Act 1, Scene 1

Where : A desert place

Who : Three Witches

Summary : On a heath in Scotland, three withes wait to meet Macbeth in thunder and lightning. They say they will meet Macbeth “when the battle’s lost and won” and when “fair is foul and foul is fair”. By “when the battle’s lost and won”, Shakespeare means when one side wins the battle, the other has to loose. By “fair is foul and foul is fair”, he means appearances can be deceiving.

hurlyburly – commotion

ere – before

Act 1, Scene 2

Where : A military camp near Forres, Scotland.

Who : Duncan, Malcom, Captain/Sergeant, Lennox, Rosse, Angus

Summary : King Duncan of Scotland asks a wounded captain for news on the battle with Macdonwald and his people. He reports that the Scottish generals Macbeth and Banquo fought with courage, and describes how Macbeth slew Macdonwald. “With his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution” is how it is described. This is saying that the sword “smoked” with the blood of those executed. The thane of Rosse, a Scottish nobleman, enters and tells the King that the thane of Cawdor was defeated. Duncan says that Macbeth, the hero of the victorious army, be given Cawdor’s title. Rosse leaves to deliver the news to Macbeth.

“As two spent swimmers, that do cling together and choke their art.”

The sergeant says this while informing King Duncan about the battle between his army and the invading Norwegian army. He compares the two sides by giving the image of two tired swimmers clinging to each other to stay afloat. They attempt to defeat each other to save themselves from death. By “spent”, Shakespeare means “exhausted” and by “art” he means the art of swimming.

Act 1, Scene 3

Where : A heath

Who : Three Witches, Macbeth, Banquo, Angus, Ross

Summary : Three witches appear in thunderous weather. A drum beats and the third witch says that Macbeth is coming. Macbeth and Banquo, who are on their way to the king’s court at Forres, see the witches. Banquo asks if they are mortal because they don’t seem to be “inhabitants o’ th’ earth”. The witches hail Macbeth as both the thane of Glamis and the thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is confused as to why they called him the thane of Cawdor, as he only knows himself to be the Thane of Glamis. The witches also tell him he will one day be king. Macbeth asks the witches for more information but they start telling Banquo that he is “lesser than Macbeth, and greater”. This implies that although his title is lesser than that of Macbeth, he will also be greater because he will be the father of future Kings, as he will find out. They also say he will be “not so happy, yet much happier”. This means he won’t be as happy as Macbeth, but he will also be happier because he will be the father of future Kings. They then tell him that he will never be king but his children will be on the throne. Macbeth asks again why they named him the thane of Cawdor but they witches vanish. Macbeth and Banquo talk about their encounter with the witches. Their conversation is interrupted by Rosse and Angus arriving. Rosse tells Macbeth that the king has made him the thane of Cawdor because the previous thane is to be executed for treason. Macbeth is amazed that the witches prophecy came true. He asks Banqo if he wants his children to become kings. Banquo replies and says that devils often tell half-truths to “win us to our harm”. Macbeth ignores this and talks about how one day he may be king. He thinks about how he will come upon the throne; will he have to commit a dark deed or will it just happen.

Act 1 Scene 4

Where : A room in the King’s Palace

Who : Duncan, Malcom, Macbeth, Banquo

Summary : Duncan hears about the execution of the Thane of Cawdor from Malcom. He says he confessed of his crimes and died nobly. Duncan thanks Macbeth and Banquo as they enter, for their heroism in the battle. Duncan says is is going to make Malcom the heir to the throne. He says “We will establish our estate upon Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland” . Macbeth thinks about how Malcom now stands between him and the throne.

Act 1, Scene 5

Where : A room in Macbeth’s Castle

Who : Lady Macbeth, Messenger, Macbeth

Summary : Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth to herself. The letter informs her about his new title of Thane of Cawdor and their prophecy of him becoming king. She states that she thinks Macbeth is determined, but is fearful that he is too full of “th’ milk of human kindness” to do what he needs to do to become king. A messenger enters and tells Lady Macbeth that both the King and Mactbeth are on their way to the castle. As she waits for Macbeth, she delivers a soliloquy and says “you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty”. By this she means that she wants her femininity to be taken away so she can commit the bloody deed that needs to be completed in order for Macbeth to become King. Macbeth enters, and they discuss the upcoming visit of the King. He says that the King plans to leave the next day. and Lady Macbeth says that the King will never see tomorrow.

