Macbeth Word Journal

Act 2:
Macbeth prepares to kill Duncan, he envisions an imaginary dagger. Later on kills
Duncan

Definition of Heaven in this act:

- The kingdom of God

- Home to all good spirits (ex, angles)
- Often portrayed as beautiful place rewarding individuals who have done good

Definition of Hell in this act:

- A place where those who commit sins are held
- Opposite of beautiful and often portrayed as horrific

- “There’s husbandry in heaven; Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.”
“Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursèd thoughts that nature, Gives way to in
repose.”

Speaker: Banquo
(1.1. 5-7)

- “That summons thee to heaven or to hell.”

Speaker: Macbeth
(1.1.77)

-“Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old
turning the key. (Knock.) Knock, knock, knock!”
Speaker: Porter
(1.3.1-5)

-“Faith, here’s an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either
scale, who committed treason enough for God’s sake yet could not equivocate to
heaven.”
Speaker: Porter
(1.3.7-12)
 - One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the other, As they had seen me with
these hangman’s hands. List’ning their fear I could not say “Amen,” When they
did say “God bless us!”But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen?” I had most
need of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.
Speaker: Macbeth
(1.2.35-40)

- “Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple and stole
thence, The life o’ th’ building.”
Speaker: Macduff
(1.3.76-79)

- “Ha, good father,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 traveling
lamp.”
Speaker: Ross
(1.4.6-10)
Macbeth Seminar Script

Word connections in act 2:

Talk about:
- Breakdown of heaven
- Breakdown of Hell
- Meaning of equivocation: a way of concealing the truth, essentially deception

Definitions of Heaven or Hell:

Heaven:
- Heaven is illustrated as place of good and people who do good will be rewarded by this
when they die
- A connection to heaven is God;
- God is in the top of the hierarchy for the great chain of being
- There is a certain drive to be like God or act in his powers.
- Acting against Heavens rules or religion is defying God
- Heaven is often portrayed as a place where individuals go to be rewarded for their good
acts on earth

Hell:
- A place where individuals are placed when they act against God, or religious rules
- Surrounding the idea of Hell, there are certain pressures
- Especially in religion there is this pressure to not sin and always do good and that
carries over to Macbeth

Quote 1:
“There’s husbandry in heaven; Their candles are all out. Take thee that
too.” “Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursèd thoughts that nature,
Gives way to in repose.”

- In this particular scene Macbeth and Banquo were discussing the prophecies of the
witches, Banquo stating that he has dreamt about them whilst Macbeth claimed that it
has slipped his mind
- To understand the meaning of heaven in Banquos sentence we need to breakdown the
meaning of certain words
- Husbandry in heaven:
- In some cases many years ago husbandry can be defined as blowing out candles
or removing light.
- And I think this has a significant tie to heaven as for many, because heaven
symbolizes light.
 - Also without light there is darkness.
- In Hell there is darkness, so I think with Banquo saying that there is no light he
can be referring to hell coming down upon them.
- When Banquo says their candles are all out I think Banquo is referring to the
angels in heaven.
- By Banquo saying the angel's candles are all out, it almost foreshadows the
chaos and deception that Macbeth will be causing in the future.
- Even already the witches have inflicted evil thoughts on Macbeth and Banquo
which already go beyond the rules of heaven and God.
- Banquo then goes on to ask the merciful powers to help him control the evil
thoughts that fill his mind.
- These evil thoughts Banquo is referring to are the thoughts of the witches and
their prophecies about Macbeth becoming king and one day Banquo’s sons as
well.
- As readers we can see that Banquo wants to rid himself of all evil spirits which
make him more susceptible to hell.

Quote 2:
“I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a
knell, That summons thee to heaven or to hell.”

- Macbeth says this right after he sees an imaginary dagger in front of him in preparation
of king Duncan’s murder.
- When Macbeth says the bell invites me he is referring to the bell Lady Macbeth rung as
a signal to kill Duncan.
- I think it is interesting that Macbeth says “hear it not Duncan”
- When Macbeth says this he is referring to the bell Lady Macbeth has rung
- However, what I find that is interesting about this is the fact that Macbeth
believed and knew that that bell was the initiating factor in Duncan’s
death.
- Moreover, it is evident here that Macbeth understands the opposite sides
of the spectrum, heaven and hell, and how he knows Duncan will end up
in one or the other.
 - Furthermore, I also wanted to connect Macbeth's knowledge of him himself going
against the great chain of being.
- This awareness Macbeth has of him going against what illuminates God, and in
this moment as a result of this the only thing he things about is the bell
summoning Duncan to heaven or hell.

Quote 3:

“Faith, here’s an equivocator that could

swear in both the scales against either
scale, who committed treason enough for
God’s sake yet could not equivocate to
heaven.”

Quote 4
One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen” the other,
As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands.
List’ning their fear I could not say “Amen,”
When they did say “God bless us!”But wherefore
could not I pronounce “Amen?” I had most need
of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.

Quote 5
“Ha, good father,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 traveling lamp.”