Examining the Dramatic Impact of Act 2 Scene 2 of “Macbeth” Considering the Significance of the Scene in the Play as a Whole.
Examining The Dramatic Impact of Act 2 Scene 2 of “Macbeth” Considering The Significance of The Scene In The Play As A Whole.
In the scene before Act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth decide to make a huge decision, and kill King Duncan. Killing the king was a very sacrilegious thing to do, as the king was known to be appointed by God. Lady Macbeth pushed “loyal” Macbeth into killing The king, she patronizes Macbeth with her cunning ways, offending his manhood, his courage and his loyalty to his word to her. Macbeth, seduced by her ways, agrees to go on with this horrendous plan.
Lady Macbeth is obviously showing signs of nervousness creating tension, as she awaits for Macbeth to come back with the news that either he had succeeded with their mischievous plan or had failed. Lady Macbeth tries to hide her fear by convincing herself that she would not fail.
We get a peek at Lady Macbeth’s softer side. She says that she would have killed Duncan herself, but the he looked too much like her father. Gentle women in the 1600s were usually known to be a loving housewife, tender, gentle, lady like, demure and obedient. Lady Macbeth was quite the opposite of this, she behaved more like witches. She had called upon spirits to “unsex” her form her femininity, and have her absorb the aspects and features of masculinity, so she can have the courage and strength to pursue with her plan of manipulating Macbeth into killing the king. She also talks very openly about murder, the audience would have a reaction of terror and fear of Lady Macbeth.
As she waits she hears a screech of an owl, and she takes that as a good omen, the screech of an owl was known to be nature’s own ‘fatal bellman’. A ‘fatal bellman’ would emphasize the idea of death/ execution, suggesting the murder has been committed in the audience’s minds, which makes it all the more eerie.
This particular part of the scene is one of the climaxes of the play. When Macbeth and his wife are re-united
In the scene before Act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth decide to make a huge decision, and kill King Duncan. Killing the king was a very sacrilegious thing to do, as the king was known to be appointed by God. Lady Macbeth pushed “loyal” Macbeth into killing The king, she patronizes Macbeth with her cunning ways, offending his manhood, his courage and his loyalty to his word to her. Macbeth, seduced by her ways, agrees to go on with this horrendous plan.
Lady Macbeth is obviously showing signs of nervousness creating tension, as she awaits for Macbeth to come back with the news that either he had succeeded with their mischievous plan or had failed. Lady Macbeth tries to hide her fear by convincing herself that she would not fail.
We get a peek at Lady Macbeth’s softer side. She says that she would have killed Duncan herself, but the he looked too much like her father. Gentle women in the 1600s were usually known to be a loving housewife, tender, gentle, lady like, demure and obedient. Lady Macbeth was quite the opposite of this, she behaved more like witches. She had called upon spirits to “unsex” her form her femininity, and have her absorb the aspects and features of masculinity, so she can have the courage and strength to pursue with her plan of manipulating Macbeth into killing the king. She also talks very openly about murder, the audience would have a reaction of terror and fear of Lady Macbeth.
As she waits she hears a screech of an owl, and she takes that as a good omen, the screech of an owl was known to be nature’s own ‘fatal bellman’. A ‘fatal bellman’ would emphasize the idea of death/ execution, suggesting the murder has been committed in the audience’s minds, which makes it all the more eerie.
This particular part of the scene is one of the climaxes of the play. When Macbeth and his wife are re-united