The act opens late at night with Banquo talking to his son Fleance. Both Banquo and MacBeth say that they cannot sleep, and Banqou wants to talk to MacBeth later about the prophecies. .
In the next scene MacBeth kills Duncan. Lady MacBeth sets up everything so all MacBeth actually has to do is kill Duncan. After MacBeth kills the king he is very troubled. He thinks that he heard Duncan praying and Duncan speak about him with his last breath. .
In scene three, MacDuff, who is the Thane of Fife, and Lennox arrive. MacDuff is the person who finds Duncan murdered. Since it is strongly suggested that the guards killed Duncan, MacBeth has them killed. In fear of being killed themselves Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, leave. .
In the final scene MacDuff, Ross, and an Old Man discuss the current events. The Old Man and Ross say that many unnatural happenings have occurred in the last few days. MacDuff does not believe that the guards are the murders since there was so much evidence pointing towards them. He feels that Duncan's sons killed him since they have fled so quickly. At the end of the act MacDuff leaves for Fife, and Ross leaves for Scone to see MacBeth's coronation. .
II. The same images of sleep, supernaturalism, darkness, and blood are repeated in this act. Both Banquo and MacBeth cannot sleep, and Duncan is killed in his sleep. Also right before he is killed MacBeth thinks that he hears Duncan say, "Sleep no more! MacBeth does murder sleep." There are many unnatural images such as the floating dagger, and the acts of the owl killing the falcon and Duncan's horses going wild. Blood appears on the floating dagger. Lady MacBeth also says that the sin can be washed away as easily as the blood on their hands. The main image of darkness is that it is daytime, but it is dark outside. .
III. Some questions arise in Act Two. Will Duncan's sons be accused of the murder of their father? Was the "floating dagger" really there or a hallucination? Did Duncan speak of MacBeth in his last words as MacBeth was killing him? Why was MacBeth crowned king and not Malcolm? Duncan had stated that Malcolm was to be the heir to the throne.
