Question

In Act III, Scene ii, Macbeth says that he and his wife must make their faces vizards, or masks, to their hearts. The Tragedy of Macbeth contains many instances in which the characters mask their thoughts, feelings, or desires. Write an essay about the theme of “masks”—betrayal, falsehood, and concealment—in Act III of the play. Which characters use them? What do they conceal and why? Are the masks necessarily evil? Use examples from the text to illustrate your points.

Answer 1

Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to look like a flower on his face and a snake under his heart.Macbeth reminds Lady Macbeth to conceal her true feelings in front of guests.Macbeth seems to be brave on the face of it but he is mentally disturbed scorpions in his mind".And Macbeth says that by killing Banquo they have"scorched the snake,not killed it" meaning that Banquo is killed but Fleance is still alive.