English 20-2 Macbeth
Summary Notes for Act II
Scene I
This act starts with Banquo and his son talking about the _____________. Macbeth
enters and talks to Banquo who brings up the witches. Macbeth lies when he says,
"_____________________________________" (line 22). Then , he says, "If you shall
cleave to my _____________, when ‘tis, / It shall make ______________ for you “ ( line
25-26) In other words, Macbeth is looking for confirmation of Banquo's allegiance to
Macbeth. Banquo says that he is loyal to Macbeth, but is loyal to the ________ and
his __________ first. This is a contrast from Macbeth who is loyal to himself first, and
last the King.
Macbeth finishes the scene with a soliloquy. First, he_______________ a floating
dagger, one that would be used to kill Duncan. He is still not on terms with his
conscience when it comes to murdering the King. The dagger represents that doubt.
At first, Macbeth considers the dagger to be a “dagger of the __________” a “false
___________” created by the intensity of the moment. He compares the dagger to his
__________. But then the dagger changes; it becomes covered with _____________ and
begins to __________ him towards Duncan’s room. Macbeth begins talking about how
evil secretly attacks at night, and he must act on this moment while the night hides
him. The image of the dagger convinces him that the time is right to kill Duncan. His
patience runs thin, "Whiles I __________, he ___________". He reminds himself to
________ and not think. After a bell rings signaling that Lady Macbeth is ready,
Macbeth says, "Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a ___________ / That summons thee to
heaven, or to hell" . This statement might be a threat to Duncan, meaning that he
has no doubts about the murder, or it might be a foreshadowing that this decision will
ultimately determine whether _____________ goes to heaven or hell. .
Question:
1. Find two lines in Macbeth’s soliloquy (pgs. 42-44) that suggest he knows he is
about to do a terrible deed. You must list the line(s) and page number for each
example
a)______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b)______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Scene 2
Lady Macbeth is awaiting the return of her husband, who is killing Duncan offstage.
Lady Macbeth refers twice to the _________shrieking; a symbol of the death. Their
shriek is painful to the ears, like Duncan's death will be painful to many people. They
are night creatures which hunt and kill their prey at night, just like Macbeth did
(though his prey is King Duncan, not rodents).
Lady Macbeth makes the point that the ____________ and not the deed itself will ruin
them. She means that Macbeth must ensure that Duncan is dead so he cannot
reveal their intentions. Lady Macbeth has a chink in her armor. Although she wants
to be cruel and emotionless, she can't truly be. She says, "Had __________ not
resembled my ___________ as he slept, I had done’t.".
Religion (Christianity) is mentioned in this scene. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth how
the guards sleeping in the next room said "____________________" and “___________",
but that he couldn't say it. This symbolizes the great guilt that he feels. He has
alienated himself from God, even though he needed to be blessed by God.
Another important idea comes up often in this scene. Macbeth narrates that the
servants then say "'_________ no more! / Macbeth does murder ________". He
continues what the servants say, "'Glamis hath murdered _______, and therefore
Cawdor / shall _______ no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more'". Macbeth is imagining
what the servants say. All of this is just a representation of his guilt. Basically,
Macbeth’s imagination is telling him that he will never be at peace. Macbeth may
physically rest, but he'll never enjoy peace of __________ because of his acts. You'll
see how this plays itself out throughout the play.
Lady Macbeth tries very hard to __________ her husband down. She tells him to go
and _________ the bloody ___________ from his hands. She then realizes that he has
made a big mistake. He brought the ___________ back from Duncan’s room. This is a
big problem because he was supposed to leave the ____________ with the sleeping
_____________ and smear them with ____________blood. Macbeth _____________ to
go back.
Lady Macbeth ___________ her husband for being such a ____________. She says
that the dead are only like _____________ and it is ____________ to fear a picture of a
painted _______________. She decides to ________________________________________
Macbeth looks at his __________ which are covered with__________. He says, "What
__________are here? Ha! They ___________out mine eyes!". This a reference to the
tragedy of Oedipus Rex. In this play, the main character plucks his eyes out after he
finds out that he has killed his father (amongst other things). King Duncan seemed
like a father figure to him, always raising his self confidence and looking out for him.
Can his bloody hands ever be cleaned? This is very much like the physical sleep
compared to being at peace. Macbeth doesn't believe that he can clean his hands (or
sleep peacefully again). He might get them physically clean, but they will always be
tainted with his murderous deed (again this shows his ____________ over the deed).
Lady Macbeth returns from Duncan’s chamber, and this time her hands are stained
with ________ too. She tells Macbeth that even though her hands are the same
_________ as his, her heart is not as _____________ as his. ( meaning she is not acting
like a _____________) She is quite calm when she tells him that a little _____________
will clear them of this murder.
Throughout the scene, there is the sound of _____________. This is Macduff and
Lennox who have come to awaken the King. This sound makes Macbeth very
paranoid, and he ends the scene with ____________for his actions. He says , "
_____________Duncan with thy ______________! I________ thou _____________" But, of
course, it is too late. Duncan will never wake again.
Reading Questions:
1. Lady Macbeth warns Macbeth that they must not think so seriously about the
deeds or they will ________________.
2. Macbeth reports that he thought he heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth
has murdered sleep.” Read the lines following this quote. Why do you think Macbeth
may not be able to sleep?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Scene 3
The Porter hears ____________ and says that a Porter of Hell would have a busy job.
