Macbeth - Act II - Scene IV

Macbeth

(Question taken from the Indispensable Work-Book on Shakespeare's Macbeth by Usha Nagpal published by National Publishing House. Suitable for class XI. Only Essay type questions answered here. If you have a doubt post a comment below. Leave your mail id if you need a personal response - else i will post my reply to this blog.)

Q1. Duncan's murder precipitates certain abnormal happening. Discuss with a close reference to the scene.

King Duncan's murder precipitates certain abnormal happenings. The old man says " threescore and ten, but this sore night hath trifled former knowings". The old man had not see such abnormal happenings in his seventy years. The day had turned dark and seemed as dark as night as if the earth was hiding its face. A falcon which was flying very high was attacked and killed by a mouse hunting owl - a very unnatural happening. King Duncan's horses which were docile and well trained had turned wild, they broke away from their stall and ran out and even bit each other. Lennox informed them that the chimney of his house was blown out from the house where he stayed. They could hear lamenting in the air, strange screams could be heard all around.

Thus there were a lot of unnatural happenings before and after king Duncan's murder.

Q2.How were the following persons affected, either in their fortunes or their feeling by the murder of Duncan: Malcolm, Macduff, Banquo, Macbeth, Ross.

The fortunes or feelings of the following persons was affected due to the death of king Duncan. The effect of the murder on their lives is as under:

a)Malcolm: Malcolm was the eldest son of king Duncan. He was anointed as the heir to the throne of Scotland and was proclaimed as the next king of Scotland. However, the murder of king Duncan forces him to flee to England in order to escape death. Thus Malcolm's life was thrown into disarray and difficulty on the death of king Duncan. Later however, Malcolm took help from the king of England to overthrow Macbeth to reclaim Scotland.

b)Macduff: Macduff was a loyalist of king Duncan in the kingdom of Scotland. Upon the death of king Duncan he decides to return to his hometown in Fife - where he was the Thene.

c) Banquo: Banquo was murdered by people who were hired by Macbeth. Banquo death follows the death of king Duncan.

d)Macbeth : Upon the death of king Duncan, Macbeth takes over as the king of Scotland.

e) Ross: When Macbeth becomes king, Ross goes over to England to tell Malcolm about the atrocities of Macbeth. He then joins the joint forces of England and Scotland to attack Macbeth.