Macbeth
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

Macbeth Act II, Scene i Summary

  • Banquo and his son, Fleance, are at Macbeth's inner court at Glamis.
  • Fleance notes it is after midnight, and his father gives him his sword and dagger. He says he cannot sleep because of some "cursed thoughts" have entered his mind.
  • This doesn't bode well.
  • Macbeth then enters with a servant, and Banquo notes that the new Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth) should be resting peacefully considering the good news he got today.
  • Banquo says he dreamed last night of the witches, and Macbeth claims he hasn't been thinking about them (as perhaps he was too occupied with planning the murder of the King. But he doesn't say that part). Again, they promise to talk about it later.
  • Banquo leaves, as does the servant.
  • Macbeth, left alone, has a vision of a dagger that points him toward the room where Duncan sleeps. The dagger turns bloody and Macbeth says the bloody image is a natural result of his bloody thoughts. He notes that nature seems dead in the world (a fitting setting for his unnatural act).
  • A bell rings, which is a signal from Lady Macbeth that it's time to rock and roll.

Act II, Scene ii
Act I, Scene vii