MACBETH
PLOT
A trio of witches plans to meet Macbeth, a Scottish general. They are arguing about a battle that is
not finished yet. In a military camp, the Scottish King Duncan hears that his generals, Macbeth and
Banquo, have defeated two invading armies—one from Ireland and one from Norway.
Soon after the battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches. The witches prophesy that
Macbeth will be made Thane (a rank of Scottish nobility) of Glamis, of Cawdor and King of Scotland.
They also prophesy that Banquo will be the ancestor of kings although Banquo will never be king
himself. After the witches have vanished, Ross, a king’s man, come to tell Macbeth that he has been
named Thane of Cawdor. He visits King Duncan, and they plan to dine together that night at
Inverness in Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth writes ahead to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her all that
has happened. She desires the kingship for him and wants him to murder Duncan to obtain it.
When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, she persuades him to kill the king that night. Macbeth and his
wife plan to get Duncan’s two chamberlains drunk so they will remember nothing. While Duncan is
asleep, Macbeth stabs him, despite his doubts and a a vision of a bloody dagger.
Macduff and Lennox arrive to Macbeth’s castle to see the king. When Duncan’s death is discovered
the next morning, Macbeth blame the murder of the king on the chamberlains, whom he has killed.
Duncan’s sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee to England and Ireland fearing that whoever killed
Duncan desires their demise as well. Fearful of the witches prophecy that Banquo’s heirs will seize
the throne, Macbeth hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. They ambush
Banquo on his way to a royal feast, but they fail to kill Fleance, who escapes into the night. Macbeth
fears that his power remains insecure as long as Fleance is alive. At the feast that night, Banquo’s
ghost visits Macbeth. When he sees the ghost, Macbeth raves fearfully, startling his guests, who
include most of the great Scottish nobility. Frightened, Macbeth goes to visit the witches in their
cavern. There, they show him a sequence of prophecies: he must beware of Macduff - a Scottish
nobleman who opposed Macbeth’s accession to the throne; he is incapable of being harmed by any
man born off woman; and he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth
is relieved and feels secure, because he knows that all men are born off women and that forests
cannot move. When Macduff goes to England to join Malcolm, Macbeth orders Lady Macduff and
her children to be murdered. Prince Malcolm, Duncan’s son, has succeeded in raising an army in
England, and Macduff joins him as he rides to Scotland to challenge Macbeth’s forces. The invasion
has the support of the Scottish nobles, who are frightened by Macbeth’s tyrannical and murderous
behavior. Lady Macbeth, meanwhile, becomes plagued with fits of sleepwalking and reveals to the
doctor all her secrets. Before Macbeth’s opponents arrive, Macbeth receives news that Lady
Macbeth commits suicide. He awaits the English certain that the witches prophecies guarantee his
invincibility. But then he learns that the English army is advancing on Dunsinane shielded with
boughs cut from Birnam Wood. Birnam Wood is indeed coming to Dunsinane. On the battlefield,
Macbeth encounters the vengeful Macduff, who declares that he was not “of woman born” but was
instead “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb (what we now call birth by cesarean section).
Macbeth continues to fight until Macduff kills and beheads him. Malcolm, now the King of Scotland,
declares his benevolent intentions for the country and invites all to see him crowned at Scone.
