Macbeth Act II Notes
- 1. Macbeth Act II Objective: • To examine Macbeth’s state of mind immediately before and after murdering Duncan. • To recognize new complexities in the characterization of lady Macbeth.
- 2. Do you think Macbeth did the right thing, or did he act too quickly? In your response, factor in such consequences as we have seen already (voices, hallucinations, guilt). You must provide support from the text for your opinions. Do Now
- 3. Banquo and Fleance are talking just before they go to bed. Banquois uneasy and cannot sleep.
- 4. Macbeth enters and Banquo tells them that Duncan is happy being at Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth responds that if he had more notice of the King’s stay, the preparations would have been larger.
- 5. Banquosays he dreamt the previous night of the three Weird sisters. Macbeth and Banquo agree to discuss the prophecies at a later date.
- 6. Macbeth’s Soliloquy When he is left alone, Macbeth imagines a dagger which is leading him towards Duncan “Is this a dagger I see before me / The handle floating towards my hand” (Macbeth).
- 7. Suddenly a bell rings which is a prearranged signal from Lady Macbeth that Duncan’s servants are asleep and Macbeth can carry out the murder.
- 8. Lady Macbeth is waiting for Macbeth to murder Duncan and return to her. She is very tense. She admits that she was unable to kill Duncan because he looked too much like her father. Scene ii
- 9. Forthe first time, Lady Macbeth is showing a little weakness.
- 10. Macbeth returns and describes the sounds he heard. He imagined he heard people praying and warning that “Macbeth shall sleep no more.”
- 11. Macbethhas brought the daggers back with him. LadyMacbeth has to take them back to the sleeping guards.
- 12. She returns and tells Macbeth a little water will clear them of the deed. What does Macbeth say about the possibility of water washing away the blood?
- 13. Shakespeare does not stage the murder itself. What are some possible reasons for making it an un-played scene?
- 14. Closing Activity: Examine scene 2 for ways dialogue, silence, and sound effects make the murder seem very immediate.
- 15. Objective: To recognize the macabre humor in the porter scene. To examine public events immediately after the murder of Duncan.
- 16. Macbeth – p. 71 (lines 26-43) / p.73 (lines 57-63) Porter Speech – p. 75 (lines 1-18) Lennox – p. 79 (lines 53-60) / Ross - p. 89 (lines 4-20) Macbeth – p.83 (lines 98-103) / p.85 (lines 119-129) Key Passages – Choose 2 for close analysis
- 17. Thecastle is awakened from drunken sleep by the knocking at the castle gates. Scene iii
- 18. Whilethe porter moves to the gate, he pretends to be the porter of the gates of hell. The analogy of hell and Inverness becomes even stronger throughout the play. Guests are warned they are putting themselves in the hands of the devil.
- 19. Eventually he opens the gate to Macduff and Lennox, who have been asked by Duncan to awaken him early. Macbeth enters coming to investigate who has been knocking. Macbeth becomes the center of the play as Lady Macbeth retreats.
- 20. Macduffgoes to Duncan’s chamber while Lennox describes the unnatural disturbances of the night. “The night has been unruly … the earth was feverous and did shake” (Lennox, scene iii, lines 46-53)
- 21. Macduff returns announcing that Duncan has been murdered. “Had I but died an hour before this chance … All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead” (Macbeth, lines 83 – 86) “Innocent Flower”
- 22. Macbethand Lennox go to view the murder. When they return Macbeth reveals he has killed the guards. On hearing this Lady Macbeth faints.
- 23. Malcolmand Donalbain leave the country for fear they will be murdered next. Malcolm goes to England Donalbain to Ireland Duncan’s sons flee
- 24. DivineRight of Kings (refer to handout) THEMES
- 25. Identify the dramatic irony of MacDuff’s statement to Lady MacBeth in lines 78-80. Explain the verbal irony of Lady MacBeth in line 82. Do Now – p.80
- 26. Beezlebub = Devil Obscure bird = Owl Gorgons – The three Gorgons of Greek mythology were hideous sisters with hair of snakes. Anyone who looked at them turned to stone. DEFINITIONS
- 27. Macduff – Notice his loyalty and his belief in the divine right of kings LadyMacbeth – Maintains her composure and faints, to take the heat off of Macbeth CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
- 28. Ross,a thane, walks outside the castle with an old man. Theydiscuss the strange and ominous happenings of the past few days It is daytime, but dark outside Scene 4
- 29. LastTuesday, an owl killed a falcon And Duncan’s beautiful, well- trained horses, behaved wildly and ate one another Imagery of Animals
- 30. Thestorms that accompany the witches’ appearances, the death of Duncan, and Macbeth’s coronation are more than mere atmospheric disturbances.
- 31. Terrible supernatural occurrences often betoken wicked behavior on the part of the characters “Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act, / Threatens his bloody stage” (Ross, line 5)
- 32. Interestingly, Shakespeare does not show us the scene in which Macbeth is made king. Thenews is conveyed secondhand through the characters of Ross, Macduff, and the old man.
- 33. When Malcolm asks about his father’s killer, Lennox replies, “Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had done’t.” Suspicion is raised
- 34. Macduff asks Macbeth why he killed the chamberlains, and later expresses his suspicion to Ross and the old man.
- 35. Macduff’sdecision to return back home to Fife rather than travel to Scone to see Macbeth’s coronation is an open display of opposition.
- 36. The play establishes Macduff as Macbeth’s eventual nemesis