Macbeth

MacbethAct II

Brief Synopsis - Act IIBanquo resists any thoughts that might hasten the witches’ prophecy that his children will be kings.Elsewhere in the castle, however, lady Macbeth is steeling her husband to kill the king.She drugs the grooms in the king’s bedchamber, and Macbeth stabs the sleeping Duncan, killing him. In the morning, when the murder is discovered. Macbeth, in pretended fury and grief, kills the grooms.

Brief Synopsis – Act IIcontinued …

The king’s son’s, Malcolm and Donalbain, seeing a similar fate for themselves, flee Scotland.Macbeth proceeds to Scone, where he is crowned as Duncan’s successor to the throne.

Act II - Quotes“There’s husbandry in heaven. Their candles are all out.”

Speaker______________________Explanation________________________________________

“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven, or to hell.”

Speaker___________________________________Explanation______________

BanquoEveryone’s in bed, the candles are out . This is foreshadowing evil.

MacbethHe does not want Duncan to wake up.

Act II Quotes continued …

“He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t.”

Speaker _______________________________Explanation______________________________________________

“Still it cried, ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house. ‘Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more.’”

Speaker_____________________Explanation___________________________________________

Lady MacbethShe couldn’t do it, because Duncan looked like her father

MacbethHe won’t be able to sleep anymore

because of his guilt and no one is safe around him anymore because of his ambition and covering up his sins.


“A little water clears us of this deed: how easy is it then! Your constancy hath left you unattended.”

Speaker____________________________________Explanation___________________________________________

“Wake Duncan with thy knocking!! I would thou couldst!”

Speaker________________________Explanation___________________________________________

Lady MacbethWashing will clean away the sin. She

is trivializing the murder.

MacbethHe regrets his murder and wishes

that the upon the door would wake Duncan up.


“Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time; for from this instant there’s nothing serious in mortality; All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead, the wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees is left this vault to brag of.”

Speaker_____________________________Explanation___________________________________________

“O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them.”Speaker:______________________________________________Explanation___________________________________________

MacbethHe wishes that he could take back

the murder, and that he had died before it had happened. Life no longer has meaning. He has lost his soul.

MacbethHe killed the grooms to cover up

his murder; he does this to show his outrage at the king’s death and to further cover his dastardly deed.

Act II Study Guide Questions

Study Guide Questions 1-2

In Scene 1, Macbeth asks Banquo to meet him later for “some words.” What incentive does he offer Banquo? How does Banquo reply?

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Describe the vision that Macbeth has at the end of Scene 1. What details foreshadow the action to come?

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Macbeth tells Banquo that it shall make honor for him. Banquo agrees to the meeting as long as Macbeth understands that he will remain free from guilt and remain loyal.

Macbeth sees 2 daggers. He will kill Duncan with two daggers taken from the grooms men.


In Scene 2, as Macbeth kills Duncan, what does Lady Macbeth hear? What does Macbeth hear?

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Why, according to Lady Macbeth, was she unable to kill Duncan herself? Which tasks related to the murder does she perform?

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Lady Macbeth hears an owl screech. Macbeth hears “Murder!” “God bless us!” “Amen”. “Sleep no more!” “Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

Duncan looked too much like her father as he slept.


In Scene 2, Lady Macbeth sensibly suggests that Macbeth go wash the “filthy witness” from his hands after the murder. How does Macbeth respond?

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In Scene 3, what is the porter pretending as he goes to open the gate?

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“Will a great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”

The porter is pretending to be the porter of hell; the devils servant. He describing Macbeth’s castle as hell underscoring the horrible deed that has taken place. It is also used for comic relief and a point to build the suspense and ask the questions “will Macbeth be caught?”


Why has Macduff come?______________________________________________________

What reason does Macbeth give for killing Duncan’s two guards?

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Where do Duncan’s two sons decide to go? Why?_____________________________________________________

Macduff’s comes to Macbeth’s home to collect the king. Duncan had instructed him to call for him in a timely manner.

Macbeth’s to have killed the two guards because they had killed the king.

Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain goes to Ireland. For their own safety as heirs to the throne.

Study Guide Question 10-11

In Scene 4, whom does Macduff suspect of Duncan’s murder?

