If you were directing Act 2 Scene 2, what would you want the audience to be aware of, and how might you draw their attention to these things?

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Macbeth Coursework

If you were directing Act 2 Scene 2, what would you want the audience to be

aware of, and how might you draw their attention to these things?

The play Macbeth is a tragedy, where the main character Macbeth is

persuaded by three witches and his wife to kill the king, at the end

of the play Macbeth dies a violent death. In the previous scene, Act 2

Scene 1, before going to kill King Duncan, Macbeth tests one of his

friend's, Banquo, to see how loyal he might be in the future. In this

scene, we can see a contrast between Banquo and Macbeth. This is

because Banquo tells Macbeth how he is troubled by the witches: `I

dreamt last night of the three weird sisters' (Act 2.1:line 20),

Banquo here is telling the truth about the witches. Banquo asks

Macbeth if the witches have troubled him, Macbeth lies and says: `I

think not of them' (Act 2.1:line 21), he says he does not think of

them. By saying this, it makes the audience think that the character

Macbeth is a liar and a deceiver where Banquo is seen as an honest

man. I think Shakespeare is showing Macbeth as a deceiver to prepare

us for Macbeth's actions in the next scene and further on in the play,

as he becomes more evil and deceives more people.

The scene Act 2 Scene 2, is a very tense scene because at the

beginning of the scene the audience and Lady Macbeth are waiting for

the return of Macbeth after killing the king. Macbeth returns and

reports that he has `done the deed', but Macbeth is very disturbed by

having heard a voice telling him that he will no longer sleep and that

he cannot not say amen anymore. Lady Macbeth is appalled that Macbeth

has bought back the bloody dagger with him, and as he is refuses to

take them back to the King's chamber, she takes them. Macbeth is
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thinking of what he has done and is frightened, Lady Macbeth returns

after returning the daggers and there is a knocking on their castle

door. In this scene, the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

is also changing. I want the audience to see it from Macbeth's

viewpoint and I want it to be clear that Lady Macbeth is an evil lady

who controls Macbeth's actions.

At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 2, the atmosphere is tense and

unnerving. At the end of the scene, the tension will go even ...

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