Words:

“that thou might’st not loose the dues of rejoicing” – so that you don’t miss out on the excitement of knowing what great things are in for you

“the milk of human kindness” – the natural qualities that Macbeth inherited from his mother, of behaving like a decent human being

illness – evil

Anything you really want (would’st highly), you want to achieve by fair means (holily), you don’t want to cheat (play false), but would be quite happy to win unfairly.

Hie thee hither – hurry here

The raven – ravens were the messengers of death

spirits that tend on mortal thoughts – evil spirits which listen to murderous plans

unsex me here – remove my feminine qualities

take my milk for gall – take away my milk and put bitter poison in its place you spirits (ministers) of murder (murderous ministers) whether your invisible bodies (sightless substances) you serve (wait on) the evil in nature!

solely sovereign sway – the absolute power of the throne

Act 1, Scene 6

Where : Macbeth’s Castle

Who : Duncan, Malcom, Donalbain, Banquo, Lenox, Macduff, Rosse, Angus, Attendants, Lady Macbeth

Summary : Duncan, the Noblemen and their attendants arrive at Macbeth’s castle. Duncan shows his approval of the castle’s setting and thanks Lady Macbeth who came out to greet them. She says it is her duty to be hospitable because both her and Macbeth owe so much to the King. This is ironic because she is planning on killing the king.

Act 1, Scene 7

Where : A room in Macbeth’s castle

Who : Macbeth, Lady Macbeth

Summary : Macbeth sits alone contemplating the murder of Duncan. He said that it would be easy to commit if it was certain that it wouldn’t be the beginning of a series of terrible events. He said he was willing to risk eternal damnation, then he realises that bloody actions “return / To plague th’inventor”. Macbeth thinks of the reasons he shouldn’t kill the King: Duncan is Macbeth’s kinsman, Macbeth is Duncan’s host, and the people think Duncan to be a good ruler. Macbeth then realises that there is no other reason, than his own ambition to one day become King, to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth enters, and Macbeth breaks his news of deciding not to kill the king to her. Lady Macbeth was enraged and called him a coward and questioned his manhood. He asks what will happen if they fail and she says as long as they are bold they will be successful. She tells him her plan: Then she tells him her plan: while Duncan sleeps, she will give his guards wine to make them drunk, and then Macbeth can slip in and murder Duncan. They will then frame the guards by wiping Duncan’s blood on them and leaving the daggers with them. Macbeth agrees to go ahead with the murder.

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other-“

He has no reason to kill the king other than his ambition of becoming king.

“And pity, like a naked new-born babe, striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin, horsed upon the sightless couriers of the air, shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, that tears shall drown the wind”

Macbeth personifies pity as an innocent baby standing astride the tempest (blast) of fury which would arise after Duncan’s murder; and then as a child-angel (cherubin) riding the winds (sightless couriers of the air), blowing the horror of the murder into people’s eyes to make them weep.

“Was the hope drunk….. hath it slept since and wakes it now, to look so green and pale”

Were you so optimistic earlier simply because you were drunk? Have you now woken, as though after a hangover and feel sick (green and pale) about it all?

esteem’st – consider to be

Act 2, Scene 1

Where : Court within the Castle

Who : Banquo, Fleance, Macbeth

When : At night

“How goes the night, boy?”

“The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.”

“And she goes down at twelve”

“I take ‘t, ‘t is later, Sir.”

Summary : Banquo and Fleance talk about the time being after midnight. Banquo says he would like to stay awake because his sleep has recently been infested with “cursed thoughts”. Macbeth enters, and Banquo is surprised that he is still awake at the late time. Banquo mentions his dream he had about the witches, and states that they had revealed “some truth” to Macbeth. Macbeth replies that he hasn’t thought about them at all since their encounter with them. Banquo and Fleance exit, and Macbeth has a vision of a dagger floating in the air, its handle pointing towards his hand and the tip of the dagger pointing towards Duncan. Macbeth tries to grab the dagger, and when he can’t, he wonders if the dagger is “a dagger of the mind / a false creation”. He decides that the dagger is just him feeling regret over an act he has not yet committed. Macbeth decides that he will kill the King. Lady Macbeth rings a bell, signalling that the King’s guards are drugged.

