LADY MACBETH
That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold;
What hath quench'd them hath given me fire.
Hark! Peace!
It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern’st good-night. He is about
it:
The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd
Their possets,
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.
What are Lady Macbeth’s fears?
In this speech of Lady Macbeth, she talks about
how she had drugged the drinks she had gave to the guards men. She says that
her doings had given her a fiery excitement. I know this because of the line
"that which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; what hath quench'd
them hath given me fire.
But Lady
Macbeth doing this makes her very jumpy about getting caught; she hears an owl
and shrieks. I know this because of the line "hark peace! Is was the owl
that shriek’s, the fatal bellman"
Lady
Macbeth says "which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: the
doors are open; and the surfeited grooms do mock their charge with snores: I
have drugged their possets". Here she shows that because the doors are
open, anyone could come in and overhear or she could be saying that anyone
could just come in and do anything. Lady Macbeth says that she has put alcohol
into their drinks by saying "I have drugged their possets".
"That
death and nature do contend about them, whether they live or die." here
she says that she actually doesn’t care if they die after the 'drugs', it is
all unto death and nature to keeping them dead or alive.
What has she done?
In this
scene, Lady Macbeth has drugged their drinks; I know this because of the
line "I have drugg'd their possets" she is helping Macbeth to find it
with ease upon killing Duncan and to blame it on the guards from being drunk.
Why couldn’t she kill Duncan herself?
lady Macbeth would not be able to kill the king
because she says that she does not have the guts in killing it and that she is
not manly enough to kill the king, she is very afraid because they may awake;
she will fail in attempting; going for the kill but then backing away.
LADY MACBETH
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,
And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready;
He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done't.
Describe how the characters behave towards each
other below.
in this scene, lady Macbeth and Macbeth seem to
behave to each other in a distant married but also stupid way, Macbeth seems to
not understand what lady Macbeth means by saying "did not you speak"
Macbeth replies "when?" but clearly it is while he is doing the
murder
Enter MACBETH
My husband!
MACBETH
I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?
LADY MACBETH
I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
Did not you speak?
MACBETH
When?
LADY MACBETH
Now.
MACBETH
As I descended?
LADY MACBETH
Ay.
What does this section show us about the attitudes
to the murder of Lady Macbeth and
her husband?
this section of the scene shows that Macbeth feels
guilty because of the blood on his hands, he says "this is a sorry
sight" while he looks at his hands, lady Macbeth replies "a foolish
thought to say a sorry sight" shows that lady Macbeth does not feel any
guilt from this murder most likely because she did not do it.
MACBETH
This is a sorry sight.
Looking on his hands
LADY MACBETH
A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.
How does the bit below show Macbeth’s guilt?
this bit of the play shows that Macbeth is guilty
because he can hears things in his head, he thinks is coming from Duncan and
his sleep talking, because he thinks that Duncan is thinking about the murder
and people saying their prayers but it is all in their head.
MACBETH
There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried
'Murder!'
That they did wake each other: I stood and heard
them:
But they did say their prayers, and address'd them
Macbeth Act 2 Scene
2 Analysis (p1/3)
Again to sleep.
LADY MACBETH
There are two lodged together.
MACBETH
One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other;
As they had seen me with these hangman's hands.
Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,'
When they did say 'God bless us!'
1 Why is saying ‘Amen’ important to Macbeth? (Above
and below)
I think Macbeth could not
say amen because he was murdering the king to where these people were doing the
prayer for him.
2 What does the first line from Lady Macbeth
(below) show about her?
The first line shows that lady Macbeth may
not even be that religious by saying "consider it not so deeply", it
shows that she actually doesn’t care about religion.
LADY MACBETH
Consider it not so deeply.
MACBETH
But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'?
I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen'
Stuck in my throat.
LADY MACBETH
These deeds must not be thought
After these ways; so, it will make us mad.
MACBETH
Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast,--
LADY MACBETH
What do you mean?
MACBETH
Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house:
'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.'
Is what Macbeth is saying real or is it all in his
head? Back up your thoughts
with quotations and reasons.
I think
what Macbeth is saying is all in his head, I don’t think that the people in the
next room could hear anything and he actually didn’t hear their prayers, I also
doubt that Macbeth was seen by the people partly because I have already seen
and completed this at Hellesdon high school, I know this because of "
One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other;
As they had seen me with these hangman's hands.
Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,'
When they did say 'God bless us!'"
LADY MACBETH
Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane,
You do unbend your noble strength, to think
So brainsickly of things. Go get some water,
And wash this filthy witness from your hand.
What has Lady Macbeth just seen (below) and how
does she react?
Lady Macbeth
has just seen Macbeth carrying the weapons used to kill Duncan, lady Macbeth
tells Macbeth to go back and leave the daggers there, but smearing some of the
blood on the guards to make it look like they were the murderers
What is Macbeth’s reaction? Is it justified?
Macbeth
feels very guilty and dishonoured towards killing his sovereign
Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there: go carry them; and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.
MACBETH
I'll go no more:
I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on't again I dare not.
How does Lady Macbeth respond to him in the
following speech?
Lady Macbeth
is angry because of Macbeth bringing the daggers back. She asks Macbeth to give
her the daggers so she can out the evidence back.
LADY MACBETH
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood
Macbeh Act 2 Scene
2 Analysis (p2/3)
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
For it must seem their guilt.
What is Lady Macbeth’s response when she comes back
(below)?
Lady Macbeth
comes back to Macbeth in the same room and she talks about her being ashamed
because of making someone else take the blame of her doings.
Re-enter LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
My hands are of your colour; but I shame
To wear a heart so white.
Knocking within
I hear a knocking
At the south entry: retire we to our chamber;
A little water clears us of this deed:
How easy is it, then! Your constancy
Hath left you unattended.
Knocking within
Hark! More knocking.
Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers. Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.
What does Macbeth mean with his final speech?
Macbeth
is saying that its best that he doesn’t know that he even done it, a bit like a
sleep 'kill'.
MACBETH
To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.
Knocking within
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou
couldst!
Exeunt
