In Act 2 Scene 2, Macbeth has just murdered Duncan. When he speaks line 15 “I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?” he should sound very confident and sure of himself. He would try and sound confident because he would not want to seem scared in front of Lady Macbeth – as this is the whole reason he killed Duncan in the first place, to please her. For the same reason, I also think he should stride across the courtyard to meet Lady Macbeth – this again giving the impression of confidence.
During the whole scene, I think both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth should speak quickly and very very quietly – at times venturing into whispers. This is because they would not want to be overheard, and would also want to get what they were saying over and done with quickly, and would be nervous about being overheard. However, when Macbeth become hysterical, e.g. when he says “Cawdor shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!” he should raise his voice – as he would have no control over himself at this point.
All of the things that Macbeth says from lines 21-44, (these are the parts when he tells Lady Macbeth what he thinks he heard) he should say in a sort of trance, or rave. I think this because he would be so shocked about what he has just done, so the murder would not have sunk in yet. Also, he would be full of guilt and emotion, so he would not have much control over his emotions.
Also, when Macbeth says, “Whence is that knocking?” He should sound irritated and nervous, because he might be afraid he was imagining it, like he has imagined so many other things in the play. When he says this, he should also look around him, as if wondering where the knocking is coming from. I think this because he would be thinking that some one had found out about what he had done – as he would be paranoid.
When Macbeth says “I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done”, I think that he should put emphasis on the word ‘think’, showing that what he has done is bothering him. I also think he should say it in an angry manner, as if he is angry with Lady Macbeth for asking him to return to the room. However, I think he should pause between the end of that line, and when he says the next line “Look on’t again I dare not”. This second line should be said more softly than the first, and I think he should turn to look at where Duncan’s bedroom is. This would show that Macbeth feels very guilty over what he has done. This would also make the audience believe that he would never do something like that again – which is completely misleading, as he murders, or gives the order to murder numerous more people throughout the play.
During the line “Will all great Neptune’s oceans wash this blood clean from my hand?” I think the actor should sound frustrated and desperate, because he would be afraid that, if the blood were not washed off, then some one would see it and immediately connect him with the murder. He should also scrub frantically at his hands trying to get the blood off, perhaps spilling some of the water onto the floor. This action might show the depth of his desperation to clean the blood off. I think this should be said out loud, and not (in some way) in his head, because this would show how unstable he is.
In Act 5 Scene 5, the battle is at its height, and Lady Macbeth dies. During the tomorrow speech, I think that Macbeth should be talking to himself, because he would be trying to reassure himself that Lady Macbeth dying is a good thing. Also, he would probably think that talking to the servants is below him. When he receives the news that Lady Macbeth is dead, he would probably be standing up, and just before, he would be very serious (because of the battle). Then, as it sinks in, I think that Macbeth should sit down. This would show how her death affected him, and would make the lines that he says afterwards all the more serious. In particular, when Macbeth says ‘To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow’ he should say it in a very emotionless and dull tone of voice – as he feels this is what life is like.
When Macbeth says “A poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage” he should raise his voice from the rest of the speech, to show the way that things can seem important. Then, when he says “And then is heard no more” his voice should fade back to quiet again, and this would show that Macbeths thinks that things can just fade into insignificance.
In line 29, when Macbeth says “Thou com’st to use thy tongue; thy story quickly”, I think that Macbeth should sound annoyed and aggravated that this messenger had disturbed him when he was thinking about Lady Macbeth. Also, he would get up and stand when the messenger entered, because he would want it to seem like he was bigger and more important – and this would not happen if it looked like he was smaller (i.e. less significant) than the messenger.
After the messenger tells him about the wood moving, Macbeth says “Liar and slave!” This line should be said very forcefully, as this event is the thing he has been dreading would happen. Also, he would be paranoid that the messenger was lying to him, and so would not want to believe what he was saying. He should also say it angrily, as he was certain that a wood could not move, and so would be angry that the messenger was lying. When he says this line, I think that he should move quickly towards the messenger, and grasp the front of his clothes – as if he is going to attack him. This action would show just how worried Macbeth is of this event really happening.
Finally, in his last speech in this scene, Macbeth says “and now, a wood comes towards Dunsinane”. I think that Macbeth should shout this line, and as he does so he should move towards the wall (if he is on top of a castle or something), where he can see the people moving towards the castle. This would seem as if Macbeth was almost talking to the wood, which would emphasize his odd mental state. It would also make him seem real angry that this prediction came true.
