MACBETH: ACT II Questions

Scene i

1) Who says the following: “Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives away in repose.” What is significant about the quote? How has the atmosphere of the castle been changed? 
Banquo says this, he can't sleep because of demons/ dark thoughts in his head. It went from welcoming to dreary. 



2) Why does Banquo mention his dream of the Weird Sisters? Hint: Ironically this is his last dream.
They have showed him truth.

3) What does Macbeth say he and Banquo will talk about later in private?
He says he will talk about the witches and their predictions later.

4) Reread lines 42-70. Briefly summarize what Macbeth is saying in this soliloquy.
He is imagining his murder weapon even though its not really there, it is telling him to kill Duncan.

5) How does the illusion of the dagger play into the mindset of either witchcraft or Macbeth losing it.
It possibly has to do with witchcraft, considering the witches said he would be king.

Scene ii

1) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold”? 
The demons have made her bold enough.


2) Symbolically what does the fatal bellman toll? More than one thing here. And who is the fatal bellmen—the one Lady Macbeth hears?
He is telling him to kill Duncan. The bellman Lady Macbeth hears is the owl.

3) How do you read the lines, “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done ‘t.” What does this say about Lady Macbeth? 
She would've killed him if he didn't look like her father, or she would have someone else kill him.


4) Sleep is an important symbol in this play. Please keep a list of all the times (with line numbers) that sleep is mentioned in Act II. Attach and turn this list in with these questions.
Scene 1: 5, 50, 14, Scene 2: 13, 22, 42,
5) What is meant when Macbeth says, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”?
When he killed Duncan he killed his own sleep, he will never sleep again in a sense.

6) Why is Lady Macbeth upset with Macbeth towards the end of scene ii?
Because Macbeth forgot to leave the daggers at the murder scene.

7) What is symbolic about the knocking that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hear?
The knocking could be God at the door.

8) What does Lady Macbeth say about washing of hands at the end of the scene? Do you believe her?
She says that Macbeth can be relieved of his evil doing if he just washes that blood off his hands.
Nope.

Scene iii

1) How is the Porter a humorous character? What does he say about drink? How does he metaphorical set the atmosphere of the scene?
He is funny because he is drunk. He says drinks are an equivocator. It metaphorically turns the castle into hell.

2) Who is at the gates? (more than 1 person)
Macduff and Lenox.


3) What does Macduff mean when he says, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!”?
It is incomprehensible to understand what happened.

4) How does Macbeth react to the news of the king’s murder? How does Lady Macbeth react?
He says he was so mad about his death that he killed the guards and Lady Macbeth faints.

5) Where do Donalbain and Malcolm decide to go? Why?
 Donalbain went to Ireland and Malcolm went to England. If they are innocent someone will kill them.

Scene iv

1) What is meant by the old man when he says, “On Tuesday last, a falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed”? What is symbolically suggested here? Hint: Relate the birds to scene ii.
 Macbeth the owl has just killed the falcon Duncan.

2) What does Macduff say about Malcolm and Donalbain?
They fled making them suspicious.

3) What does Macduff say about Macbeth?
He is already on his way to be crowned.

4) What is meant by the line, “Lest our old robes sit easier than our new”?
Duncan was a better king then Macbeth will become.

5) Why doesn’t Macduff go to the coronation?
Because he is suspicious of Macbeth.