act 2 macbeth essay questions

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by William Shakespeare

Macbeth summary and analysis of act 2, act 2, scene 1.

Banquo, who has come to Inverness with Duncan, wrestles with the witches' prophecy. He must restrain himself the “cursed thoughts” that tempt him in his dreams (II i 8). When Banquo raises the topic of the prophecy as Macbeth enters the scene, Macbeth pretends that he has given little thought to the witches' prophesy. After Banquo and his son Fleance leave the scene, Macbeth imagines that he sees a bloody dagger pointing toward Duncan's chamber. Frightened by the apparition of a "dagger of the mind," he prays that the earth will "hear not [his] steps" as he completes his bloody plan (38, 57). The bell rings—a signal from Lady Macbeth —and he sets off toward Duncan's room.

Act 2, Scene 2

Lady Macbeth waits fitfully for Macbeth to return from killing Duncan. Upon hearing a noise within, she worries that the bodyguards have awakened before Macbeth has had a chance to plant the evidence on them.

Macbeth enters, still carrying the bloody daggers with which he killed Duncan. He is deeply shaken: as he entered Duncan's chamber, he heard the bodyguards praying and could not say "Amen" when they finished their prayers. Lady Macbeth’s counsels to think "after these ways” as “it will make [them] mad" (32). Nonetheless, Macbeth also tells her that he also thought he heard a voice saying, "’sleep no more, / Macbeth does murder sleep. . . Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor / Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more" (33-41). Lady Macbeth again warns him not to think of such "brain-sickly of things" and tells him to wash the blood from his hands (44). Seeing the daggers he carries, she chastises him for bringing them in and tells him to plant them on the bodyguards according to the plan. When Macbeth, still horrified by the crime he has just committed, refuses to reenter Duncan’s chamber, Lady Macbeth herself brings the daggers back in.

While she is gone, Macbeth hears a knocking and imagines that he sees hands plucking at his eyes. He is guilt-stricken and mourns: “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / clean from my hand?” (58-59)? When Lady Macbeth hears his words upon reentering, she states that her hands are of the same color but her heart remains shamelessly unstained. “A little water,” she continues, “will clear [them] of th[e] deed” (65). As the knocking persists, the two retire to put on their nightgowns so as not to arouse suspicion when others arrive.

Act 2, Scene 3

In a scene of comic relief, the Porter hears knocking at the gate and imagines that he is the porter at the door to Hell. He imagines admitting a farmer who has committed suicide after a bad harvest, an "equivocator" who has committed a sin by swearing to half-truths, and an English tailor who stole cloth to make fashionable clothes and visited brothels. Since it is "too cold for hell" at the gate, he opens the door instead of continuing with a longer catalogue of sinners (16). Outside stand Macduff and Lennox , who scold him for taking so long to respond to their knowcking. The Porter claims that he was tired after drinking until late and delivers a short sermon on the ills of drink.

Macbeth enters and Macduff asks him whether the king is awake yet. On hearing that the king is still asleep, Macduff leaves to wake him. While he is gone, Lennox tells Macbeth that the weather by night was full of strange events: chimneys were blown down, birds screeched all night, the earth shook, and ghostly voices were heard prophesying ominously. A stunned Macduff returns with the news that the king is dead. He tells them to go see for themselves and calls to the servants to ring the alarm bell.

Lady Macbeth and Banquo enter and Macduff informs them of the king's death. Macbeth and Lennox return and Macbeth laments the king's death, proclaiming that he wishes he were dead instead of the king. When Malcolm and Donalbain arrive, Lennox blames the regicide on the guards by pointing to the incriminating bloody evidence. Macbeth states that he has already killed the bodyguards in a grief-stricken rage. At this point, Lady Macbeth feigns shock and faints. Aside, Malcolm and Donalbain confer and decide that their lives may be at risk and that they should flee Scotland. As Lady Macbeth is being helped off-stage, Banquo counsels the others to convene and discuss the murder at hand. Left behind on stage, Malcolm decides that he will flee to England while Donalbain will go to Ireland.

