macbeth act 2 key quotes

‘ the handle toward my heart’ Macbeth scene 1

• hallucinations or dagger

• Dagger motif = honour and betrayal

• Direction shows he is prepared to commit the act

• Manifestation of his ambition or something the witches sent ?

‘Art thou not, fatal vision (the dagger)’ Macbeth scene 1

• a dagger is a fatal weapon

• Or reference idea that Macbeth recognises his decision to murder Duncan will end his life too, highlight his rationality and emphasise how big his mental decline was

‘ hear it not Duncan, for it is knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell’ Macbeth scene 1

• funeral bell

• Foreshadows his death

• Religious imigary - breakdown of Macbeth’s morality doesn’t differentiate between heaven and hell

• Or Duncan will be going to heaven but Macbeth has damned himself to hell for killing Duncan

‘ this is a sorry sight’ Macbeth scene 2

• first reaction to blood on hands

‘Amen. Stuck in my throat’ Macbeth scene 2

• he has broken connection to God via committing regicide, as king is Gods representative on earth

• links to great chain of bring

‘Macbeth shall sleep no more’ Macbeth scene 2

• links to his guilt

• Earlier line compares sleep to innocence which he does not have

‘ a foolish thought to say a sorry sight’ lady Macbeth scene 2

• still convincing him that what he did was right

‘ but I shame to wear a heart so white’ lady Macbeth scene 2

• white links to cowerdis

• She is still repsented as manly compared to Macbeth

‘ will all great neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? ‘ Macbeth scene 2

• no amount of water can clean blood

• Blood links to guilt

• Cannot wash away guilt

‘ the night has been unruly ‘ ‘strange screams of death ‘ Lennox scene 3

• pathetic fallacy and strange events imply great chain of being has been broken

‘The fountain of your blood is stopp’d’ Macbeth scene 3

• hyperbolic language to describe death of Duncan

• Implying that their blood lines is ended

• Suggest he will next be king

‘His sliver skin laced with his golden blood’ Macbeth scene 3

• hyperbolic language, use of royal colours shows his deceit, he is trying to play into great chain of bing

• contracts with the blood on the dagger being ‘breeched with gore’ shows macbeths mental instability and confused state

‘A breech in nature ‘ Macbeth scene 3

• break in order of beings

• Macbeth is trying to play into this

‘Your royal fathers muder’ Macduff scene 3

• very different reaction to Macabth

• Shows his respect and loyalty to Duncan

‘Dark night strangles the travelling light ‘ Rose scene 4

• motif of dark vs light

• Evil / dark has swallows good / light up

• Macbeth has killed Duncan and so evil has won

‘ a falcon’ eaten by a ‘mousing owl’ old man scene 4

• break in chain of natural order

• The seemingly weak (owl/macbeth) have won over the strong (falcon/Duncan)

‘This said they (Duncan’s horses) eat each other’ old man scene 4

• break in natural order

• Creates chaos

• Supernatural elects