MacBeth Act 2

What is Macbeth’s lie to Banquo about the witches predictions? He says that he doesn’t think about them at all but in reality that’s all he does.
What is the signal that Lady Macbeth gives to let her husband know the guards are asleep? She rings the bell.
What excuse does Lady Macbeth give for not killing Duncan herself? He looks too much like her father.
What does Macbeth mean when he says “Macbeth does murder sleep.” ? What does Lady Macbeth then tell him to do? He’ll never get a good night’s sleep again. She tells him to not think about it.
Why won’t Macbeth take the daggers back to the scene of the crime? He doesn’t want to see Duncan’s body again.
Who was knocking at the gate? Macduff
Who discovers Duncan’s body? Macduff
Why is the statement by Macduff, “Oh Gentle lady, tis not for you to hear what I must speak” ironic? It was her plan.
What excuse did Macbeth give for killing the guards (grooms)? He couldn’t help himself and he didn’t want them to “spill” about what he did.
Why do Malcolm and Donalbain leave? They didn’t want to risk staying and getting killed too. Since they left, it made it look like they were the guilty ones.
Who takes the bloody daggers back and smears the sleeping guards with blood? Lady MacB.
What is Macbeth’s wish at the end of Scene 2? The knocking on the castle door could wake up King Duncan.
Generally speaking, who seems more upset about the murder, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth? Macbeth seems more upset because he believes the entire ocean could not wash the bloodfrom his hands (blood = metaphor for murder). In contrast, Lady Macbeth states, “A littlewater clears us of this deed” (II ii 66).
What gate does the porter say he is guarding? The porter pretends that he is guarding the gate to Hell.
What is the purpose of this scene? Comic relief
What “unnatural” event does Ross report? Horses ate each other.
Ross and the old man talk about strange happenings. The old man mentions a falcon being killed by a mousing owl. What is each bird symbolic of? Falcon= Duncan Owl= Macbeth
Who said, “Here’s a knocking indeed! If aman were porter of hell-gate, he should haveold turning the key.” The Porter
Who said, “Knock,knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ the name ofBeelzebub? Here’s a farmer, that hangedhimself on the expectation of plenty: come intime; have napkins enow about you; hereyou’ll sweat for’t.” The Porter
Who said, “Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,That you do lie so late?” Macduff
Who said, “The night has been unruly: where we lay,Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say,Lamentings heard i’ the air; strange screams of death,And prophesying with accents terribleOf dire combustion and confused eventsNew hatch’d to the woeful time: the obscure birdClamour’d the livelong night: some say, the earthWas feverous and did shake.” Lennox
Who said, “Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:The expedition my violent loveOutrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,His silver skin laced with his golden blood;” Macbeth
Who said, “And when we have our naked frailties hid,That suffer in exposure, let us meet,And question this most bloody piece of work,To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us:In the great hand of God I stand; and thenceAgainst the undivulged pretence I fightOf treasonous malice.” Banquo
Who said, “Tis unnatural,Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last,A falcon, towering in her pride of place,Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d.” The Old Man
Who said, “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,As the weird women promised, and, I fear,Thou play’dst most foully for’t: yet it was saidIt should not stand in thy posterity,But that myself should be the root and fatherOf many kings. If there come truth from them–As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine–Why, by the verities on thee made good,May they not be my oracles as well,And set me up in hope? But hush! no more.” Banquo
Who said, “That hath made them drunk hath made me bold. What hath quenched them hath given me fire.” Lady MacB.The wine she drank has given her a sense of boldness, and has stirred her will to do the deed.
Who said, “But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘Amen’? I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen’ stuck in my throat.” MacbethMacbeth can’t say “amen” to the prayers because he feels guilty about the murder. He also feels he needs a blessing.
Who said, “O gentle lady, ’tis not for you to hear what I can speak. The repetition in a woman’s ear would murder as it fell.” MacduffThis is ironic as Macduff is saying that the news of Duncan’s murder is too much for Lady Macbeth to hear, when she is the one who planned his murder.