Macbeth, Act Ii ~ Plot Summary Essay, Research Paper

Macbeth, Act ii ~ Plot Summary Scene 1: Macbeth?s Castle, The courtyard-There are no

stars in the sky, Banquo is with Fleance, then Macbeth joins them. Banquo tells

Macbeth that the King is very grateful for the hospitality shown to him. Banquo

says that he dreamed of the witches, Macbeth replies with a barefaced lie,

saying that he hasn?t that about them at all. Macbeth tries to tempt Banquo

into betraying the King, but Banquo will have none of it. Then Macbeth is left

on his own and he hallucinates about seeing a dagger, guiding him the way that

he was going-towards Duncan?s chamber to kill him. A he approaches the chamber

his thoughts become filled with evil images. A bell rings and he goes to do the

deed.Key Phrases: ?There?s husbandry in heaven? ? Banquo says that they

economise in heaven, because there are no stars. ?Thou marshll?st me the way that I was going? Macbeth

believes that the dagger he sees guides him towards Duncan?s chamber.Scene 2: Macbeth?s Castle,

Near Duncan?s Room-Lady M is exhilarated by drink, she has that she has drugged

the drinks of Duncan?s bodyguards, but that she is worried that Macbeth won?t

have gone through with the murder. He returns to tell her that he has. Macbeth

is worried because he could not say ?Amen? after he had murdered Duncan, what

he had done deserves no blessing. Also he is hearing voices saying that he has

murdered sleep, which may be telling us that he has killed tranquillity. That

he shall not ever get any more rest. Lady M says that he is being foolish and

tells him that he must return the daggers to the scene of the murder. He says

he can?t look on what has done again so she returns them. Knocking frightens

Macbeth, Lady M tells him to pull himself together.Key Phrases: ?That which hath made them drunk,

hath made me bold;/What hath quenched them, hath given me fire?-Lady M saying

that the drink she has had has given her power and that the same has made

others drunk. ?A foolish thought to say a sorry

sight?-Lady M telling M that he is being foolish. ?These deeds must not be

thought/After these ways; so, it will make us mad?-Another example of the

above. Lady M trying to control M, to calm him down. ?The multitudinous seas

incarnadine?-M thinks that he will turn all the seas red if he tries to wash

his hands in them. ?My hands are of your colour, but I

shame/To wear a heart so white?-Lady M saying that she too now has blood on her

hands, and that she is ashamed for them to be so as she has a clear conscience,

because she was not the murderer. ?Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I

would thou couldst?-M telling the person knocking at the gate to try and wake

Duncan, saying also that he wishes that Duncan could wake up. He regrets the

murder instantly.Scene 3: Macbeth?s porter

imagines that he is the keeper of the gates of hell rather than of M?s castle,

he s drunk. He then opens the gate to Macduff who he talks to about the effects

of drink. M enters and Macduff says that he has come to meet Duncan. M takes

him to Duncan?s chamber. Then he talks to Lennox about the strange events in

the night. It should be noticed that his reply is so very short and abrupt,

compared to the long description that Lennox gives. He is trying not to draw

attention to himself, but in doing that he may have the opposite effect. Macduff

returns from Duncan?s chamber horrified, he reveals the murder and tells M and

Lennox to go and look for themselves, then he shouts to awake Banquo and the

king?s sons. Lady M and Banquo enter. Banquo asks Macduff to say that it?s not

true. M and Lennox enter; M talks a lot, saying that Duncan?s death empties the

world of meaning. The Duncan?s sons enter and hear the news from Macduff. M

says he killed the bodyguards and defends this by saying that he was in a rage,

yet what he says in line 83 and onwards is not what a man in a rage would say.

Then Lady M faints to draw attention away from the murder. Malcolm and

Donaldbain, fear that they too will follow in their father?s footsteps. Banquo

says that they should go and get dressed and then investigate the murder.

Everyone agrees that this is a good idea. The sons decide to flee, Malcolm to

England and Donaldbain to Ireland.Key Phrases: ??The spring, the head, the

fountain of your blood/Is stopped, the very source of it is stopped?-M telling

Duncan?s sons that their father is dead. ?This murderous shaft that?s

shot/Hath not yet lighted?-Malcolm, saying that he and Donaldbain are going to

be next to be killed if the person who killed Duncan wants to get rid of the

King?s of ScotlandScene 4: Outside Macbeth?s

Castle-an old man is talking to Ross about the strange goings on, the night of

Duncan?s murder. They mention that there is no sun, that an owl killed a falcon

and that Duncan?s horses ate each other. Everything is UPSIDE DOWN! Macduff

enters and says that Macbeth killed the murderers (the bodyguards). Then he

says that Duncan?s sons have fled and that now they are suspected of bribing

the killers. Says that Macbeth will become King and that he has gone to be

crowned in Scone, but he will not go to see M crowned, Macduff leaves.Key Phrases: ?That would make good of bad, and

friends of foes?-Old man in his farewell to Macduff-will Macduff be the one who

fixes everything, who puts the world back round the right way?

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