CLIMAX: Moment of great emotional intensity or suspense in a plot. The major climax in a story or play usually marks the moment when the conflict is decided one way or another.

Vocabulary - Macbeth Act III

Part I: Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text.

1. Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers with strange invention.

______

2. She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice Remains in danger

______

3. And make our faces vizards to our hearts.

______

4. Aye, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides, with twenty trenched gashes

on his head.

______

5. Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal –

______

6. Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends.

______

7. Do faithful homage and receive free honors.

______

Part II: Determining the Meaning

You have tried to figure out the meanings of the vocabulary words for Act III. Now matchthe vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions. If there are words for which you cannotfigure out the definition by contextual clues and by process of elimination, look them up in adictionary.

1. parricide ____A. special honor expressed publicly

2. malice ____B. freed from impurities

3. vizards ____C. to consider

4. bides ____D. the murdering of one's parent(s)

5. purged ____E. masks

6. muse ____F. waits

7. homage ____G. extreme ill-will or spite

Act III: Study Guide Questions

III, i

  1. What does Banquo suspect? What tone underlies his brief soliloquy?
  1. Why has Macbeth come to despise Banquo? Paraphrase his soliloquy, “To be thus is nothing…” (this week’s soliloquy)
  1. How does Macbeth persuade men to assassinate Banquo?
  1. What is Macbeth's plan for killing Banquo and Fleance?

III, ii & iii

  1. Why is Lady Macbeth less happy than she expected?
  1. Suggest two reasons why Macbeth does not tell his wife about his plans to kill Banquo.
  1. What is significant about Fleance’s escape?

III, iv,v,vi

  1. Metaphor: Macbeth says, “The worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, NO teeth for the present.” What does that mean?
  1. Why does Macbeth say, “The table is full”?
  1. How does Lady Macbeth attempt to cover for Macbeth at the banquet? What excuses does she give for his wild talk?
  1. Antagonist: Who else was missing from the banquet table (besides Banquo)? Why is this significant?
  1. Macbeth says, "I am in blood Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er." What does he mean?
  1. Whom does Macbeth say he will meet?
  1. What does Hecate want the witches to do?
  1. What does Lennox think about Macbeth, Fleance, and Duncan's sons?
  1. List the preparation being made against Macbeth.