Act 2, scene 1

At the end of this lesson, students should be
able to:
 Show an increased awareness of plot and
characterization
 Closely analyse sections of speech for meaning

What has Macbeth
decided to do
about his
predicament with
King Duncan?

The following roles will need to be read for
this scene:
 Banquo
 Fleance
 Macbeth
Questions
1) What clues does Banquo give, in talking to
Fleance, that he doesn’t like sleeping?
2) How is Banquo’s conversation with
Macbeth an example of dramatic irony?
3) When Banquo mentions he dreamt of the
witches, why does Macbeth hurriedly say
he ‘thinks not of them’? Is this true?
Is this a dagger I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me
clutch thee:
I have not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee, yet in form as palpable
As this which now I draw....
What does Macbeth imagine he
sees?
Why does he see it? What does it
represent?
This is Macbeth’s last speech
before he murders Duncan.
His thoughts here are very
different from those in the
soliloguy from Act 1 scen7.
Consider:
1) Look at the language of this speech. What kinds
of images are present throughout?
2) Why has Macbeth’s mind changed between Act 1
scene 7 and now? What has happened in
between?
Who’s
there?
A
friend.
What are Macbeth’s
thoughts during
these exchanges
with Banquo?
The king’s a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess to your offices
Being unprepared,
The king’s a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure,
and
Sent forth great largess to your
offices
What are Macbeth’s
thoughts during
these exchanges
with Banquo?
Our will became the
servant to defect;
Which else should
free have wrought.
The king’s a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess to your offices
I dreamt last night of
the three weird
sisters:
To you they have show’d
some truth
What are Macbeth’s
thoughts during
these exchanges
with Banquo?
I think not of
them…
The king’s a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess to your offices
Thanks,sir; the like to
you!
What are Macbeth’s
thoughts during
these exchanges
with Banquo?
Good repose the
while!



What are your predictions for how the
murder of Duncan will happen:
Will it go seamlessly?
OR
Will there be complications?