Macbeth
Act Two
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Plot summary exercise – Act Two
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Act Two, Scene One – dramatic irony
Banquo and his son Fleance are on guard duty when
Macbeth enters. Macbeth and Banquo’s conversation is
full of dramatic irony. Can you find any examples?
Banquo: Who’s there?
Macbeth: A friend.
Macbeth calls himself a friend but he
is already plotting against Banquo.
Macbeth: I think not of them.
Macbeth denies thinking
about the witches, but we
know this is a lie.
Macbeth: Good repose the while.
Banquo: Thanks, sir; the like to you.
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Macbeth is not going
to bed, he is going to
murder Duncan.
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Is this a dagger?
Read Macbeth’s “Is this a dagger?” speech in Act
Two, Scene One.
Macbeth’s vision of a dagger covered in blood occurs
just before he murders Duncan. Initially, he cannot tell if
the dagger is real or imaginary. He seems overpowered
by evil, but then pulls himself together, determined to go
ahead with the plan.
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Is this a dagger?
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Act Two, Scene Two
The scene opens with Lady Macbeth
waiting for news of Duncan’s murder.
How does Shakespeare create
suspense at this point?
Why do you think Shakespeare
doesn’t actually shows us
Duncan’s murder?
Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth
murder Duncan herself?
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Guilt
Read the whole of Act Two, Scene Two.
Do you think Macbeth and Lady Macbeth feel
guilty about what they have done? What
quotes can you find to support your answer?
But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘Amen’?
I am afraid to think what I have done
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would
thou couldst!
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Headline techniques
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Images
There are many recurrent images in Macbeth. Can you
think of any images that occur in Act Two?
Did you think of these?
sleep
blood
Look out for references to these images as you study the
rest of the play.
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Sleep
As soon as the crime has been committed, both Macbeth
and others have difficulty sleeping.
What metaphors does Macbeth use to describe sleep
in Act Two, Scene Two?
Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep – the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care,
The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,
Chief nourisher in life’s feast’
Can you find any other references to sleep in this act?
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Blood
After murdering Duncan, Macbeth returns with blood on
his hands. Lady Macbeth tells him to ‘wash this filthy
witness from your hand’. Macbeth despairs that he will
ever be able to clean his hands, asking ‘Will all great
Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my
hand?’
The blood acts as a metaphor for the evil crime they have
committed, a crime that cannot simply be washed away.
Like their guilt, the blood stains their minds.
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Act Two, Scene Three
Images of sleep and blood recur in this scene. Macduff
calls sleep ‘death’s counterfeit’ as he wakes the castle.
How many references to blood can you find in this
scene? What different connotations does the word
have?
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopped
Their hands and faces were all badged with blood
His silver skin laced with his golden blood
This most bloody piece of work
The nea’er in blood / The nearer bloody
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Questions – Act Two, Scene Three
Answer the following questions in as much detail as
you can, using PEE when appropriate.
1. What do you think the purpose of the Porter’s speech is?
2. What significance does Lennox’s description of the storm
have? (Lines 51–58)
3. How does Macbeth cover his tracks?
4. How convincing do you think Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
are in this scene? How would you instruct Lady Macbeth
to speak her lines?
5. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee?
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Act Two, Scene Four
This short scene concludes the act. The Old Man, Ross
and Macduff reflect upon events. Parallels are drawn
between the unnatural murder and changes to nature
itself.
What quotes can you find to illustrate these changes?
Who is suspected of the murder?
We learn from Macduff that Macbeth has become king –
he has achieved his ambition.
What comment about ambition does Ross make?
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Act Two – Who said what?
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