबेथ और लेडी मैकबेथ के साथ शुरू होता है जो महल में एक भव्य दावत में स्कॉटिश प्रभुओं का स्वागत करते हैं। मैकबेथ एक विनम्र और दयालु राजा की भूमिका निभाने का प्रयास करता है, लेकिन जश्न का माहौल जल्दी से टूट जाता है जब हत्यारों में से एक दरवाजे पर यह रिपोर्ट करने के लिए दिखाई देता है कि बैंको को मार दिया गया है, लेकिन उसका बेटा फ्लेंस भाग गया है।
यह खबर मैकबेथ में तीव्र चिंता पैदा करती है। जबकि उसे राहत मिलती है कि बैंको मर चुका है, उसे एक बड़े सांप के रूप में वर्णित करते हुए, वह फ्लेंस से डरता है, जिसे वह कीड़ा कहता है जो अंततः जहरीला हो जाएगा और उसके सिंहासन को खतरे में डाल देगा। यह क्षण मैकबेथ के नियंत्रण खोने की शुरुआत का प्रतीक है; वह महसूस करता है कि अपने हिंसक प्रयासों के बावजूद, वह अपनी विरासत को सुरक्षित करने में विफल रहा है और अब अपने स्वयं के डर से सीमित है।
दृश्य एक अलौकिक मोड़ लेता है जब भूत ऑफ बैंको मैकबेथ की आरक्षित सीट पर प्रवेश करता है और बैठता है। क्योंकि भूत केवल मैकबेथ को दिखाई देता है, एक खाली कुर्सी पर चिल्लाने और भूत को यह बताने की उसकी भयभीत प्रतिक्रिया कि बैंको का भूत यह नहीं कह सकता कि मैकबेथ ने ऐसा किया था, जो मेहमानों को चकित कर देता है। लेडी मैकबेथ यह दावा करके स्थिति को बचाने की कोशिश करती है कि उसका पति बचपन से ही इस तरह के दौरे से पीड़ित है। वह निजी तौर पर मैकबेथ की कायरता का मजाक उड़ाती है, भूत की तुलना डंकन को मारने से पहले देखे गए हवा से खींचे गए खंजर से करती है, और उसे वास्तविकता में वापस लाने के लिए उसकी मर्दानगी पर सवाल उठाती है।
भूत गायब हो जाता है और फिर से प्रकट होता है, जिससे अंततः मैकबेथ पूरी तरह से टूट जाता है। उनका दावा है कि अतीत में, जब एक आदमी की मृत्यु हो जाती थी, तो वह कब्र में रहता था, लेकिन अब मैकबेथ को सिंहासन से हटाने के लिए बैंको का भूत उसकी कब्र से उठा। इस डर से कि मैकबेथ गलती से अपने अपराधों को स्वीकार कर लेगा, लेडी मैकबेथ अचानक भोज को समाप्त कर देती है और प्रस्थान के सामान्य औपचारिक आदेश का पालन किए बिना, प्रभुओं को तुरंत जाने के लिए कहती है।
एक बार अकेले रहने के बाद मैकबेथ के विचार और भी गहरे हो जाते हैं। वह इस कहावत पर विचार करता है कि ‘खून में खून होगा’, यह स्वीकार करते हुए कि उसके अपराध अनिवार्य रूप से उसके अपने विनाश की ओर ले जाएंगे। वह यह उल्लेख करके अपने बढ़ते व्यामोह का खुलासा करता है कि वह मैकडफ सहित अपने सभी रईसों के घरों में भुगतान किए गए जासूस रखता है, जिन्होंने दावत में शामिल होने से इनकार कर दिया था। यह दृश्य मैकबेथ द्वारा किसी भी कीमत पर अपने भाग्य को जानने के लिए फिर से अजीब बहनों से मिलने का निर्णय लेने के साथ समाप्त होता है। वह निष्कर्ष निकालता है कि उसने इतनी सारी हत्याएं की हैं कि पीछे हटने और क्षमा मांगने की तुलना में हिंसा का अपना रास्ता जारी रखना आसान है।
Theme of Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4
Guilt and the Supernatural
The most prominent theme is the manifestation of guilt through the supernatural. The appearance of Banquo’s Ghost is a physical representation of Macbeth’s conscience. Unlike the ‘air-drawn dagger’ which appeared before a crime, the Ghost appears after the murder, showing that Macbeth’s mind is being haunted by his actions. The fact that only Macbeth can see the Ghost suggests that his guilt has isolated him from reality, turning his inner horror into a terrifying supernatural vision that he cannot escape.
