MACBETH ACT 2 SUMMARY
1. Macbeth’s vision where he sees a dagger in front of him foreshadowing his
action of committing regicide- “The handle toward my hand? Come, let me
clutch thee”. He finally decides to kill King Duncan as he shows his bravery-
“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a kneel that summons thee from to heaven or to
hell”.
2. Aftermath of the regicide: Macbeth is pitying himself as he says “Macbeth shall
sleep no more as, “Macbeth doth murder sleep”- Idea that he is going crazy over
his actions as Lady Macbeth tells him “these deeds must not be thought after
these ways; so, it will make us mad”.
3. Macbeth to begins to regret his actions as he questions if “all great Neptune's
ocean wash his blood clean from my hand?” but Lady Macbeth mocks him - “My
hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white”.
4. Then, there is a scene of a porter who provides comedy to reduce the tense
atmosphere: a form of bathos- “Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the
expectation of plenty- Reference and foreshadowing the downfall of Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth.
5. Macduff questions Macbeth about the King- “Is the King stirring, worthy thane”
to which he replies “Not yet”- short simple answer to craft an oblivion.
6. Macduff finding that King Duncan has been murdered- “O horror, horror, horror!
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!”: Idea of tainting purity-
“Approach the chamber and destroy your sight”.
7. Lady Macbeth’s facade as she pretends not to know that the King has been
murdered- “Woe, alas! What, in our house?”- Also, the idea of gender roles as
Lady Macbeth would be labelled as emotional and hysterical if she found out
about the King’s death.
8. Also, Macbeth’s pretence of the regicide as he says “had I but died an hour
before this chance”- Macbeth is heartless and turning into a callous monster.
9. Putting the blame on the guards who had blood covered on them (due to Lady
Macbeth) as Macbeth’s rant almost gives them and their secret away “His silver
1. Macbeth’s vision where he sees a dagger in front of him foreshadowing his
action of committing regicide- “The handle toward my hand? Come, let me
clutch thee”. He finally decides to kill King Duncan as he shows his bravery-
“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a kneel that summons thee from to heaven or to
hell”.
2. Aftermath of the regicide: Macbeth is pitying himself as he says “Macbeth shall
sleep no more as, “Macbeth doth murder sleep”- Idea that he is going crazy over
his actions as Lady Macbeth tells him “these deeds must not be thought after
these ways; so, it will make us mad”.
3. Macbeth to begins to regret his actions as he questions if “all great Neptune's
ocean wash his blood clean from my hand?” but Lady Macbeth mocks him - “My
hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white”.
4. Then, there is a scene of a porter who provides comedy to reduce the tense
atmosphere: a form of bathos- “Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the
expectation of plenty- Reference and foreshadowing the downfall of Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth.
5. Macduff questions Macbeth about the King- “Is the King stirring, worthy thane”
to which he replies “Not yet”- short simple answer to craft an oblivion.
6. Macduff finding that King Duncan has been murdered- “O horror, horror, horror!
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!”: Idea of tainting purity-
“Approach the chamber and destroy your sight”.
7. Lady Macbeth’s facade as she pretends not to know that the King has been
murdered- “Woe, alas! What, in our house?”- Also, the idea of gender roles as
Lady Macbeth would be labelled as emotional and hysterical if she found out
about the King’s death.
8. Also, Macbeth’s pretence of the regicide as he says “had I but died an hour
before this chance”- Macbeth is heartless and turning into a callous monster.
9. Putting the blame on the guards who had blood covered on them (due to Lady
Macbeth) as Macbeth’s rant almost gives them and their secret away “His silver
