Macbeth Act 2, Scenes 1 & 2

In this episode of Read It and (Don’t) Weep, we move into Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2 of Macbeth. Late at night, Banquo and Macbeth cross paths as the castle grows quiet and tension begins to build. Left alone, Macbeth struggles with his thoughts and experiences a moment that blurs the line between reality and imagination.

Soon after, the plan set in motion earlier in the play reaches its turning point. As the night unfolds inside the castle, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must confront the immediate consequences of the choice they have made, setting the stage for the conflict that will drive the rest of the play.

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Transcript

Hello and welcome to "Read it and (Don't) Weep," the podcast that will help you breeze through your high school literature classes. Are you tired of struggling to understand the themes and characters in classic works of literature? Well, I’ve got you covered! I am your host, Jackey Taggart, and I taught high school English for almost 20 years. Join me each episode as I dive into the world of high school literature and break down the essential elements of each work. From Shakespeare to Steinbeck, I'll cover it all. My goal is to give you valuable insights and analysis on some of the most popular high school literary texts, as well as tips and tricks for acing your tests and essays. Let’s start reading!

Act 2, Scene 1

Hello and welcome back to "Read it and (Don't) Weep." I’m Jackey Taggart, and if you thought Act 1 was exciting, you are going to love Act 2. In Act 1, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth crafted their (or her) plan to murder Duncan in his sleep and frame his guards for the murder. In Act 2, we see that plan put into motion. If you have not yet read up to this point in the play, it would be a good idea to get caught up with your reading and listen to my other episodes before continuing.

As Act 2, scene 1 opens, the atmosphere is a little tense. Not like it was when the king and all of his attendants arrived early.  The scene opens on Banquo and his son, Fleance. It is late at night, after midnight. Banquo notes that the stars, or "Their candles," are "all out" in the sky, so it is very dark and foreboding.

Banquo and Fleance are out for a walk after dinner, and Banquo can’t sleep. He says he’s exhausted, but his mind won’t shut off. He even kneels to pray, asking for some higher power to help him get out of his own mind so he can sleep. I don’t know about you, but I understand exactly what he is going through. It’s like when you have something running through your brain, stress, anxiety, and it keeps you from falling asleep.  Banquo is still thinking about the witches’ prophecy and what it all means.  

Macbeth enters. Banquo wonders why Macbeth isn’t asleep. He notes that the King is already asleep and in an unusually good mood.  King Duncan was so pleased that he sent gifts for everyone and even greeted Lady Macbeth with a diamond, calling her the "most kind hostess." Shakespeare does this intentionally as he is still establishing Duncan’s good moral character.  

As they talk, Banquo brings up the elephant in the room: "I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters," admitting to Macbeth that "To you they have showed some truth."

Macbeth brushes it off entirely and lies saying "I think not of them."  The audience knows this is an outright lie as he and Lady Macbeth have already mapped out the plan for the murder.  He quickly changes the conversation, subtly suggesting that if Banquo stands with him in the future, it could bring Banquo status and rewards.

Banquo’s response is very clearly stated. He says he’s willing to listen, but not at the cost of his honor. He makes it clear that whatever happens, he will keep his loyalty intact and his conscience clean. So, Banquo is not down for any wrongdoings.  Macbeth ends the conversation quickly, brushing it off and saying they’ll talk more later. At this point, Banquo and Fleance leave.

Once Banquo and Fleance depart, Macbeth sends his servant to signal Lady Macbeth by striking a bell once his drink is ready. 

At this point, Macbeth launches into one of his most famous speeches, the dagger soliloquy. In it, he starts to confuse what’s real with things that may only exist in his mind. The moment really highlights one of the play’s themes, the difference between appearance and reality.

His speech begins when he suddenly sees a dagger floating in the air, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand?”  He tries to grab it, but it is not really there. At this point, he starts to question whether what he is seeing is real, wondering if it might just be “a dagger of the mind,” something created by his own stressed and overheated brain.

