Macbeth Act II

1
Macbeth Act II

• Guided Reading Questions and Notes

2
Act II, Scene 1 Guided Reading Questions

• Describe the mood in this scene.
• Macbeth lies to Banquo in this scene. What lie
  does he tell, and why does he tell it?
• What is the signal that it is time to commit the
  murder?
• What hallucination does Macbeth have during his
  soliloquy in this scene?
• What is Macbeth thinking about in this soliloquy?

3
Act II, Scene 1

• Act IIRising Action
• Characters make decisions and begin to act upon
  them
• Can begin to separate the good characters from
  the bad
• Atmosphere is very dark (FORESHADOWING)
• Moon is down
• No stars in the sky

4
Act II, scene 1 contd

• Banquo is uneasy and cannot sleep
• Evidence of dramatic foil
• Macbeth says that he isnt thinking about the
  witches prophecies
• Thats really all hes been thinking about
• He lies to throw off suspicion (he is putting on
  a false face

5
Act II, Scene 1

• Macbeth hallucinates a dagger hovering in the air
  leading him on to commit the murder
• He notices every sound around himhe is uneasy.
  Still has second thoughts about the murder
• Questions his own sanity
• Says that wicked dreams will abuse his sleep
  (this will recur throughout the play)
• Wants to get the job done quickly (while he
  talks, Duncan lives)

6
Act II, Scene 2 Guided Reading Questions

• Why does Lady Macbeth claim to have been unable
  to kill Duncan herself? Why is this ironic?
• What does BLOOD symbolize in the play?
• After the murder, Macbeth claims to hear voices.
  Are they real or are they something else? What
  do the voices say?
• What is the biggest difference between Lady
  Macbeth and Macbeth that becomes apparent in this
  scene?

7
Act II, Scene 2

• Lady Macbeth says Duncan reminded her of her
  father as he slept
• Ironythis does not seem like the same Lady
  Macbeth from Act I (she is ALONE on stage!)
• BLOODGuilt
• It cannot be washed away
• Macbeth hears voiceshis conscience?
• Macbeth does murder sleep
• Cawdor shall sleep no more

8
Act II, Scene 2 contd

• Macbeth claims he cannot say amen (Pray)
• He is already suffering from guilt
• Difference between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
• He worries that there is not enough water in all
  of the oceans of the world to wash the blood
  off his hands (HYPERBOLE)
• She acts as though it is nothing

9
Act II, Scene 3 Guided Reading Questions

• What is ironic about the porters description of
  his job?
• Who is the first person to discover Duncans dead
  body?
• Who witnesses Macbeths murder of the guards?
• Why does he CLAIM to have killed the guards? Why
  does he REALLY kill them?
• Where do Malcolm and Donalbain plan to flee? Why
  do they think they need to leave?

10
Act II, Scene 3

• Porteran old drunk man whose job it is to answer
  the door, carry baggage, etc.
• He is there for comic relief to relieve the
  tension of the previous scene (common in
  Elizabethan dramas)
• Ironyhe compares his job to the porter at the
  gate of hell
• Inverness is a type of hell for everyone this
  morning

11
Act II, Scene 3 contd

• First person to see Duncans body
• Macduff
• Lennox witnesses the killing of the guards
• Macbeth CLAIMS that he killed the guards out of
  love for Duncan
• Macbeth REALLY killed them to
• Keep them quiet (dead men tell no tales!)
• Appear to be a protector (a resume builder)

12
Act II, Scene 3 contd

• Malcolm and Donalbain plan to flee
• Malcolm to England
• Donalbain to Ireland
• 2 reasons
• For their safety (if the real killer is still
  alive, they could be next)
• They will be suspected (they have the most to
  gain from Duncans death)

13
Act II, Scene 4 Guided Reading Questions

• Describe strange events and the weather the night
  of Duncans murder (some of this information is
  in the previous scene).
• What news does Macduff report from the meeting
  inside the castle?
• What is unusual about Macduffs decision
  concerning Macbeths coronation? How will Macbeth
  react to this news?
• At the end of Act II, which characters are
  questioning the guilt of the guards in Duncans
  murder?

14
Act II, Scene 4

• Unnatural events and a TERRIBLE storm night of
  Duncans murder
• Earthquakes
• Hurricane force winds
• Animals shrieking all night (suspicion states
  that animals can sense danger or evil)
• Pitch black the next day
• Duncans horses ate each other (Great Chain of
  Being)

15
Act II, Scene 4

• Macduff reports that the verdict is that the
  guards MUST have been guilty
• They were probably bribed (suborned) by Malcolm
  and Donalbain)
• Malcolm and Donalbain fled so they must be guilty
  of something
• The guards stood to gain nothing on their own by
  killing Duncan

16
Act II, Scene 4

• Macbeth will become king
• Macduff will not go to the coronation
• Macbeth will consider him a traitor
• Questioning the guards guilt at the end of the
  act
• Macduff
• Banquo
• Malcolm
• Donalbain