In this presentation I will be analysing two major scenes, act 2 scene 1 and act 2 scene 2.
Act 2 scene 1 starts out with Banquo entering the court of Macbeths castle with his son Fleance. Fleance says “the moon is down; I have not heard the moon. A dark and gloomy atmosphere is created in their speech because it the night and they are holding torches. Banquo also states that he cannot sleep because he is scared of having nightmares and hence asks the heavens to stop nightmares going into his brain.
Banquo asks for his sword when he hears someone coming, this shows that he is in a nervous state of mind; this is because of the meeting with the witches.
However finding out that it was Macbeth; Banquo gives him a diamond saying that this is Duncan’s present to Lady Macbeth. Here Banquo tells Macbeth and the audience that Duncan is in a good mood and has given gifts to his household and servants because he is grateful of their help and hospitality.
This makes Macbeth think twice about murdering Duncan and makes him regret it in the future. This is because a diamond is a rare and expensive gem and people don’t give to anyone but to only people they trust.
Banquo tell Macbeth that he had a dream about the witches, and also saying that at least one part came true. Macbeth replies in a dubious fashion and says he is not thinking about it and lets him know that they can talk about it when they have time. Macbeth replies like this to show that he is not interested about the prophecies so if he kills Duncan then Banquo won’t suspect him.
Macbeth then asks Banquo that if he follows and sticks by him then there will be something in it for him. Macbeth bribes him so Banquo wont turn against him and try to prevent the witches third prophecy. Also he might need a friend to talk about what he is about to do or a partner in crime.
Macbeths and Banquos relationship has changed here, before they were best friends celebrating together, now their relationship is fragile. They are also suspicious of each other and hiding things from each other. They also don’t say what’s on there mind. Macbeth also lies when saying “I think not of them”
After Banquo and his son leave, Macbeth tells his servant to tell Lady Macbeth to strike a bell when his drink is ready, but really it is to indicate when to kill Duncan.
After his servant leaves Macbeth has a soliloquy. A soliloquy is when the actor is speaking what is on their mind, only the audience can hear the actor. This is a dramatic device because only the audience knows what’s happening.
‘Is this a dagger which I see before me?’
Macbeth suddenly sees the dagger. Macbeth wonders if it’s a sign he should follow.
‘The handle pointing towards my hand? Come let me clutch thee.’
The handle is pointing towards his hand and he wants to clutch it to see if it is real.
‘I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.’
Macbeth can’t touch it only see it. He is puzzled.
‘Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight?’
Macbeth is asking a question to the dagger so the audience can imagine it is on stage.
‘Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation.’
Macbeth is saying if it is only his imagination.
‘Proceeding from the heat oppressed brain?’
Macbeth thinks that the dagger that has appeared could be a trick of his imagination, probably he has a fever.
‘I see thee yet, in form a palpable.’
Macbeth is saying that the dagger looks as real as the one he is about to draw. This is also a stage direction.
‘Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going; And such an instrument I was going to use.’ In this line Macbeth accepts that the dagger was a sign and that the dagger is guiding him to the place he was going to go.
‘Mine eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses, or else worth all the rest.’
Macbeth is saying either his eyes are not working or is eyes are the only one working.
‘I see thee still.’
Macbeth can still see the dagger.
‘And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood.’
Macbeth heart beats faster when suddenly blood appears to be dripping from the blade and handle.
‘Which was not so before. There’s no such thing.’
Macbeths says the blood was not there before and decides there is no dagger.
‘It is only the bloody business which informs’.
Macbeth is saying that his mind is playing tricks on him because of the stress thinking about killing Duncan.
‘Thus to mine eyes. Now o’er the one half world’.
Half the world is sleeping and getting deceived by nightmares.
‘Nature seems dead and wicked abuse’.
Macbeth is becoming a murderer.
‘The curtain’d sleep; witchcraft celebrates pale hecate’s offerings, and wither’d murder.’
Witches are offering to their goddess Hecate.
‘Alarm’d by his sentinel wolf’.
The wolf alarms his master because Macbeth is ready to kill Duncan.
‘Thou sure and firm set earth, hear not my steps which way they walk, for fear’.
Macbeth asks the earth to ignore him as he walks to Duncan’s chamber.
‘The very stones prate of my whereabout’.
Macbeth is saying that if the earth hears his foot steps the even the stones themselves might betray him.
‘And take the present horror from the time’.
This is the right time to do it.
‘Which now suites with it. While I threat, he lives.’
Macbeth realizes that his threats aren’t equivalent to action.
‘Words to the heat of deeds to cold breath gives’.
The more I talk the more my courage cools. Macbeth is saying ‘words are no match for deeds.’
