Act 2 Scene 1

Characters: Macbeth, Banquo,Fleance

Summary: Banquo and his son talk about what time it is and how there are no stars on a moonless witch in normal circumstances is impossible. Banquo express that he has dreamt about the witches and offers the knowledge to Macbeth who replied by saying only if he wants and continues that he hasn’t been thinking about them(which isn’t true).This is the beginning of Banquos and Macbeths relationship declining and becoming untrustworthy between each other which leads to his death. Banquo and Fleance leave. Macbeth then sees a floating dagger and cant decide whether what he is saying is real or not, He then decides its a message to him

More depth + quotes: In our world there should be stars if there is a moon, but because there isn’t this would mean something metaphysical going on “There husbandry in heaven,there candles are all out“. This is ironic as a few scenes back Macbeth says a few scenes back wants to hide what his is planning from the heavens “Stars,hide your fires! let not light see my black deep desires”

Act 1 Scene 7

Characters: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

Scene set: Macbeth’s Castle, In a room where Duncan and his royalty are not.

Macbeth talks to himself and does not wish to go ahead with plan of killing Duncan and he’s say by doing something terrible such as killing Duncan it wouldn’t be teaching people to commit more violence and that something terrible might come to himself “We still have judgement here,that we but teach bloody instructions,which,being taught,return to plague th’ inventor“.He also mentions that this ambition is taking it one step to far and coul make things worse. “Valuting ambition,which o’er leaps itself and falls on the other“.When Lady Macbeth enters Macbeth explains to her that the wont continue with the plan as Duncan has been good to him and given him so much like Thane of Cawdor. This gives the image that Macbeth isnt after absolute power and he is fine with what he has (which is still a lot).Lady Macbeth it outraged and can see her plan is quickly falling apart “Was the hope drunk,Wherein you dressed yourself“. She goes on calling him a coward and that he can’t act on his ambitions. Macbeth disagrees with this and says”I dare do all that may become a man,Who dares do more is none. Lady Macbeth uses his words against him as it was his idea at first(even though she showed greater interest than he did) and says this “How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me:I would, while it was smiling in my face,Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums,And dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.”This shows Lady Macbeth true nature or perhaps she is trying be more evil like she said she would. She then tells Macbeth the plan and he agrees. Lady Macbeth has successfully changed his mind and Macbeth has the full attent of doing this crime.

 

Act 1 Scene 6

Characters: Duncan,Macbeth,Banquo,Lady Macbeth,Donalbain,Lenox,Macduff,Rosse and Angus

Scene set: Duncan and his royalty enter. Duncan expresses his appreciation for the place “This castle hath a pleasant seat“. This is ironic as this is where this is where they plan to kill him. Lady Macbeth then enters and pretends to be honored by hi presents”All our service, in every point twice done and then done double.” Duncan is grateful and the scene ends.

 

Metaphor Post

Shakespeare shows the audience and reader the characters traits and their ambitions by using metaphors. Also While doing this he creates an atmosphere of tension/anxiety in each scene. In Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth in her soliloquy does exactly this. Lady Macbeth receives the news that Macbeth is coming back to his castle. At this point she is summoning dark spirits to make her more evil so she can convince Macbeth to kill the king “Come thick night,and pall thee in dunnest smoke of hell,”In this soliloquy, Lady Macbeth first states the night being thick and bringing this upon the real world”Come thick night“She uses the word thick like the consistency of a liquid or its dense with. Night however can not be physically thick, so this a use of metaphor as she’s relating night as an object as thick and dense. The word thick with night sets an atmosphere of what she is thinking and her ambitions. For example when you think of the phrase thick and dense night, many will make a picture of being cold,scared and like the scenery around is hard to see as there’s fog. This gives the impression that she has dark thoughts and ambitions for wanting such chaos to come upon the world.In the play this is true as she wants these darker spirits to come to her like they did with Macbeth and to bring her darker thoughts and to get rid of all sympathy left within her. She then says “and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell” This means cover the world in the smoke of hell. Of course in Christianity hell is a place some will go after you die,so how can the smoke from hell come to earth. Well i would be thinking that she is trying to summon or tempt the evil spirits of the world to come upon her like and the rest of the world like the witch’s did with Macbeth and give her a prediction or let her kill the king as she knows Macbeth would be to kind and could be hard to convince. She would want this as the situation is she is going to have to convince Macbeth to do it and also she clearly wants to start some trouble and become more powerful. This gives very clear and vivid images of her wants. This at the time of being presented this would have of disturbed the audience very much as back at those times most people had deep beliefs that hell was real and if a someone goes wanting to summon evil spirits from such a place people would be feeling the tension in the theater. Also what Lady Macbeth is saying contradicts what Macbeth said a scene back”If chance will have me king,why,chance may crown me without my stir”.This once again is going against fate and that things happen for a reason. This now shows that Macbeth and his wife are now not letting what the witches said to chance but are now going to make it happen. This shows some contrast between Shakespeare plays, as Romeo and Juliet was riddled with references to fate. Macbeth at this stage seems to moving in the opposite direction, or at least so the characters think.

