Macbeth Review - ENG2D Final Exam Review PDF

Macbeth Review Act 1 - Scene 1: Three witches gather in a stormy outdoor location to meet after a battle and greet Macbeth. They set up a dark mood in the play, focusing on the upcoming battle and chaos. They call it "hurly-burly," referring to the duplicitous activities and warfare. The witches'...

Macbeth Review Act 1 - Scene 1: Three witches gather in a stormy outdoor location to meet after a battle and greet Macbeth. They set up a dark mood in the play, focusing on the upcoming battle and chaos. They call it "hurly-burly," referring to the duplicitous activities and warfare. The witches' pet names, Graymalkin and Paddock, reflect their malevolence and the common belief that witches use animals as messengers between themselves and the devil. Their final chant, "fair is foul, and foul is fair," reflects their preference for evil. Scene 2: Macdonwald, a lord from the Western Isles, joins a rebellion against King Duncan in Scotland. Macbeth, a thane, fights to overthrow the king and fulfill his loyalty. He kills the lord who allied with Norway and pursues the other thane who betrayed their king. Duncan plans to reward Macbeth by making him the new Thane of Cawdor. Scene 3: The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on a heath after a battle against Norway. They hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and "King hereafter." They compare Macbeth to Banquo, who is lesser and happier, and predicts his descendants will be kings. Macbeth and Banquo are repulsed by the witches, but after they receive the news, they accept the prophecies. Banquo dies with honor and respect, while Macbeth dies in disgrace. Scene 4: Duncan confirms the Thane of Cawdor's execution, and Malcolm reports he died honorably. Duncan praises Macbeth's loyalty and gives him Cawdor's title. Macbeth, altered by the execution and confirmation of his new title, plots his throne. Scene 5: Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband announcing his new title and telling her about the witches' prediction that he will be king. She is ready to do what she must to make that prediction come true but wonders if her husband is strong enough to do the same. She receives word that Duncan will be visiting the castle the same night and begins plotting, asking the spirits to give her the daring and strength of a man to help her carry out her plan. Macbeth arrives ahead of the king, and Lady Macbeth urges him to eliminate Duncan. Macbeth puts her off, saying they will discuss this later, but she tells him to leave the planning to her. Lady Macbeth, a more assertive woman than her husband, is determined to win the crown and rejects expectations of her sex. She speculates about her husband's manliness and invokes spirits to exchange her milk for gall, a substance associated with anger. When Macbeth arrives, she is primed to commit murder, taking charge when he hesitates. Scene 6: Duncan and his sons, along with Banquo and the other lords, arrive at Macbeth's castle. Duncan admires the castle and receives Lady Macbeth's greetings and hospitality. This brief scene serves the practical purpose of getting Duncan to Macbeth's castle to advance the plot. At the same time, it underscores the heinous nature of Lady Macbeth's plotting. She smiles and provides warm hospitality to a guest in her home, knowing that she will take that hospitality away at knifepoint while the guest sleeps under her roof. Scene 7: Macbeth debates killing Duncan during a banquet, despite his honors. His wife questions his courage and manhood, but assures him their plan will succeed. Macbeth's soliloquy reveals his divided character, fearing the consequences of murder and the nurturing feminine ideal. She pushes the plan forward, valuing her wife's personality over the king. Act 2 - Scene 1: Banquo and Fleance have a bad night's sleep, and Macbeth appears, causing Banquo to draw his sword. Macbeth assures Banquo that he hasn't been thinking about the witches' predictions and encourages them to rest. Macbeth reflects on his plan, focusing on sleep, death, and evil deeds. He sees a vision of his dagger, which he believes is a manifestation of his guilty conscience. When the dagger shows bloodstains, Macbeth decides to act before talking himself out of committing the deed. He approaches Duncan's chamber, recognizing the ringing bell as Duncan's death knell, and decides to strike. This scene highlights the characters' development from honorable to dangerous characters in the play. Scene 2: Lady Macbeth is energized by the excitement of the night's events, but an owl's hoot startles her. She hears Macbeth at the door, who confirms he killed Duncan. He overhears two men waking in another room, one cries "murder!" and falls asleep again. Lady Macbeth advises him not to think too much about the murder, but Macbeth continues to worry. She sends him to wash his hands and notices he still