act 2 scene 1 events and quotes Flashcards
“A heavy summons lies like lead upon me….(Banquo)
And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature”
What does Banquo mean when he talks about the “powers” and how he cannot sleep?
A burden is lying upon him- the supernatural powers
-his intuition knows something is wrong- his virtues as a character and his loyalty is showing
“My bosom franchised….(Banquo)
and allegiance clear, I shall be counsell’d”
What does Banquo mean in the “bosom” quote?
Banquo is saying his allegiance is with the king-shows his loyalty
“Is this a dagger…
which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?”
What literary technique is used when Macbeth says “Is this a dagger?”
foreshadowing- he does eventually kill Duncan
“Fatal vision” highlights what?
how he is terrified
“Or art thou but A dagger of the mind….
a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?”
What does the quote “heat-oppressed brain” show?”
he has too many thoughts about killing the king in his brain- it is overwhelming him
“As this which now….
I draw”
What does “I draw” mean?
he is in control of his own fate- ironic as he is not, the witches are and he is too indecisiveness to be in control
“And on thy blade and dudgeon…
gouts of blood”
What does “on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood” convey?
its sinister and evil
“It is the…
bloody business”
What does “bloody business” mean?
When Macbeth is going to kill Duncan, it will be literally bloody and also figuratively bloody as he will then be involved in a crime
“Nature seems dead…
and wicked dreams abuse”
The usage of nature conveys what?
the inversion of the natural order- nature knows what he is doing is wrong
What does “wicked dreams abuse” mean?
it is a further inversion of the natural order- he is having nightmares and bad dreams
The word “abuse” adds to what?
the semantic field of violence and brutality
Macbeth being psychologically unstable leads to what?
his decisiveness- his speech and behaviour has drastically changed
“The curtain’d sleep…
witchcraft celebrates”
“the wolf, whose howl’s…
his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.”
What qualities of a wolf does Macbeth also have in this soliloquy?
Being aggressive, strong and dominating
“With Tarquin’s ravishing strides…
towards his design moves like a ghost”
Macbeth has described how he will kill Duncan very vividly- why is this shocking?
He was very indecisive beforehand about the regicide- now he has planned it all out
What has Macbeth personified death as?
a ghost
His decisiveness shows what?
how easily he has been coersed by Lady Macbeth
“While I threat, he lives…
Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives”
What does the quote “While I threat, he lives” mean?
the longer he takes and the more time he wastes, his courage is dying- erratic, impulsive behaviour
“I go and it is done…
the bell invites. Hear it not Duncan”
What does “I go and it is done” trigger?”
his peripetia- it is the pivotal turning point of no return- his savagery, brutality and anarachy
“For it is a knell…
That summons thee to heaven or to hell”
What is a knell and what does it symbolise?
A knell is a funeral bell and it symbolises how Duncan will be needing a funeral soon
What would the audiences reaction be to Macbeth talking in such detail of the murder he is going to commit?
shocked, disturbed, deeply concerned- how in the previous speech he has changed so much and so drastically in such a short period of time
What is the symbolism of Macbeth using the animal of a wolf?
It’s in contrast to what Lady Macbeth called him (a cat)- highlights how he is becoming more manly and masculine and becoming more determined in his capability and capacity for evil
What do the rhyming couplets show?
Shows how certain he is within himself- shows his capacity for evil and how in control he is
What does Macbeth talking about Hecate in his speech show?
He has summoned the goddess of witchcraft- however he doesn’t care/feel worried about it as he believes he is completely in control of his own fate/destiny and even the witches cannot change that
His fatal flaw (his ambition) has made Macbeth what?
This cruel, savage character- he was driven by ambition and this is the outcome of his overmastering ambition
What do the rhyming couplets also mirror?
The witches rhythm of speech- the witches are in control of everything so by Macbeth mirroring the rhyming couplets, it shows that he is now in control