Quotes and Quote Analysis :

“Is this a dagger I see before me, The handle toward my hand?”

This quote represents a turning point for Macbeth. Although he has not yet committed the murder of King Duncan, he is already feeling the guilt. The dagger is said to be invisible, implying Macbeth is a little crazy as he is seeing things that are not there. He said it is “a dagger of the mind” that he thought of in due to fear and guilt.

“I go and it is done: the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell that summons the to heaven or to hell.”

Macbeth gave in to Lady Macbeth urging him to kill Duncan. The line “I go and it is done” refers to when he gets a signal from Lady Macbeth and shows that he has decided to go ahead with the murder. “The bell invites me” is his way of blaming someone or something other than himself for the murder. He makes out that the bell is telling him to and also includes Lady Macbeth in his decision as she is the one that rang the bell. “Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell that summons the to heaven or to hell.” Is saying that Macbeth does not want Duncan to hear the bell as Macbeth’s decision has sealed Duncan’s fate with his intended murder.

“there’s husbandry in heaven, their candles are all out.”

Things are not well with the weather so the characters are lead to believe something will go wrong. This quote is said on the night of Duncan’s murder. The stars are not shining and the night is dark, as the King’s world is intended to be.

Act 2, Scene 2

Where : Court within castle

Who : Lady Macbeth, Macbeth

Summary : Lady Macbeth states that she drugged the King’s guards, and would even have killed Duncan herself if he hadn’t looked so much liker her father in his sleep. Macbeth enters with bloody hands. He tells the story of two people that awoke as he was committing the murder. One cried “Murder”. After saying their prayers both went back to sleep. They said “God bless” but Macbeth was unable to say “Amen”. This is because he committed a bad deed and damned his soul by murdering King Duncan. Lady Macbeth says “Consider it not so deeply”, meaning if he doesn’t think about it, it will go away, whereas Macbeth is filled with regret. . Lady Macbeth notices that Macbeth is still holding the bloody daggers, and tried to get him to go and frame the guards, but he refuses by saying “”I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again I dare not”. Due to Macbeth’s refusal, Lady Macbeth takes the daggers from him and leaves to plant the swords and smear the blood on the King”s guards. Knocks are heard from inside, and both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hurry back to their chambers so they don’t look suspicious. Macbeth says “Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst!”. This means that he wishes that the knocking that could be heard would wake Duncan from his eternal rest.

“That death and nature do contend about then, whether they live or die” is Lady Macbeth imagining figures of Life and Death fighting to determine the fate of the servants.

“The attempt, and not the deed, confounds us” means if Macbeth gets caught, they would be ruined by the killing rather than actually committing the murder.

“Macbeth does murder sleep” means sleep is ‘murdered’ because: Macbeth murdered Duncan while he slept and now will not be able to sleep himself. This is personification.

“They pluck out mine eyes” is Macbeth saying he wants to ‘pluck’ out his eyes so he us unable to see his bloody hands.

Act 2, Scene 3

Where : Room in castle

Who : Porter, Macduff, Lenox, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Donalbain, Malcolm

Summary : Knocking is heard, and a porter is going to answer it while complaining. Macduff and Lenox enter and Macduff complains about how slow the porter was at answering his knocks. The porter says he was up late drinking. He states the effects of alcohol as red noses, sleepiness, and urination. He says that it also “provokes and unprovokes” lechery. This means provokes one to be lustful, while taking away the ability to have sex. Macbeth enters, and Macduff asks if Duncan is awake. Macbeth says that he is still asleep. Macbeth takes Macduff to the king. Macduff comes running out of the Kings chambers yelling about how the King had been murdered. Lady Macbeth appears stating her horror about such a dark deed being committed in her household. Malcolm and Donalbain enter and are informed of the murder of their father that is most likely committed by his guards. Macbeth declares that he killed the guards. Macduff is suspicious of the deaths of the guards, and Macbeth said that he was so angry about the death of Duncan that he couldn’t stop himself. Lady Macbeth faints. Malcolm and Donalbain believe that they are not safe, and they think that their fathers murderer will attempt to murder them next. Malcom says he will go to England and Donalbain to Ireland.