has the daggers. Macbeth refuses to return to Duncan's room, and he hears a knocking sound at the castle gate. Lady Macbeth advises them to wash and get in bed. Scene 3: In this summary, a hungover porter finds Macduff and Lennox at the gate, where Macbeth arrives wearing his dressing gown and reports that the king is not yet awake. Lennox describes a night of unruly weather and sinister voices, and Macduff returns to tell that the king has been murdered. Macbeth and Lennox rush to Duncan's room, where Lady Macbeth finds the news of the king's murder too gruesome for a woman to hear about. Macbeth and Lennox return with Ross, just ahead of Malcolm and Donalbain. Macbeth confirms the king's death and finds guards with bloodied faces and daggers lying on their pillows. Macbeth claims he killed them in a fury after finding the dead king, and Macduff asks why he did it. Lady Macbeth appears to faint, and everyone rushes to her aid, except Malcolm and Donalbain. The brothers decide they may be the assassin's next target and decide to leave Scotland. The porter's description of his night's drinking includes jokes about how drink affects sexual performance, mirroring Lady Macbeth's questioning of her husband's manhood. Macbeth reacts with outrage, claiming to have been overcome with emotion and killed the guards to avoid suspicion. She fakes a fainting spell just as Macbeth finishes his declarations, and all men rush to her aid, except Malcolm and Donalbain. Scene 4: Ross discusses the king's murder with an old man, who he refers to as "father." The man reveals that the king's horses ran wild and escaped their stable after their master's death, and the horses ate each other. Macduff arrives and informs Ross that Duncan's sons are suspects in the murder, as they have fled the country. Macduff informs Ross that Macbeth has left for Scone to be crowned king, and Duncan's body is on its way to burial. Ross observes the eerie mood enveloping the country, which Banquo and Lennox have observed. Macduff's choice not to attend Macbeth's coronation reveals his distaste for the new king and his suspicions. Act 3 - Scene 1: After being crowned king, Macbeth interrupts Banquo’s reflections on the witches’ prophecy. Banquo suspects Macbeth of Duncan’s murder but seems unconcerned for his own safety, freely sharing his plans to go riding with his son, Fleance. Macbeth, increasingly troubled by the prophecy that Banquo’s descendants will become kings, hires two murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. This decision reveals Macbeth’s growing paranoia and moral decay. Unlike his hesitation before Duncan’s murder, Macbeth now acts without consulting Lady Macbeth, fully driven by ambition and fear of losing the throne. Scene 2: Lady Macbeth informs Macbeth that Banquo has left the court and encourages him to bury any guilt about Duncan. Macbeth shares his fears about Banquo and Fleance and plans to eliminate their threat, but won't reveal more until the deed is accomplished. Their relationship has changed, with Macbeth expressing less happiness and Macbeth focusing on Banquo's threat, but maintaining secrecy, a departure from their previous relationship. Scene 3: Macbeth's hired murderers ambush Banquo and Fleance, killing Banquo but allowing Fleance to escape. The murderers inform Macbeth, highlighting his inability to control the consequences of his regicide and the possibility that the witches' prophecies may originate from a supernatural force. Scene 4: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth host a banquet for the lords, but the celebration is disrupted when a murderer informs Macbeth that Banquo is dead, though Fleance has escaped. While unsettled by Fleance’s escape, Macbeth returns to the feast, only to see Banquo’s ghost sitting at the table. The other guests, unable to see the ghost, are confused by Macbeth’s strange behavior as he speaks to the apparition. Lady Macbeth tries to calm the situation by scolding Macbeth for his fear and dismissing the vision as a product of his guilt, similar to the dagger he saw before Duncan’s murder. Despite her efforts to excuse his behavior, the banquet falls apart, and the guests leave. Afterwards, Macbeth expresses his fear of Banquo’s revenge and his suspicion of Macduff’s absence. Paranoid and desperate for control, he resolves to visit the witches again for guidance. Scene 5: Witches convene with goddess Hecate, angry at their lack of advice on Macbeth. She agrees to meet with them at the pit of Acheron to show visions leading to Macbeth's downfall. Hecate believes Macbeth is unworthy of the witches' attention and plans to manipulate his ambition through additional visions. Critics argue her scenes were not written by Shakespeare. Scene 6: Lennox discusses recent events, including Duncan's murder, Banquo's killing, and Fleance's departure. He suspects Macbeth is behind the killings and refers to him as a tyrant. Malcolm