Act 2 Scene 1 Flashcards
How is contrast created between Banquo and the Macbeths?
“merciful powers”
Rather than calling the evil spirits to make him cruel, he requests the power of good to keep him away from “cursed thoughts”.
How is contrast created between Banquo and Duncan?
While Duncan was generous in his praise and lavish in his compliments about Macbeth’s castle, Banquo is on guard and seems to be on edge; he asks for his sword, suggesting he is suspicious of Macbeth.
“Who’s there?”
Banquo perhaps wonders who is approaching, however, this may have a deeper meaning; he may be asking if the real Macbeth is there, relating to the theme of fake identities and deception.
How is a divide between Macbeth and Banquo presented?
Macbeth says that if Banquo supports him, he will be honoured, while his response is that as long as he does not lose any honour, or he has to change his allegiance to the King, he will listen to Macbeth.
“Is this a dagger which I see before me…”
Macbeth has already decided to kill Duncan, but this apparition depicts Macbeth’s troubled state of mind; he hallucinates and sees a bloody dagger pointing toward Duncan’s chamber.
Why is the dagger significant?
The hallucination is a symptom of a fevered mind; it shows the audience the extent of the mental pressure that Macbeth is under - the dagger is a product of his imagination highlighting his decision to align with evil.
