Macbeth Act 2 Discussion Questions
Macbeth Act 2 Discussion Questions
Act 2, scene 1 1. What does Banquo give to Macbeth to give to Lady Macbeth? Who is it from? How do you think this makes Macbeth feel? Lines 15-20 How is this ironic? He gives him a diamond. It’s from the king. It makes him feel good.
2. What does Macbeth lie to Banquo about and why do you think he lies? 25-27 Dreaming about the weird sisters because he doesn’t want to draw suspicion on himself.
3. What does Macbeth think he sees? How does he interpret this symbol? What does this tell us about him? 33-61 A dagger pointed towards himself. He thinks this might mean that he could die soon. It tells us he’s unsure and feels strange about what he is about to …show more content…
do.
4. Where is Macbeth going at the end of this scene? He is going to kill Duncan.
Act 2, scene 2 5. Before Macbeth returns from killing Duncan, what does Lady Macbeth fear? Lines 9-11 She fears they have been caught before killing Duncan.
6. Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth kill Duncan herself? Lines 12-13 She didn’t kill him because Duncan looked like her father.
7. How does Macbeth react to what he has done? What word couldn’t he say and how does he interpret this? He is filled with guilt and cannot sleep. He could not say amen.
8. How does Lady Macbeth try to reassure him? 44-46 She tells him not to think about what he had done.
9. What does Macbeth forget to do and why is this important? Line 62 He forgot to leave the daggers there so it would look like the servants did do it.
10. What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says “My hands are of your color but I shame to wear a heart so white.” What does this quote tell the audience about how she feels? How is this different than Macbeth? She is calling him a coward. She doesn’t fear they will be caught.
11. What does Macbeth want to do at the end of scene 2? Literally? He wants to wake Duncan with the …show more content…
knocking.
12. What is his internal conflict now? MacBeth is regretting killing Duncan and is now feeling the effects.
Act 2, scene 3 13.
According to Lennox, what was the weather like the night Duncan was killed? How, once again is Shakespeare using setting to set the mood? Lines 53-60 The Earth felt like it was shaking. He is using this to set the mood that the world has been shaken in a way by the death of Duncan
14. Who discovers the king is dead and how does he react? Mcduff, he reacts strongly and believes that this is sacrilege and treason
15. How does Macbeth react during all of this? He acts over dramatically to the kings death and gives a long speech expressing his loyalty to him
16. How is this scene dramatic irony? It is dramatic irony because he is claiming to be so loyal to the king yet he killed him
17. How does Macduff feel about telling Lady Macbeth what happened? Why does he feel this way? How is this ironic? How does this relate to things aren’t always as they seem? He doesn’t want to tell the bloody details because he believes it would kill her. It is ironic because she is involved in the murder. It relates to it because women aren’t always innocent like they seem.
18. Who does Lennox think killed the king? Why does he think
this? The servants because they had blood on them and the daggers near them
19. What does Macbeth do to the servants he framed? Why does he say he did it? Why do you think he really did this? Macbeth murders the servants he framed. He says he did it because he was in a rage from seeing them covered in his Kings blood. He really did this to further prove his love of the king and to kill the only possible witnesses
20. What do Macduff and Banquo think happened? They believe the guards had killed the king.
21. Where do Malcolm and Donalbain go? Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee the country? Malcolm flees to England and Donalbain flees to Ireland. Both fear that they will be killed too and decide to flee the country
Act 2, scene 4 22. What unnatural events took place earlier? A falcon that was circling high in the sky was killed on the previous Tuesday by an owl. Also, Duncan’s horses turn wild and eat each other.
23. Why does Ross question the idea that the servants killed the king? He knows that the servants would have nothing to gain from murdering Duncan.
24. What is Macduff’s answer to this and who does he think killed the king? He says they were paid off by Donalbain and Malcolm to kill the King
25. What happened to Macbeth? He went off to Scone to immediately be crowned the new King
Act 2, scene 1 1. What does Banquo give to Macbeth to give to Lady Macbeth? Who is it from? How do you think this makes Macbeth feel? Lines 15-20 How is this ironic? He gives him a diamond. It’s from the king. It makes him feel good.
2. What does Macbeth lie to Banquo about and why do you think he lies? 25-27 Dreaming about the weird sisters because he doesn’t want to draw suspicion on himself.
3. What does Macbeth think he sees? How does he interpret this symbol? What does this tell us about him? 33-61 A dagger pointed towards himself. He thinks this might mean that he could die soon. It tells us he’s unsure and feels strange about what he is about to …show more content…
do.
4. Where is Macbeth going at the end of this scene? He is going to kill Duncan.
Act 2, scene 2 5. Before Macbeth returns from killing Duncan, what does Lady Macbeth fear? Lines 9-11 She fears they have been caught before killing Duncan.
6. Why doesn’t Lady Macbeth kill Duncan herself? Lines 12-13 She didn’t kill him because Duncan looked like her father.
7. How does Macbeth react to what he has done? What word couldn’t he say and how does he interpret this? He is filled with guilt and cannot sleep. He could not say amen.
8. How does Lady Macbeth try to reassure him? 44-46 She tells him not to think about what he had done.
9. What does Macbeth forget to do and why is this important? Line 62 He forgot to leave the daggers there so it would look like the servants did do it.
10. What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says “My hands are of your color but I shame to wear a heart so white.” What does this quote tell the audience about how she feels? How is this different than Macbeth? She is calling him a coward. She doesn’t fear they will be caught.
11. What does Macbeth want to do at the end of scene 2? Literally? He wants to wake Duncan with the …show more content…
knocking.
12. What is his internal conflict now? MacBeth is regretting killing Duncan and is now feeling the effects.
Act 2, scene 3 13.
According to Lennox, what was the weather like the night Duncan was killed? How, once again is Shakespeare using setting to set the mood? Lines 53-60 The Earth felt like it was shaking. He is using this to set the mood that the world has been shaken in a way by the death of Duncan
14. Who discovers the king is dead and how does he react? Mcduff, he reacts strongly and believes that this is sacrilege and treason
15. How does Macbeth react during all of this? He acts over dramatically to the kings death and gives a long speech expressing his loyalty to him
16. How is this scene dramatic irony? It is dramatic irony because he is claiming to be so loyal to the king yet he killed him
17. How does Macduff feel about telling Lady Macbeth what happened? Why does he feel this way? How is this ironic? How does this relate to things aren’t always as they seem? He doesn’t want to tell the bloody details because he believes it would kill her. It is ironic because she is involved in the murder. It relates to it because women aren’t always innocent like they seem.
18. Who does Lennox think killed the king? Why does he think
this? The servants because they had blood on them and the daggers near them
19. What does Macbeth do to the servants he framed? Why does he say he did it? Why do you think he really did this? Macbeth murders the servants he framed. He says he did it because he was in a rage from seeing them covered in his Kings blood. He really did this to further prove his love of the king and to kill the only possible witnesses
20. What do Macduff and Banquo think happened? They believe the guards had killed the king.
21. Where do Malcolm and Donalbain go? Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee the country? Malcolm flees to England and Donalbain flees to Ireland. Both fear that they will be killed too and decide to flee the country
Act 2, scene 4 22. What unnatural events took place earlier? A falcon that was circling high in the sky was killed on the previous Tuesday by an owl. Also, Duncan’s horses turn wild and eat each other.
23. Why does Ross question the idea that the servants killed the king? He knows that the servants would have nothing to gain from murdering Duncan.
24. What is Macduff’s answer to this and who does he think killed the king? He says they were paid off by Donalbain and Malcolm to kill the King
25. What happened to Macbeth? He went off to Scone to immediately be crowned the new King