Macbeth - ACT II

ACT II Study Questions

Collaboration

First come first serve - pick 2 each

Erica - 2.1 (#1, #2) ; Hikaru - 2.2 (#1, #2) ; Danielle - 2.4 (#1, #2)

  

Erica - 2.1

1. Scene II, Act I contains dialogues between Banquo and Fleance, walking at night with the torches casting shadows. Banquo states that he “would not sleep” as a result of a dream he has about the witches (stated in the earlier scene). He is in turmoil, wrought over by the fact that even in his dreams do the witches follow. Shakespeare refers to time, once again, this occasion to set the tone. It is mentioned that the time is past midnight, with nothing but the torches to keep light. There is a stillness in the air, tension that coils within Banquo (multiplied due to his haunted dreams) that the audience specifically catch when Banquo almost uses his sword on Macbeth. The flow of time is continuous, but the foreshadow of the death of a king, and the crowning of a wrongful successor, disrupts the flow of time. Time, is therefore, continuously referred to, during the play, with moments of disruption.
2. Macbeth, feeling self-reproach and ultimately gripped with guilt for his planned actions, hallucinates about a dagger. He thinks he sees a dagger “faced towards his hands,” but quickly realizes that it is “a false creation.” Lost in his mind, Macbeth speaks as if he is in a trance, talking about blood and daggers. He is eventually brought back to reality by the ringing of the bell.

Hikaru - 2.2

1. Lady Macbeth is seemingly confident with the plan, but has traces of doubt. She prepared the dagger and assumed that Macbeth is killing the king. Lady Macbeth could not kill Duncan because his sleeping figure reminded Lady Macbeth of her father.
2. Macbeth has actually killed Duncan. He worries about the blood on his hands and starts to feel guilty. Lady Macbeth responds in a negative tone, again. In line 46, Macbeth left the dagger in the room, which he wasn’t supposed to. Lady Macbeth goes instead to get it.