Act 1 Scene 5

Characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Messenger

Scene Set:A room in Macbeth Castle

Information: Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth. Within the letter Macbeth talks about the Witches he meet and they gave him some knowledge that the should not have known” they have more in them than mortal knowledge”. He then continues by saying that the Witches predict that he would become Thane of Cawdor and King. He says to his wife to keep this new information secret. As said in the last scene Macbeth ”Stars,hide your fires! let not light see my black deep desires” shows that he has dark desires and doesn’t want anyone else out of his trust circle (Lady Macbeth And Banquo)to know. Lady Macbeth doesn’t think Macbeth he has what it takes to be King.”It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way” Lady Macbeth continues to mock Macbeth thats hes to afraid to be King but she will convince him to do whatever it takes to be King.After Lady Macbeth here’s the news that Duncan is coming to die she sees the opportunity that that is where she can kill him”That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements“. She continues to rant about her evil thoughts on killing Duncan, While revealing her evil herself. Macbeth then enter and She continues to plan how they will kill the Duncan and become King”That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan”.Lady Macbeth continues to take control of the situation and says he should stay quite so he doesn’t raise suspicion.”Only look up clear.o alter favor ever is to fear.

Interesting Thought: Whether Lady Macbeth is going to these extreme for her self or for him is unknown.

Act 1 Scene 4

Characters: Macbeth,Banquo,Duncan,Malcolm

Scene set: Forres, A room in the Kings palace

Information: Scene is taken place in the king’s palace where Malcolm explains that the previous Thane of Cawdor has been executed for his treason and that everything in his life has died like him. The crown for the prince of Cumberland is also about to be given out Macbeth enters and explains to the king that he doesn’t need to be paid as his service to him is worth more than anything.”Safe toward your love and honour”. This line is ironic as Macbeth is having dark thoughts about killing him. The crown is then give out to Duncan’s son ,Malcolm which is much surprise to Macbeth. The fact that Duncan chose Malcolm over him could fuel reason and anger for Macbeth to get rid of Duncan. Macbeth pretends to be happy for Malcolm but in reality is disappointed as it could be a roadblock to his path to king.

“That is a step on which i must fall,or else o’erleap for my way it lies. Stars,hide your fires! let not light see my black deep desires” This shows that Macbeth does indeed have a dark form and he does have want to be king. This then contradicts what he said a scene back”If chance will have me king,why,chance may crown me without my stir” This then may show that he chosen not to surrender himself to a higher power but make his own course. Whether he has control or not is not necessary true as the witches could be manipulating him and if what the witches say is true that he will become king and Banquo’s children will become king after, then Macbeth indeed does not have control over his life but is in the path of fate. This could also mean that the Witches are messages of this higher power to manipulate him.

Act 1 Scene 3

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

Important information: The 3 Witches meet one again upon a heath like they said they would. They talk about their mischief plans about trying to derail someone’s life perhaps for the fun of it and continue to talk like an unearthly creature.Macbeth enters and Macbeth talks in the same paradox that the witches spoke in Scene 1 but talks in Iambic Pentameter.”So foul and fair a day i have not seen”. This could show that the Witches and Macbeth could have some unknown or subconscious connection. The Witches then tell him his future that he is to become Thane of Cawdor and will also become king. Banquo gets jealous and wants them to predict the future,Speak then to me,who neither beg nor fear”If you can look into the seeds of time,and say which grain will grow,and which will not.”.The witches continue to speak in paradoxes after Banquo’s ask.”Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.Not so happy yet much happier.Thou shalt get kings,though be none.”The witches vanish and Macbeth is confused as he is the Thane of Glamis but not of Cawdor and being king seems like an impossible idea, but both are friends are left in a confusing situation as the witches said Macbeth will become king but Banquo children will also.This creates a possible tension between the friends that could be revealed later in the play as for Banquo children to become king, Macbeth would have to be either banished or killed. Rosse and Angus enter and tells Macbeth that he has become Thane of Cawdor. Banquo then starts to get the suspicion that the witches may not be telling the truth” The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles to betray in deepest consequence”. Macbeth then responds”The Thane of Cawdor lives:why do you dress me in borrowed robes?“.Macbeth then speculates that he will become king but Banquo argues the point that the witches could be tricking him as they were dark unearthly creatures. Macbeth continues to speculate as maybe he wont have to do anything and he will become king. ”If chance will have me king,why,chance may crown me without my stir”. Nice reference to fate and almost like the play ”Romeo and Juliet”  when Romeo surrenders himself to a greater power fate.”…He that hath steerage of my course,direct my sail”. Because this is a tragedy as well could this mean that Macbeth will regret surrendering him self to a higher power,or will he instead take control over his life and defy fate.

Act 1 Scene 2

Characters: Duncan,Captain,Malcolm,Lenox,Rosseo

Duncan is faced with a wounded soldier who describes the battle was even “As two spent swimmers” until Macbeth comes and helps win the battle.”with his brandished steel,Which smoked with bloody execution”(metaphors) This gives Macbeth a positive image and how he is well known and people admire him. The Captian explains how the oppisition was stronger than them and how they would of loss if it wasnt for Macbeth”Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.”. This continues to boost Macbeths image.

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 1

Characters:Witch 1,Witch 2,Witch 3

Scene set:A Open Place

Important information: 3 Witches meet and they are unusual. this is suggested because they speak in trochaic trimeter which very few charters speak.,they plan to meet again after a battle and perhaps a dark time “When shall we 3 meet again, In thunder lightning or in rain:”. They plan to meet with Macbeth upon the kings chair suggesting that Macbeth will be meeting the king or he will become king.They speak in paradoxes.”Fair is foul,foul is Fair.” This gives the play a dark start.

Graymalkin is the Witch’s cat