Macbeth Act 2 Study Questions

Macbeth Act II Study Questions

Act II. Scene i

1. Macbeth meets Banquo just before he goes to perform the murder. The two talk and Macbeth tells Banquo, “If you shall cleave to my consent, when ’tis,/It shall make honor for you” (2.1.34-35). This increases the dramatic tension of the scene because Macbeth is hinting that one day he will be king. In essence, he is telling Banquo that if he listens to him, he will be rewarded for his loyalty. As a king, it is easy to give privilege to those who are close to you.

2. The dagger appears to Macbeth in three different ways. Macbeth first sees the dagger as a ghost, as evinced when he says, “Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible/To feeling as to sight?” (2.1.48-49). He then sees the dagger as a figment

Macbeth is dealing with the murder very poorly. For starters, he thinks that he will die for what he did, as seen when he imagines a voice crying, ‘“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore/Cawdor/Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more”’ (2.1.54-57). From this speech, it is clear the Macbeth feels guilty for what he did and dreadfully awaits his fate. He even goes on to say that he can’t bear to look at the guards again when Lady Macbeth commands him to take the daggers back and rub blood on the guards.

Act II. Scene iii

1. The purpose of the drunker porter scene is to provide comedic relief from the tense action that has just occurred. The porter thinking of himself as the gatekeeper to hell shows the allusion he is making to Macbeth’s castle being hell, which is believable because Macbeth has just committed murder. While some might find the porter’s musings sick and twisted, there is no doubt that it alleviates the drama felt by the audience from the prior scene.

2. Macbeth said he killed the guards because it was out of his love for Duncan. He tries to explain his position when he states, “Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate, and furious,/Loyal, and neutral, in a moment? No man./Th’ expedition of my violent love” (2.1.127-129). This lie was not a wise one to say because it makes Macbeth seem like he could have killed the king. If Macbeth had the hatred in him to kill two men, then who’s to say that he couldn’t have had enough anger to kill yet another

The flight of Duncan’s sons plays into Macbeth’s hands because it was he who ultimately scared them into fleeing. This is proven to be true when Malcolm tells Donalbain, “To show an unfelt sorrow is an office/Which the false man does easy” (2.1.161-162). Donalbain then says, “The near in blood,/The nearer bloody” (2.1.165-166). Both of these quotes show that the two were prompted by Macbeth to flee because Macbeth was only pretending to feel sad about Duncan’s death and he was very close to King Duncan. The most closely related relatives of Duncan will kill Malcolm and Donalbain, and Macbeth perfectly fits this