Macbeth Quotes- Act 2

A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,And yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers,Restrain in me the cursèd thoughts that natureGives way to in repose. BanquoSpeaking of how he feels tired and how he wishes that he would stop have nightmares that prevent rest
Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.Art thou not, fatal vision, sensibleTo feeling as to sight? Or art thou butA dagger of the mind, a false creation,Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?I see thee yet, in form as palpableAs this which now I draw. Macbeth Has hallucinations of a dagger floating in front of him, leading him towards Duncan’s room, shows the guilt of the murder already getting to Macbeth’s head
Now o’er the one half-worldNature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuseThe curtained sleep. Witchcraft celebratesPale Hecate’s offerings, and withered murder,Alarumed by his sentinel, the wolf,Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his designMoves like a ghost. MacbethWalking towards Duncan’s chambers, shows the unrest in the rest of the world caused by the misdeeds of Macbeth.
I go, and it is done. The bell invites me.Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knellThat summons thee to heaven or to hell. MacbethBell rings and Macbeth knows it is time to murder Duncan, warns Duncan not to wake
Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman,Which gives the stern’st good-night. He is about it. Lady MacbethThe owl shrieking as Macbeth murders Duncan shows the unrest that is caused by this sin
Had he not resembledMy father as he slept, I had done ‘t. Lady MacbethSays she would have murdered Duncan if he did not resemble her father- shows the close relationship between Duncan and the Macbeths
But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”?I had most need of blessing, and “Amen”Stuck in my throat. MacbethSpeaking of how he believes he heard the servants say “God bless us!” and Macbeth’s immediate reaction was to reply “Amen” but he realized he couldn’t-guilt is overwhelming him
the innocent sleep,Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath,Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,Chief nourisher in life’s feast. MacbethDiscussing the comfort caused by sleep that Macbeth can no longer cherish due to the guilt in his mind
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this bloodClean from my hand? No, this my hand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red. MacbethContemplating the blood on his hand, saying it would turn green waters red- the guilt is consuming him
My hands are of your color, but I shameTo wear a heart so white. Lady MacbethSpeaking to Macbeth, saying she is just as guilty but she would be ashamed to be so upset and aroused about it
Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. PorterObserving that if a man were the porter of hell-gate, he would have to turn the key a lot since many men sin
Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes. It provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery. It makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. PorterDrinking makes you do 3 things: have a red nose, have to pee, and make you want to have sex but also takes away from the performance and the ability to keep it going
The night has been unruly. Where we lay,Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,Lamentings heard i’ th’ air, strange screams of death,And prophesying with accents terribleOf dire combustion and confused eventsNew hatched to the woeful time. The obscure birdClamored the livelong night. Some say the EarthWas feverous and did shake. LennoxSpeaking of the night of Duncan’s murder, Lennox describes chaos in the town
Had I but died an hour before this chance,I had lived a blessèd time, for from this instantThere’s nothing serious in mortality.All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead.The wine of life is drawn, and the mere leesIs left this vault to brag of. MacbethExpressing extreme grief for Duncan’s murder- trying to cover up what he has done
Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate, and furious,Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man.Th’ expedition of my violent loveOutrun the pauser, reason. MacbethSpeaking of why he murdered the guards that supposedly murdered Duncan- covering up the murder
Fears and scruples shake us.In the great hand of God I stand, and thenceAgainst the undivulged pretense I fightOf treasonous malice. BanquoSpeaking of the plan to get together after they have all calmed down to fight against the plot to murder Duncan
To Ireland, I. Our separated fortuneShall keep us both the safer. Where we are,There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The near in blood,The nearer bloody. Donalbain Saying men will smile while hiding daggers- trying to prevent their own deaths
This murderous shaft that’s shotHath not yet lighted, and our safest wayIs to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse,And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,But shift away. There’s warrant in that theftWhich steals itself when there’s no mercy left. MalcomSpeaking of plan to just simply leave to avoid fate, saying there is good reason to escape when mercy is no more
Threescore and ten I can remember well,Within the volume of which time I have seenHours dreadful and things strange, but this sore nightHath trifled former knowings. Old ManSaying that these times are a joke compared to the bad times that he has seen before
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,Threatens his bloody stage. By th’ clock ’tis day,And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.Is ‘t night’s predominance or the day’s shameThat darkness does the face of Earth entombWhen living light should kiss it? RossSkies are threatening Earth with storms, day looks like night, darkness covers entire thing due to murderous acts
‘Tis unnatural,Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last,A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place,Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. Old ManMurder is unnatural, falcon was killed by a mousing owl, can be compared to murder because someone of not so great power overcame the king
And Duncan’s horses—a thing most strange and certain—Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,Contending ‘gainst obedience, as they wouldMake war with mankind. RossDuncan’s horses went crazy and ate each other- unrest in nature due to murder
God’s benison go with you and with thoseThat would make good of bad and friends of foes. Old ManBlesses Ross and Macduff and those that turn bad into good and foes into friends