Appearance vs. Reality
This scene highlights the contrast between the mask a leader must wear and the truth behind the scenes. At the start, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth try to maintain the appearance of a stable, happy monarchy by hosting a formal banquet. However, this facade of royalty and ceremony quickly crumbles. Macbeth’s public breakdown reveals the reality of his unstable mind. Lady Macbeth also plays a double role: she is the gracious hostess to the guests, but a cold and insulting critic to her husband behind their backs.
The Corruption of Nature
Shakespeare uses the theme of nature being out of order to show the gravity of Macbeth’s crimes. Macbeth remarks that in the past, dead men stayed in their graves, but now they rise again to push people from their stools. This suggests that by killing a king and his best friend, Macbeth has broken the natural laws of the world. Even the timing of the scene, ‘almost at odds with morning’, symbolises a world where the natural boundary between night and day has become blurred.
Kingship and Tyranny
This scene marks Macbeth’s transition from a struggling usurper to a full-blown tyrant. He no longer trusts anyone; he mentions that he keeps a spy in every noble’s house. His decision to revisit the witches shows that he has abandoned the idea of being a good king who cares for his people. Instead, he is focused entirely on his own security, showing that a tyrant’s power is always built on a foundation of fear and paranoia rather than loyalty.
Fate and Free Will
Macbeth’s reaction to Fleance’s escape reinforces the theme of fate. He realizes that despite his attempt to change the future by killing Banquo and his son, Fleance still exists to fulfill the prophecy. Macbeth feels trapped by destiny, yet he chooses to use his free will to commit more violence. He acknowledges that he has committed so many crimes that there is no turning back, choosing to double down on his evil path rather than seek redemption.
Setting of the Scene
The setting of Act 3, Scene 4 is a grand banquet hall within the royal palace at Forres. This setting is intentionally designed to represent order, hospitality, and the civilized side of kingship. By preparing a lavish feast and inviting the Scottish lords, Macbeth is attempting to establish his legitimacy as king and show that the state is stable under his rule. The physical arrangement of the room is highly symbolic: the guests are seated according to their social ranks, and Macbeth initially intends to sit in the middle of them to appear as a friendly and humble leader. However, as the scene progresses, the setting transforms from a place of celebration into a site of psychological horror. The ceremony that Lady Macbeth emphasizes is shattered by the intrusion of the bloody murderer at the door and the arrival of the Ghost of Banquo. The banquet table, which should be a symbol of unity and nourishment, becomes a source of terror when the ghost occupies Macbeth’s reserved seat. The setting finally ends in chaos and darkness, as the guests are forced to leave in a hurry, breaking the formal order of their going. This shift reflects how Macbeth’s presence has turned the palace, which was once a symbol of Scottish honor into a place of suspicions, secrets, and admired disorder.
Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 Explanation
Scene 4. A Hall in the palace.
A banquet prepared.
Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth as Queen,
Ross, Lennox, Lords and Attendants.
Play
Macbeth
You know your own degrees, sit down: at first
And last, the hearty welcome.
The Lords sit
Lords
Thanks to your majesty.
Macbeth
Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.
Word Meanings
degrees: official and social ranks.
at first And last: to one and all.
society: company (guests).
humble host: not the royal host this time.
Keeps her state: Remains in her royal throne.
In best time: At the most appropriate or convenient moment.
require: request.
