How does Shakespeare make Act 2 scene 2 especially dramatic? What techniques do you think are particularly successful in creating dramatic tension?

Act 2 Scene 2
Use the ideas to help you to write your essay. Remember, don't use headings - separate your paragraphs clearly by missing a line. Put quotation marks round your quotes. Use at least 2 short quotes in each paragraph.

At the end of act 2 scene 1, Macbeth has been preparing himself to do the murder. So at the start of act 2 scene 2 the audience will be wondering ………………….. ………………………….……….…. ........………………………………………… ………….. ………………..

 

At the start of the scene, Lady Macbeth says she is a little drunk: "………… …….. ………… …….. ……………………… ……" This will make the audience think …………………… ………… …….. …….....…………………………………………………………………… She is easily startled by the owl -this shows that she is feeling …………………….. because. ………………………. ………………… Her mood would make the audience feel ………. …………… ……… When Lady Macbeth says "He is about it"- this tells us that the murder is happening off-stage so we don't see it. An off-stage murder might be more dramatic because ……………… ……………………………… ....…………… ……. ……………… ………………………………….. ..………… ……………… …………….. ……………………………..

 

When Macbeth shouts "Who's there? what, ho?" from off-stage, Lady Macbeth is afraid that…………………… ………………………… …. ..……………… ………….. The audience will feel ………………….. …… …… ……………… ………………… ………… ……. ………. The short speeches create a feeling of nervousness. For example, "………" "……..……" and " ……………" show that Lady Macbeth and Macbeth feel ………………… ………… ……. …………………. Shakespeare keeps us waiting to find out whether Macbeth has done the murder because …………………..…… ……………… …… ……….. .………………… ………… ………………. …………………………. The visual effect of Macbeth entering with bloodstained daggers in his hands is …………………..…… …………………… ………………… because ………… …….…………………..…… ……………… …… ...………………… ………… …….…………………..…… ………. ..

 

In the conversation between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, the use of religious language (e.g "……………." and "………………….") makes the murder seem even more horrible because ………………….. ………………………………………….. ……………………………. Then Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to take the daggers back but he does not. This makes her feel. ………………….. ………………… because ………… ……………... ……………………….The audience will feel ……………… by this because …… ……………………………….. ….………………………………………… ………… ……….. …..

 

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are now behaving differently from each other because … …………… ………………… …………………….. ….……… …………………… ….……… ….……… …………………… ……………………… ……………….. If I were in the audience, I would be thinking that Macbeth is now behaving ……………… ……. .. …. … . ….………………………… …. ……………………….. ………………………….. ………………… This is dramatic because …………………………………………………..

 

Macbeth is alone on stage when the loud knocking starts. This has a dramatic effect because ……………………. ….……… ….……… Lady Macbeth says the blood will be easily washed off and tries to hurry up Macbeth and get him to put on his nightclothes to look less suspicious. Macbeth's response is …………………………………… ………….. ……………………………………………….. …………… …… ……. This makes the audience think that he will …………… …………… …… ……. ……………………………………………………………………..

 

The audience feels …………… at the end of the scene because……….. ….………………………. The questions and thoughts they are left with are ……….. ……………. ………….. …………….. ………………… ……………. …………. …………. ………….. ………………………. ……………. …………. …………. ………….. ………………………. ……………. …………. …………. ………….. ………………………. I think the scene was particularly dramatic because ……………. …………. …………. ………….. ……………………….……………. …………. …………. ………….. ……………………….……………. …………. …………. ………….. ……………………….……………. …………. …………. ………….. ……………………….…………….

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