Act II Study Questions

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 and it means that the sun and stars are down and the moon is up and he can feel a darkness over the castle and that something bad is about to happen. The atmosphere has changed to a new darker feel. 


2) Why does Banquo mention his dream of the Weird Sisters? Hint: Ironically this is his last dream.
He is worried and he has been having nightmares of the sisters and he has a bad feeling. He knows it is connected to Macbeth. He thinks that Macbeth is going to do something bad. 


3) What does Macbeth say he and Banquo will talk about later in private?
The three weird sister and perhaps suggesting that he is going to try and get Banquo on his side. 


4) Reread lines 42-70. Briefly summarize what Macbeth is saying in this soliloquy.
It is dark amd bad things happen in the dark. He is scared that nature and earth are going to punish him for what he has done and that he eyes have tricked him. Lady Macbeth rings a bell and Macbeth goes to kill Duncan.


5) How does the illusion of the dagger play into the mindset of either witchcraft or Macbeth losing it.
They are starting to become closer, Macbeth and witchcraft. Macbeth is uneasy because he knows that what he has to do is wrong but he is doing them anyway.Scene ii

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

2) Symbolically what does the fatal bellman toll? More than one thing here. And who is the fatal bellmen—the one Lady Macbeth hears?
The owl is the fatal bellmen, the owl symbolizes that Duncan is dead. Also the lose of Macbeth's innocents.

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 has some human emotions. She couldn't kill Duncan because he looks like her father then he sleeps. 


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.
"And yet I would not sleep" line 7
"The curtain'd sleep" Line 52
"My father as he slept, I had done't" line 13
"There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried." line 25
"Again to sleep" line 27
"Methought i herd a voice cry, 'sleep no more'" line 38
"Macbeth does Murder sleep, the innocent sleep." line 39
"Still it cried, 'sleep no more to all the house" line 44
"Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more" line 46
"The sleepy grooms with blood" line 53
"Give me the dagger. The sleeping and the dead" 56
Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit" line 73
"The sleepers of the house? speak, speak" line 79


5) What is meant when Macbeth says, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”?
Because he feels guilty he won't be able to sleep anymore and that he killed Duncan in his sleep.

6) Why is Lady Macbeth upset with Macbeth towards the end of scene ii?
Because the brings the daggers back with him and then he wouldn't bring then back because he didn't want to be faced with blaming the guards.

7) What is symbolic about the knocking that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hear?
It is a symbol of a higher power because Duncan is not there anymore. 


8) What does Lady Macbeth say about washing of hands at the end of the scene? Do you believe her?
She says that once the evidence is gone that he will be rid of this deed. And of course I don't believe her because he killed Duncan, his uncle whether anyone can prove it or not. 


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 a babbling drunk Drink creates sleep, desire, urine and nose painting. He is supposed to supply comedic relief because a murder just occurred. He also suggests that the castle is hell, even though he doesn't know how right he is. 


2) Who is at the gates? (more than 1 person)
MacDuff and Lennox

3) What does Macduff mean when he says, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!”?
A personification, the masterpiece of confusing. Chaos is supposed to be bad and Duncan has been murdered and is doesn't make sense. 


4) How does Macbeth react to the news of the king’s murder? How does Lady Macbeth react?
Macbeth says he killed the gaurd cause he was angery. She was a very good actress, and really sold the idea that she was super upset that one, the king died, and two that it happened in her very own home. 


5) Where do Donalbain and Malcolm decide to go? Why?
Malcolm goes to England and Donlbain goes to Ireland. They what to stay safe and they are next in libe so that don't want to be murdered next.

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.
It is suggested the the owl, Macbeth, killed the falcon, Duncan. There is a good vs. evil example with in the bird and between Duncan and Macbeth.


2) What does Macduff say about Malcolm and Donalbain?
That they have run away and it looks suspicious they they might have done the deed.



3) What does Macduff say about Macbeth?
He said that he has gone to Scone to become king.



4) What is meant by the line, “Lest our old robes sit easier than our new”?
He knows that they are going to have problems with Macbeht and he won't be as good as a king as Duncan. So he is asking Ross to go see if Macbeth will be as good as a king. There is a hint of fear in the line.


5) Why doesn’t Macduff go to the coronation?
He thinks that Macbeth killed the king. He is very suspicious. If he goes to Scone he has to swear allegiance to Macbeth and by not going to the coronation he doesn't have to.