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ENG IV

Macbeth

ACT TWO READING GUIDE

Atmosphere- the atmosphere in a work of literature is its general mood or feeling. A writer creates atmosphere mainly through setting, word choice, and selection of specific details. Since realistic scenery was a minimal and since lighting could not be controlled on the Elizabethan style, Shakespeare often had to rely on dialogue to describe settings.

“Darkness, we may even say blackness, broods over this tragedy. It is that almost all the scenes which at one recui to the manway take place either at night or in some dark spot.”

-AC Bradley, Shakespeare Scholar

Motif- A recurring image, object, or symbol throughout a work of literature. The imagery created during this act utilizes the three motifs of night, blood, and water.

Dramatic Irony- irony in which the implications of a situation or speech are understood by the audience but not the characters in the play

Act Two, scene 1

1.  Macbeth would have been performed during daylight hours at the Globe.

How does Shakespeare reveal to the audience that it is nighttime? ______

2.  Macbeth’s famous soliloquy, his dagger speech (32-65) illustrates propriety. Now that you have paraphrased the soliloquy, why is it important that Shakespeare reveal Macbeth’s

tortured ambivalence when approaching the murder of Duncan? ______

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Act Two, scene 2

1.  Lady Macbeth reveals that she cannot kill Duncan because he resembles her father. What does this convey about Lady Macbeth’s character? ______

2. The murder of Duncan occurs offstage. How does Shakespeare signal-through nature- the murder of King Duncan? ______

3.  Later in the scene, what physical part does Lady Macbeth play in the murder? ______

4.  How does Macbeth reveal that he understands the enormity of what he has done? (lines 34-39 and lines 57-62) ______

5.  Lady Macbeth: A little water clears us of this deed. (66)

This is an allusion to Pontius Pilate who washes his hands of Jesus’ condemnation.

At this point in the play, who do you think will suffer more--- Macbeth or Lady Macbeth? Why? ______

Act Two, scene 3 (Remember evil?)

1.  Note the repletion of “Knock, knock, knock.” The porter also repeats the word equivocator when describing the people in hell.

2.  Look at your side notes. What is an equivocator? ______

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3. Macbeth has murdered two other men, the two guards. He defends this by explaining that he

was overwhelmed with murderous rage at the killing of Duncan (equivocation). What is Macbeth’s true motive for these murders? ______

Act Two, scene, 4

1.Reread the speeches of Ross and Macduff. (lines 23-31). We learn essential information.

What 3 pieces of information are given in this passage?

a.  ______

b.  ______

c.  ______

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following prompt:

Situation: Macbeth is Shakespeare’s most violent tragedy. The murder of King Duncan sets in motion the increasing violence of Macbeth and his spiraling downfall. Lady Macbeth has a significant role in Macbeth’s tragic downfall.

Prompt: Who do you think bears more responsibility for the regicide of King Duncan—Macbeth or Lady Macbeth? Give three specific, detailed, and thoughtful reasons to defend your choice. Cite specific evidence from the play.

Prewriting:

Who bears more responsibility? ______

Why?

1.
2.
3.