Macbeth Flight Analysis

Previously in Macbeth, Macbeth arranged the murder of his best friend Banquo and Banquo’s son Florence. Macbeth does not want to do the killing himself so he hires to hit men to do the deed for him. Although the two men were successful in killing Banquo Florence escapes. This is a major problem to Macbeth considering Banquo’s prophecy included his sons being up next for the throne. That night Lady Macbeth and Macbeth host a dinner party. During dinner Macbeth starts to go mad and sees Banquo’s ghost at dinner. Lady Macbeth makes up excuses for Macbeth’s actions. Meanwhile Macduff and Malcolm are building up an army to fight against Macbeth in England. In Macbeth act four, scene two, significantly enough all of the previous themes of the story

Previously, the term “flight” in the play means to leave. The first time this term was used was when the two hit men were attempting to kill Banquo’s son. During this time with Banquo’s last breath he said, “Fly Florence fly”. Which told Florence to flee and that is how he got away. Now in act four the idea of flight is used by Lady Macduff. She questions why Macduff would “fly” and leave his family unprotected with all of the bad things that are going on. “ What had he done, to make him fly the land?” (line 1 of Act four, scene two). She does not know why Macduff in the first place let alone why Macduff would leave his family unprotected. Also during this scene Lady Macduff’s son is called an egg and then is stabbed. Calling him an egg keeps the bird and flight theme within the

Throughout the play, Macbeth has been going mad because he is killing all of these people. First, he goes mad because he kills king Duncan. After that, he goes mad because he kills Banquo, his madness was shown by him seeing Banquo’s ghost at the dinner party. Lady Macbeth also has her share of madness when she says no matter how many times she washes off her hands she can never get rid of the blood on them. To restate the theme in act four scene two, Lady Macduff says, “He had none; his flight was madness. When our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors” (lines 2-4). She thinks that her husband is mad to leave his family there without protection which ties back to the theme of