An equivocator is not someone that actually lies, but doesn’t tell the full truth.

“Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope / The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence / The life o’ the building!”

This means that Duncan would be thought of as God’s representative on Earth, so to kill him would be sacrilege (against God).

“The expedition of my violent love” is Macbeth saying his love for the King cause him to act with haste and didn’t stop and think.

Act 2, Scene 4

Where : Outside the castle

Who : Old Man, Rosse, Macduff

Summary : Rosse and an old man are talking outside of the castle. They are discussing the strange and dreadful activities that had occurred over the last few days. Rosse says “by the clock ‘t is day, and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.” this means that is is day time but it is dark outside.

Act 3, Scene 1

Where : Forres, The Palace

Who : Macbeth, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, Murderer 1, Murderer 2

Summary : Banquo thinks about the coronation of Macbeth as King and the prophecies of the witches. Because the witches prophecies showed truth for Macbeth, he thinks that they may show truth for him. Macbeth enters as King and is followed by Lady Macbeth. They invite Banquo to a feast they are holding that night. Banquo says he will attend the feast but he is planning on riding his horse that afternoon. Macbeth says they should talk about Malcom and Donalbain because they fled to Ireland and England so may be plotting against him as King. Banquo departs and Macbeth is left with a servant. He asks if the men that were there to see him were still there and asks the servant to get them. Then he delivers a soliloquy. He says that Banquo is the only person in Scotland that he is afraid of. He says if the witches prophecies are true he will not have an heir to the crown. He said that Duncans murder may have made it easy for Banquo’s sons to overthrow Macbeth. The servant returns with the two murderers that he had talked to and hired the previous day. He tells them that it was Banquo that was responsible for their poor life and asks if they are willing and angry enough to murder both Banquo and his son Fleance. They say they are and Macbeth tells them to wait in the castle until his command.

“Fruitless crown” No heir to throne.

Act 3, Scene 2 :

Where : The Palace

Who : Lady Macbeth, Waiting Gentlewoman, Macbeth

Summary : Lady Macbeth asks a servant to get Macbeth. Macbeth enters and says that killing Duncan was not enough because Banquo and Fleance. He says he has “a deed of dreadful note” planned for both Banquo and Fleance. He tells Lady Macbeth to be cheery and kind to Banquo during the feast to make Banquo think he is safe.

Act 3, Scene 3 :

Where : a park with a road leading to the palace

Who : 3 Murderers, Banquo, Fleance

Summary : Two murderers are joined by a third who they did not know was coming. Banquo and Fleance approach with their horses and light a torch. The murderers kill Banquo but Fleance flees. As Banquo dies he is telling Fleance to flee and avenge his death. The murderers leave with the body of Banquo and go to find Macbeth and tell him what happened.

Act 3, Scene 4 :

Where : a room in the palace where a banquet is prepared

Who : Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Rosse, Lenox, Lords and Attendants

Summary : Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter a banquet room as King and Queen. They are followed by their guests. The murderers appear at the door and speaks to Macbeth. Macbeth is informed of Banquo’s death and Fleance’s escape. Macbeth is angered by Fleance’s escape.

Quote : “There the grown serpent lies: the worm, that’s fled, hath nature that in time will venom bleed”

Banquo is compared to the “grown serpent” and Fleance the “worm” (young snake). Macbeth is saying that Fleance has no power now but is still a threat because he could have power in the near future.

Summary Continued : Macbeth returns to the table, but is horrified to find the ghost of Banquo in his seat. Macbeth speaks to the ghost that can be seen only by him. Lady Macbeth says that the guests should stay seated and that Macbeth occasionally has ‘visions’ or ‘episodes’ such as this and that it’s nothing to worry about. She speaks to Macbeth and questions his manhood and tells him to snap out of it. Macbeth says “I have a strange infirmity which is nothing to those that know me”. He toasts his guests but Banquo’s ghost returns. Lady Macbeth continues making excuses for him but sends her guests away.