Thursday, January 29, 2015

Study Questions Act 2

Scene i

1) Who says the following: “Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives away in repose.” What is significant about the quote? How has the atmosphere of the castle been changed?
Banquo says the following because he is afraid that nightmares are going to fill his dreams. The atmosphere of the castle went from happy to dark and gloomy.


2) Why does Banquo mention his dream of the Weird Sisters? Hint: Ironically this is his last dream.
Banquo dreams of the three weird sisters because he says that they are speaking some truth of what they last told Banquo and Macbeth.


3) What does Macbeth say he and Banquo will talk about later in private?
He says that they will talk later about his dream and the weird sisters predictions.

4) Reread lines 42-70. Briefly summarize what Macbeth is saying in this soliloquy.
He sees a dagger and the handle is pointing toward Duncan. The dagger is telling him to go kill the king. Macbeth then keeps telling himself that he is seeing things but it wont go away.


5) How does the illusion of the dagger play into the mindset of either witchcraft or Macbeth losing it.
It ties into the witchcraft because they tell Macbeth that he will be king and now all of a sudden the dagger is in front of him telling him that he needs to kill the king. So its like putting a spell on Macbeth so its most likely related to witch craft.

Scene ii

1) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold”?
The drink that made the guards drunk has made her stronger and brave.


2) Symbolically what does the fatal bellman toll? More than one thing here. And who is the fatal bellmen—the one Lady Macbeth hears?
The owl is a bad omen that rings bells outside of prisoners tombs who have been sentenced to death. The fatal bellman would be the owl and Macbeth.


3) How do you read the lines, “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done ‘t.” What does this say about Lady Macbeth?
It was reminding her of her father, and if he didn't look like he father she wouldn't kill him or she would have someone else kill him for her.


4) Sleep is an important symbol in this play. Please keep a list of all the times (with line numbers) that sleep is mentioned in Act II. Attach and turn this list in with these questions.


5) What is meant when Macbeth says, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”?
Macbeth killed Duncan while he was sleeping, so therefor he will not be able to sleep. So really Macbeth has murdered his own sleep.

6) Why is Lady Macbeth upset with Macbeth towards the end of scene ii?
Lady Macbeth is upset because Macbeth for got to leave the sword and smear the blood so it looked like the guards killed Duncan.

7) What is symbolic about the knocking that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hear?
It symbolizes god knocking on the door when someone dies.


8) What does Lady Macbeth say about washing of hands at the end of the scene? Do you believe her?
She thinks by washing her hands it will take away the sins of her murder. No because people will still think she is suspicious.


Scene iii

1) How is the Porter a humorous character? What does he say about drink? How does he metaphorical set the atmosphere of the scene?
The Porter is a humorous character because he is drunk, he says that drinking makes people happy, urine, and sleep.


2) Who is at the gates? (more than 1 person)
Macduff and Lennox


3) What does Macduff mean when he says, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!”?
He is confused because everything was going so great and now the king has just been killed.



4) How does Macbeth react to the news of the king’s murder? How does Lady Macbeth react?
Macbeth says that he kills the guards, and Lady Macbeth reacts to the news by fainting, and then people have to help her up.


5) Where do Donalbain and Malcolm decide to go? Why?
Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain goes to Ireland because the dad just got killed so the next ones to be killed will be the rest of the family.

Scene iv

1) What is meant by the old man when he says, “On Tuesday last, a falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed”? What is symbolically suggested here? Hint: Relate the birds to scene ii.
A falcon(majestic bird) was killed by the owl. This is saying the king was just killed by Macbeth.


2) What does Macduff say about Malcolm and Donalbain?
He says that they ran away, so it is putting suspicion of the deed among them.


3) What does Macduff say about Macbeth?
He is going to be crowned.

4) What is meant by the line, “Lest our old robes sit easier than our new”?
He thinks that Duncan is a better king than Macbeth.


5) Why doesn’t Macduff go to the coronation?
He doesn't go because he suspicious of him. 

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