Act 2, Scene 4

Ross and an old man discuss the unnatural events that have taken place recently: days are as dark as nights, owls hunt falcons, and Duncan's horses have gone mad and eaten each other. When Macduff enters, Ross asks whether the culprit has been discovered. Macduff tells him that the bodyguards killed the king. The hasty flight on the part of Malcolm and Donalbain, however, has also cast suspicion on the two sons as well. Ross comments that Macbeth will surely be named the next king, to which Macduff responds that he has already been named and has gone to Scone to be crowned. Ross leaves for Scone to see the coronation while Macduff heads home to Fife.

Macbeth's famous soliloquy at the beginning of this act introduces an important theme: visions and hallucinations caused by guilt. The "dagger of the mind" that Macbeth sees is not "ghostly" or supernatural so much as a manifestation of the inner struggle that Macbeth feels as he contemplates the regicide. It "marshal[s] [him] the way [he] was going," leading him toward the bloody deed he has resolved to commit, haunting and perhaps also taunting him (II i 42). The same can be said for the ghostly voice that Macbeth hears after he kills Duncan, as well as the ghost of Banquo that appears in Act 3. Indeed, almost all the supernatural elements in this play could be—and often are—read as psychological rather than ghostly occurrences.

(But if this is the case, one also wonders about the witches: are they, too, products of Macbeth's fevered mind? The fact that merely give voice to the Macbeth’s dormant ambitions would seem to confirm this idea, but this is countered by the fact that Banquo also sees the same witches and hears them speak.)

The "dagger of the mind" is only one of many psychological manifestations in the play. As the bodyguards mutter “God bless us” in their drunken stupor, Macbeth finds that he is unable to utter the prayer word “Amen.” A psychological literary analyst may perceive this as a physical inability to speak, caused by Macbeth's paralyzing doubt about the correctness of the murder. The inner world of the psyche thus imposes itself on the physical world. The same can be said for the voice that Macbeth hears crying "Macbeth shall sleep no more" (II ii 41). An overwhelming sense of guilt will prevent “innocent sleep” from giving Macbeth respite from his tormented conscience. While he has consigned Duncan to eternal rest, he himself lives now in eternal anxiety.

In addition to his troubled existence, Macbeth's perturbed sleep can also be read as a metaphor for the troubled state of the country. In Macbeth —as with many other Shakespearean plays—there is a close and mirrored relationship between king and the country. In scene 4, for example, Ross reports that "by the clock ‘tis day, / And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp" (II iv 6-7). This image of the darkness strangling the light of day is a meteorological manifestation of the murder of Duncan; the light of nature is suffocated just as Duncan's life is extinguished. Victorian writer John Ruskin called such mirroring of a character's psychological state in inanimate natural objects "pathetic fallacy." In animate natural objects too, a similar mirroring occurs. The old man describes Duncan's noble horses eating each other and an owl eating a falcon--events that echo the slaughter of Duncan by Macbeth. Thus the unnatural death of Duncan plunges the country into both physical and spiritual turmoil.

The image of an owl hunting a falcon is part of a greater framework of symbolism surrounding birds in the play. When Duncan approaches Inverness in Act 1, for example, he comments on the martlets that he sees nesting on the castle walls. He takes this as a good sign—martlets are lucky birds. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, mentions earlier in this scene that there are ravens croaking on the battlements. She takes this as a harbinger of Duncan's death. Duncan, the trusting optimist, sees lucky birds, whereas Lady Macbeth sees ominous ones. One sign does not exclude the other: for Duncan, "fair" becomes "foul" as the lucky martlets metamorphose into the deadly ravens.

In Act 2, characters discuss or see birds in almost every scene. While Lady Macbeth is waiting for Macbeth to finish killing Duncan, for example, she hears an owl hooting and calls the owl a "fatal bellman"—a bird whose call is like a bell tolling for Duncan's death (II ii 3). The owl could also be "fatal" as an instrument of Fate, just as Macbeth is in some ways an instrument of Fate through the intervention of the Weird Sisters (keeping in mind that "wyrd" derives from the Old English word for "fate"). In this respect, one observes a mirroring between Macbeth and the owl: both hunt at night; the owl is observed killing a falcon, just as Macbeth kills Duncan.

