Macbeth Plot

What country does the book mainly take place in?

Scotland

What's the main type of weather throughout the book?

Dark, raining, storming, lightening

What is in the "air" throughout the book?

Sense of uncertainty

Info about the Weïrd Sisters (Three Witches)

- when they meet it will be storming
-bad things will happen when they meet up
- they meet up upon the heath (field)
-they meet with Macbeth
- they'll meet when the sun has set
- they have actual witchcraft powers & cast spells

Who are the Scottish nobles men in the book?

Banquo
Lennox
Ross
Angus
Menteith
Caithness

What is a common phrase/idea throughout the book?

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (Witches are first to say this)
Means- what is good is bad, but what is bad is good

Who comes to King Duncan to report about how the war is going?

A Captain who is injured and bloody from battle
- the captain tells Duncan that he is uncertain Scotland will win the war

Who single handedly turns the war around for Scotland?

Macbeth

Who is the traitor that Macbeth kills?

Macdonwald
- Macbeth motivation to end the battle & win the war is putting the head of Macdonwald on a pole to show the power he has
- this shows his leadership & bravery

Who was Scotland at war with?

Norway

Who ends up winning the war?

Scotland

Who is the other traitor that will be executed for treason?

Thane of Cawdor

Who will be the next Thane of Cawdor?

Macbeth

What country does King Duncan rule?

Scotland

Who are King Duncans sons?

Malcolm and Donalbain

What do the witches do at the start of the scene?

- first witch runs into a Sailor's wife & asks the wife for chestnuts & the wife says no
- since the wife said no the witches are going to put the Sailor through a terrible storm for 81 weeks
- the witches abuse their powers, their angry women and it's unfair the way they give out punishment

Who do Banquo and Macbeth meet in this scene?

The Three Witches

How does Banquo describe the witches?

- they have beards (this is cause men could only be in the theater)
-clothes are shredded and torn
- skinny lips
- they look like they don't belong & look out of this world
-skin is in poor condition

What 3 names do the witches greet Macbeth with? (These are the prophecies)

Thane of Glamis= inherited from his father
Thane of Cawdor= he is about to be named
King= doesn't make sense

What are the witches predictions for Banquo?

- Not so happy, yet much happier
- Lesser than Macbeth & Greater
- Banquo will be a father to a line of kings

What do Ross and Angus tell Macbeth?

He will be named Thane of Cawdor
- this proves the witches were right

What does Banquo think about the witches?

-They are evil cause they had the knowledge of knowing that Macbeth will be names Thane of Cawdor
- He thinks they will harm them

What is Macbeth thought on the witches?

He doesn't think the witches are good or bad

What does Macbeth fantasize about?

Murdering the king and this scares him

What will Macbeth do about this fantasy?

- He wants to let fate decided how he will become king
- Since he's thinking about being king it means he wants to be king badly
- This fantasy is going to bring out Macbeths violent side

Where did Malcolm get named Prince of?

Prince of Cumberland

Who will become King if anything happens to King Duncan?

Malcolm

Who would be in the way for Macbeth to become King if he murders King Duncan?

Malcolm

Why is King Duncan having a party?

To celebrate Malcolm, Macbeth, and winning the war

Where are they having the party at?

Macbeth's castle (Dunsinane)

Why would the party be a good time for Macbeth to murder the king?

- it's at Macbeth own home
- there is going to be a lot of people
- people will be drunk

What does this scene start off with?

A letter from Macbeth written to Lady Macbeth

What is the letter about?

- winning the war
- meeting the witches
- Macbeth being named Thane of Cawdor

Whose prophecy does Lady Macbeth agree with?

The witches

Why does Lady Macbeth think Macbeth won't kill someone?

He is too nice of a person to kill

Why does Lady Macbeth want Macbeth to hurry home?

So that she could convince him to kill King Duncan & Malcolm

What does a messenger come tell Lady Macbeth?

They'll be a party at Dunsinane

What does Lady Macbeth ask the forces of evil for?

- make her more masculine
- take away her mothering traits
- for heaven to close it's doors

What is the Raven symbolizing in this scene?

Darkness, evil, and that King Duncan will die tonight

Why will it be easy to kill King Duncan?

King Duncan will be staying the night at Dunsinane

How does Lady Macbeth want Macbeth to act towards the king?

deceptive

How does King Duncan feel when he enters into Macbeth house?

Very welcomed by Lady Macbeth and honored to be in their home

What is Macbeth reason to kill King Duncan?

Ambition to kill the king to become the king

What are Macbeth reasons to not kill King Duncan?

- he is family
- risk of punishment
- the chance that he might not be king if he does kill King Duncan
- he is King Duncans subject & hosting him
- taking his ambition too far could put him in danger
- he is afraid of going to hell
- King Duncan is a good man, trustworthy person, and a great king for Scotland

What is Macbeth tragic flaw?

ambition

What does Macbeth tell Lady Macbeth?