A bell rings. This important because now Macbeth has got the signal and is going to kill Duncan. Also now his out of his day dream. Macbeths Ambitions has won out.
The killing of Duncan is done offstage because it is sinful to kill and people don’t want to see it. Also by not showing the murder the audience don’t know whether Duncan is killed or not.
Act 2 scene 2 starts with Lady Macbeth saying that the alcohol that had made the servants drunk had made her bold and brave. She also states that the liquor that quenched their thirst has fired me up! This means that she has gotten energy. She is mocking the servant’s job when she says that they are sleeping instead of protecting their king. She also is very confident because she put a lot of drugs in the servants drinks that she can’t tell if they’re alive or dead.
Off stage Macbeth shouts out ‘who’s there? What is it?’ this builds tension because Lady Macbeth doesn’t know who it is, she thinks that Macbeth has failed to kill Duncan and if people found out they would be ruined. There is more tension when Lady Macbeth hears another noise. She states that she would have killed Duncan only if he didn’t resemble her father in his sleep.
Once Lady Macbeth sees Macbeth with the bloody dagger she is relieved and shouts ‘My Husband!’ showing that she is overjoyed with the outcome.
After that there are some short and snappy sentences between them. This builds tension and shows that they are nervous.
Macbeth looks at his hands and says “this is a sorry sight” This shows that he is regretting what he has done.
Lady Macbeth says that is a stupid thing to say. This shows that lady Macbeth is the dominant partner because she is the one being strong and decisive while Macbeth is weak and frightened.
Macbeth says that ‘one servant laughed in his sleep, another one cried “Murder!” and they woke each other up but they just said their prayers and went back to sleep.” This shows that Macbeth is hallucinating because if that did happen they would have seen Macbeth and not just go back to sleep.
Macbeth also states that some servants were shouting “God bless us!” but Macbeth could not say amen back. This is because he is killing a king and god won’t help him.
Lady Macbeth then warns Macbeth not to think about what they have done because it will drive only them crazy if they do. This is a dramatic irony because she dies because of the same reason.
Macbeth is worried that he has killed sleep because he heard a voice cry sleep no more. Furthermore he might not be able to sleep because he has done such a bad deed. Also he killed Duncan in his sleep.
Lady Macbeth replies by telling him if he thinks that way then he is a coward. She also tells Macbeth that a little water will wash away the blood. This shows that Lady Macbeth is alright.
She asks Macbeth to put the dagger in Duncan’s chamber but Macbeth replies “I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think of what I have done; look on’t again I dare not.” This means that he is afraid to look at what he has done and he can’t look at it anymore. This shows his guilt and regret about killing Duncan.
Lady Macbeth is annoyed with him and calls him a coward. She also says that the dead and the sleeping are just like pictures and only children are afraid of pictures. At this point she is questioning Macbeths Manhood by calling him a child. She goes offstage and put the dagger back in Duncan’s chamber and paints the servants with his blood.
There is a sudden loud knocking this makes the audience and Macbeth jump.
Macbeth is so scared that the littlest of noises make him jump.
Macbeth quotes ‘what hands are here? Ha! They pluck out my eyes.” Here he is scared to look at his own hands; he cannot believe what he has just done.
“Will all of Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
He thinks that not even the purest of waters will be able to get rid of the blood and guilt.
“My hands will rather the multitudinous in incardine.”
He thinks rather than the ocean washing the blood off the blood will fill the ocean. This means that the clean, pure water will become dirty, corrupt water. This will turn everyone corrupt when Macbeth is crowned king. Lady Macbeth re-enters after doing her job. She says that her hands are the same colour but she is not afraid and does not have a pale heart.
They hear knocking in the south chamber so they quickly go to their bedroom. Lady Macbeth says a little water will clear their deed. This shows she is practical and confident. They decide to wear there night gowns so it will look like they were in there bedroom the whole time. This shows that Lady Macbeth is braver and isn’t guilty.
Macbeth agrees saying that he rather be asleep or unconscious then to think about what he has done. He then hopes that the knocking would wake Duncan. This shows that he regrets killing Duncan.
Here Act 2 scene 2 finishes.
In the later acts of the play Macbeths and lady Macbeths Personalities almost switch around, with Lady Macbeth becoming guilty and Macbeth killing anyone for power. I think Lady Macbeth was the main culprit for the murder of Duncan because she wanted fame and fortune, Macbeth was just her puppet.
On the other hand people might argue that she was only doing it because she loves he husband and want his dreams and ambitions to come true.
I think themes like greed; fame and fortune are still around today because people still go against the government and monarch for the same reasons as ‘Macbeth’.