Over the course of Macbeth , dreams, symbols, fantasy, and visions impinge upon the "real world." The witches' fantastic prophecy is realized. The "dagger of the mind" points the way to a murder committed with a real dagger. And in the Porter scene, the Porter imagining that he guards the gate to Hell ironically creates a gate of “real” hell caused by regicide. When the Porter opens the gate for the thanes, he mentions that he and his friends were out "carousing till the second cock" (II iii 23). This statement calls to mind the cock that crows in the New Testament after Peter betrays Jesus by denying knowledge of him (Matthews 26; Luke 22). In Macbeth , the betrayal occurs in a more active form as Macbeth murders Duncan after the crows of the cock.

Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Of what importance are the bleeding Sergeant and Ross? Why does Shakespeare introduce two messengers?

There are two pieces of information here, hence the two messengers. The bleeding sergeant is meant to inform Duncan, and the audience, of Macbeth's valor in battle. Ross is meant to inform about the Thane of Cawdor being a traitor. Both pieces of...

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Macbeth
• Macbeth Summary
• Macbeth Video
• Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• Macbeth's Evolution
• Jumping the Life to Come
• Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Macbeth
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Persons Represented
• Act I, Scene I
• Act I, Scene II
• Act I, Scene III
• Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

• Introduction

Macbeth Literature Guide

Act 2, scene 1 summary.

The scene begins with  Banquo  and his son  Fleance  walking in the torch-lit halls of the castle. It is past midnight, and Banquo mentions that he hasn’t been able to sleep well due to an onslaught of “cursed thoughts.” As  Macbeth  enters, Banquo explains to him that he is unable to stop thinking about their encounter with  the three witches . Macbeth and Banquo agree to discuss the matter later, and Banquo pledges his loyalty to the king before leaving. Macbeth, now alone, has an extraordinary vision in which he sees a dagger suspended in midair, its tip aimed at  King Duncan’s  bedchamber. He thinks he sees blood on the blade, but is soon able to tell that this is only a hallucination, a manifestation of his discomfort about the imminent murder. The bell tolls, a signal from  Lady Macbeth , indicating that the chamberlains are asleep. Macbeth walks toward King Duncan’s chamber.

Act 2, Scene 1 Analysis

The hour of the murder has now arrived. When he meets a troubled Banquo in the halls, Macbeth lies to him that he does not think much about the prophecy. Macbeth is also alarmed by the sight of Fleance, Banquo’s son, as Macbeth remembers the prophecy about Fleance ascending the throne. This encounter informs the audience that should Macbeth succeed in killing Duncan, he will be driven to more  violence to make his kingship secure , that Fleance will inevitably be in danger. On the other hand, Macbeth’s hallucination shows that he is tortured by the thought of betraying his king.

Act 2, Scene 2 Summary

The scene begins with  Lady Macbeth  anxiously awaiting  Macbeth’s  return from  Duncan’s  chamber. When she hears a sudden noise, she fears that Macbeth may not have been able to kill the king. She proclaims that she would have killed the king herself if not for his resemblance to her old father. Meanwhile, Macbeth appears, his hands stained in blood. He is visibly shaken, and tells Lady Macbeth that he’d heard the chamberlains saying their prayers and had wanted to join them, but couldn’t bring himself to utter the words. He tells her that he couldn’t even say “Amen.”

Macbeth also tells her that he’d heard someone say, “Sleep no more, / Macbeth does murder sleep” when he’d killed the king. Lady Macbeth tries to calm Macbeth, but is enraged to see him carrying the bloodstained daggers he should have planted on the chamberlains. She urges him to go back and frame the chamberlains, but Macbeth refuses to reenter Duncan’s chamber. Lady Macbeth goes back with the daggers, proclaiming that she would be ashamed to be as cowardly as her husband. When she is gone, Macbeth hears a mysterious knocking, which sounds ominous to him. The knocking happens again when his wife returns. Lady Macbeth leads him back to their bedchamber, assuring him he can wash the blood off with water.

