Macbeth Act I

• The play begins with Scotland at war with invaders from Norway.

• Macbeth is a good fighter and has honored himself on the battlefield.

• Witches bring prophecies to Macbeth and Banquo.

• The prophecies begin to come true. • Macbeth begins to force prophecies to

come true.

Scene 1• Opening scene with witches who proclaim that

“Fair is foul is foul is fair” (What would appear to be good is really bad.)

Scene 2• A captain reports to the king that Macbeth,

Thane of Glamis, is winning on the battlefield.• Macbeth wins a new title for his skill, Thane of

Cawdor. • The current Thane of Cawdor is a traitor and

has been sentenced to die.

Scene 3• Macbeth and Banquo meet the 3 witches.• Macbeth receives the following information

– He is greeted as Thane of Glamis– He is called Thane of Cawdor– He is also told he will be king of Scotland

•Banquo is greeted with “Though get kings though thou be none” (He will not be king but his sons will.•The Kings men arrive and tell him that he has been named Thane of Cawdor.•The old Thane of Cawdor has been executed.

Scene 4• The king meets Macbeth and gives him

his new title. • The king also names Malcolm Prince of

Cumberland, heir to the throne of Scotland• Macbeth sees this as a problem to

becoming king.

Scene 5• Lady Macbeth reads the letter from

Macbeth describing the day’s events.• Lady Macbeth wonders whether Macbeth

has the guts to fulfill the prophecies.• She learns that the king will visit Inverness

that night.• She begins to plot a way for Macbeth to

become king.

Scene 7• Macbeth learns of Lady Macbeth’s idea to

kill the king so that Macbeth can take over.

• Macbeth has second thoughts about killing the king because:– He and the king are kin– Macbeth is the king’s host– The king has been good to Macbeth• Lady Macbeth fears that Macbeth will not

follow through with the plan.•She convinces him to follow through.

The Plan to be King

• Get the kings servants drunk.• Drug their drinks.• Macbeth will take the servants daggers

and stab the king.• The bloody daggers will be left with the

servants so they look guilty.

Act II

• Banquo asks Macbeth about the prophecy and Macbeth says that he hasn’t thought about it.

• Macbeth does want to discuss it later.• The king arrives. • The plan is set in motion.• Macbeth’s mistake• Discovering the king’s body• King’s sons flee.

Scene 1• Banquo wants to discuss the witches but

Macbeth pretends he has given it no thought.

• Macbeth wants to speak about it later.• Macbeth asks for Banquo’s loyalty if he

does become king.• Banquo agrees as long as he doesn’t

have to change his allegiance.• Macbeth has a vision of a bloody dagger.

Scene 2• Lady Macbeth has drugged the king’s servants.• She has left their daggers where Macbeth can

easily find them.• She says that if the king didn’t look like her

father, she would have killed him.• Macbeth returns after the killing claiming he is

hearing voices.• He has brought the daggers with him.• Macbeth is scared to return the daggers, so

Lady Macbeth does it.

Scene 3• The castle, Inverness, awakens with Macduff

and Lennox pounding on the door.• Macduff goes to wake the king and finds him

dead.• He tells everyone that the servants have killed

the king. • Macbeth goes into the king’s room and in a

“rage” kills the servants.• Lady Macbeth pretends to faint.• Malcolm and Donalbain run away because they

fear that they will be blamed.

Scene 4• Strange things happened the night of the

King’s death-”unnatural” events occur.– A mouse owl attacked a hawk and killed it.– The King’s horses broke out of their stall.– The King’s horses began fighting and eating

each other.

Macbeth Act III

•Macbeth is king.•Macbeth doesn’t trust Banquo•Begins plotting against Banquo•Banquo’s murdered•Fleance’s escape•Witches will reveal more of Macbeth’s destiny.•Lords are getting suspicious.•Where is Macduff?

Scene 1 Forres, The Palace

• Banquo meets with Macbeth who is now king

• Macbeth does not trust Banquo.• He tells murderers that Banquo is the

source of their problems.• Macbeth is upset that Banquo’s kin will be

Kings. • Murderers agree to kill Banquo and

Fleance.

Scene 2 The Palace

• Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss events that are occurring.

Scene 3 Near the Palace• Three murderers ambush and kill Banquo.• Fleance, Banquo’s son, escapes (Why is

this important?)

Scene 4 The Palace

• Murderers tell Macbeth that Banquo is dead but Fleance escaped.

• Macbeth is hosting a banquet.• Banquo’s ghost appears but only Macbeth can

see it. • Lady Macbeth tries to cover for Macbeth• Macbeth notices that Macduff did not come to

the banquet. • Macbeth is becoming paranoid and has spies in

all of his lords’ houses.

Scene 5 In the Witches Haunt• The witches are in trouble with Hecate,

Queen of Witches.• She orders them to bring Macbeth so that

they can tell him his destiny.

Scene 6 The palace•Lennox and another lord are discussing the recent events. •Things are beginning to look suspicious. •There are rumors Macduff is in England looking for help.

Macbeth Act IV

• Macbeth visits the witches and receives another prophecy.

• Macbeth decides Macduff needs to be dealt with.

• Macduff visits Malcolm in England.• Things are going badly in Scotland.• England has promised 10,000 troops and

Siward, a great soldier, to help.• Ross tells Macduff that his family has been

slaughtered.

Scene 1 Witches’ Haunt

• Macbeth goes to meet the witches• He sees three apparitions.

1. Beware Macduff2. No man of woman born can harm Macbeth.3. Macbeth can’t be defeated until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him.

• Macbeth asks the witches if Banquo will father kings. The answer is yes.

• Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and all of his family.

Scene 2 Macduff’s Castle

• Lady Macduff wants to know why her husband has deserted his family in a time of danger.

• Ross tries to reassure her that he had a good reason.

• They are convinced Macduff is a traitor.• Lady Macduff is warned to run and hide.• It’s too late; murderers arrive and kill her

and her family.

Scene 3 The palace of the King of England• Macduff and Malcolm are trying to figure

out what to do about Macbeth.• Malcolm tests Macduff by saying that he

will be a worse tyrant than Macbeth if he becomes king.

• Ross tells Macduff that his family has been murdered.

• They are now ready to attack Macbeth.

Macbeth Act V- the final act of the play

Scene 1 Dunsinane• Lady Macbeth is showing signs of insanity.• She sleep walks and talks trying to wash blood

from her hands.

Scene 2 Near Dunsinane• The nobles gather and discuss whether to

side with Macbeth or Malcolm• The nobles know that Macbeth murdered

the king.

Scene 3 Dunsinane

• Macbeth feels powerful because of the new prophesies from the witches.

• Macbeth learns that the English have given 10,000 men to help overthrow him.

• Lady Macbeth continues to lose her sanity.

Scene 4 Birnam Wood

• Malcolm orders his men to cut branches from Birnam Wood to use to hide the number of men that they have.

Scene 5 Dunsinane• Macbeth prepares for war. • A messenger tells Macbeth that Birnam

wood is marching toward them.• Lady Macbeth commits suicide.

Scene 6 Outside castle Dunsinane

• Malcolm and his army are outside of the castle and ready to attack.

Scene 7 The Battlefield• Macbeth fights hand to hand with Young

Siward, Siward’s son.• Young Siward is killed by Macbeth.• Malcolm and his men find that Macbeth’s

men are joining their side.

Scene 8 Castle

• Macbeth and Macduff face each other in battle.

• Macbeth is not afraid because no man of woman born can harm him.

• Macduff tells him that he was not born of woman but, “from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.” (born “c” section)

• Macduff kills Macbeth• Malcolm becomes King of Scotland