Macbeth Act 2: Characters, Themes, Motifs
| Act 2 Scene Summaries | Characters | Themes | Motifs |
| Scene 1 Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a d ... | Banquo and Macbeth grow more fearful and ... | Guilt, shown in Macbeth’s paranoia. Fate ... | Visions used to show Macbeth’s guilt for ... |
| Scene 2 Macbeth returns from killing the ... | Lady Macbeth is rapidly becoming more or ... | Guilt is destroying Macbeth. | Blood is on his hand, despite his wife’s ... |
| Scene 3 Macduff arrives and discovers th ... | Macduff is one of the many citizens horr ... | Appearances hide reality. The others see ... | |
| Scene 4 Macduff discusses Macbeth being ... | Macduff and Ross are suspicious and have ... | Through Macduff’s defiance, loyalty is s ... | Nature. The old man represents nature an ... |
| Act 2 Scene Summaries | Themes |
|---|---|
| Scene 1 Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a dagger in front of him. | Guilt, shown in Macbeth's paranoia. Fate and free will. Macbeth uses his vision, and the prophecy he heard to justify the cost of murder. |
How many scenes in Macbeth Act 2?
Macbeth enters looking upset and she counsels him to stop mulling over the crimes they have committed. Understand every line of Macbeth. Scene 4. Act 2, Scene 3: Friar Laurence's cell. In Act 1, Scene 2, Macbeth is presented as a loyal warrior, a hero who fights valiantly on the battlefield to defend his country against invasion and treachery.
What are the themes in Act 1 of Macbeth?
Act 1 Scene Summaries Themes; Scene 1: Ad Three Witches get together and start plotting: Evil, Darkness, Scene 2: Duncan hears that Macbeth and Banquo have won them the war: Loyalty and order. Duncan believes Macbeth to be very trustable, and grants him the thane of Crawdor.
What is a summary of Act 1 of Macbeth?
Macbeth Summary: Act 1, scene 1 Thunder and lightning crash above a Scottish moor. Three haggard old women, the witches, appear out of the storm. In eerie, chanting tones, they make plans to meet again upon the heath, after the battle, to confront Macbeth. As quickly as they arrive, they disappear. Read a translation of Act 1, scene 1 →
What is Act 1 in Macbeth?
T he setting in act 1 of Macbeth moves from the battlefield where the rebel army is defeated to the heath where Macbeth and Duncan meet the Witches and hear their prophecies to Duncan’s home and then to Macbeth’s castle, where Duncan arrives expecting friendship and hospitality only to meet betrayal.
What is the central idea of Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1?
Act 2, Scene 1 Summary: Macbeth and Banquo are discussing the witches' prophecies once again. Banquo has been dreaming about them, but Macbeth lies and says they've slipped his mind. He then tells Banquo to stick with him, and he'll be rewarded in the future.
What is the mood in Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1?
The mood is tense and suspenseful. Banquo has obsessed and fretful over the witches' prophecies. His nerves are so on edge that he almost draws his sword when an intruder startles him.
What happens at the end of Act 2 Scene 1 Macbeth?
Continuing to gaze upon the dagger, he thinks he sees blood on the blade, then abruptly decides that the vision is just a manifestation of his unease over killing Duncan. The night around him seems thick with horror and witchcraft, but Macbeth stiffens and resolves to do his bloody work.
How does Shakespeare create tension at the start of Act 2 Scene 1?
Act II, scene 1, starts off at night, in fact after midnight. In Shakespeare's time midnight was considered to be the "witching hour". Shakespeare's use of the concept of darkness is an excellent way of creating tension because many people have a deep founded fear of the dark.
What is the theme of Act 2 of Macbeth?
Banquo and Macbeth grow more fearful and suspicious of each other. Macbeth goes as far as to test Banquo’s trust in the statement ‘If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis, it shall make honor for you’ . Convincing Banquo to stay with him despite ...
What does Macbeth think of the visions of the sword?
Macbeth starts to go delusional. Believing in the visions of the sword he sees. Using the prophecy to justify his gruesome thoughts. Guilt, shown in Macbeth’s paranoia. Fate and free will. Macbeth uses his vision, and the prophecy he heard to justify the cost of murder.
Why does Lady Macbeth take the daggers back?
