Act 2 - Violence

Act 2 - Violence

Violence is major theme all throughout the play, especially during act 2, when a major character, King Duncan, is murdered.

• Act 2, Scene 1 - Macbeth has a monologue in which he talks about seeing a ghost dagger with blood on it. This foreshadows that Macbeth has made up his mind and will kill the King.
• Macbeth : ‘’And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before. There’s no such thing. Is it the bloody business which informs.’’ (p. 26, lines 46-48.)  

• Act 2, Scene 2 - Macbeth comes back from killing Duncan and starts a conversation with Lady Macbeth. He describes what he did, which is pretty violent considering he welcomed the king as a guest, then stabbed him to death.
• Macbeth : ‘’I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?’’ (p. 27, line 14).
• Macbeth : ‘’As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands.’’ (p. 28, line 27).

• Act 2, Scene 3 - After everyone finds out that Duncan has been murdered, they start questioning who could have done such a thing. Macbeth explains that the guards have done it since he saw blood all over them, so he murdered them. Readers know that the guards are innocent making the kill even more violent than it already is. Later on, Macbeth describe what he saw when he entered Duncan’s chambers, which is basically explaining what he did to the Kings body when he murdered him.
• Macbeth : ‘’O, yet do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. (p. 35, line 108).
• Macbeth : ‘’His silver skin laced with with his golden blood, And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature.’’ (p. 35, lines 114-115).  

• Act 2, Scene 4 - In this scene, most seem to believe that the murderer were in fact the guards that Macbeth killed, yet orders, specifically, Macduff, suspects others. He talks with the old man and hears a story about what happened to a falcon and an owl a couple days prior. The strange violent act of the owl, alludes to what happened to Macbeth and Duncan.
• Old man : ‘’ A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.’’ (p. 37, lines 12-13)