Macbeth: Act 3

Act 3 brings about the death of Banquo. After Macbeth has Banquo killed, Macbeth starts to see his spirit. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are having a dinner party with lords and other respectable people. As Macbeth goes to sit down at the table, he sees Banquo’s ghost in his seat. He starts freaking out, screaming and frightened. In order to keep people from knowing about their horrible deeds, Lady Macbeth assures everyone that Macbeth does this all the time and they shouldn’t worry. She then turns to Macbeth and convinces him he hasn’t had enough sleep by saying, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep” (144). Lady Macbeth is essentially saying that Macbeth needs sleep in order to return everything in him to normal. Macbeth is obviously feeling great guilt and pain from the murders. The reason he appears so savage is that he has just had his friend killed, yet he continues on and simply goes to sleep that night.