Explanation of the above dialogues— As the guests entered, Macbeth welcomed the Lords and instructed them to take their seats according to their official social ranks. He offered a sincere and hearty welcome to everyone present, from the highest-ranking official to the lowest. The Lords expressed their gratitude to His Majesty for the invitation. Macbeth then informed the gathering that he intended to move around and socialize with the guests, choosing to act as a humble host rather than staying distant on the royal throne. He mentioned that Lady Macbeth would remain in her royal seat for the time being, but he added that they would request her formal welcome to the guests at the appropriate moment.Macbeth begins the banquet by emphasizing degrees, which is ironic because he has just destroyed the natural order of Scotland by murdering the rightful King, Duncan. His decision to mingle and play the humble host is a calculated move to win the favor of the nobility and hide his growing paranoia, which also creates the opportunity for the Murderer to approach him, which ultimately leads to the collapse of the very order he is trying to celebrate. The scene starts with a perfect arrangement of degrees but ends in ‘admired disorder’, highlighting that a throne built on blood cannot support a peaceful social structure. While Lady Macbeth remains on the throne to maintain the dignity of the crown, Macbeth moves among the guests. This physical distance foreshadows the psychological distance that grows between them throughout the scene.
Play
Lady Macbeth
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends:
For my heart speaks they are welcome.
Macbeth
See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks.
Both sides are even; here I’ll sit i’ the midst.
Enter First Murderer
Be large in mirth; anon we’ll drink a measure
The table round.
[Approaching the door]
There’s blood upon thy face.
Murderer
‘Tis Banquo’s then.
Macbeth
‘Tis better thee without than he within.
Is he dispatch’d?
Murderer
My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.
Macbeth
Thou art the best o’ the cut-throats: yet he’s good
That did the like for Fleance; if thou didst it,
Thou art the nonpareil.
Murderer
Most royal sir,
Fleance is scap’d.
Macbeth
Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect;
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
As broad and general as the casing air:
But now I am cabin’d, cribb’d, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo’s safe?
Word Meanings
Pronounce: Declare or speak formally.
encounter: respond to.
thee: Lady Macbeth.
large: liberal.
anon: now immediately.
a measure: a large goblet.
dispatch’d: murdered.
the like: the same
Nonpareil: Someone who is without equal; the absolute best.
Scap’d: Escaped.
Fit: An attack of fever, anxiety, or madness.
Founded: Firmly established or steady.
Casing air: The air that surrounds and covers everything.
cabin’d: imprisoned in a small space.
cribb’d: shut up in a stall.
confined: bound.
bound: tied like a man in chains.
saucy: distracting.
safe: safely disposed of.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Lady Macbeth asked Macbeth to speak on her behalf and welcome all their friends, noting that her heart truly felt they were welcome. Macbeth observed that the guests were responding to her with their own sincere thanks. He noted that the seating was balanced on both sides of the table and announced that he would sit right in the middle. Just then, the First Murderer appeared at the door. Macbeth encouraged his guests to be joyful and promised that they would soon drink a toast around the whole table. Moving toward the door to speak privately, Macbeth whispered to the murderer that there was blood on his face. When the murderer replied that the blood belonged to Banquo, Macbeth remarked that it was better for the blood to be on the murderer’s face than still inside Banquo’s body. Macbeth then asked if Banquo had been killed. The murderer confirmed that he had personally cut Banquo’s throat. Macbeth praised him as the best of all cut-throats but added that whoever did the same to Fleance would be truly unparalleled. However, the murderer informed the King that Fleance had managed to escape. Upon hearing this, Macbeth felt his anxiety return. He complained that if Fleance had died, he would have felt physically and mentally secure, solid like marble, steady like a rock, and as free as the air that surrounds the world. Instead, he felt trapped and imprisoned by nagging doubts and fears. Finally, he asked the murderer to confirm if Banquo was dead and disposed of. This passage marks the transition from public celebration to private paranoia, highlighting the central conflict of Macbeth’s reign. Macbeth’s reaction to Fleance’s escape reveals his fragile psychological state. He uses a series of powerful similes of marble, rock, and casing air to describe a desire for a solid, immovable legacy. However, the news of the escape shatters this illusion, shifting the imagery from the expansive air to the claustrophobic alliteration of ‘cabin’d, cribb’d, confined’. This linguistic shift perfectly mirrors his feeling of being trapped by fate. His question, ‘But Banquo’s safe?’ is a dark euphemism for death, revealing how he must twist language to handle his guilt. The escape of Fleance is the fit that returns to haunt him, reminding the audience that despite Macbeth’s violent attempts to control the future, the witches’ prophecy remains an external force that he cannot kill.