When he pulls out his actual dagger, the vision still hangs in front of him, almost like it is guiding him toward Duncan’s room. Then it seems to change, and he sees blood on the dagger. At that moment, Macbeth realizes the vision is not real at all. It is his own thoughts about the murder shaping what he sees.

As he looks around, the world feels dark and unnatural, as if night and evil are taking over. He knows Duncan is still alive, and he understands that the longer he waits, the more chance there is to stop and not murder Duncan. He then hears the bell ring, the signal from Lady Macbeth that means it is time to act. The bell is calling Duncan toward his fate. At this point, he heads off to commit the murder, and the scene ends.  

Before we jump into the next scene, let’s take a second to think about what happened and how it reflects one of the major themes in the play. How does this scene develop the theme of appearance versus reality, and how does that shape Macbeth’s decision to act? Write your thoughts down in your reading journal so you can refer back to them as you continue to read. 

Hey teachers! Are you looking for some top-notch resources to go along with this podcast episode? You'll find them right in my store. A quick click on the link in the show notes gets you right there. What awaits? A stash of guided questions, note-taking aids, and assessments to use with your students. Go ahead, make the most of these resources today!

Act 2, Scene 2

Scene 2 takes place near the King’s chambers. Lady Macbeth enters alone, and she is drunk.  She admits that the drink that made the guards "drunk hath made (her) bold." She is pumped! The guards are passed out and snoring loudly, so her plan seems to be working so far. Not only did she get them drunk, she also drugged them, and the drugs are so strong that it is almost like life and death are fighting over the guards.

Then, she hears an owl screech and immediately treats it as a bad omen, calling it a kind of death signal for Duncan. For a moment she worries their plan failed, but then she starts explaining why she did not kill Duncan herself. She says she could not do it because he looked like her father while he slept. Even Lady Macbeth, who has pushed so hard for this murder, still shows a little bit of humanity here.

Then Macbeth enters, and we can tell instantly that things are not going well for him. He says he has “done the deed,” but he is shaken and staring at his bloody hands, calling them “a sorry sight.” Lady Macbeth shuts that down immediately, telling him that thinking that way is foolish.

Then Macbeth shares something even more disturbing. He thinks he heard a voice cry out, “Macbeth does murder sleep.”  From this moment on, he believes he will never sleep peacefully again. His mental state is not good at this point, and he is starting to spiral. 

Lady Macbeth refuses to let him spiral. She snaps him back to the situation and immediately realizes he has made a mistake. He brought the daggers back with him instead of leaving them with the guards. Are you kidding me? How are they supposed to frame the guards if Macbeth is holding the murder weapons? Lady Macbeth tells him to take them back right now.  When he refuses to go saying he cannot possibly face the scene again, Lady Macbeth calls him weak, grabs the daggers, and goes to smear the guards with blood herself. 

As she leaves, loud knocking starts offstage, and Macbeth really begins to panic. He looks at his hands and wonders if all the water in the ocean will be able to wash the blood away. He decides no, it won’t Instead, his hands will turn the seas red. This image shows just  how permanent this act already feels to him, and the impact it will have on his life.

So, Lady Macbeth returns with blood on her hands now, but she is very calm. She tells him that a little water will clear them of this deed and that they just need to act normal. She tells him to go put on his nightclothes, so they do not look suspicious.

Macbeth ends the scene in a completely different emotional place than where he started the night. Hearing the knocking, he wishes Duncan could wake up, saying he wishes the knocking could bring him back. So as the night comes to an end, Macbeth may have gained a path to the crown, but he has also lost his peace of mind.

Well, that’s it for this episode, but before you go, take a few minutes to jot down your ideas in your reading journal.  Think about how this scene develops the theme of guilt and consequences, and what does this suggest about the kind of ruler Macbeth may become?

Closing

Thanks for listening to this episode of Read it and (Don’t) Weep. Be sure to subscribe to the show so you will be notified when new episodes are released. If you liked today’s show, please leave a review so others can discover my show.  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, drop me an email at readitanddontweep@gmail.com, or reach out to me on social media. I would love to hear from you. The links are in the show notes.  

Thank you for listening.  I am Jackey Taggart and remember to Read It and Don’t Weep.