Act 2 Flashcards
Act 2 scene 1?
Banquo goes back to the witches and tries to restrain himself however when he talks about the prophecy to Macbeth he pretends he has given little thought about the witches. Banquo leaves with his son Fleeance and Macbeth imagines a bloody dagger a bell rings which is a signal from Lady Macbeth to go to Duncan’s room.
Act 2 scene 2
Lady Macbeth waits for Macbeth from Duncan’s murder and hears a noise she worries that guards have awakened before Macbeth and plant the evidence on them.
Macbeth returns traumatised and full of regret and guilt.
Still horrified Lady Macbeth decides to attempt to hide the evidence.
Act 2 scene 3
Scene 3 marks a distinct change of pace. Shakespeare often incorporated scenes of comic relief into his plays, especially his tragedies. These scenes are designed to break the dramatic tension with a short, humorous scene. In the case of Macbeth, the comic relief comes in the form of the doorkeeper to the castle, the porter. He is clearly hungover from the revelry of the night before, and he pretends that he is the gatekeeper of hell. He does eventually open the door, letting in Macduff and Lennox, two of Duncan’s thanes. The porter continues to ramble humorously on about the effects of alcohol to them.
Act 2 scene 3
Macduff discovers Duncan is dead and they find the guards covered in blood. Duncan’s sons agree that they could be in danger and flee Scotland.
Act 2 scene 4
Ross-one of the thanes-walking with an old man. They discuss the strange storm of the night before and the curious behavior of Duncan’s horses which have, allegedly, run wild and eaten each other. Macduff emerges from the castle to tell Ross that the thanes have decided Macbeth should be the next king and that they are accompanying him to Scone to be crowned. Meanwhile, blame has been placed on Malcolm and Donalbian for the murders, since they have suspiciously disappeared from the scene. It is supposed they paid the guards to kill Duncan.