is accepted into the English court, and Macduff is on his way to depose Macbeth. Lennox sarcasms about Macbeth's grief for Duncan and his actions against Duncan's guards. The conversation raises suspicions about Macbeth's plot and his lords' plans to get rid of him. Act 4 - Scene 1: The witches gather at the pit of Acheron to brew a spell for Macbeth, and Hecate praises their efforts. When Macbeth arrives, three apparitions rise from their cauldron with cryptic messages about his future. The first, a helmeted head, warns him to beware of Macduff. The second, a bloodied child, assures him that no one born of a woman will harm him, which emboldens Macbeth. The third, a crowned child holding a tree, says Macbeth will remain king until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill, which he dismisses as impossible. Reassured, Macbeth demands more answers, but instead, a vision of eight kings, all descendants of Banquo, appears. Distressed, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost smiling, and the witches vanish. Moments later, Lennox informs Macbeth that Macduff is in England. Enraged, Macbeth decides to attack Macduff’s castle, murdering his family and servants without mercy. This scene underscores Macbeth’s growing arrogance and recklessness as he misinterprets the witches’ prophecies, acting impulsively on his ambition and emotions rather than considering the full implications of their warnings. Scene 2: Lady Macduff, her son, and the Thane of Ross are in Fife's castle, angry at her husband's absence, which makes them look like traitors. Ross tries to comfort her, but he leaves. Lady Macduff pretends her husband is dead, but the boy doesn't believe her. A messenger advises them to evacuate, but Lady Macduff is confused and the murderers kill her son. Macduff's son, is clever and prophetic, pointing out that his father is loyal to the true monarchy, despite his actions. The son also explains that traitors should have no trouble defeating honest men, as has been the case in Macbeth. Scene 3: Macduff meets Malcolm in England to discuss Scotland’s suffering under Macbeth’s rule. Malcolm, wary of Macduff’s intentions, tests his loyalty by falsely claiming to be lustful, greedy, and unfit to rule. When Macduff despairs for Scotland, Malcolm reveals he lied and agrees to return with an army of 10,000 men led by Siward. During their conversation, a doctor mentions King Edward’s ability to heal the sick, emphasizing his contrast to Macbeth as a noble and virtuous king. Ross arrives with news of Scotland’s dire state and reluctantly informs Macduff that his wife, child, and servants were murdered in an ambush. Overcome with grief, Macduff blames himself for leaving his family vulnerable. Malcolm consoles him and encourages him to turn his sorrow into vengeance against Macbeth. United by a common purpose, Malcolm, Macduff, and Ross prepare to return to Scotland to overthrow Macbeth and restore peace to their homeland. Act 5 - Scene 1: A doctor speaks with Lady Macbeth's attendant, who describes her sleepwalking at night, writing letters, and holding a candle. She recalls Duncan's murder and reenacts the murder, causing her to hallucinate and wash imaginary blood from her hands. The doctor suspects her illness is beyond his help and advises her to stay calm. Lady Macbeth denies guilt and justifies their actions, causing her to reenact the murder. Macbeth's ambition and quickness to action have overshadowed his love for his wife, as he orders the deaths of his friend, Macduff's family, and servants. This is the first appearance of Lady Macbeth since the banquet and the first without interaction with her husband. Scene 2:In the countryside near Dunsinane, lords Caithness, Menteith, Lennox, and Angus meet with soldiers and discuss Macbeth's fortification of the castle. They speculate that Macbeth cannot hold his position due to orders and lack of loyalty. The thanes march towards Birnam Wood to meet the English army and Malcolm, who they believe will succeed in healing Scotland. They believe that by shedding their blood to drown the weeds, they will purge Scotland of its illness. Scene 3: In the castle at Dunsinane, Macbeth runs through the prophecies from witches, believing they protect him from harm. When a servant announces the arrival of the English army, Macbeth reacts with anger and ruminates about his old age without love, honor, and friends. He calls out for his servant, Seyton, and resigns himself to an early death. Meanwhile, Macbeth talks to the doctor about Lady Macbeth's condition, who is not sick in body but in mind. Macbeth orders the doctor to cure her, but the doctor suggests she must cure herself. Macbeth decides that all medicine is nonsense and prepares for battle, reciting the prophecy about Birnam Wood and Dunsinane. Despite his assurance of his safety, Macbeth is less happy and has nothing he would expect as he ages, reflecting on his unwitting