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Though Macbeth encounters no actual opposition until long after Duncan is murdered, Shakespeare must foreshadow some trouble for him and, to build up suspense, must start one character edging toward suspicion of Macbeth. Who is this character, and what inkling does he give of his dissatisfaction with Macbeth?

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Macduff suspects Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two sons, because they fled. Macduff suspects they were bribed.

Banquo would be the logical choice. However, Macduff does not attend Macbeth’s coronation as he voices his doubts about the new king’s reign.

Study Guide Question 12

In Act I, Scene 7, Lady Macbeth seemed to be planning to murder Duncan herself. However, at the last moment, in Act II, Scene 2, she is unable to wield her dagger. Consider the reason she gives, and decide what her actions and explanation reveal about her character.

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Lady Macbeth’s heart is “whiter” than she would like. Her conscience is battling the evil that is trying to take root.


Many people are killed onstage in Shakespeare’s plays. Why, then, do you suppose he decided to have the murder of Duncan and his guards take place offstage?

_____________________________________________________In the movie both are killed for the audience to somewhat observe. However, in the play the actual act is omitted and the audience see’s only the dead body. This is done so the audience can continue to feel a “sympathy of comprehension” for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in order for the play to be effective. When the porter answers the door, this brings the audience back to the reality of Macbeth’s evil deed.


In Scene 4, when Duncan’s corpse is discovered, Macbeth utters a hypocritical lament beginning, “Had I but died…” But is it really hypocritical? The critic, A.C. Bradley argued that, although the speech is meant to be a lie, it actually contains “Macbeth’s profoundest feelings.” Explain this apparent contradiction. How does Macbeth feel about having murdered Duncan? What clues tell you how he feels?

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Macbeth feels a tremendous guilt for murdering Duncan. His actions after the murder and conversation with his wife indicate his regret.

Study Guide Question 15-16

Lady Macbeth’s fainting spell, like everything else she had done so far, has a purpose. What message do you think she wants her fainting spell to convey?

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Malcolm and Donalbain are little more then boys, yet they already know enough about life to keep their mouths shut. What is in their minds, but left unsaid? How do they hint about it to each other?

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Lady Macbeth faints to take the attention from Macbeth.

Malcolm asked why do we hold our tongues, Donalbain answers that it doesn’t matter what they say; they are probably next to be murdered.


Macduff is an important character in the three remaining acts. Describe how Shakespeare characterizes Macduff in Scenes 3 and 4.

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What do you say is the mood of Act II? What images and actions help to create this mood?

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Macduff is characterized as suspicious and loyal to the king.

The mood is one of evil. The weather, the owls, the horses all act strangely.

Act IIHow does King Duncan die? Be specific.

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Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth kill him herself?_____________________________________________________

Who smears blood on Duncan’s servants and puts the daggers back?

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King Duncan is stabbed to death by Macbeth.

Duncan resembles her father.

Lady Macbeth smears the blood on the grooms men.

Act II continued…

Why does Macbeth refuse to go put the daggers back in the king’s chamber?

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Right after Duncan dies, Macbeth hears a voice cry out. What does it say Macbeth has murdered?

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When they heard the knocking at the castle gate, what does Lady Macbeth instruct Macbeth to do?

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He cannot go back and face what he has done.

The voice says Macbeth has murdered sleep.

Lady Macbeth advices Macbeth to get ready for bed so they are not found awake and in the courtyard.

Act II continued…

Where does the drunken porter think he is?______________________________________________________

Who has come to the castle to meet with the king but discovers his murder instead?

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What does Macbeth do to the grooms out of pretended fury over their “killing” of the king?

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The drunken porter acts and speaks as if he is in hell.

Macduff comes to the castle to collect the king.

Macbeth kills the grooms.

Act II continued …

What two young men flee Macbeth’s castle out of fear for their lives?

______________________________________________________Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s sons, flee for their lives. Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain go to Ireland.

