ACT 2 SCENE 1. Court of Macbeth's castle. Enter, and FLEANCE bearing a torch before him How goes the night, boy? FLEANCE The moon is down; I have not heard the clock. And she goes down at twelve. FLEANCE I take't, 'tis later, sir. Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven; Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. 5 A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature Gives way to in repose! Enter, and a Servant with a torch Give me my sword. Who's there? 10 A friend. What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed: He hath been in unusual pleasure, and Sent forth great largess to your offices. Act 2 Scene 1 A few hours later, in a courtyard in Macbeth's castle. Banquo enters with his son Fleance, who is carrying a torch. What time is it, my boy? FLEANCE [Looking at the sky] The moon's gone down. I haven't heard the clock. The moon goes down at midnight. FLEANCE I reckon it s later than that, sir. Here, take my sword. [He fumbles in the dark] They must be pennypinching in heaven. They've snuffed out the stars! [He undoes his belt and dagger] Take these as well. [He yawns) My eyes are as heavy as lead, but I'm afraid to sleep. [He shudders] God, take away the evil thoughts that come to me in dreams. [Macbeth enters with a Servant] [He hears a noise] Give me my sword again. Who's there? A friend. [Lowering his weapon] What, sir? Still up? The king's in bed. He's been in high spirits. He has tipped the servants well. He wants to give your wife this diamond for being Available at www.teachit.co.uk 1
This diamond he greets your wife withal, 15 By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up In measureless content. Being unprepared, Our will became the servant to defect; Which else should free have wrought. All's well. I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: 20 To you they have show'd some truth. I think not of them: Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, We would spend it in some words upon that business, If you would grant the time. At your kind'st leisure. If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, 25 It shall make honour for you. So I lose none In seeking to augment it, but still keep My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, I shall be counsell'd. Good repose the while! such a kind hostess. He retired very happy. We weren't expecting him. We did the best we could. It was splendid. [Pause. Changing the subject] I dreamt of the three Weird Sisters last night. In your case they've been pretty accurate. [Lightly] I haven't given them a thought. [Pause] But one day when you've got some time to spare we must talk about their prophecies. At your service. Back me when the time comes, and you'll do yourself some good. Provided I can remain honourable in doing so, free from evil and loyal to the King, I'm open to your advice. Sleep well meanwhile! Available at www.teachit.co.uk 2
Thanks, sir: the like to you! 30 Exeunt and FLEANCE Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. Exit Servant Thanks, sir. And the same to you! [Banquo and Fleance leave] [to his Servant] Tell your mistress to ring the bell when my drink's ready, then get to bed. [The Servant goes. Macbeth sits deep in thought at a table. Then he comes to, startled, but staring into space] Is this a dagger which I see before me, Is this a dagger I can see before me? With its handle towards my hand? The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. [Speaking to it] Come- let me hold you! [He snatches at the empty air] I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 35 Nothing there. Yet I can still see you. Can't you be felt as well as seen? Or Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible are you just an imaginary dagger? The invention of a sick mind? [He closes To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, his eyes then looks again] Still there! And [taking his own dagger from its Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? sheath] looking just as solid as the one I'm drawing now. [Excitedly] It's I see thee yet, in form as palpable 40 pointing the way I meant to go, and a dagger was my chosen weapon! As this which now I draw. [Doubt creeps in] My eyes could be fooling me. [More confidently] More Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; And such an instrument I was to use. likely, they're worth all my other senses put together. [He blinks hard) Still Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, there! With clots of blood on the blade and handle that weren't there before! Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still, 45 [He covers his eyes] It must be all imaginary. I'm so obsessed with murder And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, that I'm seeing things. [Thoughtfully] Half the world's asleep. Wicked Which was not so before. There's no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs dreams invade men's minds. Witches perform their rites. Howling wolves Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld wake murderers. They stalk their victims lustfully and glide upon them like Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse 50 ghosts. The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder, Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf, Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace. With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design 55 Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Available at www.teachit.co.uk 3
Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, And take the present horror from the time, Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives: 60 Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. A bell rings 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. Exit SCENE 2 The same. [He makes up his mind] My footsteps must be silent on the tell-tale earth. I mustn't give myself away, just when the time is ripe to do the deed. [Resolutely] All this ranting only lengthens his life. Too much talk cools one's courage. [A bell rings] Now I'll go, and it's as good as done. The bell is my invitation. Do not hear it, Duncan! It's a bell that summons you to heaven - or to hell! [He makes for Duncan s bedroom stealthily] SCENE 2 Enter LADY LADY That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; What hath quench'd them hath given me fire. Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms 5 Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live or die. [Within] Who's there? what, ho! LADY Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed 10 Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; Lady Macbeth enters carrying a goblet. LADY The wine which has made them drunk, has made me brave. The drink that has put them out, has set me on fire! [Pause] Listen. Ssh! An owl shrieked; the announcer of death, which says good night so sternly. [Thinking of Macbeth] He's doing it now. The bedroom doors are open, and the drunken servants are snoring. I've drugged their drinks. They're midway between life and death. [Calling from upstairs] Who's there? Hey! LADY Oh, no! They must have wakened, and it isn't done. We'll be ruined if we've bungled it. Sh! [She pauses, listening] I left the daggers ready. Available at www.teachit.co.uk 4
