Macbeth, Act 3 Scene 3 runs 32 lines of dialogue, spoken by 4 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 85 lines. This scene is part of Act 3 of Macbeth.
Full Dialogue
First Murderer ♂
But who did bid thee join with us?
Third Murderer ♂
Macbeth.
Second Murderer ♂
He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
First Murderer ♂
Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now spurs the lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn; and near approaches
The subject of our watch.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now spurs the lated traveller 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
Already are i' the court.
That are within the note of expectation
Already are i' the court.
First Murderer ♂
His horses go about.
Third Murderer ♂
Almost a mile: but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk.
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk.
Second Murderer ♂
A light, a light!
Third Murderer ♂
'Tis he.
First Murderer ♂
Stand to't.
Banquo ♂
It will be rain to-night.
First Murderer ♂
Let it come down.
Banquo ♂
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge. O slave!
Thou mayst revenge. O slave!
Third Murderer ♂
Who did strike out the light?
First Murderer ♂
Wast not the way?
Third Murderer ♂
There's but one down; the son is fled.
Second Murderer ♂
We have lost
Best half of our affair.
Best half of our affair.
First Murderer ♂
Well, let's away, and say how much is done.
32 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| First Murderer | 11 | 34.4% |
| Second Murderer | 9 | 28.1% |
| Third Murderer | 8 | 25.0% |
| Banquo | 4 | 12.5% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 11 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 8 lines.
Total speakers on stage
4 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 3
This is Scene 3 of 6 in Act 3 of Macbeth.
Scene length vs. play average
At 32 lines, this scene is shorter than the Macbeth average scene in Macbeth (~85 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 2 · Next: Act 3 Scene 4