Play
Murderer
Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head,
The least a death to nature.
Macbeth
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.
[Exit Murderer
Lady Macbeth
My royal lord,
You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold
That is not often vouch’d, while ’tis a-making,
‘Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home;
From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony:
Meeting were bare without it.
Macbeth
Sweet remembrancer!
Now, good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both!
Lennox
May’t please your highness, sit.
[The Ghost of Banquo enters, and sits in Macbeth’s place
Macbeth
Here had we now our country’s honour roof’d,
Were the graced person of our Banquo present;
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness
Than pity for mischance!
Word Meanings
Bides: Stays or remains.
trenched gashes: incised wounds.
The least… nature: even the smallest would kill a man.
The worm: A young snake referring to Fleance.
Venom breed: Develop poison or become dangerous.
Vouch’d: Guaranteed, affirmed, or promised.
Ceremony: Formal politeness and social etiquette.
Remembrancer: Someone who reminds another of their duty or a specific fact.
Graced: Honorable or favored.
challenge for unkindness: blame for lack of courtesy.
mischance: bad luck.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The murderer assured Macbeth that Banquo was safely disposed of, lying in a ditch with twenty deep gashes on his head, the smallest of which would have been enough to kill any man. Macbeth thanked him for that news. He metaphorically remarked that the grown serpent i.e. Banquo was dead, but the worm i.e. Fleance that had escaped was of a nature that would eventually become poisonous, even though he posed no immediate threat. He then dismissed the murderer, telling him they would speak again the following day. Lady Macbeth then approached her husband, gently scolding him for not being a cheerful host. She reminded him that a feast feels like a paid meal rather than a gift, if the host does not constantly reassure the guests of their welcome while the meal is being served. She explained that if one merely wanted to eat, it was better to do so at home; when eating in public, the extra flavor to the meat is the formal ceremony and politeness of the host. Without such hospitality, a social gathering feels empty. Macbeth called her a ‘sweet remembrancer’ for the reminder and toasted to the appetite, digestion, and health of everyone present. Lennox then invited His Highness to take his seat. At that moment, the Ghost of Banquo entered and sat in Macbeth’s reserved place. Unaware of the ghost at first, Macbeth remarked to the table that all the greatest men of the country would be under this one roof if only the honorable Banquo were present. He added that he hoped he could blame Banquo for being unkind by being late, rather than having to pity him for some unfortunate accident. The animal imagery is used to describe moral decay. Macbeth’s metaphor of the ‘grown serpent’ and the ‘worm’ reveals his predatory worldview; he sees human beings not as friends, but as biological threats to be neutralized. While he is relieved that Banquo is dead, his recognition that Fleance will eventually ‘venom breed’ shows that Macbeth is aware that violence only delays his downfall rather than preventing it. The scene reaches a climax of hypocrisy when Macbeth toasts to the ‘general joy’ and publicly wishes for Banquo’s presence. By claiming he would rather challenge Banquo for being unkind than pity him for an accident, Macbeth is performing a lie for his guests. However, the supernatural intervention of the Ghost sitting in Macbeth’s place serves as a direct rebuke to his lies. The Ghost’s silent entrance suggests that while Macbeth can manipulate the physical world through murderers, he has no control over the spiritual world. The fact that the Ghost occupies the King’s seat symbolically suggests that the honour Macbeth claims to celebrate is hollow, and his throne is already being possessed by the consequences of his crimes.
Play
Ross
His absence, sir,
Lays blame upon his promise. Please’t your highness
To grace us with your royal company.
Macbeth
The table’s full.
Lennox
Here is a place reserv’d, sir.
Macbeth
Where?
Lennox
Here, my good lord. What is’t that moves your highness?