Act II Study Questions

Questions 1-5True/False/WHY

The dagger that Macbeth sees in his Scene 1 soliloquy is part of a hallucination? __________When Macbeth talks agitatedly about the murders, Lady Macbeth urges him to kill the witnesses? _____________When Lennox and Macduff arrive at Macbeth’s castle in the morning, Macduff wonders if Macbeth is lying to them? _______________As soon as the murder becomes known, Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland because they have lost their inheritance? ______________Banquo wants to meet with the other nobles in order to discover the purpose of the murder?_____________

TRUE

FALSE

FALSE

FALSE

TRUE

Questions 6-10Characters

Who is fearful of divine punishment because he cannot say “amen”?__________________Who is frightened that the bloody daggers will reveal who killed the King?__________________Who is afraid of “daggers in men’s smiles” and of being killed?_________________Who speaks of strange natural occurrences?______________

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Donalbain

Ross

Macbeth Act II Quiz

Question 1____ 1. The dagger that Macbeth sees in his

Scene 1 soliloquy

a. was given to him by his wife

b. is part of a hallucination

c. has already been used to kill Duncan

d. is lost in the confusion

B

Question 2____2. When Macbeth talks agitatedly about the

murders, Lady Macbeth urges him to

a. run away immediatelyb. kill the witnessesc. try not to dwell on itd. pray for his salvation

C

Question 3____ 3. The porter’s cursing is ironic because

a. he invokes the devil without knowing about the crime

b. he conveys that nothing is amissc. he takes so long to answer the door that Macbeth

escapes unnoticedd. Macbeth does not expect the royal visitors

A

Question 4___ 4. When Lennox and Macduff arrive at

Macbeth’s castle in the morning, Macduff wonders if

a. something is terribly wrongb. the porter has stayed up late and slept inc. the porter is keeping something from themd. Macbeth is lying to them

B

Question 5___ 5. As soon as the murder becomes known,

Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland because they

a. have lost their inheritanceb. are guilty of the murderc. believe the country will probably become unstabled. fear for their lives

D

Question 6___ 6. Banquo wants to meet with the other

nobles in order to

a. discover the purpose of the murderb. ensure that Macbeth will become kingc. protect his son from the murdererd. talk to Macbeth about the witches

A

Question 7___ 7. The natural disturbances that continue all

night— including the screaming and murderous owl, chimneys being blown down, and Duncan’s horses turning wild—symbolize

a. the inevitable chaos of a terrible stormb. a coming war with a neighboring countryc. the evil of Macbeth’s deedsd. the imminent flight of the king’s sons

C

Questions 8-12____ 8. is fearful of divine punishment a. Lady Macbeth

because he cannot say “amen” b. Donalbain____ 9. is frightened that the bloody c. Banquo

daggers will reveal who killed d. Macbeththe King e. Lennox

___ 10. is afraid of “daggers in men’s smiles”and of being killed

___ 11. is alarmed about the dreams he might have if he sleeps

___ 12. is terrified by “strange screams of death” and other disturbances heard in the night

D

B

C

A

E

Question 1313. Choose one of the following quotations from Act II. On

the lines provided, name the speaker and discuss how the quotation reveals the speaker’s character. Use at least one example from the selection to support your ideas.

a. “These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad.”

b. “Hear [the bell] . . . not, Duncan, for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.”

c. “Why, worthy thane, / You do unbend your noble strength, to think / So brainsickly of things.”

d. “O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart / Cannot conceive nor name thee.”

Answers to Question 13a. Speaker: Lady Macbeth. She is

cold and calculating—she has no interest in contemplating the murders because she believes such thoughts would make her insane.

b. Speaker: Macbeth. He is humorous, almost indifferent, in his warning to Duncan to get his spiritual house in order. However, he is also well aware of heaven and hell—this foreshadows his later torment.

c. Speaker: Lady Macbeth. She is neither compassionate nor sympathetic. She cruelly alerts Macbeth that his tortured thoughts of the murders are dishonorable.d. Speaker: Macduff. He is a good man who is genuinely appalled by the king’s death. He is so shocked that he cannot speak or think about what has happened.

Question 14On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph

describing the mood of Act II. Explain why this mood is appropriate, and discuss why it will likely prevail in the rest of the play. Use at least two examples from Act II to support your ideas.

4) Discuss why the mood is likely to prevail

5) The murders set in motion events that cnot have happy endings.

6) The foreshadowing, such as the many references to madness, is ominous.

1) Demonstrate understanding of the prompt

2) Describe the malevolent and violent mood of Act II provide reasons for the mood.

3) For example:1) The king and the guards have

been murdered.2) Macbeth is suffering inner

torment.3) Macbeth has been deceiving

others.

Macbeth

Documents

Transcript of Macbeth