Macbeth returns from killing the King, feeling guilty. Lady Macbeth comforts him but then tells him off for bringing the daggers back. She takes them and plants them on the guards whom she’s already drugged. Lady Macbeth is rapidly becoming more organized and calm about the murder. She has it planned out.
How does Macbeth test Banquo's trust?
Macbeth goes as far as to test Banquo’s trust in the statement ‘If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis, it shall make honor for you’. Convincing Banquo to stay with him despite his own morals. Macbeth starts to go delusional. Believing in the visions of the sword he sees.
Who is suspicious of Macbeth's death?
Macduff arrives and discovers the King’s death. Macbeth kills the two guards and Macduff seems suspicious of this. Malcolm and Donalbain, realizing they’re in danger, decide to flee. Macduff is one of the many citizens horrified by the death of Duncan.
Why does Macduff refuse to go to Scone?
Macduff refuses to go to scone to watch the crowning of Macbeth due to his suspicions. Through Macduff’s defiance, loyalty is severely questioned.
What is the scene in Act 2 of Macbeth?
Summary and Analysis. Act II: Scene 1. As Macbeth makes his way toward the king's bedchamber, he encounters Banquo with his son Fleance. Banquo has been unable to sleep and explains to Macbeth that he has been dreaming of the weird sisters. After arranging to meet again in order to discuss the matter, Banquo asserts his allegiance to ...
What does Macbeth see in the heat of the moment?
Either in the heat of the moment or through some supernatural visitation, he sees a ghostly dagger indicating the way to the Duncan. Convinced that "there's no such thing," he climbs to the king's chamber. Analysis.
What is the dagger speech in Shakespeare?
The dagger speech (32-65) is, deservedly, one of the most celebrated in Shakespeare. Like "If it were done" (Act I, Scene 7), this soliloquy is a fascinating piece of stage psychology. The structure of the lines precisely echoes the swings from lucidity to mental disturbance that characterize Macbeth throughout the play.
Does Macbeth transfer his doubts to Duncan?
But in the final couplet, Macbeth seems to transfer his own doubts concerning the afterlife to Duncan: Whether the king will go to heaven or hell is now an academic matter; ironically, for Macbeth himself, the outcome is likely to be more certain. Glossary.
What does Lady Macbeth think of Macbeth?
As Macbeth leaves the hall, Lady Macbeth enters, remarking on her boldness. She imagines that Macbeth is killing the king even as she speaks. Hearing Macbeth cry out, she worries that the chamberlains have awakened.
What does Macbeth see in the darkened hall?
Banquo and Fleance leave, and suddenly, in the darkened hall, Macbeth has a vision of a dagger floating in the air before him, its handle pointing toward his hand and its tip aiming him toward Duncan. Macbeth tries to grasp the weapon and fails.
What does Lady Macbeth signal to Duncan?
A bell tolls— Lady Macbeth’s signal that the chamberlains are asleep —and Macbeth strides toward Duncan’s chamber. Read a translation of Act 2, scene 1 →.
Why does Fleance want to stay awake?
Fleance says that it is after midnight, and his father responds that although he is tired, he wishes to stay awake because his sleep has lately inspired “cursed thoughts” (2.1.8). Macbeth enters, and Banquo is surprised to see him still up. Banquo says that the king is asleep and mentions that he had a dream about the “three weird sisters.”.
What is the dagger in Macbeth?
The dagger is the first in a series of guilt-inspired hallucinations that Macbeth and his wife experience. The murder is also marked by the ringing of the bell and the knocking at the gate, both of which have fascinated audiences. The knocking occurs four times with a sort of ritualistic regularity.
What does Macbeth say about the deed?
Macbeth emerges, his hands covered in blood, and says that the deed is done. Badly shaken, he remarks that he heard the chamberlains awake and say their prayers before going back to sleep. When they said “amen,” he tried to say it with them but found that the word stuck in his throat.
What is the significance of Fleance in Macbeth?
The appearance of Fleance, Banquo’s son, serves as a reminder of the witches’ prediction that Banquo’s children will sit on the throne of Scotland. We realize that if Macbeth succeeds in the murder of Duncan, he will be driven to still more violence before his crown is secure, and Fleance will be in immediate and mortal danger. ...