Act 2, Scene 2 Analysis

This scene is singularly concerned with Duncan’s murder. However, the murder is not directly depicted; it is only alluded to, and this approach directs the audience to focus on the killers’ emotions and travails. Shakespeare’s use of elision, a technique he employs throughout the play to heighten intensity and menace, is especially exemplary in this scene. By not portraying the murder, the act becomes more treacherous and gruesome, and details such as how Duncan might have struggled for life are left to the audience’s imagination.

Disappointed at Macbeth’s hesitation and poor execution, Lady Macbeth finds herself agitated and takes it upon herself to redeem the situation. As she goes about correcting Macbeth’s errors, Lady Macbeth seems to acquire a heightened sense of awareness. In fact, she becomes aware of every noise in the castle.

When Lady Macbeth states that she would have killed the king herself if he hadn’t resembled her old father, the audience gets a rare glimpse of her vulnerability. This also shows that, though she berates Macbeth for  not being masculine enough  to spill blood, she, too, is susceptible to being rattled. She dismisses Macbeth when he tells her that he’d heard an ominous voice announcing that he has murdered sleep. Ironically, later in the Act, Lady Macbeth is deprived of sleep and finds herself walking around the castle all night. She remains resilient nonetheless. Though she is briefly rattled, Lady Macbeth seems more equipped than Macbeth to handle the bloodshed. She seems convinced that the Macbeths’ involvement in the murder can be concealed altogether. Though she is also certain that she can deal with the  guilt , later in the play, she imagines that her hands are bloodied and repeatedly washes them to get rid of the imaginary bloodstains.

Act 2, Scene 3 Summary

The knocking continues, and this time someone is indeed at the castle’s door. The  porter , who compares himself to hell’s gatekeeper, answers the door. At the door are  Macduff  and  Lennox , who have been summoned to arrange the king’s departure. When they complain that the porter took too long to answer the door, he tells them that he is drunk and could not move fast enough. He also tells them that though alcohol might increase sexual desire, it only seems to diminish one’s capacity to focus on the sexual act.

It is early morning, and while the rest of the castle is deep asleep,  Macbeth  is unable to find sleep or quiet. He directs Macduff toward  Duncan’s  bedchamber. To his horror, Macduff discovers that the king has been killed.  Lady Macbeth  emerges and pretends to be horrified. Duncan’s sons,  Donalbain  and  Malcolm , also arrive. Noticing the chamberlains’ bloodied daggers, everyone agrees that the chamberlains must have killed Duncan. Meanwhile, Macbeth admits to killing the chamberlains in a fit of rage. However, Macduff seems suspicious of these deaths. At this stage, Lady Macbeth faints. Fearing that their life, too, might be in danger, Duncan’s sons decide to flee.

Act 2, Scene 3 Analysis

The light comedy in the porter scene heightens the suspense. Unlike other characters of noble birth who speak in iambic verse, the porter’s speech is presented in prose. This conveys that his role is less important than the others’. However, his jocular manner and merry banter reveal many truths, such as the likening of the castle to hell, a comparison justified by the murders that takes place in the castle. When he broaches the matter of sex, it hints at  Lady Macbeth’s sexual taunting of her husband when he was hesitant about the killing . His speech on the themes of hell, lechery, and confusion of mind obliquely refer to the play’s major themes.

Similarly, when Lennox talks of the previous night’s storm, it is an allusion to the chaos about to burst forth. After persuading her husband to commit the murder, Lady Macbeth’s character now becomes secondary to Macbeth’s, who now emerges as the central character. In his conversation with Macduff, Macbeth is reduced to speaking in clipped, halting sentences, and this indicates his anxiety and troubled mind. He is terrified of the imminent discovery of the murder, and he is unsure if he can get away with it.

Once the king’s body is discovered, things move fast. Macbeth is no more hesitant; he assumes control of his narrative by admitting he killed the chamberlains. Macduff, who so far has had no significant role in the play, becomes the first person to suspect Macbeth. He later expresses his suspicion to  Ross . Macduff also opposes Macbeth’s rise to the throne, and decides to return home to Fife instead of traveling to Scone to participate in Macbeth’s coronation. The scene swiftly establishes Macduff as Macbeth’s nemesis. Though Malcolm is the rightful heir to the throne, he lacks Macduff’s initiative. That Malcom lacks initiative is evident in his decision to flee; he does not consider opposing Macbeth’s claim to the throne.

