Quotations – Act 2Quotations – Act 2

Analyzing QuotationsAnalyzing Quotations

Who is the speaker?Who is the speaker?What are the circumstances? (where, What are the circumstances? (where,

when, why, to whom it is said)when, why, to whom it is said)What is the meaning?What is the meaning?What is the dramatic importance? What is the dramatic importance?

What does the quotation mean to the What does the quotation mean to the play?play?

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 1

““It must be all It must be all imaginary. I’m so imaginary. I’m so obsessed with murder obsessed with murder that I’m seeing things” that I’m seeing things” (Act 2, Scene 1)(Act 2, Scene 1)

Macbeth is speaking Macbeth is speaking to himselfto himself

This happens outside This happens outside Duncan’s bedroom Duncan’s bedroom just before Macbeth just before Macbeth murders the King.murders the King.

Macbeth is Macbeth is hallucinatinghallucinating

We learn about We learn about Macbeth’s character Macbeth’s character and the way his mind is and the way his mind is affected by his affected by his obsessive thoughts obsessive thoughts about murder and his about murder and his emotions – especially emotions – especially guilt.guilt.

The bloody dagger is a The bloody dagger is a symbol of crime and symbol of crime and especially guilt.especially guilt.

The destructive impact The destructive impact of guilt is a theme in of guilt is a theme in the play.the play.

““Still the voice Still the voice cried “Sleep no cried “Sleep no more!” to all the more!” to all the house. “Lord house. “Lord Glamis has Glamis has murdered sleep, murdered sleep, and so Lord and so Lord Cawdor shall Cawdor shall sleep no more – sleep no more – Macbeth shall Macbeth shall sleep no more!” sleep no more!” (Act 2, Scene 2)(Act 2, Scene 2)

Macbeth has murdered sleepMacbeth has murdered sleep

Macbeth is speaking Macbeth is speaking to Lady Macbeth in to Lady Macbeth in the courtyard just the courtyard just after he kills King after he kills King Duncan.Duncan.

Once again, Macbeth Once again, Macbeth is imagining things.is imagining things.

Lady Macbeth warns Lady Macbeth warns him that “…you’ll him that “…you’ll wear yourself out wear yourself out thinking about things thinking about things so dementedly” so dementedly”

Macbeth’s guilt and fear Macbeth’s guilt and fear is obvious when he talks is obvious when he talks about “murdering” sleep about “murdering” sleep – the “rejuvenator of – the “rejuvenator of life”life”

He knows what he has He knows what he has done is very wrong!done is very wrong!

But this also But this also foreshadows what will foreshadows what will happen to Macbeth and happen to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth – they Lady Macbeth – they can’t sleep, and both go can’t sleep, and both go mad mad

““Is there enough Is there enough water in the water in the oceans to wash oceans to wash my hands of my hands of this blood? No! this blood? No! More likely my More likely my hands will stain hands will stain the vast green the vast green seas blood-seas blood-red.” (Act 2, red.” (Act 2, Scene 2)Scene 2)

Macbeth is speaking Macbeth is speaking to himself.to himself.

Lady Macbeth has just Lady Macbeth has just gone to return the gone to return the daggers and smear daggers and smear the guards with blood.the guards with blood.

Macbeth is horrified by Macbeth is horrified by his bloody handshis bloody hands

This is in contrast to This is in contrast to Lady Macbeth who Lady Macbeth who says “a little water will says “a little water will wash away all traces wash away all traces of the deed”of the deed”

The image of the The image of the blood red ocean is an blood red ocean is an exaggeration, but it exaggeration, but it tells us how guilty he tells us how guilty he is feelingis feeling

He believes that He believes that nothing will ever nothing will ever “wash away” his guilt.“wash away” his guilt.

He also says that He also says that “every noise scares “every noise scares me” By the end of the me” By the end of the play, nothing scares play, nothing scares him anymore!him anymore!

My hands are the same My hands are the same colourcolour

““My hands are My hands are the same the same colour as colour as yours – but I’d yours – but I’d be ashamed be ashamed to have a to have a heart as white heart as white as yours!” as yours!” (Act 2, Scene (Act 2, Scene 2)2)

Lady Macbeth is Lady Macbeth is speaking to speaking to Macbeth after she Macbeth after she returns from returns from smearing the smearing the guards with blood, a guards with blood, a job Macbeth job Macbeth refused to do. He refused to do. He said “I’m afraid to said “I’m afraid to think of what I’ve think of what I’ve done.” Lady done.” Lady Macbeth’s hands Macbeth’s hands are now bloody.are now bloody.

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth called Macbeth a called Macbeth a coward earlier and coward earlier and that’s what she that’s what she means now.means now.

She is a tough She is a tough woman! woman!

The “white heart” The “white heart” is a metaphor for is a metaphor for Macbeth’s lack of Macbeth’s lack of courage – a great courage – a great image!image!

““A little water A little water will wash will wash away all away all traces of the traces of the deed” (Act 2, deed” (Act 2, Scene 2) Scene 2)

A little water will wash away this A little water will wash away this deeddeed

Lady Macbeth tells her Lady Macbeth tells her husband that the husband that the traces of the murder traces of the murder can be washed away can be washed away with a little water.with a little water.