He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done't. Enter My husband! I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? LADY I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. 15 Did not you speak? When? LADY Now. As I descended? LADY Ay. Hark! Who lies i' the second chamber? LADY Donalbain. This is a sorry sight. He couldn't miss them. If Duncan hadn't looked like my father in his sleep, I'd have done it myself. [Macbeth staggers in, his hands and arms bathed in blood and carrying two daggers] LADY My husband! LADY I heard an owl scream, and some crickets cry. [They listen] Didn't you speak? When? LADY Now. As I came down? LADY Yes. Listen! [They are both silent] Who's in the second bedroom? LADY Donalbain. [Looking at his hands] This is a dreadful sight. Looking on his hands Available at www.teachit.co.uk 5
LADY A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. 20 There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried 'Murder!' That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them: But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to sleep. LADY There are two lodged together. 25 One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other; As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,' When they did say 'God bless us!' LADY Consider it not so deeply. 30 But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'? I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' Stuck in my throat. LADY These deeds must not be thought After these ways; so, it will make us mad. Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! 35 Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, LADY [Scornfully] 'A dreadful sight' -that's stupid! [Disregarding her] One of them laughed in his sleep, and one cried 'Murder!' So they woke each other up. I stood and heard them. But they only said their prayers and went to sleep again. LADY [Explaining] There are two in that room - Malcolm and Donalbain. One cried 'God bless us!' and the other one said 'Amen'-as though they'd seen me with these executioner's hands. Hearing them so scared, I couldn't say 'Amen' when they said 'God bless us'... LADY Don't brood so much! But why couldn't I say 'Amen'? I needed the blessing most, but 'Amen' stuck in my throat! LADY We mustn't keep thinking about it like this; it will drive us mad. I thought I heard a voice crying 'Sleep no more! Macbeth has murdered sleep!' [He goes on thoughtfully] Innocent sleep! Sleep that untangles all our worries. The natural end of every day. Available at www.teachit.co.uk 6
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast,-- LADY What do you mean? 40 Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.' LADY Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think 45 So brainsickly of things. Go get some water, And wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there: go carry them; and smear The sleepy grooms with blood. 50 I'll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on't again I dare not. LADY Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, 55 I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal; For it must seem their guilt. Exit. Knocking within Whence is that knocking? The soothing bath for weary workers. The ointment for disturbed minds. The rejuvenator of life. The main course in life's feast- LADY [Interrupting] What do you mean? [Ignoring her] Still the voice cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house. 'Lord Glamis has murdered sleep-and so Lord Cawdor shall sleep no more - Macbeth shall sleep no more!' LADY Who cried like that? Why, my lord, you'll wear yourself out, thinking about things so dementedly. Go and get water. Wash that filthy evidence off your hands. And Why did you bring the daggers with you? They should be up there. Take them back, and smear the sleepy servants with blood. [Horrified] I won't go back! I'm afraid to think of what I've done. I daren't look at it again! LADY Coward! Give me the daggers! Sleeping and dead people are like pictures of themselves. Only children fear a picture, even of the devil. If he's still bleeding, I'll smear the faces of the servants so it will look as if they did it. [Lady Macbeth goes out. There are sounds of knocking] Where's that knocking? Available at www.teachit.co.uk 7
How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood 60 Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, Making the green one red. Re-enter LADY LADY My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white. 65 Knocking within I hear a knocking At the south entry: retire we to our chamber; A little water clears us of this deed: How easy is it, then! Your constancy Hath left you unattended. Knocking within Hark! more knocking. Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, 70 And show us to be watchers. Be not lost So poorly in your thoughts. To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself. Knocking within Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! Exeunt What's happened to me, that every noise scares me? [Looking down] Whose hands are these? They're plucking my eyes out! [Groaning] Is there enough water in the oceans to wash my hands of this blood? No! More likely my hands will stain the vast green seas blood-red. [Lady Macbeth returns. Her hands are red with blood] LADY My hands are the same colour as yours - but I'd be ashamed to have a heart as white as yours! [There is more knocking] I can hear someone knocking at the South Gate. Let's return to our bedroom. A little water will wash away all suspicion. Then it will be easy. [Scornfully] You've lost your nerve! [Knocking] Listen - more knocking. Put your night-gown on; in case we're called for, and seen to be out of bed. And don't get so lost in thought! Better to be lost in thought than face reality. (The knocking continues. He shudders] Wake Duncan with your knocking! I wish you could! [They leave together] Available at www.teachit.co.uk 8
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