Category: Writing

Act 2 Scene 3

Characters: Porter, Macduff, Lenox, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Donalbain and Malcolm

Location: A courtyard within Macbeth’s castle

Events: The porter begins the scene with a soliloquy imagining he is the porter of the gates of hell. He lets Macduff and Lenox into Macbeth’s castle. Macduff meets with Macbeth and asks if the King is awake, Macbeth offers to him to Duncan’s chamber. Upon entering Macduff and Lenox find the dead king’s body. Macduff immediately calls out that Duncan has been murdered. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth rush in and pretend to know nothing of what happened. Malcolm and Donalbain enter and are told their father has been killed by his guards. The guards have been found sleeping with blooded daggers. Macbeth says that in his rage of finding the king dead he killed the guards. Lady Macbeth faints.

Malcolm and Donalbain privately discuss their plans to travel to England and Ireland because they no longer feel safe.

Quotes: “Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:” – Macbeth

Act 2 Scene 2

Characters: Lady Macbeth, Macbeth

Location: A courtyard within Macbeth’s castle

Events: Lady MB has drugged Duncan’s guards and has placed their daggers ready for Macbeth to use to murder Duncan. Macbeth meets Lady MB after killing the King. Macbeth retails how distressed he is that he could not cry “Amen”.

Quotes: “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white” – Lady Macbeth

Act 2 Scene 1

Characters: Banquo, Fleance, Macbeth and a Servant

Location: A courtyard within Macbeth’s castle

Events: Banquo, Fleance, and Macbeth are roaming the castle. (suspicious when they should all be asleep) Banquo wishes to speak about the Witches. Banquo and Fleance leave. Macbeth has a soliloquy, he sees a dagger in front of him, but he cannot touch it (hallucination), he goes on describing the dagger and Macbeth claims that it is the one he is planning to kill Duncan with. His soliloquy is a sign of madness.

Quotes: “Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell” – Macbeth

knell -the sounds of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.

Act 1 Scene 7

Characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth

Location: A room in Macbeth’s castle

Events: Macbeth is unsure whether or not he shall kill Duncan, and if he does it must be quick. Lady Macbeth bullies Macbeth into finally agreeing to do it. She plans to get the guards outside severely drunk, so much so that they pass out. Macbeth will sneak in and kill Duncan and then the blame will be on the guards.

Quotes: “But screw your courage to the sticking-place and we’ll not fail.” – Lady Macbeth

In Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy, she says “And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty”. In this metaphor, she compares herself to bottle or cup by using the word “fill”. She does this so the evil spirits she is calling to will fill her with “direst cruelty” like it is a liquid…

 

Characters: Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macbeth

Location: Outside Macbeth’s castle

Events: Duncan, his sons, and Banquo arrive at Macbeth’s castle. Lady Macbeth greets him. Duncan and Banquo thank Lady Macbeth for allowing them to stay and being a gracious hostess. Duncan wishes to see Macbeth.

Quotes: No important quotes

Act 1 Scene 5:

Characters: Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Messenger

Location: A room in Macbeth’s castle

Events: Lady Macbeth reads aloud a letter she received from Macbeth. The letter tells how Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor as well as Glamis and how he will be king. Macbeth arrives home with news Duncan is staying the night. Lady Macbeth plans to kill Duncan.

Quotes: “Only look up clear; To alter favour ever is to fear. Leave all the rest to me.” – Lady Macbeth

Act 1 Scene 4:

Characters: Duncan, Malcolm, Macbeth, Banquo

Location: A room in the King’s palace
Events: Duncan and Malcolm speak about how Cawdor is dead. Macbeth tries to hide the truth that he knows about the predictions he will be king. King Duncan praises Banquo

Quotes: “Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires”

Act 1 Scene 3:

Characters: Witch 1, Witch 2, Witch 3, Macbeth, Banquo, Rosse, Angus

Location: A heath

Events: The Witches deliver the news to Macbeth that he is Thane of Cawdor and will be King later on. They also tell Banquo (Macbeth’s Bestie) that his child will become King this is a problem because if Macbeth is king and Banquo child will be a king as well, then Banquo’s child will dethrone Macbeth. Macbeth discovers that is actually Thane of Cawdor by Rosse and Angus, giving truth to the Witches statement. Macbeth and Banquo decide to see the King (Duncan).

Quotes: 

Act 1, Scene 2:

Characters: Duncan, Malcolm, Captain, Rosse, Lenox

Location: A camp near Forres

Events: A wounded soldier enters the scene and retails the story of Macbeth’s bravery in the battle against Norway to the King and his son Malcolm. The King rewards Macbeth with the title of Thane of Cawdor and gives him all of the previous Thane of Cawdor’s land. Macbeth does not know of his new title yet.

Quotes: “…with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution” – Captain
  “As sparrows eagles, or hare the lion” – Captain