1. Macbeth
Act II

2. Scene I

3. Late Night Meeting Macbeth comes upon Banquo and his son Fleance
Macbeth and Banquo talk about the witches predictions
Macbeth suggests they talk privately later

4. Macbeth’s Soliloquy
Macbeth hallucinates and believes he sees a dagger in front of him
He is in the midst of his decision to act or not to act
He compares his own dagger to the illusion

5. Kill or Not to Kill
He seems to be reveling in his wicked dream or hallucination
He makes the decision to kill Duncan
The ringing of the bell is the signal from Lady Macbeth that she has completed her part of the plan

6. Comparison Macbeth is compared to Tarquin
A Roman tyrant
He raped a woman named Lucretia
Macbeth in his decision to kill Duncan has knowingly embraced evil

7. Scene 2

8. Lady Macbeth’s Role Lady Macbeth has drugged Duncan’s guards
She is unable to kill Duncan
He looks like her father
She is reveling in the murder

9. Committing Murder Macbeth kills Duncan
We do not see the actual murder
He enters the scene troubled and dazed
Lady Macbeth scolds him
He brings the guard’s daggers with him

10. Lady Macbeth Macbeth is too overwhelmed to go back
Lady Macbeth must place the bloody daggers beside the sleeping guards
She smears the guards with blood

11. Metaphors
Shakespeare uses four metaphors to describe sleep/death in this scene
A knitter who untangles the threads of care
A bath that soothes a laborer
An ointment that heals the mind
The body’s greatest need for food

12. Blood and Water Macbeth Lady Macbeth
All the water in the world cannot wash away the blood
metaphoric
Lady Macbeth
A little water will make them clean
realistic

13. Scene 3

14. Purpose of the Porter It is the morning after the murder
A drunken porter responds to Macduff and Lennox’s knocking at the gate
Provides comic relief
Must release the emotional intensity from the prior scenes

15. The King is Dead! Macduff discovers Duncan’s dead body
Macbeth states he has killed the guards because they murdered Duncan
Not part of the original plan
Lady Macbeth faints
Probably as a distraction
Duncan’s sons flee the country
Malcolm to England
Donalbain to Ireland

16. Similarities and Differences
Macbeth
Brave soldier
Thane of Glamis and Cawdor
Disloyal
Dishonorable
Macduff
Brave soldier
Thane of Fife
Loyal
Honorable

17. Standing “In the Great Hand of God”
Image of Banquo standing in “the great hand of God”
Intends to stand on the side of righteousness
Will fight against the treasonous malice that killed Duncan
Does not believe the guards killed Duncan

18. Weighing the Evidence Lennox Banquo Lady Macbeth Macbeth
Guards are guilty
Banquo
Suspicious of Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Feels Macbeth is revealing too much
Macbeth
Blames guards
Blames Malcolm and Donalbain
Malcolm and Donalbain
Fear for their lives
Don’t know who to trust

19. Scene 4

20. Right Motive, Wrong Person
Reveals that Duncan’s sons are suspected of killing their father
Guards were hired by them
Ross has the right motive, but the wrong person
Macbeth will inherit the crown
Thinks the sons had their father killed

21. What Macduff Suspects
Macbeth has gone to Scone to be installed as King
Macduff will not attend Macbeth’s coronation
Voices doubt about Macbeth’s reign
Suspects Macbeth of the murder