Macbeth
Which of you have done this?
Lords
What, my good lord?
Macbeth
Thou canst not say I did it: never shake
Thy gory locks at me.
Ross
Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well.
Lady Macbeth
Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus,
And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat;
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well; if much you note him,
You shall offend him, and extend his passion:
Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?
Word Meanings
Lays blame… promise: is blamed for not keeping his promise.
Please’t: may it please.
moves: startles.
gory locks: the hair of apparition is matted with blood of Banquo.
Often thus: Frequently like this.
Momentary: Lasting only for a very short time.
Upon a thought: As quickly as a thought; in a split second.
Note him: Pay attention to him or watch him closely.
extend: prolong.
Feed, and regard him not: eat and do not look at him.
Explanation of above dialogues— Ross observed that Banquo’s absence was a breach of the promise he had made to attend, and he invited Macbeth to please grace the company by sitting down. Macbeth, looking at the table where the ghost was sitting, claimed that the table was already full. Lennox corrected him, pointing out that there was a place specifically reserved for the King. When Macbeth confusedly asked where the seat was, Lennox pointed it out and asked what it was that was visibly upsetting or startling his highness. Suddenly terrified, Macbeth demanded to know which of the guests had done that, referring to the horrifying sight of the dead Banquo. The Lords, confused and seeing only an empty chair, asked what he meant. Macbeth then addressed the ghost directly, telling it that it could not accuse him of the murder and pleading with it not to shake its blood-stained hair at him. Seeing the King’s breakdown, Ross asked the gentlemen to rise, noting that the King was unwell. However, Lady Macbeth urged their worthy friends to stay seated. She explained that her husband had often suffered from such fits since his youth and that the episode would be over in a moment. She warned them that if they paid too much attention to him, it would offend him and make the fit last longer. She told them to continue eating and to ignore him. Then, turning privately to Macbeth, she sharply asked him if he was even a man. This segment represents the collapse of Macbeth’s public mask and the intrusion of the supernatural into the political world. His defensive shout, ‘Thou canst not say I did it’, is a desperate attempt to deny his own agency since he hired murderers rather than killing Banquo himself. The imagery of ‘gory locks’ provides a stark, physical contrast to the refinement of the royal banquet, symbolizing how the vivid reality of murder cannot be hidden by titles or fine clothes. Lady Macbeth’s intervention showcases her role as the architect of deception, as she skillfully improvises a childhood fit to explain away his madness. Her private questioning reinforces the recurring theme that masculinity is tied to cold-bloodedness; to her, being a man means being able to look at the horrors one has committed without flinching.
Play
Macbeth
Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that
Which might appal the devil.
Lady Macbeth
O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear;
This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,
Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts,
Impostors to true fear, would well become
A woman’s story at a winter’s fire,
Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!
Why do you make such faces? When all’s done,
You look but on a stool.
Macbeth
Prithee, see there! Behold! look! lo! how say you?
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.
If charnel-houses and our graves must send
Those that we bury back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites.
[Ghost disappears
Lady Macbeth
What, quite unmann’d in folly?
Macbeth
If I stand here, I saw him.
Lady Macbeth
Fie, for shame!
Macbeth
Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ the olden time,
Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform’d
Too terrible for the ear: the time has been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And there an end; But now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools: this is more strange
Than such a murder is.
Word Meanings
appal: frighten.
proper stuff: absolute nonsense.
the very painting: product of your imagination.
air-drawn: unreal.
flaws and starts: sudden bursts of passion.
Authorized by her grandam: Backed up or told by her grandmother suggesting an old wives’ tale.
Charnel-houses: Vaults or buildings where the bones of the dead are stored.
Maws of kites: The stomachs of birds of prey
Humane statute: Laws made by civilized society to protect people.
Purged the gentle weal: Cleansed the commonwealth/society and made it peaceful.
Crowns: The tops of heads.
