Act II Study Questions

2.1
1. The purpose of the 9 first opening lines are to give a clue that Banquo is suspicious and may have an idea of what Macbeth is hoping to accomplish. The discussion of the witches, brought up by Banquo, is to let audience and character Macbeth know that he has not forgotten the prophecy. It is further proof that Banquo is thinking or wondering about what Macbeth is going to do. 

2. In Macbeth's soliloquy he seems to speak of a weapon that may be created by his imagination, he is unsure if it is truly there, or if he should kill the King. Macbeth explains what is happening by saying his mind is overworked and stressed out, and that his sight is failing him. He still plans on murdering the King.

2.2
1. She is drunk with angst. Lady Macbeth did her part of the plan, she drugged the King's men and laid out their daggers for Macbeth to see. She assumes Macbeth is completing the deed at the very moment.

2. Macbeth has killed the King. Macbeth is worried that the two men woke up and saw him with the blood of the King on his hands; he is also worried about his moral condition. Lady Macbeth remnds him not to worry about it, and to not think so much upon it. The issue that arises in line 46 is that Macbeth carried back the daggers with him. The problem is solved by Lady Macbeth, she delivers the daggers to the sleeping attendants of the King and says she will smear blood on them if necessary. 

2.3
1. The porter pretends to be porter for the gates of hell.

What does the porter pretend to be doing? Notice the emphasis on equivocation in this speech and in the following dialogue with Macduff. Equivocation was a doctrine espoused by Jesuits living secretly in England (and in danger of arrest, torture, and death) that allowed them to swear oaths with double meanings in order to preserve their lives while also maintaining their faith but that looked to their opponents very much like lying under oath. Equivocation had recently been much discussed because of the trials surrounding the Gunpowder Plot of November 1605, a Catholic attempt to blow up Parliament while the members and the King were present. 

2. The thematic function of the conversation between Lenox and Macbeth is that it shows others noticed an oddness about the night, as if someone had committed a murder. The theatrical function of the scene is to showcase Macbeth's ability to hide the face of murderer, and to allow the audience to understand that nobody yet knows about the King's death. The conversation is necessary for the reasons stated before.

3. Macduff reports that the King has been murdered. Macbeth and his Lady respond by acting like it is a tragedy.  Lady Macbeth seems more concerned that it occurred in her house than of the actual murder. Macbeth reports that he killed the men. Malcolm and Donalbain decide to leave before someone tries to seize and murder them, too. The two sons of the past King will go away, Malcom to England, Donalbain to Ireland. 

2.4
1. The function of the dialogue between Old Man and Ross is to show that people are noticing odd things about the night, even something like the behavior of Duncan's horses. From Macduff we learn that Macolm and Donalbain have fled, this fact makes them suspicious of committing the crime. We also learn that Macbeth killed the two men who were servants to Duncan, we also learn that Macbeth has already been named King. Macbeth is already gone to Scone. Macduff will go to Fife.