# Scene II explained — Macbeth

> Chapter companion for Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

Lady Macbeth learns Banquo will return that night. Macbeth expresses his troubled mind, haunted by fears and dreams, and reveals his plan to have Banquo and Fleance killed. Lady Macbeth is kept unaware of the details.

## Themes in this chapter

### Ambition and Power

Macbeth's ambition drives him to plan the murder of Banquo and Fleance to secure his throne, showing how power corrupts and leads to further violence.

### Guilt and Conscience

Macbeth is plagued by guilt and 'terrible dreams,' while Lady Macbeth admits 'Nought's had, all's spent'—their achievements bring no peace.

## Character check-ins

### Macbeth

Macbeth is tormented by his conscience, speaking of 'terrible dreams' and a mind 'full of scorpions.' He resolves to have Banquo and Fleance murdered.

### Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth feels discontent despite achieving her desires, and urges Macbeth to appear cheerful. She is excluded from the details of the planned murder.

### Banquo

Banquo is mentioned as having left court but is expected to return that night, making him the target of Macbeth's plot.

### Fleance

Fleance is noted as living alongside Banquo, and Macbeth's plan includes his death.

## Key lines

> Nought’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content: ’Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.

We have gained nothing and lost everything, because getting what we wanted has not brought us happiness. It is safer to be the person we killed than to live in uncertain joy after committing murder.

_Lady Macbeth reflects on the emptiness of their achievement, highlighting the theme of guilt and dissatisfaction._

> We have scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it: She’ll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice Remains in danger of her former tooth.

We have only wounded the snake, not killed it; it will heal and become dangerous again, while our weak malice still faces the same threat as before.

_Macbeth uses a snake metaphor to express that their problems (Banquo and Fleance) are not fully resolved, foreshadowing further violence._

> O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.

My mind is stinging with poisonous thoughts, dear wife! You know that Banquo and his son Fleance are still alive.

_Macbeth reveals his intense mental anguish and the source of his fear—Banquo and Fleance's survival threatens his power._

## Links

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