Explanation of above dialogues— Macbeth asserted that he was indeed a bold man, brave enough to look at something that would terrify even the devil. Lady Macbeth dismissed his claims as complete nonsense, telling him that this vision was nothing more than a vivid picture created by his own fear. She compared it to the imaginary dagger floating in the air that he claimed had led him to King Duncan. She criticized his sudden outbursts of emotion, calling them fake fears that would be more suitable for a scary story told by a woman or a grandmother by a fireplace. She told him he should be ashamed, pointing out that, in reality, he was only looking at an empty stool. Ignoring her, Macbeth pleaded with her to look at the ghost, asking her what she thought of it. He defied the ghost, saying that if it could nod its head, it should speak as well. He remarked that if the places where bones are kept and our graves are going to send the dead back to us, then we should start giving our dead to birds of prey so they are destroyed and cannot return. After the ghost disappeared, Lady Macbeth asked him if he had completely lost his manhood to this foolishness. Macbeth insisted that as surely as he was standing there, he had seen Banquo. Lady Macbeth again told him to be ashamed of himself. Macbeth then mused that blood has been shed since ancient times, even before laws were made to civilize society. He admitted that even since then, murders too terrible to talk about have been committed. However, he complained that in the past, once a person’s brains were out, the man would simply die and that would be the end of it. But now, he observed, the dead rise again with twenty fatal wounds on their heads and push the living out of their seats. He concluded that this supernatural return was much stranger than the act of murder itself. This passage highlights the psychological warfare between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, while also exploring the violation of natural law. Lady Macbeth uses scathing rhetoric to diminish Macbeth’s terror, labeling his vision as ‘proper stuff’ and comparing it to a ‘woman’s story’. By linking this ghost to the ‘air-drawn dagger’, she attempts to convince him that his guilt is merely a vivid ‘painting’ of his imagination. The dead now ‘rise again’ to ‘push us from our stools’, a metaphor for the dead Banquo literally and figuratively displacing Macbeth from his seat of power. This suggests that Macbeth’s guilt has not just affected his mind, but has corrupted the order of the universe.
Play
Lady Macbeth
My worthy lord,
Your noble friends do lack you.
Macbeth
I do forget:
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends;
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health to all
Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine, fill full.
I drink to the general joy o’ the whole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss;
Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst,
And all to all.
Lords
Our duties, and the pledge.
Re-enter Ghost
Macbeth
Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with!
Lady Macbeth
Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom: ’tis no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
Word Meanings
lack you: miss you
muse: be amazed.
infirmity: weakness.
love… all: Macbeth proposes a toast to the gathering.
Pledge: A toast or a promise of loyalty made while drinking.
Avaunt: Begone! An exclamation used to command a spirit or demon to leave.
Marrowless: Lacking the vital substance inside bones; empty and dead.
Speculation: The power of sight, intelligence, or the light of life in the eyes.
a thing of custom: matter of habit.
Explanation of above dialogues— Lady Macbeth reminded her husband that he was neglecting his noble guests and that they were missing his company. Macbeth apologized, admitting he had forgotten his duties. He urged his friends not to be amazed or puzzled by his behavior, explaining that he suffered from a strange, recurring illness that was nothing serious to those who knew him well. He then called for wine and proposed a toast to the love and health of everyone present. He announced that he would finally sit down and declared that he was drinking to the general joy of the entire table and to their dear friend Banquo, whom they all missed. He ironically wished that Banquo were there and offered a toast to everyone and to him. The Lords responded by pledging their loyalty and drinking to the toast. At that moment, the Ghost entered again. Macbeth, terrified, commanded the vision to begone and leave his sight, wishing the earth would hide it. He described the ghost as having marrowless bones and cold blood, noting that there was no spark of intelligence or life in the eyes with which the ghost was glaring at him. Lady Macbeth once again addressed the Lords, asking them to view this behavior simply as a habitual occurrence and nothing more. She expressed regret only that it was ruining the pleasure of the evening. Macbeth’s attempt to normalize his behavior by calling it a ‘strange infirmity’ shows his desperate need to maintain a facade of royal composure. The moment he toasts to ‘our dear friend Banquo’ and wishes ‘would he were here!’ is a profound example of his pride; he invites the presence of the man he murdered to prove his innocence. The immediate re-entry of the Ghost serves as a terrifyingly literal response to his invitation, proving that the spiritual world is listening to his lies. Lady Macbeth’s response further develops the theme of deception versus reality. She continues to treat the situation as a social inconvenience, a ‘thing of custom’, while Macbeth is experiencing a soul-shattering vision.
