Macbeth - Act II

In scene ii, Lady Macbeth's purpose in drugging the servants is

• to make sure they don't wake up during the murder

• to get revenge for the servants betrayal

• to send a message to the rest of the court

• to try out a potion that she will use later

What does Macbeth mean when he says:

"Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going;

And such an instrument I was to use

• He's talking to the dagger and wondering if the dagger is telling him how to perform the killing.

• He's talking to Lady Macbeth and asking what instrument to use in the murder.

• He is building up the courage to perform the murder.

• He's trying to relax by playing an instrument late at night.

Macbeth declares he will "sleep no more" because he believes

• He killed his sleep. Peace and sleep are for the innocent.

• He may be attacked by Lady Macbeth in his sleep.

• He can't afford to sleep with so much work to do.

• He will be unable to sleep with all of the visions that he is seeing at night.

When Lady Macbeth says "My hands are your color, but I shame / to wear a heart so white" she means that...

• She also has blood on her hands, but she's not a coward about it.

• Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a common skin tone and a common language.

• It's time for her and Macbeth to go their separate ways.

• Macbeth is guilty, but she thinks of herself as innocent.

What reason does Lady Macbeth give for not killing Duncan herself?

• Duncan looked like her own father.

• She couldn't stomach the blood.

• She was distracted by other guards that she had to take care of herself.

• She didn't want to handle the guilt afterwards.

The line "Macbeth doth Murder sleep!" is symbolic foreshadowing of

• His inability to ever sleep again, and his total loss of life as he knows it.

• His dreams that will haunt him until his death.

• the fact that he will only be able to sleep after he has killed Banquo and his sons.

• Macbeth's change of heart to come clean and apologize to everyone he has hurt.

The primary function of the porter (drunk guy) is

• Comic relief

• Foreshadowing of Macbeth's impending doom.

• A metaphor to describe Macbeth's foolishness.

• To show the fear that Macbeth is imposing on everyone

What does Donalbain mean when he says:

"Where we are;

There's daggers in men's smiles, the near in blood

The nearer bloody."

• Macbeth can smile, but he's a killer with blood on his hands.

• Killing is the only thing that makes Donalbain and Macbeth smile.

• The killer is nearby, and he's determined to find out who it is.

• He is confused as to why Macbeth would do such a horrific thing and kill the king.