Act 2 scene 2

 At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:  Show an increased awareness of plot and characterization  Closely analyse sections of speech for meaning

 How do you suppose Macbeth feels, prior to murdering Duncan?  How do you suppose Lady Macbeth feels, prior to murdering Duncan?

 For this scene, the following roles will need to be read:  Lady Macbeth  Macbeth

Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shriek’d, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern’st good-night. What clues does this quote give us that Lady Macbeth is nervous? What imagery does Lady Macbeth use here?

Alack! I am afraid they have awak’d, And ‘tis not done; the 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. What clues does this quote give us that Lady Macbeth is nervous? Why could she not kill the king herself? Is this surprising?

This is a sorry night One cried ‘God bless us!’, and ‘Amen’ the other As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands. Listening their fear, I could not say ‘Amen’, When they did say ‘God bless us!’ How does Macbeth feel about what he has done? Why can he not say ‘Amen’?

‘Macbeth shall sleep no more!’ Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’ – the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath.... What is Macbeth comparing sleep to? What metaphors does he use? What do they say about his state of mind? Why shall Macbeth ‘sleep no more’?

 How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to get away with the murder?  What does Macbeth refuse to do, when he says he will ‘go no more’?  What does Lady Macbeth have to do? Infirm of purpose!/ Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead/ Are but pictures... If he do bleed,/ I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal;/ For it must seem their guilt.

What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? What does Macbeth say of his hands?

 How does Lady Macbeth’s reaction to the blood on her hands differ from that of Macbeth? What state of mind is she in at the end of the scene? A little water clears us of this deed. How easy is it then!

Wake Duncan with they knocking! I would thou couldst. How does Macbeth feel about having killed Duncan? What state of mind is he in?

 Why doesn’t Shakespeare show us the murder of Duncan?

KNOCK ‘Hark, more knocking.’ What is the knocking?!

 How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react differently to the murder of Duncan? What does this tell us about their characters?  At this point in the play, who do you feel more sympathy for, Macbeth or his wife? Explain your answer in detail.

 Write two diary entries as either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth.  One entry before the murder  One entry after the murder