Act 2, Scene 4 Summary

Ross  is in a conversation with an old man who tells him about the evil and chaos that have disrupted the natural order in the kingdom. The day is dark. The audience is also told that an owl had killed a falcon earlier in the week, and that Duncan’s horses had acted strangely—both being ominous signs of doom.  Macduff  enters and states that  Duncan  has been buried, that  his sons  have fled, and that  Macbeth  is the new king of Scotland.

Act 2, Scene 4 Analysis

The old man—a symbol of wisdom, experience, and tradition—describes to the audience the omens that foretell the imminent chaos and disruption. The storm that accompanied the witches’ appearance at the beginning of the play and the storms currently ravaging the kingdom signify the unleashing of the terrible order set forth by the treacherous murder of Duncan. The storms signify that King Duncan’s benevolent reign has been replaced by Macbeth’s tyranny. When Macduff enters and declares Macbeth the new king, the scene represents the fulfillment of the witches’ prophecy.

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Macbeth Act 2

Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare later in his career about a Scottish nobleman’s obsession with power. It’s one of Shakespeare’s timeless classics.”

In this post, I will provide a comprehensive plot summary of Macbeth Act 2, broken down by scene with corresponding questions and answers for each section.

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1

In a torch-lit hallway inside Macbeth’s castle, Banquo and his son Fleance walk. Fleance mentions that it’s past midnight, and Banquo, feeling uneasy, wants to stay awake because he’s been having disturbing thoughts lately. Macbeth enters, and Banquo is surprised to see him still awake. Banquo mentions having a dream about the three witches they encountered earlier. Macbeth, trying to distance himself from the thoughts of the witches, claims he hasn’t thought about them since that encounter. They agree to discuss the witches’ prophecies later.

Banquo and Fleance leave, and in the dimly lit hall, Macbeth has a vision of a dagger in the air, pointing toward Duncan’s chamber. He wonders if the dagger is real or a product of his anxiety. He sees blood on it and decides it’s a result of his unease. Determined, Macbeth heads towards Duncan’s room after hearing Lady Macbeth’s signal.

Questions on Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1

• A: The scene takes place in a torch-lit hallway inside Macbeth’s castle.
• A: Banquo wants to stay awake because he has been having disturbing thoughts and feels uneasy.
• A: Banquo mentions having a dream about the three witches they encountered earlier in the play.
• A: Macbeth claims that he hasn’t thought about the witches or their prophecies since their encounter.
• A: Macbeth has a vision of a dagger in the air, pointing toward Duncan’s chamber.
• A: Macbeth believes the vision of the dagger is a result of his anxiety and unease, rather than a real dagger.
• A: Macbeth sees blood on the dagger and interprets it as a sign of the impending murder he is about to commit.
• A: Lady Macbeth’s signal is not explicitly mentioned, but it’s likely a prearranged sign to let Macbeth know it’s time to go and commit the murder.
• A: The intended victim of the murder in this scene is King Duncan.
• A: Macbeth’s soliloquy reveals his inner turmoil, anxiety, and determination as he prepares to carry out the murder of Duncan to fulfill the witches’ prophecies.

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

Lady Macbeth, waiting in Inverness Castle, reads a letter from Macbeth about his new title as the Thane of Cawdor and his encounter with the witches. She worries that Macbeth might be too kind to take the necessary steps to become king. A messenger arrives to inform her that King Duncan is on his way to their castle, and Macbeth is returning.

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Lady Macbeth, preparing for Duncan’s arrival, delivers a famous speech where she asks the spirits to make her more ruthless and fill her with cruelty. Macbeth enters, and they discuss Duncan’s visit. Macbeth tells her that Duncan plans to leave the next day, but Lady Macbeth decides that Duncan will never leave alive, taking the plan into her own hands.