He doesn't want to kill the king

How does Lady Macbeth respond?

Calls Macbeth sickly & weak cause of what he said

How does Lady Macbeth convince Macbeth to kill the king?

- she softens her tone & tells him it would be so much more manly if he was king
- she brings up their baby that died in the past
- she said she would've killed the baby herself since he "promised" to be king

Who are they going to frame for the murder?

The guards
- they're going to get the guards very drunk so that they can't remember the night before

Why does Macbeth end up agreeing with Lady Macbeth?

To make her happy

Who is Fleance?

Banquo's son & is around 12 years old

What is the present that King Duncan gives Lady Macbeth for being such a great host?

A diamond

What did Macbeth lie to Banquo about?

Not thinking about the witches

What does Macbeth hallucinate about?

A dagger that drips with blood

Who is Pale Hecate?

- Goddess of the Moon & Witchcraft
- Leader of the 3 witches

What are the forces of evil that Macbeth is feeling?

- witchcraft
- Pale Hecate
- Wolfs
- Tarquin

How does Lady Macbeth feel that Macbeth is committing the murder?

Proud

Macbeth is freaking out about the murder, how is Lady Macbeth feeling?

She isn't taking the murder as serious as Macbeth is and she doesn't feel bad for what has been done

What does Macbeth forget to do after he commits the murder?

He forgets to leave the daggers by the guards

Who goes and returns the daggers to the room?

Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth thinks it'll be easy to clean the blood off themselves, what does Macbeth say when she says this?

"Even the entire ocean wouldn't be able to clean off this blood"

What is the porter pretending to be?

Doorkeeper to hell

What are the 3 things that the porter says is going to hell?

A farmer, equivocator and English tailor man

Who is going to wake up the king?

Macduff

What does Lennox talk about while Macduff goes and wakes the king?

How crazy the weather was last night & it felt like death was in the air

What happens when Macduff finds the dead king?

Mass chaos happens

How is Lady Macbeth acting amongst all the chaos?

Very calm

How is Macbeth acting amongst the chaos?

He is talking to much & seems guilty

Everyone thought the guards killed King Duncan, but what happens when Macbeth goes back into the room?

He kills the guards out of "anger"

What does Lady Macbeth do to get the attention off of Macbeth?

Faints

Who plans on leaving the country because King Duncan got murdered?

Donalbain- flees to Ireland
Malcolm- flees to England

Since King Duncan kids run away what is wide open?

The throne for king

Why is something off in the natural world?

An owl killed a falcon
Owl= Macbeth
Falcon= King Duncan

What happens to King Duncans horses?

They attack each other & break out their stables

Who do Macduff & Ross think killed the king?

- They think the guard were paid to kill the king
- They think King Duncans kids paid the guards

Who will be named King of Scotland since King Duncans sons fled the country?

Macbeth

Where will Macbeth coronation take place?

At Scone

Why does Macduff not attend Macbeth coronation?

- he is going home to Fife
- he does not agree with the choice of making Macbeth king
- he says there is no way Macbeth will be as good as Duncan was

What does Banquo suspect Macbeth of?

He suspects that Macbeth did something to become king

Why is Macbeth concerned about Banquo?

- he is very smart
- he is a very noble man
- he knows about the witches prophecy
- the witches said that Banquo's kids will be king

Who does Macbeth hire to kill Banquo and Fleance?

Two murderers

Why does Macbeth want Fleance to be killed?

The witches said he'll be a king one day

Why does Macbeth make fun of the murderers?

To give them a purpose to kill Banquo

What do we see with Lady Macbeth and Macbeths relationship?

It starts to struggle

Why is there now a power imbalance in their relationship?

- She used to call him "my dear" now she refers to him as "my lord"
- She has a servant ask Macbeth if he can talk not Lady Macbeth asking herself

What secret does Macbeth keep from Lady Macbeth?

That he is going to kill Banquo

Why does he not want Lady Macbeth to know?

He wants her to applaud him when Banquo is pronounced dead

Who is murdered?

Banquo

Who escapes the murderers?

Fleance

What proves the witches prophecy?

Fleance escaping the murderers

How many murderers ended up being by when Banquo died?

Three but Macbeth only hired two

What does Macbeth freak out about?

Fleance escaping

What does Macbeth see sitting in his chair?

Banquo's ghost

Why does Lady Macbeth pull Macbeth aside from the party?

So, she can calm him down, but he is still freaking out

What does Macbeth threaten to do to the ghost?

Threatens to fight the ghost

Why does Lady Macbeth kick everyone out of the house

She is afraid that Macbeth will tell everyone who's ghost he sees

What's happening to Macbeths mental heath?

It's Rapidly declining

Who does Macbeth go to see again?

The witches

Why is Hecate mad at the witches?

For giving prophecies to Macbeth, she thinks he's unworthy since he's spiteful and wrathful, also mad cause they didn't tell her

What is Hecate going to tell Macbeth in the morning?

That his fate is coming