Macbeth Act 4 Scene 4 Analysis

From Act three, Scene four, of Macbeth, many themes can be found in this scene such as remorse, guilt, and revenge. However, the one theme that is show to be very symbolic in this scene is power. For example, during the beginning of the scene, the first murderer enters the banquet to talk to Macbeth about the deed. Macbeth asks the first murderer, “‘Tis better thee without than he within. / Is he dispatched?” (3.4.15-16), or in other words, Macbeth asks him if he killed Banquo. The first murderer answers, “My lord, his throat, is cut: that I did for him” (3.4.17), meaning that he did kill him. Macbeth was delighted at the first murderer’s response and later asks him if he killed Banquo’s son, Fleance. Unfortunately, the first murderer replies, …show more content…
Another way power plays throughout this scene is when Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a discussion after the disaster of the banquet. Macbeth notices that Macduff did not attend his feast, thinking that Macduff is getting suspicious. He says to his wife that he sends servants, or better yet spies, to Macduff’s household to check if he is planning to threaten him. Not only does he sends spies to Macduff’s castle, but he also sends one in each and every Lord there is in Scotland from saying, “There is not one of them but in his house” (3.4.152). This demonstrates how power plays in this scene since it is literally shown here that Macbeth knows what everyone is thinking due to having spies to gather private information about them when they are at home. Lastly, throughout this whole scene, Macbeth starts throwing a tantrum to something that is not even real. At first, he was frightened by it due to having “gory locks”. But later on, he starts to have a mental breakdown and throws a tantrum at it. He yells, “What man dare, I