Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2 Language Analysis

In Act 3, Scene 2, Macbeth uses a variety of language techniques to illustrate his state of mind. One example of this would be his extensive use of metaphors when describing his current situation. He refers to, what I would assume is his paranoia, as a snake when he says “we have scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it”. This quote implies that Macbeth feels like having Banquo and Fleance assassinated will temporarily subdue any threats towards himself, but believes that new threats will find him once more. Another example of metaphors being used is when Macbeth refers to the evil thoughts that infest his brain as scorpions: “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”

This use of language implies that Macbeth is incapable of facing his problems head on, and so sugar coats his problems with elegant metaphors for the peace of mind of both him and his wife. Perhaps he believes that if he gives his paranoia an identity, he will be able to kill it, like the mortal peers he feels threatened by (Banquo, Macduff’s son and wife, the three murderers, etc).

When he

implicitly discusses the murder he has orchestrated with his wife, Macbeth refers a lot to nighttime, and what can happen under the cover of darkness. He references nocturnal creatures, such as bats and the ‘shard-borne beetle’, later mentioning ‘Hecate's summons’. This reference to witchcraft implies that Macbeth believes that the supernatural have a stranglehold over both his own life, and the natural world. Another example of the grip that the supernatural has on nature would be in Act 2, Scene 4, when Ross and an old man discuss how nature has gone mad after the murder of Duncan.

In Act 3, Scene 2, both of the Macbeths use oxymorons. Lady Macbeth comments on ‘doubtful joy’, and Macbeth talks of ‘restless ecstasy’, which demonstrates their conflicted and uneasy, post-murder mindsets. They both now realise that their lust for royalty was not worth the violence, and they both say how they would be rather dead than live as royalty that they had “play'dst most foully” for. This is when they use oxymorons to show their confliction: ‘tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction live in doubtful joy’, ‘better to be dead… than on the torture of mind to live in restless ecstasy’. Although this would make it appear as though both the Macbeths are on the same page mentally, a clear role-reversal is prominent throughout this scene.

The role-reversal is clearly demonstrated, such as Lady Macbeth copying the mannerisms her husband exhibited in the preceding scenes, or Macbeth copying his wife’s previous language, almost word for word.

From the start of Act 3, Scene 2, it is clear that Lady Macbeth is unhappy by the language she uses when she is alone. “Nought’s had, all’s spent, where our desire is got without content” shows that, now she has the title of queen, she is unsatisfied. When Macbeth enters, however, her language changes completely, even telling him to just get over what bothers him (“those thoughts which should indeed have died with them”), just as she had after the murder (“These deeds must not be thought of after these ways). The sudden change indicates that now, it is her who feels the need to hide all feelings that could be perceived as weak form her spouse, just as her husband had after being constantly being

emasculated.

Macbeth, it seems, speaks to his wife in a way that could be perceived as being very patronizing or condescending. He refers to her as ‘dearest chuck’, and either blatantly withholds his plans of assassination, or discusses them in a way that is cryptic and not easily comprehensible. You could infer from this that Macbeth now sees his wife as inferior to himself, and once more as the delicate woman she so desperately wanted to be ‘unsexed’ from. Macbeth also mirrors Lady Macbeth’s language from Act 1, Scene 5, saying “Make our faces visors to our hearts’ and ‘come, seeling night”. These words are very reflective of “Look like th’innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” and “Come, thick night”. The common link between the phrases is that they were both spoken before a murder had taken place.

As well as speaking like her, Macbeth now has begun to replicate Lady Macbeth’s behaviour. Similar to “unsex me here”, in this scene, Macbeth says ‘Cancel and tear to pieces the great bond that keeps me pale”, showing that Macbeth wants any trace of humanity removed so he can become cruel and remorseless, similar to how his wife wanted any femininity removed from her in order to become strong and unfeeling; again, both are said before a murder.

From Act 1, Scene 3, it appears that Macbeth had always had a lust for power, and perhaps fantasised about being king himself, but did not act on these thoughts, as he was unconditionally loyal to Duncan. After he received the witches’ prophecies (which he took to be true without any questioning), his mind immediately jumped to treason, thinking that Duncan’s murder is “but yet fantastical”. It is clear that Macbeth is a very ambitious person [with questionable morals], and only needs a push to act on said ambitions, such as the prophecies, or the ‘tough love’ his wife gave him. After doing what he has to do to get the crown, Macbeth begins to change almost immediately, as we see in Act 2, Scene 3.

At first he is paranoid, remorseful, and generally a mess, but as the chapters progress, we see Macbeth acting on instinct, and becoming progressively more violent. Macbeth does not hesitate to have Banquo, his former best friend, killed, just because he questioned the legitimacy of Duncan’s death. It would appear as though Macbeth sees shutting off empathy completely is the best way to be strong instead of tormented by the ghost of his conscience. Apparently, he took a page out of his wife’s book.

In conclusion, it is clear that Macbeth’s state of mind has changed drastically since he murdered the graceful king Duncan. Macbeth confirms that the treason was what pushed him to continue killing when he says “things bad begun make themselves strong by ill”. Macbeth’s ambition made him easily manipulatable, and he allowed himself to be his wife’s pawn, as he knew deep down that what deep down, the end result of the murder would be his coronation. The killing of Duncan was the first event in a tragic chain of murders, nearly all of which happened at the hands of “Bellona’s bridegroom”. Any “milk of human kindness” that remained in Macbeth has since been taken “for gall”.