Questions on Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

• A: Lady Macbeth is in Inverness Castle when she receives the letter from Macbeth.
• A: Macbeth’s letter contains the news of his new title as the Thane of Cawdor and his encounter with the witches, including their prophecies.
• A: Lady Macbeth worries that Macbeth might be too kind to take the necessary steps to become king.
• A: The messenger informs Lady Macbeth that King Duncan is on his way to their castle, and Macbeth is returning.
• A: Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to make her more ruthless and fill her with cruelty so that she can carry out the plan to murder Duncan.
• A: Lady Macbeth decides that Duncan will never leave the castle alive, and she intends to take the plan into her own hands.
• A: Macbeth initially plans to host Duncan and let him leave the next day.

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 3

A porter, still groggy from drinking the night before, answers a knocking at the castle door. He humorously compares himself to a gatekeeper at the entrance to hell. Macduff and Lennox enter, annoyed by the slow response. Macbeth, trying to act innocent, greets them and says that the king is still asleep. He offers to take them to Duncan.

Macduff enters Duncan’s chamber and returns, shouting that the king has been murdered. Chaos ensues as everyone rushes to see what happened. Macbeth and Lennox go to investigate while Lady Macbeth feigns shock. Malcolm and Donalbain, Duncan’s sons, suspect foul play and decide to flee.

Questions on Macbeth Act 2 Scene 3

• A: A porter, who is still groggy from drinking the night before, answers the knocking at the castle door.
• A: The porter humorously compares himself to a gatekeeper at the entrance to hell.
• A: Macduff and Lennox are annoyed by the porter’s slow response.
• A: Macbeth claims that King Duncan is still asleep and offers to take Macduff and Lennox to him.
• A: Macduff discovers that King Duncan has been murdered.
• A: Lady Macbeth feigns shock and joins the chaos that ensues in the castle.
• A: Malcolm and Donalbain are Duncan’s sons. They suspect foul play and decide to flee, fearing for their own safety.
• A: Duncan’s murder marks a turning point in the play, as it sets off a chain of events that lead to further violence and upheaval in Scotland.
• A: Macbeth pretends to be shocked and concerned, while Lady Macbeth acts shocked but is secretly aware of their involvement in the murder.
• A: Themes of deception, ambition, guilt, and the corrupting influence of power are introduced or emphasized in this scene as the characters react to Duncan’s murder.

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4

Ross, a thane, and an old man discuss the strange events of the past few days: unusual darkness during the day, owls killing falcons, and Duncan’s horses going wild. Macduff arrives and informs them that Macbeth has been crowned king. He also mentions that the chamberlains, likely suspects in the murder, were killed in a fit of rage by Macbeth. Suspicion now falls on Duncan’s sons, who have fled. Ross heads to Scone for Macbeth’s coronation .

Questions on Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4

• A: Ross, a thane, and an old man are the characters involved in the discussion.
• A: The strange events include unusual darkness during the day, owls killing falcons, and Duncan’s horses going wild.
• A: Macduff informs them that Macbeth has been crowned king.
• A: Macbeth claims that he killed the chamberlains in a fit of rage upon discovering Duncan’s murder.
• A: After the chamberlains’ deaths, suspicion falls on Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, who have fled.
• A: The chamberlains’ deaths serve as a cover-up for Macbeth’s involvement in Duncan’s murder and further sow the seeds of suspicion and chaos.
• A: Ross is going to Scone for Macbeth’s coronation, where Macbeth will be officially crowned as king.
• A: Macduff’s reaction to Macbeth’s coronation is not explicitly mentioned in this scene.
• A: The discussion reveals a sense of unease and uncertainty in Scotland under Macbeth’s rule, with strange events and suspicions surrounding Duncan’s murder.
• A: Themes of deception, suspicion, and the consequences of ambition are evident in this scene as the characters discuss recent events and Macbeth’s ascent to the throne.

Macbeth Act 4

Macbeth Act 3

Macbeth Act 1

Macbeth Act 5

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AQA Macbeth mock essay questions bundle x10

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

9 September 2024

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AQA Literature Paper 1 Section A: Macbeth

10 mock essay questions - each resource includes an extract from the play and a question.

Mirrors the real GCSE exam paper.

