Act II Summary KEY

English 9 Mrs. Sharp/Ms. Edwards

name: period: Macbeth: After Duncan’s Murder Act II

Plot Details: After

the murder, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth meet in another part of the castle. He is still carrying the bloody daggers he used to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth scolds him for this mistake and brings the daggers back to the scene of the crime. She plants the daggers on the sleeping guards and smears them with Duncan’s blood. When she comes back, Macbeth is examining the blood on his hands. MACBETH:

This is a sorry sight.

LADY MACBETH:

A foolish thought, to say ‘a sorry sight’.

Translation:

Conclusion or Significance:

Plot Details: Macbeth

is still not convinced that they’ve done the right thing and/or that they won’t be caught. Macbeth already believes he will not be able to sleep since he committed this murder. MACBETH:

Sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep.

MACBETH:

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?

LADY MACBETH:

A little water clears us of this deed.

Translation:

Conclusion or Significance:

Plot Details: In

the early hours of the morning, Macduff and Lennox (other nobles) come to meet Duncan at Macbeth’s castle. They are greeted by Macbeth, and Lennox remarks about the previous night’s weather. LENNOX:

The night has been unruly. Some say the earth was feverous and did shake.

Translation:

Plot Details: Macduff

MACDUFF:

Translation:

Conclusion or Significance:

goes alone to wake Duncan. He discovers the king is dead.

Awake, awake! Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason! Our royal master’s murder’d! Conclusion or Significance:

Plot Details: Macbeth

and Lennox go to investigate the murder scene while all the others (Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Macduff, Malcolm, Donalbain, etc.) gather. Macduff tells them the horrible news. Macbeth returns and tells everyone he has killed the guards. Lady Macbeth faints. MACBETH: Translation:

O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them. Conclusion or Significance:

Plot Details: Everyone

decides they must rally the troops and have a meeting to decide what to do now that Duncan is dead. Malcolm and Donalbain (Duncan’s sons) stay behind to discuss what’s happened and what they should do next. They decide that if someone has killed their father, they may be in danger, so they will run away – Malcolm to England, Donalbain to Ireland. DONALBAIN:

Where we are, there’s daggers in men’s smiles.

Translation:

Conclusion or Significance:

Ross (another noble) and Macduff discuss the events following Duncan’s death. They point out that, since Malcolm and Donalbain have fled, they’re suspected in their father’s death. Thus, Macbeth will be named king in a ceremony in Scone, but Macduff says he will not attend the ceremony. Plot Details:

MACDUFF:

He is already named, and gone to Scone to be invested. No, cousin, I’ll to Fife.

Translation:

Conclusion or Significance:

English 9 Mrs. Sharp/Ms. Edwards

name: period: Macbeth: After Duncan’s Murder Act II No Regrets?

The character of Macbeth is not purely evil, but in Act II, he overcomes his reservations long enough to murder King Duncan and two of his guards. Afterwards, Macbeth reveals his inner thoughts in response to the murder, and we see how some of the other characters respond to what has happened. Consider all we discussed about the events and text of Act II in class today. How is Macbeth feeling about what he’s done? What are others thinking about the Macbeths and how does Macbeth feel about others? Select THREE quotations from Act II to write in the upper part of the daggers. In the lower halves of the daggers, use your own words to explain what Macbeth is thinking or feeling about the ideas presented in the quotation.