Play
Macbeth
What man dare, I dare:
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The arm’d rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger;
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble: or be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword;
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, hence.
[Ghost disappears]
Why, so; being gone,
I am a man again. Pray you, sit still.
Lady Macbeth
You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting,
With most admired disorder.
Macbeth
Can such things be,
And overcome us like a summer’s cloud.
Without our special wonder? You make me strange
Even to the disposition that I owe,
When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine is blanch’d with fear.
Ross
What sights, my lord?
Lady Macbeth
I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse;
Question enrages him: at once, good night:
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.
Word Meanings
rugged: rough.
arm’d rhinoceros: rhinoceros with thick skin and horn.
Hyrcan tiger: The tiger belonging to Hyrcania, a province of the ancient Persian empire on the south-east coast of the Caspian Sea, the fabled home of tigers. These tigers were supposedly fierce.
Inhabit: Stay within or persist; here, it refers to his physical body being ‘clothed’ in trembling.
Protest me: Proclaim or declare me to be.
The baby of a girl: A doll or a weak, powerless infant.
Unreal mockery: A fake imitation or a hollow hallucination.
Displaced the mirth: Driven away the happiness or joy.
Admired disorder: Amazing or shocking chaos
Disposition that I owe: My own natural character or temperament.
Blanch’d: Turned white or pale
Stand not: insist not.
Explanation of above dialogues— Macbeth declared that he was as brave as any man and dared the ghost to take any other form. He challenged it to appear as a ferocious Russian bear, a thick-skinned rhinoceros, or a fierce Hyrcan tiger, swearing that his nerves would never tremble if it did. He even challenged the spirit to come back to life and meet him in a duel in the desert with a sword; he claimed that if he showed any fear then, the ghost could call him as weak as a baby girl. He finally commanded the horrible shadow and unreal mockery to disappear. Once the ghost vanished, Macbeth remarked with relief that he felt like a man again. He urged his guests to remain seated, but Lady Macbeth told him that he had completely ruined the happy mood and destroyed the gathering with his shocking and chaotic behavior. Macbeth expressed his astonishment, asking how such terrifying things could happen as suddenly as a summer cloud without causing everyone total wonder. He admitted that he felt like a stranger to his own brave nature when he realized that Lady Macbeth could look at such a sight and keep her cheeks naturally red while his own face had turned white with fear. When Ross asked what specific sights the King was referring to, Lady Macbeth interrupted, pleading with the guests not to speak to him. She explained that he was getting worse and that being questioned only made him angrier. She bid them a hasty good night and instructed them to leave immediately, telling them not to worry about the usual formal order of departure. By listing fierce beasts like the ‘Russian bear’ and the ‘Hyrcan tiger’, Macbeth attempts to reclaim his identity as a warrior; he can face any physical threat, but he is paralyzed by a spiritual one. His plea for the ghost to be ‘alive again’ and meet him in “the desert’ shows his desperate desire to return to a world of tangible, honorable combat rather than the shadowy world of political murder he now inhabits. The contrast between the ‘natural ruby’ of Lady Macbeth’s cheeks and Macbeth’s ‘blanch’d’ face serves as a visual metaphor for their different levels of perception. While Macbeth is haunted by the truth, Lady Macbeth remains blind to the ghost, and her calm composure only makes Macbeth feel more isolated and strange to himself. The scene reaches its social collapse when Lady Macbeth commands the Lords to leave without following the ‘order of your going’. This is a highly significant moment: in the beginning of the scene, Macbeth insisted the guests ‘know your own degrees’, but now the social hierarchy is completely abandoned in a frantic escape. The banquet, which was supposed to be a symbol of Macbeth’s legitimacy, ends in ‘admired disorder’, exposing the King’s mental instability to the entire nobility.
