Shakespeare's Macbeth - Act 2 Scene 2 Quiz

Answer: Owl

At which Lady Macbeth cries: "Hark, Peace! It was the Owl that shrieked. The fatal bellman who gives the stern'st goodnight"
In Shakespeare's time owls were considered Harbingers of Death, as were crickets, which are also mentioned in this scene.

Answer: Snores

These men are the King's Guards, charged to stand outside his rooms and prevent anyone from entering. Lady Macbeth has already drugged the guards to leave the way clear for her husband. The guards sleep through the night, and are later accused of the murder and pay the price - death.

Answer: The sleeping man resembled her father.

Her exact words are: "Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done't." She was not, of course too scared to commit murder, after all this was all her idea, and she proves more than once to be braver than her husband. The sleeping woman could not have resembled her mother, as the Macbeths are, of course, planning to kill a man.

Answer: Two bloody daggers

Lady Macbeth later accuses her husband, "Why did you bring the daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood."
However, at this point she and her husband are far more worried about whether or not they have been found out. In some interpretations of the play, Macbeth attempts to hide the daggers from his wife. In others she just doesn't notice them until later.

Answer: Amen

He is most perturbed by this, crying: "But wherefore could I not pronounce 'Amen'? I had most need of blessing and 'Amen' stuck in my throat."
This implies that the crime he has committed is so heinous that God will not bless him and he is doomed to eternal damnation.

Answer: That he will sleep no more

"Still it cried, 'Sleep no more' to all the house. 'Glamis hath murdered sleep', and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more."
Glamis is the land that Macbeth controls as Thane of Glamis. He was awarded the title of Cawdor, after the previous Thane of Cawdor turned traitor and was killed.

Answer: Wash his hands

Lady Macbeth comes very close to telling him to "Be a man"; she accuses him of being a coward "You do unbend your Noble strength". She does not order him to bed, (that comes later) and, as mentioned in the question, she has not noticed the daggers when she orders him to "Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand."

Answer: Neptune

Neptune is the God of the Sea, "Will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood clean from my hand?"
Mars is the god of War; while he could have easily been mentioned, as this play takes place during a war, he is not. Jupiter is the King of the gods and Venus is the Roman goddess of Love.

Answer: Knocking

"I hear knocking at the south entry"
This is Macduff at the castle gates, knocking to come in. The Macbeths do not know this but must flee the scene, "lest occasion call us and show us to be watchers", meaning that if they are discovered now, they will be suspects in the crime.

Answer: King Duncan

It is, of course the King that Macbeth kills. This is because of a prophesy he heard from the witches, who state that he shall be "King hereafter". From this grows the plan to murder the King, with the idea that Macbeth shall be next in line for the throne, as he is the King's most trusted Thane (or Lord).

The Kings sons, Princes Malcolm and Donalbain, fall under suspicion for the murder of their father and flee. As a result Macbeth gains the throne. Banquo is Macbeth's best friend, who later meets his death at Macbeth's orders because he suspects foul play.

The is no such person as Queen Isadora in this play.