Macbeth Notes Act II

SCENE I:

- Near after midnight, Macbeth meets up with Banquo and his son, Fleance.
- Banquo tells Macbeth that he cannot sleep because he had a dream about the witches and their temptations of evil. Macbeth informs he gave little thought about them. Lies.
- Macbeth gives a soliloquy once Banquo and Fleance leave. In his soliloquy, Macbeth hallucinates that there is a floating dagger before him, but quickly recovers and claims that this vision is unreal. The qualm he has towards the deed of murder had overwhelmed his senses as he plunges into a hypnotic reverie of gloomy disposition.
- "I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell. That summons thee to heaven or to hell." Man, what a line.
- The signal for the murder goes off and he quickly leaves for Duncan's chamber.

SCENE II:

- While the murder takes place, Lady Macbeth bides her time by drinking some wine to rid the thought of the whole ordeal. Her soliloquy talks about the passed out "grooms" (guards) having nearly been poisoned by her sleeping potion.
- "He is about it" meaning that Macbeth is in the process of murdering.
- Macbeth is so overwrought by his doings, he begins to hear imaginary noises.
- Shakespeare shows some human compassion in Lady Macbeth as she makes a reference to her father. (Very little womanly compassion)
- Macbeth rambles on in slight hysterics about the two guards talking in their sleep.
- Macbeth could no longer say "amen" after have committed such evil deeds.
- Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth not to consider about what they have done and she tries to calm down her half crazed husband.
- Macbeth knows he won't be getting much sleep anytime soon. They hear knocking. "Whence is that knocking? How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes."
- Lady Macbeth tells her husband to go clean up and return to his chamber. "And show us to be watchers. Be not lost so poorly in your thoughts."

SCENE III:

- As knocking continues, a "sober" porter stumbles over to get the door. He gives a very humorous speech towards the knocking as if addressing it. (He seemed rather sarcastic)
- Enter Macduff and Lennox who have come to visit the king for some ungodly reason. I can't quite remember. Anyway, Macbeth leads them to the king's chamber.
- While Macduff goes into the chamber to see the king, Lennox updates to Macbeth that he had a terrible experience the night before with howling screams in the night and prophecies thrown out. No surprise. Macbeth: "Twas a rough night." (Insert inappropriate gag line based off of my immaturity)
- Macduff exits the chamber horrified because their king has been murdered! Oh woe!
- Macduff awakens everyone and tells them what has happened. Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
- Then... Macbeth, um, admits that he murdered the chamber men. Mmyep.
- When everyone gathers in the hall except for Malcom and Donalblain  (Duncan's two sons), they talk about Macbeth and their suspicions of him. They flee the scene of the crime.

SCENE IV:

- Outside the castle, Ross and an old man discuss the strange happenings that went on the night from when Duncan was murdered: an owl killed a hawk and Duncan's horses fled their stalls and ate each other. Hm.
- "The traveling lamp" meaning the sun.
- Macduff approaches them and tells them that the chamber men who Macbeth had killed in a display of revenge had murdered the king. *Face palm* Oh, lord. They fell for it.
- They also suspect that Malcom and Donalblain had something to do with the murder since they fled.
- Macbeth has already been named king and Duncan's body is being carried to Colmekill, the sacred storehouse of his predecessors.

I want to take this chance to say thank you to Kelli Griffith, who informed us with: shakespeare-online.com. It helped me out a lot to understand what I was having trouble with. Thanks, bruddah! :)