Play
Lennox
Good night; and better health
Attend his majesty!
Lady Macbeth
A kind good night to all!
[Exeunt all except Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Macbeth
It will have blood; they say blood will have blood:
Stones have been known to move and trees to speak:
Augures and understood relations have
By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret’st man of blood. What is the night?
Lady Macbeth
Almost at odds with morning, which is which.
Macbeth
How say’st thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?
Lady Macbeth
Did you send to him, sir?
Macbeth
I hear it by the way; but I will send:
There’s not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee’d. I will to-morrow—
And betimes I will—to the weird sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good,
All causes shall give way: I am in blood
Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o’er:
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;
Which must be acted ere they may be scann’d.
Lady Macbeth
You lack the season of all natures, sleep.
Macbeth
Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use:
We are yet but young in deed.
[Exeunt]
Word Meanings
It: my deed.
Augures: predictions by omens.
understood relations: known relationships.
maggot-pies: magpies, birds that imitate human voice.
choughs: jackdaws crows.
rooks: crows, birds of bad omen.
At odds with: In a struggle or competition with.
Denies his person: Refuses to show up or attend in person.
Fee’d: Paid, referring to a spy who is on Macbeth’s payroll.
Betimes: Very early in the morning.
Bent to know: Determined or strongly inclined to find out.
Tedious: Exhausting, tiresome, or difficult.
Scann’d: Examined closely or thought about carefully.
Self-abuse: Here, it refers to his self-delusion or the way he is tricking his own mind with fear.
Initiate fear: The fear felt by a beginner
Hard use: Frequent practice or experience
Explanation of above dialogues— Macbeth mused gloomily that his deed would demand more death, repeating the saying that blood inevitably demands blood. He observed that even nature seems to conspire against murderers, noting that stones have moved and trees have spoken to reveal secrets. He explained how omens and the strange behavior of birds like magpies and crows had been known to expose even the most hidden killers. He then asked what time it was, to which Lady Macbeth replied that the night was struggling with the morning, making it hard to tell them apart. Macbeth then asked her what she thought about Macduff refusing to attend the banquet despite being officially invited. When Lady Macbeth asked if he had sent a formal messenger to him, Macbeth admitted he had only heard about the refusal through rumors, but promised he would send for him. He revealed his deep paranoia by confessing that he kept a paid spy in the household of every single noble. He declared his intention to go very early the next morning to see the weird sisters, insisting that they tell him more. He was determined to know the worst that could happen, even if it meant using evil means. He stated that his own safety was now his only priority and that everything else would have to give way. He famously remarked that he had stepped so far into a river of blood that even if he stopped now, going back would be just as difficult and exhausting as continuing forward. He added that he had many strange plans in his mind that he needed to be carried out quickly, before he had too much time to think about them. Lady Macbeth told him that he simply lacked sleep, which is the natural healer for all living things. Macbeth agreed they should go to sleep, dismissing his strange behavior as the fear of a beginner who is not yet used to committing such terrible deeds. He concluded by saying they were still only at the beginning of their dark journey. Macbeth’s reflection that ‘blood will have blood’ acknowledges the inescapable cycle of violence he has entered; he realizes that nature itself conspires to expose the ‘secret’st man of blood’. This paranoia is confirmed by his admission that he keeps a ‘servant fee’d’ in every noble’s house, showing that he has abandoned trust in favor of total surveillance. His famous metaphor of the river of blood, stating that he has ‘stepp’d in so far’ that returning would be as difficult as continuing is a chilling declaration of moral surrender. He decides that since he can never be innocent again, he might as well be ‘perfect’ in his evil.
Conclusion
Macbeth Act 3, Scene 4 is a famous banquet scene. Macbeth, now king, hosts Scottish lords but is troubled by guilt and anxiety after killing Banquo, which causes him to act strangely in front of the guests, which eventually makes Lady Macbeth to dismiss everyone. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 3, Scene 4 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Macbeth. This post includes a summary of Macbeth, which will help students of ISC class 12, to get a quick recap of the play.