With what words does Banquo reaffirm his loyalty to King Duncan?
Within Act Two, Banquo affirms a stance to reinitiate his loyalty to King Duncan. Banquo remarks, “So I lose none in seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear, I shall be counseled” (II.i.) These lines posses Banquo’s allegiance to Duncan. Banquo wants to be direct in whom he has pledged for. Thus, it assures Macbeth as Duncan is talking to him, that when Macbeth becomes King, Banquo will continue to pledge his allegiance to Duncan.
2. What lie does Macbeth tell Banquo and why?
Macbeth lies to Banquo within Act two, Scene one. Banquo comes across Macbeth late at night, after he wakes up from a few nights of reoccurring nightmares. He is afraid to continue to nightmare through the nights, and he is appalled to see that Macbeth is still awake. Banquo says, “All’s well. I dreamt last night of the three Weird Sisters. To you they have showed some truth” (II.i.). Banquo’s statement foreshadows the actions of the three witches, while he visualizes them in his nightmares and are a part of this act.
In return, Macbeth replies, “I think not of them. Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, we would spend it in some words upon that business, if you would want grant the time” (Shakespeare 2.1, 22-25). The lie that Macbeth tells is that he has not thought any about the witches, which he actually has been mindful of them and their actions. He tells Banquo that they will talk about the concerns of the three witches at a later time, which this diverts attention away from Macbeth. Consequently, Macbeth was to repeal the witches’ prophecy away from himself.
3. How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth differ in their reactions to the murder?
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth differ in their reactions to Duncan’s murder. Macbeth is more stressed as he becomes remorseful to what he has done. Macbeth proclaims, “Still it cried ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house; ‘Glammis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more’” (II.ii.) He encompasses much paranoia as he will be King and his guilt severes him from God. With all of these new responsibilities, he fears that he will not be able to sleep, and that his rise to power will actually be the decline of him too.
However, Lady Macbeth contributes a contrast to Macbeth’s reaction. Lady Macbeth states, “These deeds must not be though after these ways; so, it will make us mad” (II.ii) The power of Lady Macbeth is very great, as she persuades Macbeth to release his own paranoia and remorse from the murder. She also means that if he does continue to become emotionally attached to the murder, she foreshadows the result in loss of power when Mabeth becomes King.
4. Who are Macbeth's other victims? Why does he commit more murders?
Macbeth’s other victims are the guards at the castle. He commits more murders because he is fearful that someone will link him to Duncan’s murder. He wants to erase all the evidence, and is willing to eliminate the guards so he can keep his rise to power. Lady Macbeth adds, “Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugged their possets, that death and nature do contend about them whether they live or die” (II.ii). In all, Lady Macbeth is indifferent to the fate of the guards, however, she does not want their presence to effect the reign of her husband and her upcoming power.
5. Considering journal entry number 3, what are some recurring motifs in Act 2? (sleep, night, blood, and hands)
Considering journal entry number three, a recurring motif in Act Two is the art of sleep. Banquo quotes at the beginning of the act, “A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep” (Shakespeare 2.1, 6-7). These lines spoken through Banquo foreshadow the events leading Macbeth to be crowned as king. Banquo contains nightmares of what fate and events that lay ahead. What draws back Banquo even more is that he is unable to sleep from the paranoia of having repetition of more unfortunate nightmares. Later in the act, Macbeth entails, “Still it cried, ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house; ‘Glamis hath murdered sleep and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more’ ” (Shakespeare 2.2, 46-48). Macbeth encompasses a great sense of paranoia from his act of murdering Duncan. He also entails paranoia thinking about when he will be king. His persistent paranoia derives him not be able to sleep through the night, which sleep is daily replenishing process. Macbeth not being able to sleep, will lead to him not being able to replenish and put his conscious aside from what he has done. He fears the murder of Duncan he committed, will later be the demise of him too.
The symbolism of the movement of hands also denotes a crucial motif throughout the scene and act. Macbeth says, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee” (Shakespeare 2.1, 34-36). Macbeth hallucinates the dagger, which he contemplates about murdering Duncan. The dagger is a symbol of power. This scene foreshadows that the power will always elude him. Likewise, when he reaches to grab the dagger, it eludes him as well.
Blood also foreplays the scene where Macbeth is depicted crucially to it as well. Macbeth states in his soliloquy, “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before. There’s no such thing it is the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes” (Shakespeare 2.2, 47-50). The blood on the dagger is a manifestation of his uneasiness of murdering Duncan. He is quite uneasy to do so, even though he truly knows that he must get Duncan out of his way for the crown. The blood is in the direction of Duncan. This implies that Macbeth’s own fate has be put in place. The irony entails that whatever deeds he commits to Duncan, Macbeth will follow Duncan’s fate in the matter of time.
Night is the last symbol that empowers Act Two and the play entirely. In Scene Four Ross enters with speaking to an Old Man. The Old man begins the scene, “Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore night hath trifled former knowings” (Shakespeare 2.4, 3-4). The Old Man remarks the strange setting of the last night. A heavy stormed occurred, which does symbolize the tragedy of Macebeth murdering Duncan. However, the other characters, like Ross and the Old Man, do not know what had really occurred in the previous nighttime. The Old man reflects on the strange setting, which does affect the text’s tone and plot. The connotation of night is used to describe foreshadowing events for the play’s characters.
Allison
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