Act 2 Scene 1

Act 2 Scene 1

1. Banquo tells Macbeth of Duncan's gratitude for the hospitality

   • Banquo remains loyal to the king

2. Conversation between Banquo and his son, Fleance

   • 'How goes the night boy?'
     • Father-son relationship- natural
       • Ready to defend him 'Give me my sword'
         • Defend the king as well as his family
     • naturally interchanging lines
   • They discuss the threatening atmosphere
     • 'husbandry in heaven'
     • Lack of light
       • 'Their candles are all out'
         • lack of stars
       • foreshadowing
   • pauses- hyphens (-)

3. Banquo's goodness

   • Macbeth's evil
     • 'I think not of them'
       • lying- secretive
       • 'It shall make honour for you'
         • trying to manipulate Banquo
           • equivocating- careful with language
           • Knows that he suspects he will murder Duncan
             • using money and power as a temptation
   • 'I dreamt last night of the weird sisters'
     • honest
       • contrast to Macbeth who lies saying that he does not think of them
   • 'allegiance clear'
     • he will remain loyal to the king
   • Duncan's goodness is also presented
     • 'This diamond he greets your wide withal'
       • gifting a diamond to Lady Macbeth
         • generosity

4. Macbeth's dagger soliloquy

   • 'Is this a dagger which I see before me?'
     • weary, confused
       • questioning his sanity
   • In a trance like state
     • 'Come, let me clutch thee'
       • seems disturbed distressed
   • short line 'As this which now I draw' - pause
     • gets out a real knife
       • murder is inevitable
   • ' gouts of blood'
     • blood appears on the knife
       • SUPERNATURAL
         • 'Witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecate's off'rings'
           • 'wolf'
             • 'Tarquin'
               • 'like a ghost'
                 • simile
               • rapist as the time
         • reference to feared/notorious members of society
           • reflects the audiences' beliefs
           • evil, darker side has overwhelmed Macbeth
   • At the end- group of three sentences
     • three's - supernatural hold
     • Bell rings
     • Repeated use of euphemisms to describe the murder- he is ashamed of what he is about to do
       • 'it'
     • rhyming couplet- closure-- finality of his actions- he come to the decision