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The scene in which Banquo is murdered opens with a little surprise. There's a Third Murderer, and apparently he has just now shown up. First Murderer is asking him, "But who did bid thee join with us?" Third Murderer answers shortly, "Macbeth" (3.3.1). Second Murderer grumbles that there's no reason for Macbeth to distrust them, since he told them exactly what to do. A common study or discussion question is, "Who is the Third Murderer?" Often the preferred answer is that the Third Murderer is Macbeth in disguise. There are many objections to this idea, but even if it's "true" (and how could you "prove" it?), it doesn't seem significant. No matter whether Macbeth sent the Third Murderer, or was himself the Third Murderer, we see another example of his insecure and suspicious nature. |
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