Act 3 Scene 1

(MacDuff is Macbeth’s best friend, Banquo was with Macbeth when the witches delivered their prophecy)

A soliloquy too is a lengthy speech delivered or presented by an individual character of a play. It is not aimed at a particular audience, other characters of the drama or the real audience of viewers, but is shared by the real audience. A soliloquy is presented by a single character to himself/herself as an expression of his/her inner thoughts to himself/herself. Shakespeare considerably used soliloquies and they became outdated when the English drama started to move towards realism.

dramatic monologue (one character speaking to another)

• Banquo – “I fear, thou play’dst moust foully for’t” This shows Banquo suspicion that Macbeth was involved in foul deeds to ascend the throne.
• Banquo – “my duties are with a most indissoluble tie for ever knit” – this highlights Banquo’s loyalty to Macbeth, despite previous acknowledging his suspicion of Macbeth
  We are about to witness the complete dissolving of Macbeth/ “brave Macbeth”.
  (Shakespeare has written a play, with the maind audience of Queen Elizabeth, warning of the dangers of regicide. This is a pro monarchy text)
• Macbeth’s conversation with Banquo shows that Macbeth takes no responsibility for the murder.  He is dealing in lies and dishonesty even to Banquo who was present at the prophecy.
• Very quickly Macbeth in his soliloquy in Act 3 scene 1 justifies his arranged murder of Banquo: “a barren sceptre in my gripe thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand.” Macbeth on assuming the throne is once against consorting with evil and murder. Despite being King, he is not finished with his murderous rampage, showing that ambition and power is never truly attained by someone but it corrupts.
• Control has consumed Macbeth
• Macbeth manipulates the First murderer against Banquo: “it was he [Banquo], in the times past, which held you so under fortune”
• Only a few days Banquo and Macbeth were comrades. The sudden change shows Macbeth real, underlying character.
• Macbeth finally, towards the end of his discussion with the murderers also commands: “Fleance his son…must embrace the fate of that dark hour”. The fact that this is decreed y Macbeth at the end of Act 3 scene 1 shows that Fleance is simply an afterthought to Macbeth showing his careless disregard for life. Furthermore it shows his cunning character as he is trying to destroys the possibilities of the witches’ prophecy regarding Banquo and his children of coming true. In addition Fleance is a child, the fact that Macbeth can order the innocent child’s murder without much thought shows his evil and barbaric nature.