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What happens in Act 2, Scenes 3 & 4 of Macbeth?
In Scene 3 of Act 2, Macduff discovers Duncan's dead body and those of his servants, who Macbeth claims killed him. Duncan’s sons flee the country. In Scene 4, Macduff tells Ross that Macbeth is going to be crowned as the next king, and that he suspects, because they have fled the country, Duncan's sons planned their father’s murder.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Act 2, Scenes 3 & 4. (3-minute read)
What important character is introduced in the second half of Act 2 of Macbeth?
The nobleman Macduff is introduced in Scene 3 when he discovers the body of King Duncan and those of his servants. As the play progresses, he will become the third target of Macbeth’s murderous schemes—after King Duncan and Banquo.
Read our in-depth Character Analysis of Macduff. (2-minute read)
What is the setting for Macbeth?
Most of the activity in the play takes place in and around two castles in Scotland: Macbeth’s castle Inverness (where he kills King Duncan in Act 2), and later, when he becomes king, in the royal castle in Dunsinane.
At the time the play takes place, Scotland was an independent kingdom, but by the time it was written around 1606, it had become part of a “Union of Crowns” with England and Ireland. In 1603, King James VI of Scotland had ascended to the thrones of England and Ireland as King James I. Shakespeare and his plays enjoyed royal favor under James, so a play about Scotland (in which the Scots overcome a despotic ruler with the aid of the English king) might have seemed particularly fitting.
Read more about the Setting of Macbeth. (2-minute read)
How is the weather important in Macbeth?
Foul weather is always noteworthy in Macbeth. Examples include the fact that it always rains when the witches appear, that violent storms occur the night King Duncan is murdered in Act 2, and that it’s dark outside all day when Macbeth moves to assume the throne the day after the killings. Whether the foul weather is a cause, an effect, or just a symptom of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s sinister actions is open to debate.
Read more about Weather as a Symbol (#2) in Macbeth. (1-minute read)
