In this scene we have characters Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and a servant (who is only in the beginning). The scene starts with Lady Macbeth telling a servant to go get Macbeth, as she needs to talk to him alone for a few minutes. Once Macbeth enters, she tells him that he needs to stop worrying, as Duncan is dead and the deed is done. She says that his nervous thoughts should have been killed when he killed Duncan. She is basically asking why he is still upset after everything that he has. Macbeth says that he knows Duncan is dead, but it is not over for him. He is having nightmares and no sleep, and is getting no peace from the fact that Duncan is dead. Lady Macbeth wants him to relax and at least try to look happy for the guests that are coming. Macbeth says he will, but that Lady Macbeth must give special attention to Banquo and hide the feelings that they truely have towards him.
At first I was confused about why Banquo has bad feelings towards him, but I then remembered the witches prophecy for him too – that his sons would eventually become king. For Macbeth to truely succeed, he needs Banquo and his sons dead. Macbeth says ‘Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives’ to Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth asks what Macbeth is going to do, but he says it is best she doesn’t know as he doesn’t want her in on anymore evil. I think that we can see now that Macbeth’s ambition is rising, and he truely wants this. It is no longer Lady Macbeth forcing him, but his own extreme desire to be king, no matter who he has to kill for the crown.
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