MACBETHby william shakespeare

Acts I - iiiLauren Lawson

Main Characters

MACBETH - Brave Scottish general and Thane of Glamis

LADY MACBETH - Ambitious, influential wife of Macbeth

THREE WITCHES - Use charms, spells and prophecies to play with Macbeth and his lust for power

BANQUO - Noble general and companion to Macbeth

DUNCAN - Respected king of Scotland in the way of Macbeth’s plan

Three Witches

Important EventsAct I

Macbeth, Thane of Glamis and Banquo encounter the trio of witches as they cross a Scottish moor after a successful battle. They prophecy that Macbeth will go on to become Thane of Cawdor and then eventually take the throne as king, which intrigues his ambitious nature. Macbeth receives news from Duncan, king of Scotland that due to his bravery, he will indeed be given Cawdor’s title, “And for an earnest of a greater honor, / He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor,” (I. iii. 109, 110), in fulfillment of the witch’s prophecy. Now, with the prospect of becoming king, he wonders if he will have to take matters into his own hands.

Lady Macbeth and her husband discuss King Duncan’s upcoming visit to their castle home. Aware of the last prophecy, she resolves to make sure her husband secures the throne. She decides that by means of an elaborate plan, Duncan will be murdered as he sleeps, “O never / Shall sun that morrow see!” (I. vi. 71, 72) thus leaving the way open for Macbeth to take his place as king. Lady Macbeth succeeds in influencing her somewhat hesitant husband to go along with her idea, then sets out to put the plan in motion.

Important EventsAct II

Unease over killing Duncan causes Macbeth to have a vision of a dagger floating in the air before him. After trying to grasp the weapon and failing, he decides it is just “A dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” (II. i. 50, 51), so after hearing Lady Macbeth’s signal bell, makes his way to Duncan’s room to carry out the evil act.

Duncan’s death is discovered and the incriminating evidence points to his guards, whom Macbeth has also killed now, “O, yet I do repent me of my fury, / That I did kill them.” (II. iii. 124, 125) in order to keep them quiet. There is suspicion, however, that not is all as it seems. Macduff in particular is not convinced that the guards were responsible. Macbeth departs for Scone to attend his coronation.

Important EveAct III

Important EventsAct III

As king, Macbeth is reminded of the prophecy made to Banquo, that his sons would become king. He comes to the realization that Banquo and his son Fleance are now his biggest threat and therefore they must die.

Macbeth conspires to see to it that Banquo and his son are murdered to remove the threat to the throne. Banquo has been invited to an evening feast at the palace and Lady Macbeth is told to be extra kind to him, “Let your remembrance / Apply to Banquo; present him eminence / Both with eye and tongue:” (III. ii. 34, 35) in order to lull him into a false sense of security so that “A deed of dreadful note.” (III. ii. 49) could be carried out. The murderers hide out in a wooded area outside the palace. When Banquo and his son Fleance approach them on their horses and dismount, they are attacked. Banquo dies, but his son manages to escape. The news is delivered to Macbeth as the banquet begins.

Macbeth is angry that Fleance lives, “The worm that’s fled / Hath nature that in time that venom breed,” (III. iv. 32, 33), realizing that his throne is still not secure. He returns to the feast and eventually notices to his horror that Banquo’s ghost is sitting in his chair! No one else at the feast is able to see the apparition, so when Macbeth begins speaking to it, they question his behaviour. Lady Macbeth makes excuses for her husband and, taking him aside chastises him, “Are you a man?” (III. iv. 70) to which he assures her that he is. The ghost disappears , reappears and then leaves once more, sending Macbeth into a series of reckless outbursts in front of his guests, forcing Lady Macbeth to end the evening. Macbeth confides in his wife that he is going to visit the witches the following day in the hope of learning what his future holds. He will stop at nothing to keep his throne, “I am in blood / Stepped in so far that , should I wade no more,” (III. iv. 168, 169) and will kill again if necessary.

The Weird Sisters have a meeting with Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft . She is angry that they did not consult with her before getting involved in Macbeth’s business. Aware that Macbeth will be seeing them the next day, she tells them to “Meet me i’ th’ morning. Thither he / Will come to know his destiny.” (III. v. 16, 17) and makes plans to use further visions and spirits to empower him, filling him with a false sense of security to “draw him on to his confusion.” (III. v. 29), or in other words destruction.

Meanwhile, steps are being taken to overthrow Macbeth in order to save Scotland from him. His counterparts are convinced that he at the very least had a part in the murders of both Duncan and Banquo, and his erratic behaviour of late is putting his ability to reign in question. Macduff is reportedly going to England to ask King Edward for his help in ousting Macbeth from his position.

Works Cited

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