Plot summary

How does Macbeth begin?

• With the appearance of three witches who plan to meet Macbeth

What does King Duncan receive at the miliary camp? What does he decide?

• News that one of his Thanes, Macbeth has defeated leaders of a rebellion against the King (Macdonwald, the Thane of Cawdor)

• decides he will name Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor

what happens on the way back from the battle?

• Macbeth & his friend Banquo encounter the witches, they greet M as the Thane of Cawdor & predict he will become king

• Tell B his descendants will someday be Kings

When does Macbeth receive his new title? what does Macbeth start to do because of this?

• When the King executes the old Thane of Cawdor, he grants Macbeth the title

• M starts to believe witches predictions & relates the events to his wife

What does Lady Macbeth start to do (rising action)?

• Plot the murder of King Duncan so that Macbeth can take the throne

What happens when King Duncan visits the castle?

• Macbeth initially hesitant goes through with the plan

• Lady Macbeth gets Duncan’s guards drunk & M kills Duncan in his sleep

How does Macbeth return after killing Duncan? What does Lady Macbeth do?

• M returns with the daggers in his blood-stained hands

• LM goes back to plant the weapons & frame the guards

When is Duncan’s body discovered? Whats does Macbeth do?

• The next morning, the blood & daggers are found on the guards

• M pretending to be enraged kills them

What do Duncan’s sons do after he is murdered? Who is crowned?

• fearing for their own safety, Malcom & Donalbain flee the country

• Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland & the Thanes speculate about the strange events

How does Banquo feel after Macbeth is crowned? What does Macbeth do?

• Remembering witches predictions, Banquo grows suspicious of Macbeth

• Seeing B as a threat, M hires murderers to kill B and his son Fleance. B is killed but Fleance escapes

What happens at a banquet the same night Banquo is murdered?

• Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost & appears insane to the court

Who does Macbeth meet with after the banquet?

• the witches who make 3 new predictions about his future

  • beware of Macduff

  • No man born of Woman shall harm him

  • M will hold the throne until Great Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill

What does Macbeth assume due to the predictions?

• that he is safe because the last two are impossible

Why does Macduff travel to England? What does Macbeth do with this opportunity? What does Macduff achieve?

• To find Malcom (Duncan’s eldest son) to convince him to head back to Scotland to fight for his rightful throne

• He sends murderers to Fife to kill Macduff’s wife and son

• Convinces Malcom to return to Scotland with an army

What happens as Macbeth’s rule is waning?

• Lady Macbeth goes mad. She’s under a doctors care because of hallucinations caused by her repressed guilt

What have the Scottish Lord’s & Thane’s done (climax)? Where do they meet?

• United against Macbeth & joined Malcom’s army

• The Scottish & English armies meet at Great Birnam Wood & use tree branches as camouflage to approach Dunsinane Hill

What does Macbeth learn as he prepares for the onslaught at Dunsinane? What does one of his servants tell him?

• His wife has died

• Birnam Wood is approaching the castle

How does Birnam Wood approaching the castle rattle Macbeth? What does he rely on?

• Because it fulfils one of the witch’s prophecies

• That no man born of woman will cause him harm

What does Macbeth learn when he meets Macduff on the field (falling action)? What happens after (resolution)?

• Macduff was cut from his mother’s womb and he kills Macbeth

• Malcom takes his place as the rightful King of Scotland