Scene 1

In act 2 scene 1 of the play ‘Macbeth’ many language features are used, one of this being personification. This is used to personify the dagger for example as a living thing which tells him to go in a certain direction “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going” this is giving the dagger a human-like trait as he is saying the dagger is ‘marshaling’ (guiding ) him forwards to kill the king. This line means the ‘dagger of the mind’ is leading him along the path he was going already.

Scene 3

A porter goes to answer the door, joking to himself that he is the doorkeeper at the mouth of hell, Macduff and Lennox are at the door. Macduff asks what took so long. The porter blames drunkenness and makes some jokes about alcohol and its effects on men. Macbeth then enters pretending to have just woken up. Macduff asks if the king is awake yet because he has an appointment with Duncan, Macbeth gives him directions to the king’s room. Macbeth and Lenox wait for Macduff to return, Lenox then describes the terrible storm that raged the previous night and sounded like “strange screams of death” (this uses the phrase pathetic fallacy which is a literary term for the attribution of human emotion and conduct to things found in nature that are not human.) Macduff cries out in horror and runs back in, the others ask what happened then they all go to Duncan’s room. Banquo, Malcolm and Donaldbain wake up. Lady Macbeth comes in pretending not to know what happened and expresses horror over the king’s death. Macbeth returns and says he would prefer to die than have to see such a thing. Malcolm and Donalbain enter and ask what’s happened. Lennox tells them that Duncan was murdered by his drunken guards.

Scene 4

Ross and the old man discuss the strange happenings that took place the night Macbeth murdered Duncan such as the sun not coming up and also horses going crazy and eating each other. Ross says “thou seest the heavens as troubled with man’s act threatens his bloody stage” this is like saying you see the skies, they look upset about what mankind is doing and are threatening earth with storms. Macduff reveals Macbeth has been made king. They become suspicious of Duncan’s sons in having a role in the murder. Macduff then goes to fife and Ross goes to scone to see Macbeth crowned as king.