• Act 1, scene 3 - Macbeth’s downfall
• Act 1, scene 7 - Ambition
• Act 1, scene 7 - Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship
• Act 2, scene 1 - Violence and conflict
• Act 1, scene 6 - Deceit and betrayal
• Act 2, scene 3 - Tension
• Act 3, scene 1 - Power
• Act 4, scene 1 - The witches and the power of the supernatural
• Act 5, scene 3 - Macbeth’s leadership and the theme of kingship
• Act 5, scene 5 - Macbeth’s transformation

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Act 2 Scenes 1 and 2 Essay questions

Originally written for KS3 SATs, this resource consists of seven useful essay titles exploring how the Macbeths change in Act 2 Scenes 1 and 2. Each essay title has helpful bullet points for structuring a response. A typical essay question is: 

• Compare the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and consider the audience's feelings towards them throughout these scenes.

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Macbeth Act II Discussion Questions*

• How would you describe Macbeth's state of mind?
•  In what ways is Macbeth different from the man we saw at the end of act one?
•  Is Macbeth manifesting this dagger from his imagination, or is this some kind of spell or hoax?
• What are the implications of each choice?  That is, if the dagger is imaginary, what does this vision suggest about Macbeth's state of mind?
• Why does someone like Macbeth, a seasoned soldier who has killed many enemies in battle, feel this kind of emotional intensity before killing Duncan?
• Is Macbeth insane?
• If the dagger vision is evidence that Macbeth is an imaginative person, why does he lack the imagination or foresight necessary to see the implications of his actions -- or the implication of the witches' prophecy for Banquo?
• In what ways does this soliloquy represent an apparent change in Macbeth?
• If Macbeth truly believes the witches' prophecies are real, why does he take direct actions to make himself king when he could let "chance...crown [him] without [his] stir"?
• To what extent is Macbeth to blame for his own actions? 
• If Lady Macbeth or the witches are to blame, why are they, especially since Macbeth is a grown man in a position of power and privilege they do not have?
• What does this suggest about her strength of character?
• Explore how Shakespeare builds tension throughout the scene.
• What does Macbeth mean when he says that he has murdered sleep ?
• Closely examine the statement, "A little water clears us of this deed."  Why "a little" water?  Why is Lady Macbeth choosing to minimize this issue?
• How do we interpret the vague statement "this deed" rather than the more descriptive word "murder"?  What does it suggest about the Macbeths that both of them are repeatedly unable or reluctant to say the word "murder" or "death"?
• How does Macbeth justify his murder of the grooms?
• Why do you think Lady Macbeth faints at this point?
• How does Banquo respond to the murders?
• Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee?
• What is interesting about the events which they discuss?
• What do you think those events symbolize?
• What does Macduff's decision not to attend the coronation suggest about his attitude to Macbeth?
• Some questions taken or adapted from this site:   caldwell.wikispaces.com/file/view/Macbeth+Study+Questions.doc  
• Some questions taken or adapted from this site: www.appohigh.org/.../Macbeth%20Study%20Questions%20Act%201.doc

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Macbeth - Act 2, scene 1

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Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015

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Act 2, scene 1.

Banquo, who has accompanied Duncan to Inverness, is uneasy because he too is tempted by the witches’ prophecies, although only in his dreams. Macbeth pretends to have forgotten them. Left alone by Banquo, Macbeth sees a gory dagger leading him to Duncan’s room. Hearing the bell rung by Lady Macbeth to signal completion of her preparations for Duncan’s death, Macbeth exits to kill the king.

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Macbeth Shakescleare Translation

Macbeth Translation Act 2, Scene 2

LADY MACBETH enters.

LADY MACBETH

That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. What hath quenched them hath given me fire. Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern’st good-night. He is about it. The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugged their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live or die.

The wine that made the servants drunk has made me bold. The liquor that put them to sleep has filled me with fire. Listen! Quiet! That was the shriek of an owl—an omen of death like the bell struck at midnight by the night watchman before the cell of a man condemned to death. Macbeth is killing Duncan right now. The doors to Duncan’s chamber are open, and the snores of the drunk servants make a mockery of their job of guarding him. I drugged their drinks to make them sleep so soundly that they seem dead.

[within] Who’s there? What, ho!

[Offstage] Who’s there? What’s that!

Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And ’tis not done. Th’ attempt and not the deed Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done ’t.

