# Scene III explained — Macbeth

> Chapter companion for Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The aftermath of King Duncan's murder unfolds as Macduff discovers the body and raises the alarm. Macbeth kills the guards in a supposed fit of fury, claiming he was overcome by love for Duncan. Lady Macbeth faints. Malcolm and Donalbain, fearing for their own lives, flee to England and Ireland respectively. The Porter provides comic relief with a drunken monologue about equivocation and hell's gate.

## Themes in this chapter

### Appearance vs. Reality

Macbeth's feigned grief and Lady Macbeth's faint contrast with their true guilt; the Porter's equivocation theme underscores the gap between appearance and truth.

### Guilt and Conscience

Macbeth's claim that he killed the guards out of love masks his guilt; the Porter's talk of equivocation hints at the psychological burden of deceit.

### Kingship and Tyranny

The murder of Duncan, the anointed king, sets the stage for Macbeth's usurpation and the ensuing tyranny.

## Character check-ins

### Macduff

Discovers Duncan's body and raises the alarm; questions Macbeth about killing the guards.

### Macbeth

Claims he killed the guards out of violent love for Duncan; feigns grief and shock.

### Lady Macbeth

Faints after hearing the news of Duncan's murder, possibly feigning distress.

### Malcolm

Decides to flee to England, suspicious of the nobles' smiles and fearing assassination.

### Donalbain

Flees to Ireland, agreeing with Malcolm that their safety lies in separation.

### Porter

Provides comic relief with a drunken soliloquy on equivocation and hell's gate.

## Key lines

> The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.

The best part of life is gone; only the worthless dregs remain.

_Macbeth's hyperbolic lament for Duncan, masking his own guilt._

> There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody.

People's friendly faces hide deadly intentions; the closer the relative, the more dangerous they are.

_Donalbain's suspicion of the nobles, reflecting the theme of appearance vs. reality._

> Faith, here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven.

Here comes a liar who could swear falsely on both sides of a balance; he committed treason in God's name but couldn't lie his way into heaven.

_The Porter's comic reference to equivocation, echoing the play's themes of deception and moral ambiguity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/macbeth_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/macbeth_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/macbeth_se/chapters