Act 2 Flashcards
Summary of Act 2: Scene 1
-Banquo becomes more concerned about whether the witches’ prophecies were true or false.
-Macbeth becomes more paranoid because of his thoughts of killing people to get what he wants.
-However, eventually, he gains the ambition he had to kill Duncan.
Key ideas in Act 2: Scene 1?
-“I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters,”Banquo thinks about the witches and doubts how the witches might have false information. His inherent virtue is coming out due to his honesty.
-“Is this a dagger which I see before me,” the repeated motif of violence hints how he is perplexed and is hallucinating due to his paranoia when he thinks about the killing of Duncan.
-“And wicked dreams abuse,” this oxymoron states the inversion of the natural order and this links to his violence and savagery.
“With Tarquin’s ravishing strides,” uses the story of a rapist, he needs to be deceptive like Tarquin.
“I go and it is done,” different and decisive Macbeth, triggers the Peripeteia- his fortune will be reversed as a consequence, point of no return.
Summary of Act 2: Scene 2
-Macbeth kills Duncan and he is very traumatised for the sin he has committed.
-At first, Lady Macbeth overthinks everything but as she sees Macbeth being paranoid, she reassures him, telling him not to feel any remorse.
Key ideas in Act 2: Scene 2?
“Hark! I laid their daggers ready,” hinting how she is overthinking everything.
The transition in speech between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is fast, this is Stichomythia- a fast paced tone, hinting how both cannot control their emotions well.
“Consider it not so deeply,” dramatic irony- she kills herself because of her madness.
“Macbeth shall sleep no more,” he murdered his eternal peace, guilty conscience.
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood away from my hand?” This regicide is colossal to him, he believes this horrendous regicide will stay in his conscience for eternity.
Summary of Act 2: Scene 3
-Macduff asks where the King is to Macbeth.
-Macbeth states that the King is still asleep and offers to take Macduff to the King.
-When both Macbeth and Macduff get there, Lennox starts to panic.
-Lady Macbeth faints due to her not standing what has happened and then Macbeth and Banquo rally the lords to meet and discuss the murder.
-Duncan’s sons flee the castle, with Donalbain going all the way to Ireland.
Key ideas in Act 2: Scene 3?
-“Not yet,” “This is the door,” short sentences, unnatural, conveys his guilt and he does not want to slip up.
-“Twas a rough night,” pathetic fallacy of Macbeth killing.
-“O horror, horror, horror,” shock, exclamatory tone
-“There’s daggers in men’s smiles,” no one is to be trusted, they perhaps believe that they are the next target.
Summary of Act 2: Scene 4
-Macduff emerges from the castle and tells Ross that Macbeth has been made king by the other lords, and that he now rides to Scone to be crowned.
- Macduff returns to his home at Fife, and Ross departs for Scone to see the new king’s coronation.
Key ideas in Act 2: Scene 4?
-“Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d,” the killing was unordinary, inversion of the natural order.
-“No, cousin, I’ll to Fife,” Macduff does not attend the event of Macbeth to be King, this is significant as he is to be King next.
