Scene 1

Characters: Banquo, Fleance, Macbeth.

Location: Macbeth’s Castle.

Time:  Later than Midnight

Events: Banquo mentions to Macbeth that he had a dream of the three witches and that so far everything the witches have said has turned out to be true. Macbeth finally finds the courage to kill Duncan. Macbeth pictures a dagger covered in blood before him that he can’t reach. He envisions it as the one used to kill Duncan, then quickly makes his way to King Duncan’s bedroom. Lady Macbeth gets the guards drunk.

Quotes: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand.” “or art though but A dagger of the mind, a false creation,” This is questioning Macbeth’s sanity, he believes that the dagger is a coincidence and a sign of encouragement to go through with killing King Duncan.

“Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

Note: Pathetic Fallacy – When the moral world or setting appears to respond to/reflect the human events.

Scene 2

Characters: Lady Macbeth, Macbeth.

Location: Macbeth’s castle

Time: Night

Events: As the scene starts Lady Macbeth has just had the guards pass out from the excessive amount of alcohol she gave them. Lady Macbeth hears a noise and believes that it must be a sound meaning that Macbeth hasn’t killed King Duncan. However, when Macbeth returns he is covered in blood and has the daggers he used, proof to the audience and Lady Macbeth that he did find the courage to kill him. Macbeth is consumed by guilt and the fact he has gone through with the killing. Macbeth is showing a lack in sanity being so caught up in his guilt and Lady Macbeth shows no sympathy for him telling him to move on.

Quote:

Scene 3

Characters: A porter, Macduff, Lenox, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth.

Location: A court within Macbeth’s castle.

Time: The morning after King Duncan is killed.

Events: Macduff arrives at Macbeth’s castle the morning after Macbeth killed Duncan. Macduff has arrived to wake up the King but when he goes to wake him he finds him murdered. Macbeth feigns innocence to the knowledge of his death, then goes to view Duncan and claims that during this time he kills the guards due to anger and rage. Malcolm and Donalbain realise that they may look like they have a motive and should probably leave both the crime scene and the country and seperate from each other to keep themselves safer.

Quote: “There’s daggers in men’s smiles; the nearing blood, The nearer bloody.”                                                    This metaphor is again linking back to the idea of daggers, emphasising the point that the weapon is often used as a symbol for circumstances going against the natural order.

Scene 4

Characters: Old Man, Rosse, Macduff

Location: Outside the castle

Time: The morning after Kind Duncan’s death

Events: Macbeth and Roses agree that the guards must have been forced to into killing king Duncan by someone else and Malcolm and Donalbain are looking the most guilty having fled from the country without valid reasons. Macbeth is already on his way to Scone to be invested as King.

Quote: “‘T is unnatural, Even like the deed that’s done.” A simile explaining how unnatural the events of the world currently are, like the death of King Duncan.