Oh no, I’m afraid the servants woke up, and the job is not done. It would ruin us completely to fail in our attempt to murder the king. [She hears a noise] Listen! I placed the servants’ daggers where Macbeth could not miss seeing them. I would have killed Duncan myself if he didn't look so much like my own father while he slept. 

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MACBETH enters, holding bloody daggers.

My husband!

I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?

I have done the deed. Didn’t you hear a noise?

I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. Did not you speak?

I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. Did you say something?

As I descended?

As I came down?

Hark! Who lies i’ th’ second chamber?

Listen! Who’s sleeping in the second bedroom?

[looking at his hands] This is a sorry sight.

[Looking at the blood on his hands] This is a sorry sight.

A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

That’s a foolish thing to say, that it’s a “sorry sight."

There’s one did laugh in ’s sleep, and one cried. “Murder!” That they did wake each other. I stood and heard them. But they did say their prayers, and addressed them Again to sleep.

One servant laughed in his sleep, and one cried, “murder!” so that they woke each other up. I stood and listened, but they just said their prayers and fell back asleep.

There are two lodged together.

Malcolm and Donalbain are asleep in the same room.

One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the other, As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands. List’ning their fear I could not say “Amen,” When they did say “God bless us!”

One servant cried, “God bless us!” and the other said, “Amen,” as if they’d seen me with my blood-stained hands. Though I heard the fear in their voices, I couldn’t respond “Amen” when they said “God bless us!”

Consider it not so deeply.

Try not to think about it so much.

But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen?” I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.

But why couldn’t I say “Amen?” I needed God’s blessing most profoundly, but the word “Amen” got stuck in my throat.

These deeds must not be thought After these ways. So, it will make us mad.

We must not think in that way about what we’ve done. Thinking that way will drive us crazy.

Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”—the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast.

I thought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth murders sleep.” Innocent sleep. Sleep that smooths away all our fears and worries; that puts an end to each day; that eases the aches of the day’s work; and soothes hurt minds. Sleep, the main and most nourishing course in the feast of life.

What do you mean?

What’s your meaning?

Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house. “Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

The voice cried and cried, “Sleep no more!” to the entire house. “Glamis has murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor will sleep no more. Macbeth will sleep no more.”

Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength to think So brainsickly of things. Go get some water, And wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them and smear The sleepy grooms with blood.

Who was it that cried out these words? Oh, my noble thane, you make yourself weak and unable to act when you think so obsessively about things. Go get some water and wash this filthy evidence from your hands. Why did you bring these daggers from the room? They must remain there. Go return them and smear the sleeping servants with the blood.

I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on ’t again I dare not.

I won’t go back. I’m afraid just to think about what I’ve done. I don’t dare to look at it again.

Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures. ‘Tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt.

You weakling! Give me the daggers. Dead and sleeping people are as harmless as pictures: it’s childish to fear a scary painting. If Duncan is still bleeding, I’ll cover the faces of the servants with the blood. They must appear to be guilty.

LADY MACBETH exits.

A knock sounds offstage.

Whence is that knocking? How is ’t with me when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.

Where is that knocking coming from? What’s wrong with me, that every noise terrifies me? [Looking at his hands] Whose hands are these? Ha! They’re plucking out my eyes. Could even all the water in the ocean wash this blood from my hands? No, my hands would instead stain the seas crimson, turning the green water entirely red.

My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white.

My hands are red like yours, but I’d be ashamed if my heart were as bloodless and cowardly as yours.

I hear a knocking At the south entry. Retire we to our chamber. A little water clears us of this deed. How easy is it, then! Your constancy Hath left you unattended.

I hear knocking at the south gate. We must return to our bedroom. A little water will wash away all the evidence of what we’ve done. It is so easy! Your determination has deserted you.

Hark! More knocking. Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us And show us to be watchers. Be not lost So poorly in your thoughts.

Listen! More knocking. Put on your sleeping robe, so that when we have to appear it won't seem as if we’ve been awake and watching this whole time. Break free of the sad thoughts that hold you down.

To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself.

The only way I can acknowledge what I’ve done is to forget who I am.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst.

Wake Duncan with your knocking. I wish you could.

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by William Shakespeare

Macbeth Questions on Act 2, Scene 4

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