He pretends to be the Porter of Hell, and imagines the sort of people who would come,
such as a ____________ who didn't get the high prices wanted, a traitor, and a
___________ who tried to overprice his garments. Finally he lets ____________ and
Lennox in, and they have a discussion about _____________. The Porter tells how
drink causes red noses, sleep, and urine. He also says it causes lechery, though it
takes away the performance.
We are in the middle of a very tense situation. The King has just been murdered by
Macbeth, and soon, the characters will be discussing the murder. What does
Shakespeare do? He throws in a drunk porter who makes bad puns, jokes, and silly
sexual talk. It's just some humor in the midst of despair (fair in foul).
Macbeth comes and greets Lennox and Macduff. Macbeth leads Macduff to the king.
Lennox comments on weird things that happened during the night. (lines 46-53)
List 4 strange events that took place (there are 5).
a) _________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________
d) _________________________________________________
These disturbances in nature indicate there is disorder in the state (Scotland). To
kill the _____________ would be to violate God’s order. Thus the _____________ of the
King is not only treason, but sacrilege. It is the supreme violation of moral order of
the universe that had been ordained by __________. Thus Macbeth has committed a
crime against ___________.
Define Sacrilege:______________________________________________________
___________ returns, having discovered the murder. He is in hysterics, telling them of
the horror of horrors. “Ring the alaurm bell. ______________ and ______________!” He
compares the events transpiring to Judgement Day, when the dead rise up to the
sound of the trumpet.
One humorous point of irony comes from lines 75 to 78, when Macduff tells Lady
Macbeth, "O ___________ lady, / ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak. / The
repitition, in a woman's ear, / Would _________ as it fell." Of course we know that
Lady Macbeth was the one that devised the murderous ___________!
Many things happen in this scene. The characters all find out about the murder.
Macbeth kills the ______________ in the King's chambers, and his frame of the
servants works. Macbeth claims he killed the servants out of _____________ to the
king. “Who could refrain, that had a heart to ___________ and in that heart
______________ to make’s love known?” Macbeth gives suspiciously long speeches,
leading Lady Macbeth to purposely _____________ (shutting Macbeth up to prevent
him from accidentally giving himself away).
One important role of this scene is to bring together all the main characters
of the play:
Macduff: He is the somewhat innocent bystander of the scene. He idly talks about
the King before the death announcement is made. He leaves to attend to the King,
and comes back in great horror. He is loyal to the king: "Go to his [King's] bedroom
and be blinded" by seeing him dead. He wakes all the nobles and announces the King's
death. Macduff finishes with his pledge to fight against the treason that occurred.
Lennox: He (without knowing it), keeps the blame off Macbeth for a while. He is the
character that suggests that the servants in the King's chamber were the murderers
(line 93). This may have helped keep all the nobles from immediately pointing the
finger at each other.
Banquo: Remember that he is loyal to the throne. His main role comes from lines
128 to 134 when he says that the nobles should meet to question this murder further.
He says, "In the great hand of ____________ I stand, and thence against the undivulged
pretense I ____________ of treasonous malice” (lines 122 - 124). His role is to find the
killer of the King.
Malcolm and Donalbain: They are the ______________ of the King. They suspect a
traitor in their midst. They believe that some of the Thanes might have a
______________ on. Malcolm says, "To show _____________ you don’t feel is an act/
which comes easily to a _______________" (lines 128 - 129). Donalbain says, "men’s
_______________________________ daggers" (line 132). These two feel that their lives are
in danger. Since the King was killed, they are next in line for the throne, so the power
hungry murderer would kill them ________________. They flee to different countries to
avoid being named as the murderers or the next victims - Malcolm flees to
_____________ and Donalbain to _________________ until the situation cools down.
Scene 4
The character of an old man is introduced. He gives a different perspective on the
death of Duncan. He has gone through many years, but he hadn't seen many of the
disturbances that he saw the night before. A _____________ (majestic -- symbolizing
the King), is killed by a mouse-hunting ______________ (a hunting creature - symbolizing Macbeth). A not-so-symbolic disturbance is the story of the horses
_______________ each other. Day has turned into ______________. (King Duncan’s
death has put the world into chaos, this is why unnatural acts are occurring)
This scene also gives some quick developments in the story (told by Macduff).
Macduff says it is thought the ___________________ did the murder. He thinks they
were bribed (suborn’d) by Malcolm and Donalbain. What do Malcolm and Donalbain
do to cast suspicion on them? _________________________________________________
Ross believes “another _______________ act” (line 27) has occurred. He claims that
“reckless ________________ that gobbles up its own flesh! Then it is most likely that
______________ will be chosen king.” (lines 29 - 30)
Macbeth is said to have gone to Scone to be _________________ , however
_______________ has surprisingly chosen not to attend this ceremony. “I fear that
________________ rule was much better than what we can expect from
________________ new ______________”. (line 39) Duncan's body is taken to be buried.
A good line in this scene comes from the Old Man (lines 40 - 41):
“God’s blessing be with you and with those
that make the best of a bad thing, and make friends of foes!" ( fair is foul....again)
Macbeth and Malcolm: Heroes of the Story?
Is this story now heroless? Macbeth has shown his evil side, plotting and killing an
innocent man. He is no longer the hero of the story as he once was (first he was the
courageous soldier praised by the Captain and the King). He is the villain that must
be thwarted. Who then assumes the role of hero? Malcolm would have been my first
choice. He is the son of the King who would get the crown and take revenge upon his
father's killer. But he and his brother run away for fear of their lives. Banquo?
Lennox? Macduff? Fleance? Read on to Act III, and you will see one of these people be
eliminated from this list.