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What hints in act 2 of Macbeth suggest the fate of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?
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In Act 2 of Macbeth, several hints foreshadow the tragic fates of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth's anguish over the murder of King Duncan, especially his belief that not even "all great Neptune’s ocean" can cleanse him, suggests his guilt will haunt him. Lady Macbeth's calm demeanor contrasts with Macbeth's fear, but both are affected by the crime, as implied by Macbeth's "murdering sleep" remark. The natural world's disturbances further foreshadow their downfall.
Another hint that suggests the fates of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can be seen in Act 2 Scene 2:
Whence is that knocking?
How is ’t with me when every noise appals me?
What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes.
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will ratherThe multitudinous seas incarnadine,Making the green one red.
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Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange screams of death,So, we can see that all of nature is rebelling against Macbeth's actions. The terrible screams and disruptions in the natural world foreshadow future judgment upon Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Indeed, neither Macbeth nor Lady Macbeth escape unscathed from their terrible deed in Act 2. Later in the play, the text suggests that Lady Macbeth dies by suicide. Meanwhile, Macbeth sees the fulfilling of the witches' prophecies when he dies at MacDuff's hands in Act 5. In Act 4, Macbeth learns that "none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth." In his hubris, Macbeth underestimated the threat from MacDuff, who was born through Cesarean section.
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatched to the woeful time. The obscure bird
Clamored the livelong night. Some say the Earth
Was feverous and did shake.
In the second act of Macbeth, the major hint that suggests the tragic fate of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is Macbeth's rant about "murdering sleep." In the second scene, Macbeth has rejoined his wife after having killed King Duncan, and he is worried that someone has heard him commit the crime. Lady Macbeth assures him that he is overreacting, however, Macbeth cannot rid himself of his fears. He then says that he has "murdered sleep," meaning that this grave crime will not allow him to have any peace for the remainder of his life. This suggests that Macbeth's crime will continually haunt him. And although Lady Macbeth is relatively calm and cool in this scene, Macbeth does say that the evil has fallen on their home, so this implies that Lady Macbeth will also not have any peace for the remainder of her life. Later acts in the play prove this to be true.