My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
Which can interpret farther: only, I say,
Thing’s have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth:—marry, he was dead:—
And the right valiant Banquo walk’d too late;
Whom, you may say, if’t please you, Fleance kill’d,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? damned fact!
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For ’twould have anger’d any heart alive,
To hear the men deny’t. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think,
That had he Duncan’s sons under his key
(As, and’t please heaven, he shall not) they should find
What ’twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
But, peace!—for from broad words, and ’cause he fail’d
His presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear,
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
My previous hints suggest what you already understand—I'll just say things have gone very oddly. The honorable Duncan was pitied by Macbeth—but then he was dead—and the brave Banquo walked too late; you could say Fleance killed him, since Fleance ran away. Men shouldn't walk late. Who doesn't think it was monstrous for Malcolm and Donalbain to kill their good father? A horrible act! How it grieved Macbeth! Didn't he immediately, in righteous anger, kill the two killers who were drunk and asleep? Wasn't that noble? Yes, and wise too; anyone would be angry to hear them deny it. So I say he has handled everything well. And I think if he had Duncan's sons in his control (God willing, he won't), they would learn what it means to kill a father—as should Fleance. But listen—because of his suspicious words, and because he missed the tyrant's feast, I hear Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell where he is hiding?
My hints before explained what you already figured out—I'm just saying things are very strange. Duncan was liked by Macbeth—but then he turned up dead—and the brave Banquo went out for a walk too late and died; you could say Fleance killed him since Fleance ran. People shouldn't be out late. How awful that Malcolm and Donalbain would kill their own father! A terrible thing! Macbeth was so upset about it! Didn't he immediately kill the two drunk murderers in a fit of righteous rage? Wasn't that great? Definitely—and smart too. Anyone would get mad hearing them deny it. So he's handled things well. And I think if he had Malcolm and Donalbain locked up (hopefully he won't), they'd learn what killing a father costs—like Fleance should too. But anyway—because he said suspicious things and didn't show up to his own feast, Macduff has fallen out of favor. Do you know where he went?
everything's weird duncan died when macbeth wanted him dead banquo died when he needed it fleance got away duncan's sons are guilty macbeth handled it all well if he had those guys he'd teach them macduff didn't come to the feast he's in disgrace where is he?
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court and is receiv’d
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
To wake Northumberland, and warlike Siward
That, by the help of these (with Him above
To ratify the work), we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights;
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
Do faithful homage, and receive free honours,
All which we pine for now. And this report
Hath so exasperate the King that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
Duncan's son, from whom this tyrant unjustly holds the throne, lives in the English court and is welcomed by the most holy King Edward with such grace that bad fortune means nothing to his reputation. To there Macduff has gone to beg the holy king for his help to stir up Northumberland and the fierce warrior Siward so that, with their aid (and with God's blessing to confirm the effort), we can once again have food on our tables and sleep in our beds, free from our banquets and feasts stained with blood, do our loyal service, and receive our rightful honors, all which we long for now. And this news has so angered the King that he is preparing for war.
Duncan's son, from whom this tyrant stole the crown, is living in the English court where King Edward welcomes him with such kindness and respect that nothing bad can take away his standing. Macduff has gone there to ask the holy king for help to get the earls of Northumberland and Siward the warrior so that, with them on our side (and God's blessing on this plan), we can finally eat normal meals and sleep normally, without knives at our feasts and the constant bloodshed, serve our true king faithfully, and get back our honors, everything we're missing now. When the King heard this, he got so angry that he's planning to go to war.
malcolm is in england king edward loves him macduff went to ask for help to get northern lords on our side with god's help we can fix this no more blood at our feasts we'll be free the king's angry he's preparing war
Sent he to Macduff?
Did he send word to Macduff?
Did Macbeth contact Macduff?
did he reach out to macduff
Scene 3-6 is one of the most politically sophisticated scenes in Shakespeare. Lennox does not accuse Macbeth; he praises him — so extravagantly and with such precise incongruity that every sentence becomes its own refutation. This technique — saying the opposite of what you mean in a context that makes the opposite unmistakable — is what political scientists call 'Aesopian language,' after the practice of slaves using fables to communicate forbidden truths. Under a tyrant, direct speech is fatal; irony allows the speaker to communicate, survive, and maintain plausible deniability. The scene also shows us that by Act 3 Macbeth's crimes are no longer secret to the people who matter. The nobility knows. The question is no longer 'did Macbeth do it' but 'when will the response be organized and who will lead it.' The answer, as we learn here, is already being assembled in England.
He did: and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer.”
He did: and with a flat refusal, the sullen messenger turns his back on him, and hums, as if to say, 'You'll regret the day you burdened me with this response.'
He did: and Macduff gave a complete 'no,' so the gloomy messenger turned away from him, and hummed, like he was saying, 'You're going to be sorry you made me carry that message back.'
yeah he sent word macduff said no the messenger was pissed turned away humming like u'll regret this
And that well might
Advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England, and unfold
His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
Under a hand accurs’d!
And that would be smart— to be careful, to keep the distance that his wisdom suggests. May some holy angel fly to the English court and reveal his message before he arrives there, so that a quick salvation may soon come back to our suffering country from under this cursed rule!
And that's smart— Macduff should be careful and stay as far away as he can. I hope a holy angel flies to England's court and tells them his message before he gets there, so help can come back quickly to save our poor country from this cursed tyrant!
smart to be careful hope an angel tells england before he arrives so help comes fast to save our country
I’ll send my prayers with him.
I will send my prayers with him.
My prayers go with him.
sending prayers with him
The Reckoning
This is the turn of the political tide, rendered through one of Shakespeare's most sophisticated rhetorical techniques: sustained irony. Lennox does not say outright that Macbeth is guilty — he says the opposite, with such exaggerated praise that every line means its inverse. 'How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight in pious rage the two delinquents tear that were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?' — he is describing the murder of the grooms, which everyone knows was staged, with mock-admiration that signals the opposite. The lord he speaks to understands completely. This is the language of a court under a tyrant: everyone knows the truth, no one says it directly, the conversation happens in code. By the end of the scene we learn that Macduff has refused the tyrant's summons, has gone to England, and the armed response is being organized. The tide has turned.
If this happened today…
Two executives in a hallway, speaking very carefully. 'It was amazing how quickly the CEO managed to discover the CFO was the embezzler. And wasn't it fortunate he was there personally to fire him before any investigation could take place? What a thorough man.' Both of them know exactly what they're saying. The second one mentions that the former VP has already contacted the board members in London.