Macbeth Notes: Act Two

Act Two

Scene One:

- Banquo and Felance are talking just before they go to bed.
- Banquo us uneasy and cannot sleep
- Macbeth enters and Banquo tells them that Duncan is happy being at Macbeth's castle
- Macbeth and Banquo agree to discuss the prophecies at a later date
- When he is left alone, Macbeth imagines a dagger which is a prearranged signal from Lady Macbeth that Duncan's servants are asleep and Macbeth can carry out of the murder

Hecate: the goddess of witches, sorcerers
Macbeth - decided to kill Duncan
Banquo - loyal to Duncan

-- Is this a dagger which I see before me
the handle toward my hand

Scene Two:

- 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
- Macbeth returns and describes the sounds he heard
- He imagined he heard people praying and warning that "Macbeth shall sleep no more"
- Macbeth has brought the daggers back with him
- Macbeth has to take them back to the sleeping guards
- She returns and tells Macbeth that a little water will clear them of the deed

Lady Macbeth - for the first time she is showing a little weakness

-- a little water clears us of this deed

Scene Three:

- The castle is awakened from drunken sleep by knocking at the castle gates
- as he moves to the gate he pretends to be the porter of the gate of hell.
- 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
- Macduff goes to Duncan's chamber while Lennox describes the unnatural disturbances of the night
- Macduff returns, announcing that Duncan has been murdered
- Macbeth and Lennox go to view the murder
- When they return Macbeth reveals he has killed the guards, hearing this Lady Macbeth faints
- Malcolm and Donalbain leave the country.

Theme: Divine Right of Kings

Macduff - notice his loyalty
             - his belief in the Divine Right of Kings
Lady Macbeth - maintains her composure and faints to take the heat off Macbeth
                     
-- the tight had been unruly
-- most sacrilegious murder hath broke open


Scene Four:

- We learned of more unnatural events that happened the night of Duncan's murder
- This is the day following the murder and the sun has not risen
- Macduff informs us that Malcolm and  Donalbain have been accused of murdering their father
- Duncan's body has been taken for burial
- Macbeth has been named King
- Macduff refuses to attend Macbeth's coronation and returns home to Fife
- hinting that he hears the changes that are happening are not for the better

Theme: unnatural events

Macduff - shows that her does not like or trust Macbeth

-- Malcolm and Donalbain, the King's two sons are stol'n away.