Brodie Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 1

Brodie Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 1

1. Characters

   • Banquo - Warrior and Macbeth's friend
     • Key Quote: "There's husbandry in heaven; 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 me in the cursed thoughts that nature Gives way to in repose. " (Banquo. 2.1.6 -11)
       • Banquo is tired. He is afraid of his thoughts of the prophecy.
   • Fleance - Banquo's son, father later to Scottish kings
   • Macbeth - Great warrior, later king of Scotland
     • Key Quote: "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee." (Macbeth 2.1.41)
       • Appearance vs. Reality (Macbeth is hallucinating)
     • Key Quote: "A dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-opressed brain? I see thee yet, in form as palpable as this which I now draw. Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going, and such an instrument I want to use." (2.1.46 - 49)
       • Macbeth has the opportunity to kill Duncan, as the vision of the dagger leads Macbeth to him.
     • Key Quote: "Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way the walk, for fear thy very stones prate of my whereabouts and take the present horror from the time, which now suits with it. Whiles I threat he lives. Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives." (Macbeth 1.2.64 - 69)
       • He wants to make his steps unheard so he can sneak around. He is wasting time here instead of going to kill Duncan.

2. Setting

   • Court of Macbeth's Castle, night time

3. Plot

   • Macbeth is going to bed when he encounters Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth . After some talking, Banquo and Fleance go to bed. Macbeth then imagines a floating dagger leading him to the place where he is to kill Duncan.

4. Imagery

   • Scene starts with the time of night (darkness imagery)
     • By starting the second act with the time of midnight, Shakespeare has already given the readers the imagery of darkness and how it would develop throughout the act. Night has always been a symbol of to show darkness and midnight, presumably the darkest hours of a day could foreshadow the darkest movements that the readers were about to witness.

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