prophecy. Scene 4: The Scottish and English army, including lords and thanes, meet at Birnam Wood. Malcolm instructs soldiers to use tree limbs as camouflage, allowing them to conceal their numbers from Macbeth. The witches' prophecy suggests Birnam Wood could move, demonstrating Malcolm's superior strategy. Scene 5: In the castle at Dunsinane, Macbeth believes he has a good chance in battle. However, he hears women crying and learns the queen is dead. Macbeth is stunned and reflects on the shortness of life. A messenger arrives, and he fears the upcoming battle. Macbeth has not seen his wife since her madness began, and his speech can show sadness or despair. He contemplates his future without her, seeing the years as ephemeral days leading to a dusty death. The existential crisis is unclear, but self-interest takes precedence over grief. Scene 6: In a brief scene, Malcolm, his uncle Siward, Macduff, and the army approach Dunsinane Hill. Malcolm declares they are near their target and abandons camouflage. Birnam Wood arrives, and Malcolm displays leadership and diplomacy by recognizing Siward as the first charge leader. Scene 7: During battle, Macbeth fights and finds solace in the prophecy that no woman can harm him. He kills Siward's son, claiming he must be born of woman. Macbeth's blind allegiance to the vision, driven by arrogance, is evident as he kills Siward's son, proving the prophecy's trueness. Macbeth's actions reflect his belief in his destiny. Scene 8: Macduff and Macbeth face off on the battlefield, with Macbeth believing there is a way out. Macbeth tells Macduff that he killed Macduff's family and is next. Macbeth brags about his charmed life, but Macduff reveals that he was cut from his mother's womb. Macbeth refuses to fight, but Macduff tells him to do so. They fight, and Macduff kills Macbeth. Malcolm, Ross, Siward, and the others enter the scene, regretting the losses. Siward learns his son died honorably, and Macduff arrives with Macbeth's head on a pike, treating it as a trophy and a caution to other traitors. Malcolm assumes his title and awards the thanes as earls, the first time this title has been used in Scotland. He sends word to exiles abroad, such as Donalbain and Fleance, that they may return home. The "none of woman born" prophecy is a technical one, as Macbeth is mortal and the witches' predictions were misleading. Despite his efforts, Macbeth refuses to yield to Macduff, as his "fruitless crown" is on the point of being torn from him. Malcolm and his thanes capture the castle, and Malcolm matures from a green prince to a seasoned monarch. The men find comfort in Macduff's war trophy, the gory head of their former friend Macbeth. Macduff and the others are heartened as they hail Malcolm as the new and rightful king of Scotland. Plot Summary In medieval Scotland, Macbeth is a play that follows the rise and fall of the title character as he gains and loses the throne of Scotland. Macbeth, known as the Thane of Glamis, is a Scottish nobleman who is favored by King Duncan and given land for proven loyalty. The play begins when King Duncan's forces engage in a battle to defeat a rebellion led by a lord named Macdonwald, who enlists the help of the King of Norway. Macbeth, duty-bound to defend his king, fights honorably and captures another supporter of the rebellion, the Thane of Cawdor. As Macbeth and his friend Banquo travel home from the battle, they meet three witches who predict Macbeth will become the next Thane of Cawdor and become king of Scotland. They also prophesy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne in years to come. After the king executes the Thane of Cawdor for treason, he gives the thane's title and lands to Macbeth, leading Macbeth to believe the witches' predictions. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot Duncan's demise, which is made easier when Duncan visits Macbeth's castle. Macbeth kills Duncan's guards and frames the guards before they can speak. The following morning, Duncan's body is discovered, and the lords are thrown into an uproar. Macbeth hires murderers to assassinate Banquo and his son Fleance, and at a banquet, Macbeth has a vision of Banquo's ghost. At Macbeth's second meeting with the witches, they make three predictions about his future: beware of Macduff, who has been suspicious of Macbeth since Duncan was killed; no man born of woman shall harm him; and be secure until Great Birnam Wood, a nearby forest, comes to Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth assumes the last two predictions are impossible and sends assassins to Fife to murder Macduff's wife and son. Malcolm agrees to return to Scotland with an English army of 10,000 men. Around the time Macbeth begins losing his grip on power, Lady Macbeth loses her grip on reality due to persistent sleepwalking and hallucinations. The Scottish lords and thanes unite against Macbeth, calling him a tyrant. The Scottish and English armies meet at Great Birnam Wood and use tree branches as camouflage to approach Dunsinane Hill. While preparing for the onslaught at Dunsinane, Macbeth learns his wife has died and Birnam Wood appears to be moving toward them, fulfilling one of the witches' prophecies. Macbeth engages in battle, relying on the witches' assurance that no man born of woman will cause him harm. Introduction - 1.