MYPNA_TE_G12_U3_web.pdf

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NOTES

Third Murderer. Macbeth.

Second Murderer. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers

Our offices^1 and what we have to do

To the direction just.^2

First Murderer. Then stand with us.

The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.

Now spurs the lated traveler apace

To gain the timely inn, and near approaches

The subject of our watch.

Third Murderer. Hark! I hear horses.

Banquo. [Within] Give us a light there, ho!

Second Murderer. Then ’tis he. The rest

That are within the note of expectation^3

Already are i’ th’ court.

First Murderer. His horses go about.^4

Third Murderer. Almost a mile: but he does usually—

So all men do—from hence to th’ palace gate

Make it their walk.

[Enter Banquo and Fleance, with a torch]

Second Murderer. A light, a light!

Third Murderer. ’Tis he.

First Murderer. Stand to ’t.

Banquo. It will be rain tonight.

First Murderer. Let it come down.

[They set upon Banquo.]

Banquo. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

[Exit Fleance.]

Thou mayst revenge. O slave! [Dies.]

Third Murderer. Who did strike out the light?

First Murderer. Was’t not the way?^5

Third Murderer. There’s but one down; the son is fled.

Second Murderer. We have lost best half of our affair.

First Murderer. Well, let’s away and say how much is done.

[Exit.]

⌘ ⌘ ⌘

Scene iv • The palace.

[Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox,

Lords, and Attendants.]

Macbeth. You know your own degrees:^1 sit down:

1. offices duties.
   5 2. direction just exact detail.

10 3. within... expectation on the

list of expected guests.

4. His... about His horses have
   been taken to the stable.

15

5. way thing to do.
   20


6. degrees ranks. At state
   banquets, guests were seated
   according to rank.

CLOSE READ

ANNOTATE: Mark the short

statements in lines 15–18.

QUESTION: What is happening

in these lines—what action

accompanies this minimal

dialogue?

CONCLUDE: How does the quick,

almost wordless presentation of

this scene add to its effect?

The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act III 303

LIT17_SE12_U03_A3_WC.indd 303 20/03/16 1:56 AM

CLOSE READ

Remind students that authors use a variety of

sentence types in their work to make the writing

interesting and to achieve certain effects. You

may wish to model the Close Read using the

following think-aloud format. Possible responses

to questions on the student page are included.

ANNOTATE: I know that authors vary syntax,

using simple, compound, complex, long, and

short sentences. Each type can have a special

effect, but this question asks only about particular

sentences in lines 15−18. So as I read those lines,

I highlight them.

QUESTION: I notice that all the lines of dialogue

are very short.

CONCLUDE: The choppy dialogue affects

the meaning by conveying the murderers’

apprehension and nervousness as they wait for

Banquo, then clumsily attack him. The situation

is frenetic and the men just say anything to cover

their fears. Short sentences also convey the speed

of the action.

Whole-Class Learning 303

LIT17_TE12_U03_A3_WC.indd 303 4/9/16 12:14 PM