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Macbeth. Act 2. Act 2, Scene 1. Characters: Banquo Fleance Macbeth. Summary.
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Macbeth Act 2
Act 2, Scene 1 • Characters: • Banquo • Fleance • Macbeth
Summary • Banquo and Fleance (Banquo’s son) enter talking about the night. Their dialogue helps to set the scene – it is after midnight and also quite dark as the sky’s ‘candles are all out’. Banquo also requests the powers to ‘restrain in me the cursed thoughts’ meaning he wishes to avoid nightmares. • Macbeth enters with a servant. • Banquo tells the audience that Duncan has been in a good mood and has even presented Lady Macbeth with a diamond, again emphasising Duncan’s good nature. • Banquo and Macbeth also briefly discuss the weird sisters as Banquo dreamt about them last night. He wishes to discuss this further with Macbeth when he has time. • Banquo exits and Macbeth dismisses the servant. • Macbeth then engages in a monologue in which he questioned his decision further. There are references to an imaginary dagger, the witches and blood. A bell then rings and Macbeth see this as the bell that calls him to murder.
Thinking questions • The King ‘hath been in unusual pleasure, and sent forward great largess to your office.’ What does this suggest about his personality? How might this contribute to Macbeth’s state of mind? • Macbeth sways between conscience and reality. Discuss how these elements are developed during the murder of Duncan. Draw specific evidence from the text.
Act 2, Scene 2 • Characters: • Macbeth • Lady Macbeth
Summary • Lady Macbeth is on stage and supposedly the wine has made her bold. She engages in a brief monologue in which she explains she has drugged the guards. • Macbeth calls from off stage and Lady Macbeth is concerned the deed is not done and explains that if Duncan didn’t look like her father she would have killed him herself. • Macbeth then enters and says he has ‘done the deed’. There is a confusing sense of dialogue between them as they speak about imagined noises. • Macbeth appears disorientated and confused. He seems almost distraught by his actions. Lady Macbeth tells him to ‘consider it not so deeply’. • Macbeth also introduces the idea that he has murdered sleep. This is the first reference to the notion of sleep and the is a recurring theme throughout – only the innocent can sleep. • Lady Macbeth notices that Macbeth has brought the daggers from the room. He refuses to go back and she has to take the daggers back to the guards. • She exits to return them and Macbeth hears knocking and notices his hands which he sees as being covered by blood. This reference to bloody hands continues throughout the play as a sign of guilt. • Lady Macbeth returns and attempts to gain control over the situation and her husband. They go to bed.
Activities • Find examples of imagery throughout this scene that contribute to the theme of chaos and disorder.
Act 2, Scene 3 • Characters • Porter • Macduff • Lennox • Macbeth • Lady Macbeth • Malcolm • Donalbain • Banquo
Summary • A porter enters to knocking at the door. The porter is often portrayed as a comedy character and makes joking references to the devil, hell, the gunpowder plot and dishonest tailors. This is the only piece of light relief in Macbeth and is well suited after such a shocking scene. • Macduff and Lennox are let in and the Porter continues in a drunken fashion making crude sexual references. • Macbeth enters after being woken by the knocking. Macduff and Lennox have come to collect the King. • Macduff exits to the King’s room while Lennox talks with Macbeth making references to the unnatural evening. Macduff re-enters with news of the King’s murder. • Macbeth and Lennox exit to view this for themselves, Macduff gives a brief monologue calling on the others to awake and Lady Macbeth enters the scene. • Lady Macbeth requests to know what has happened but Macduff is reluctant to give her news as she is a woman. Banquo enters and Macduff shares the news with him. • Macbeth, Lennox and Ross return. Malcolm and Donalbainenter soon after. The coming and goings of so many characters adds to the confusion and horror of the situation. • Macbeth admits to killing the guards on finding them smeared in Duncan’s blood. This neatly ties up any loose ends for Macbeth. Macduff questions him about this and Macbeth justifies his actions by saying his great love for Duncan made him act in anger. • Lady Macbeth, realising she needs to take control once again, faints and the attention is taken away from Macbeth. • All exit except for Donalbainand Malcolm who discuss fleeing to England and Ireland as they fear for their safety.
Mask imagery is often used to symbolise or replace something that is concealed. E.g. ‘The life o’ th’ building’ ACTIVITIES Imagery? Links to theme? Audience positioning? ‘Confusion now hath made his masterpiece. Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence The life o’ th’ building.’ Source evidence from this scene that supports the characterization of Lady Macbeth as possessing feminine ‘softness’ and manipulative power.
Mask imagery is often used to symbolize or replace something that is concealed. E.g. ‘There’s daggers in men’s smiles’ Malcolm and donalbain
Act 2, Scene 4 • Characters: • Old Man • Ross • Macduff
Summary • The old man and Ross enter the scene discussing the horror of the situation. The old man claims to have never seen such dreadful things in seventy years • Again there is mention of the unnatural events that are occurring such as the falcon being killed by the mouse-hunting owl and Duncan’s horses eating each other. • Macduff enters the scene. He explains that the guards were at fault and that the suspicion most likely lies with Malcolm and Donalbain. He also explains that Macbeth has gone to Scone to be coronated. • However, Macduff also tells Ross that he will not be going to Scone and believes that Macbeth will be unequal to Duncan’s role as King. This shows the audience that Macduff is already suspicious of Macbeth.