​ Witches say Macbeth and Banquo's sons will be kings. Rising Action - 2.​ Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, kills Duncan; Macbeth becomes king. 3.​ Seeing Banquo as a threat, Macbeth has him killed. 4.​ Witches' additional prophecies make Macbeth feel invincible. 5.​ Macduff induces Duncan's son Malcolm to fight for Scotland. 6.​ Lady Macbeth loses her mind and dies. Climax - 7.​ Malcolm leads troops into battle against Macbeth. Falling action - 8.​ Macduff kills Macbeth on the battlefield Resolution -  9.​ Malcolm takes his place as righteous king of Scotland Characters Macbeth Macbeth is a Scottish nobleman who holds three successive titles in the play. Initially serving as Thane of Glamis, he meets three witches who prophesy he will be awarded the title of Thane of Cawdor and later become king of Scotland. When King Duncan makes him Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his role for putting down a rebellion, Macbeth decides the witches must be correct. He kills Duncan and takes the crown for himself. He then has his friend Banquo killed, as Banquo was the only other person to know the prophecy. When the other thanes become suspicious, they help Duncan's rightful heir raise an army and defeat Macbeth. Lady Macbeth When Lady Macbeth hears of the witches' predictions, she helps her husband murder Duncan and take the throne. Abandoning the characteristics expected of a woman in her position (though she has no problem using them when it suits her purpose), she claims to feel no guilt about the murders that she and Macbeth have committed. She encourages Macbeth to let go of his guilt as well. However, it becomes clear that she still feels guilty, and the memory of Duncan's murder slowly drives her insane. Witches The sisters in this malevolent trio act as the catalyst for the play's action. The predictions they give Macbeth spark his thoughts of becoming king. They meet twice with Macbeth, and it becomes clear during a meeting with their goddess, Hecate, that they are not working in Macbeth's best interests, as they show him visions that are incomplete and lead to his demise. Banquo Banquo is a friend and thane who fights alongside Macbeth in the battle to put down Macdonwald's rebellion. He is with Macbeth when the witches first appear, and they predict that Banquo will never be king but that his descendants will be. He also hears them predict Macbeth's rise to the throne. Later, this makes him suspicious of Macbeth's role in Duncan's murder, and Macbeth knows this. Based on this knowledge and the prediction about Banquo's descendants, Macbeth decides Banquo is a threat and has him killed. Macduff Macduff is the Thane of Fife and a loyal follower of King Duncan. He has suspicions about Macbeth's role in Duncan's death, as seen in his refusal to attend Macbeth's coronation. Later, he tracks Duncan's son Malcolm to England and convinces him to return to Scotland to fight for his birthright and save the country. The cost of his loyalty, though, is his wife and child, whom Macbeth murders while Macduff is away. When Macduff encounters Macbeth on the battlefield, Macduff is the one to kill him. Duncan Duncan is, by all accounts, a good, respectable king. He inspires loyalty in his thanes and rewards them for this, giving Macbeth a new title to honor his performance in battle. After he is murdered, the Thanes and lords mourn him and avenge him by uniting against Macbeth. Symbols Blood Blood represents the guilt Macbeth and Lady Macbeth share. When Macbeth returns from killing Duncan, his hands are covered with blood, which marks his actions. Lady Macbeth also stains her hands when she returns the daggers to the scene of the crime. For her, the symbolism becomes more permanent, as she hallucinates blood on her hands during the throes of her madness later in the play. Ghosts Ghosts represent the way past actions come back to haunt the present and future, as when Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost seated at the banquet table. It is unclear whether the ghost is actually Banquo or a figment of Macbeth's guilt-ridden imagination. Later, when Banquo's ghost appears again, this time with the witches, he is leading a line of kings—his descendants—which demonstrates that his death will give rise to future monarchs who will rule Scotland. Storms The storms that rage in Macbeth—whenever the witches appear and on the night Duncan is murdered—are symbols of Scotland's unrest, both politically and socially. They also display Shakespeare's