Unlike Macbeth, Lady Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth seems Macbeth seems unaffected by the unaffected by the murder. She is still murder. She is still calming planning, calming planning, taking charge of taking charge of matters.matters.

This is an ironic This is an ironic foreshadowing of what foreshadowing of what happens later when happens later when Lady Macbeth sinks Lady Macbeth sinks into madness caused into madness caused by guilt, hallucinates by guilt, hallucinates blood on her hands, blood on her hands, and washes her hands and washes her hands over and over again. over and over again. By that time, her By that time, her husband does not husband does not seem to care about seem to care about anything!anything!

““If Duncan If Duncan hadn’t looked hadn’t looked like my father like my father in his sleep, in his sleep, I’d have done I’d have done it myself.”it myself.”

Lady Macbeth is Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth just talking to Macbeth just after she gives the after she gives the guards wine and guards wine and makes them drunkmakes them drunk

She says Duncan She says Duncan reminds her of her reminds her of her father. Otherwise she father. Otherwise she could have murdered could have murdered him herself. him herself.

This is in contrast to This is in contrast to Macbeth, who is Macbeth, who is terrified by the prospect terrified by the prospect of killing the king.of killing the king.

We are reminded of the We are reminded of the words later when she words later when she says “who knew the old says “who knew the old man would have so man would have so much blood in him?”much blood in him?”

She is now sick with She is now sick with guilt over their crimes.guilt over their crimes.

““Here lay Duncan – his white skin Here lay Duncan – his white skin streaked with his precious blood, and streaked with his precious blood, and his stab wounds obviously fatal. his stab wounds obviously fatal. There were the murderes, steeped in There were the murderes, steeped in the colours of their trade, their the colours of their trade, their daggers dripping blood. Who could daggers dripping blood. Who could hold back, that had a loving heart hold back, that had a loving heart and the courage to show it?” (Act 2, and the courage to show it?” (Act 2, Scene 3)Scene 3)

Macbeth is speaking Macbeth is speaking to the men who have to the men who have gathered after the gathered after the discovery of Duncan’s discovery of Duncan’s murder.murder.

Macbeth is explaining Macbeth is explaining why he killed the why he killed the guards.guards.

The image of Duncan The image of Duncan with his white skin and with his white skin and “precious” blood “precious” blood makes us think of a makes us think of a martyr.martyr.

Macbeth’s words are Macbeth’s words are ironic because we know ironic because we know that he is the killer.that he is the killer.

His words are a little too His words are a little too dramatic – he sounds dramatic – he sounds like he is suspiciously like he is suspiciously overdoing it. overdoing it.

Lady Macbeth’s Lady Macbeth’s response – pretending response – pretending to faint to draw to faint to draw attention shows us that attention shows us that she is always thinking.she is always thinking.

““We’ll be safer if We’ll be safer if we go our we go our separate ways. separate ways. Here, smilers Here, smilers have knives have knives beneath their beneath their cloaks. Our cloaks. Our closest relatives closest relatives have most have most reasons to reasons to murder us.” (Act murder us.” (Act 2, Sc. 3)2, Sc. 3)

Donalbain is talking to his Donalbain is talking to his brother Malcolm after King brother Malcolm after King Duncan’s body is Duncan’s body is discovered.discovered.

He is warning that their He is warning that their lives are in danger because lives are in danger because those that seem friendly are those that seem friendly are their enemies. Because their enemies. Because Malcolm is Duncan’s Malcolm is Duncan’s successor to the throne, successor to the throne, those who are related to those who are related to them (like Macbeth) have them (like Macbeth) have the most to gain by killing the most to gain by killing them.them.

Donalbaine will go to Ireland Donalbaine will go to Ireland and Malcolm will go to and Malcolm will go to England.England.

However, by leaving they However, by leaving they will make some people will make some people suspect that they are suspect that they are guilty. It will also allow guilty. It will also allow Macbeth to become King.Macbeth to become King.

Donalbaine’s words also Donalbaine’s words also remind us of the great remind us of the great paradox and a theme of paradox and a theme of the play: Nothing is what the play: Nothing is what it seems!it seems!

The serpent lies beneath The serpent lies beneath the innocent flower.the innocent flower.

Smiling faces hide Smiling faces hide assassins, andassassins, and

Fair is foul and foul is fair!Fair is foul and foul is fair!

““Ah, good Ah, good father, the father, the heavens are heavens are showing their showing their displeasure at displeasure at mankind’s mankind’s behaviour!” behaviour!” (Act 2, scene 4)(Act 2, scene 4)

It is the morning It is the morning after Duncan’s after Duncan’s murder.murder.

Ross and an Old Ross and an Old Man are talking Man are talking about what about what happened the night happened the night before.before.

Ross says that the Ross says that the heavens (God) is heavens (God) is angry because of angry because of the murder.the murder.

It is daytime, but it It is daytime, but it is dark, and other is dark, and other strange things strange things have happened. have happened. (owls, falcons, (owls, falcons, horses)horses)

Killing a king is a Killing a king is a the worst sin of all the worst sin of all and upsets God and upsets God and nature.and nature.