• Line 6: theme of sleeplessness: Banquo wants to sleep but chooses not to
• Banquo fears the dreams he has--finally he gives credit of truth to fancy
• he greets Macbeth with a challenge: "Give me my sword!" because he does not recognize him....(implications.....)
• Says the king is sleeping, and so should Macbeth after so fine show of hospitality
• **Dreamt of three witches--tells Macbeth that they told Macbeth the truth in real life (still does not openly discuss murder)

• greets Banquo as "A friend."  (implications....)
• Line 23: "We would spend it in some words upon that business, If you would grant the time." Macbeth needs to confide in Banquo
• after Banquo's dismissal, Macbeth's soliloquy:
  • this dagger which Macbeth "sees" is his own glimpse into the future; he sees his own guilt; he knows evil (murder) is the product of a fevered brain--what is he sick over? what is he burning over?
  • 40-45: Macbeth sees the dagger as if it were truly there; he is making up his mind to do the thing; the dagger is his "marshall" --that which controls him; this is the turmoil Macbeth continually faces; he feels compelled to murder Duncan, but is checked by guilt, almost to the point of inaction; his eyes (proof) are made fools by other senses (emotion/fancy)
  • 45-49: Macbeth begins to see the blood on the dagger, calling it proof to continue with his plan
  • 51-55: reference to supernatural proof; witchcraft celebrates Hecate
  • 60-61 Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives." Act while the courage is present; delay will weaken resolve; in Macbeth, this is probably true
  • at the end of scene 1, Macbeth leaves to kill Duncan

• she has 'strengthened' her resolve with liquor
• owl shrieked
• she goes to murder Duncan; she mistakes Macbeth's noises for Duncan awakening
• she thinks she is discovered: "Th' attempt and not the deed Confounds us."
• this is her second attempt: on the first, she was too weak because Duncan resembled her own father
• weakness in Lady Macbeth's character--she lacks that conviction she laid claim to in Act I
• only with drink in her veins (see the Porter) does she find courage

After Macbeth's entrance:

• she finds her resolve once the deed is done
  • "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight" (on Macbeth's commentary of the whole mishandled situation)
  • "These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad." (On Macbeth's asking for a blessing)
  • "Who was it that thus cried? Why, worth thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think so brainsickly of things." (on Macbeth's lament of the curse of insomnia)
  • "blood" this is murder (the 'foul' committed by the 'fair')
  • "water" symbolic of cleansing (especially of sin) ( the 'fair' cleaning the 'foul')

• finally shows conviction: "I have done the deed."
• resolve does not last: "This is a sorry sight"
  • when the stewards ask for prayers and an "amen," Macbeth wants one also, stating he needs it; weakness/lack of resolve
  • "I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" stuck in my throat"  typical of Macbeth's turmoil throughout the play so far
  • Line 50 "I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on 't again I dare not."
• Curse of sleeplessness: " 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep'--the innocent sleep" Macbeth knows that he will be wracked with guilt; his mind actually hears a voice (his eyes saw a dagger in scene 1)
• Guilt: "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No; this hand will rather th..seas incarnadine" (his guilt is BIG)

• offers a dissertation on the evils of alcohol (he himself is drunk, hence his behavior) (serves to rouse the castle to discover Duncan's body)
  • Drink provokes: "nose-painting, sleep, and urine" ( this is his humorous response
  • Lechery: it provokes desire but takes away performance (see Lady Macbeth)
  • each subsequent example lists alcohol's promises as being empty (fair is foul)
• Porter wakes Macduff

• a nobleman: a king's man
• his "duty" in the scene is to wake Duncan early; Lennox inquires of this (note how Duncan's discovery is set up)
• his 'function': "O horror, horror, horror!" Announces Duncan's death

Lennox, Donalbain, Malcolm

• Disgust at Duncan's murder
• they resolve to find the murderer in another hour
• Lennox: esp. to build suspense in Macbeth's discovery--he refers to the night's discontent, he questions Macbeth about the king's activities for the day
• Malcolm and Donalbain know Macbeth is the murderer(their asides reveal this): hence Malcolm decides to go to England, and Donalbain to Ireland

• begins with a falsehood: "Good morrow, both"
  • of Lennox's request after the king stirring forth today, "He does: he did so appoint it so." (irony) (hypocrisy)
• Line 85 "Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time;" while ironic, it also reveals his true feelings
• Gives himself away when he says he murdered the stewards himself after he spied Duncan's corpse (see above)

• plays the charlatan to the fullest: (of murder of Duncan) "Woe, alas! What, in our house?"
• "Help me hence, ho!" whereupon she faints--she plays the part of the 'lady' (fair is truly foul here)

• both see the day in turmoil (symbolic)
• though it is day, the clouds are dark as night
• an owl killed a falcon (Lady Macbeth's owl)
• Duncan's horses--noted for their beauty and training--suddenly turned wild and broke from their stables

• informs the world that Duncan is slain--again, he is just the messenger
• still thinks Macbeth is innocent "Those that Macbeth hath slain" are the culprits
• offers suspense: explains that Donalbain and Malcolm draw suspicion to themselves by fleeing (even to Macduff) and strengthen's Macbeth's installment on the throne