Act 1, Scene 2

Summary

  • It revealed that the Thane of Cawdor betrayed Scotland and was brutally killed.
  • The heroic acts of Macbeth are mentioned.
  • Duncan announces that Macbeth will be given the title Thane of Cawdor.

Quotes

‘What bloody man is that?’ - Duncan

  • He died a violent death.

‘two spent swimmers, that do cling together’ - Captain

  • Both sides were exhausted and the battle was getting nowhere until Macdonwald gained supplies.

‘Worthy to be a rebel’ - Captain

  • Made a good effort.
  • Was near success.

‘For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name’ - Captain

  • The audience hasn’t met Macbeth yet.
  • Shakespeare initially presents Macbeth through the opinions of others.

‘smok’d with bloody execution’ - Captain

  • ‘smok’d’ - linking to heat and fire.
  • ‘bloody execution’ - Macbeth killed violently - foreshadowing his bloodlust and desire to murder.
  • Skillful warrior.

‘Disdaining fortune’ - Captain

  • Macbeth ignores fortune and just focuses on killing.
  • Psychopathic tendencies.
  • Fights regardless of his fate.
  • Macbeth has a bloodlust which isn’t clear to the audience until his soliloquies.

‘Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him Till…’ - Captain

  • Macbeth shook his hands after brutally killing him.
  • Macbeth is a psychopath who loves killing.
  • Shows he is not doing it for the sake of Scotland, but for his own pleasure.

‘unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps’ - Captain

  • Macbeth was violent - emphasising his bloodlust.
  • Macbeth would’ve had to use a dagger rather than a longsword, showing that he was face to face with him and yet still showed no mercy.

‘O valiant cousin!’ - Duncan

  • Macbeth is praised for his killing.
  • Since the audience doesn’t know his true intentions yet, they see him as brave - the same as others.

‘bathe in reeking wounds’ - Captain

  • The point of killing is not for good but to show malice and lack of mercy.
  • A memory you can return to - enjoyable.
  • Macbeth’s hamartia may be addiction to killing.

‘What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won’ - Duncan

  • Macbeth is to receive the title Thane of Cawdor.
  • The Thane of Cawdor betrayed the king and the country, which Duncan proclaims can’t be done again, which is ironic since Macbeth betrayed Duncan.
  • Duncan believes Macbeth deserves the title even though he is similar to Macdonwald in terms of betrayal.

Macbeth

  • Macbeth is shown to have psychopathic tendencies and his bloodlust is foreshadowed.
  • For the people in the audience who already are aware of the events of the play, it will be clear to them that the dialogue indicates an addiction to murder rather than saving his country.
  • Macbeth is presented as evil - but heroic to first time watchers who have currently only met him through the opinions of others.