belief in "the great chain of being," a symbiotic relationship between a divinely appointed ruler, the people, and all of nature. Shakespeare uses storms and other natural disasters in Macbeth and other plays (Julius Caesar, for example) to foreshadow adverse actions planned against a ruler. The thunder and lightning that accompany the witches' meetings reflect their intentions regarding Macbeth. Their predictions do Macbeth no favors, and his adherence to them leads to his own demise. Themes Ambition Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are driven to kill to satisfy their ambitions, with Lady Macbeth being particularly susceptible to power. When witches introduce the idea of Macbeth as king, Lady Macbeth plots to kill Duncan. Once he has the throne, Macbeth works alone to keep it, killing Banquo as a perceived threat. This second murder arouses suspicions from other thanes and lords, demonstrating how Macbeth's ambition becomes his undoing. Gender Roles The play Lady Macbeth defies gender expectations by acting ruthlessly, asking spirits to "unsex" her for her role in Duncan's killing. She scolds Macbeth for being unmanly and uses the expectations of other thanes and lords have for women, such as delicacy and sensitivity, to distract them from Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's ultimate descent into madness serves as the punishment for her actions. Destiny Vs. Free Will In Shakespeare's play, Destiny versus Free Will, Macbeth is tasked with becoming king after three witches prophecy his future. Initially loyal to King Duncan, Macbeth's actions are driven by a desire for power and revenge. His belief in the prophecy and other visions predicts his invincibility, leading to his actions that ultimately lead to his destruction. The play highlights the consequences of exercising free will, as both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's minds are divided in their pursuit of power. Lady Macbeth, initially firm in her resolve to influence her husband's actions, becomes racked with guilt, manifesting in bizarre actions like handwashing and sleepwalking. Macbeth, initially goaded by his wife, freely follows her directives and then acts independently, ordering killers to dispatch Banquo, Fleance, and Macduff's family. Macbeth's actions deliver the rewards he seeks, but guilt gnaws at him, as seen in his fight with Macduff. The play highlights the importance of considering the consequences of free will and the consequences of acting rashly in pursuit of power. Loyalty In the end, the Thanes and lords who remained loyal to Duncan and his bloodline are rewarded. Malcolm is able to retake the throne and call his brother and Fleance back from exile. Macduff does lose his family, but he is allowed to avenge them when he kills Macbeth. Macduff also keeps his own life and title. Even Banquo will have a line of kings descended from him as his legacy. Macbeth's treachery, however, is punished by his death, but even before that, he loses the trust and faith of his people. Lady Macbeth—whose repressed guilt pushes her into insanity—precedes her husband in death. Quotes 1.​ ¨Come, you spirits/That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,/And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full/Of direst cruelty.¨ -Lady Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth calls on the spirits to make her less like a woman and fill her with the cruelty of a man in order to carry out her plan to murder Duncan when he arrives at her castle. 2.​ ¨ Bring forth men-children only,/For thy undaunted mettle should compose/Nothing but males. ¨ -Macbeth, Act1 Scene 7 After Lady Macbeth encourages him to go through with Duncan's murder and take the crown, Macbeth declares that her temperament is most suited to male children. This statement is also an example of situational irony because the Macbeths have no children, nor will they live to have children later. 3.​ ¨ 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. ¨ -Macbeth, Act2 Scene 1 Before he goes to kill Duncan, Macbeth hallucinates a dagger like the one he carries with him. The immaterial thing persists; Macbeth sees it though he can't touch it. This is a vision that represents his guilt and hesitation about committing the murder, although he finds his real dagger and resolves to go through with the act. 4.​ ¨ From this instant/There's nothing serious in mortality./All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead./The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees/Is left this vault to brag of. ¨ - Macbeth, Act 2 Scene 3 Macbeth is lamenting the loss of Duncan. From this moment on there's nothing meaningful in life. Mere toys are all that is left, along with the dregs of "the wine of life." Shakespeare uses verbal irony here. The audience and Lady Macbeth know the truth, but the other characters are unaware that Macbeth, the murderer, stands in their midst.