Macbeth Act 2

The scene opens with Macbeth and Banquo discussing the prophesy of the witches. Macbeth then discloses in soliloquy that he intends to kill Duncan. Slyly, Macbeth murders King Duncan with a dagger, to the apparent surprise of Lady Macbeth. He then places daggers in the servants' chambers, and befouls their bedclothes with blood, making them the obvious suspects. At this point, he becomes neurotic and panicked that he did not say 'amen', and worries about the consequences of his actions. His nerves have to be assuaged by Lady Macbeth, and his hands washed of the 'filthy witness'. The scene shifts to a drunken porter telling knock-knock jokes to himself (which Shakespeare coins), and the learning of Macduff, Lennox, Malcolm and Donalbain that the King is dead. Malcolm and Donalbain come to realise that they are next in line to be slain, due to their lineage and link to the throne, so vow to flee to England and Ireland respectively following the murder.