2. 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
3. Important Events
Act 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.
4. 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 Events
Act 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.
5. 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 Eve
Act III
Important Events
Act 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Works Cited
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<watsonmacbeth.wordpress.com>.
Macbeth Collage - Crown. Photograph. glogster. Web. 15 May 2014.
<www.glogster>.
"Macbeth." William Shakespeare. sparknotes, Web. 15 May 2014.
Medieval Dining and Decorations. graphic. Web. 15 May 2014.
<www.costume-company.co>.
Polanski. Dagger. photograph. Macbeth Supernatural. glogster, 1971. Web.
15 May 2014. <lachiej.glogster.com>.
Scottish Moor. Photograph. Creative Photography Wales, Web. 15 May
2014.
Witches with Banquo and Macbeth. Graphic. Macbeth by William
Shakespeare. Educationcing, Web. 15 May 2014.
Witches. Graphic. Macbeth Characters. Web. 15 May 2014.
<michaeloseducation.blogspot.com>.
The Woods at Night. Photograph. Web. 15 May 2014.
<nature.desktopnexus.com>.
