Macbeth: A Short Summary
Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare that tells the story of a Scottish nobleman named Macbeth.
Act-I
The drama begins on a Scottish moor, with thunder and lightning in the background. Three witches, sometimes known as the Weird Sisters, emerge from the storm. They agree to meet again after the battle on the heath to confront Macbeth.
A wounded captain reports from a military camp outside King Duncan's palace at Forres on the Scots' battle with Irish invaders commanded by rebel Macdonwald. The captain applauds Generals Macbeth and Banquo for their bravery and violence. He relates how Macbeth murdered the disloyal Macdonwald. The Thane of Ross enters and informs King Duncan that the Thane of Cawdor has been vanquished and the Norwegian army expelled. Duncan orders the Thane of Cawdor's execution and gives Macbeth his title.
The witches reunite on the heath near the battlefield. They talk about their bad deeds; one of them has been killing swine, while another plots revenge on a sailor whose wife refuses to share her chestnuts. As Macbeth and Banquo enter, the witches greet him as Thane of Glamis (his previous title), Thane of Cawdor, and future king. They assure Banquo that his children will be kings, even if he himself will not be one. Macbeth is intrigued by these prophecies, but is doubtful of their veracity because he has not yet learned of his new title, Thane of Cawdor.
Act-II
Banquo and his son Fleance travel through the torch-lit halls of Macbeth's castle. Fleance mentions that it is after midnight, and his father responds that, while he is tired, he desires to stay awake because his sleep has recently prompted "cursed thoughts". Macbeth enters, and Banquo is startled to see him still standing. Banquo claims that the king is asleep and that he had a dream about the "three weird sisters." When Banquo argues that the witches have revealed "some truth" to Macbeth, he responds that he has not thought of them since their encounter in the woods.
Lady Macbeth impatiently awaits Macbeth's return from slaying Duncan. When Macbeth enters, he is appalled at what he has done. He has brought the daggers he used on Duncan, rather than leaving them in the room with Duncan's servants, as Lady Macbeth had intended.
A porter stumbles along the corridor to answer the knock, moaning humorously about the loudness and ridiculing whoever is behind the door. He compares himself to a porter at the gates of hell and inquires, "Who's there, i' th' name of Beelzebub?" Macduff and Lennox enter, and Macduff complains about the porter's delayed response to his knock. The porter claims that he was out late carousing and rambles on amusingly about the consequences of alcohol, which he claims causes red noses, tiredness, and urine. He goes on to say that drink "provokes and unprovokes" lechery, in that it makes one lustful while simultaneously removing the ability to have sexual relations. Macbeth enters, and Macduff asks if the king is awake, mentioning that Duncan had requested to see him early that morning. Macbeth informs Duncan that he is still sleeping in short, clipped phrases. He offers to take Macduff to see the king. As Macduff enters the king's chamber, Lennox narrates the storms that raged the night before, claiming that he has never witnessed anything like it in his life. With a scream of "Oh, horror, horror!" Macduff rushes out of the chamber, crying that the king has been assassinated.
Act-III
Banquo wanders through the royal palace at Forres, reflecting about Macbeth's crowning and the strange sisters' prophecies. The witches predicted that Macbeth would become king, and that Banquo's line would finally rule on the throne. If the first prophecy came true, Banquo reasoned, why not the second? Macbeth enters, dressed as king. He is followed by Lady Macbeth, his new queen, and the court. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth invite Banquo to the feast they are hosting that night.
It's nightfall, and the two murderers, now joined by a third, wait in a forested park near the palace. Banquo and Fleance arrive on horseback and dismount. They light a torch, and the murderers attack them. The murderers slay Banquo, who dies while encouraging his son to run and revenge his death.
Onstage, a table is piled high with food. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth approach as king and queen, followed by their court, whom they greet warmly. As Macbeth goes through the crowd, the first murderer appears in the doorway. Macbeth chats with him briefly after discovering that Banquo has died and Fleance has escaped. The news of Fleance's escape enrages Macbeth; if only Fleance had perished, he believes, his monarchy would be secure. On the contrary, "the worm that's fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed" (3.4.). When Macbeth returns to his guests, he goes to sit at the head of the royal table, only to discover Banquo's ghost in his chair. Macbeth, terrified, speaks to the ghost, who is unseen to the rest of the company. Lady Macbeth defends her husband's behaviour, claiming that he occasionally has such "visions" and that the guests should simply ignore it.
William Shakespeare
Act-IV
In a dark tunnel, a steaming cauldron hisses and spits, and the three witches appear on stage. They circle the pot, reciting spells and adding unusual ingredients to their stew—"eye of newt and toe of frog, / Wool of bat and tongue of dog" (4.1). Hecate appears and compliments the witches on their job. One of the witches then says, "By the pricking of my thumbs,/ Something wicked this way comes" (4.1). Macbeth enters, fulfilling the witch's prediction. He asks the witches to tell the truth about their forecasts to him. To answer his queries, they call terrifying apparitions, each of whom makes a forecast to assuage Macbeth's anxieties. First, a floating head cautions him to beware Macduff; Macbeth responds that he has already suspected as much. Then a bleeding infant arrives and assures him that "none of woman born / shall harm Macbeth" (4.1). Next, a crowned youngster clutching a tree assures him that he is secure until Birnam Wood relocates to Dunsinane Hill. Finally, a parade of eight crowned kings passes by, with the final carrying a mirror. Banquo's ghost walks at the end of the queue. Macbeth wants to know the meaning of this final vision, but the witches conduct a mad dance before vanishing. Lennox enters and informs Macbeth that Macduff has escaped to England. Macbeth decides to dispatch murderers to take Macduff's castle and kill his wife and children.
Lady Macduff confronts Ross in Macduff's castle, demanding to know why her husband has departed. She feels betrayed. Ross insists on trusting her husband's judgement before departing with remorse. Once he is gone, Lady Macduff informs her son that his father is no longer alive, but the young lad cleverly refutes this claim. Suddenly, a messenger rushes in to notify Lady Macduff that she is in danger and urges her to depart. Lady Macduff argues, claiming she has done nothing wrong. A bunch of murderers then enters. When one of them denounces Macduff, Macduff's son accuses the murderer of lying, and the murderer stabs him. Lady Macduff turns and flees, as the band of killers pursues her.
Outside King Edward's palace, Malcolm confronts Macduff, telling him that he does not trust him because he has abandoned his family in Scotland and may be working with Macbeth.
Act-V
In the king's palace at Dunsinane, a doctor and a lady talk about Lady Macbeth's peculiar sleepwalking habit. Lady Macbeth enters a trance, holding a candle. She appears to see blood on her hands and claims that nothing will ever wash it away.
Outside the castle, a group of Scottish lords discuss the military situation: the English army, led by Malcolm, is approaching, and the Scottish army will meet them outside Birnam Wood, presumably to join forces.
Macbeth walks inside Dunsinane Hall with the doctor and his attendants, proudly proclaiming that he has nothing to fear from the English army or Malcolm. He summons his servant Seyton, who reports that an army of 10 thousand Englishmen has approaching the fortress.
In the countryside near Birnam Wood, Malcolm discusses Macbeth's plan to defend the walled castle with the English lord Siward and his officers. They decide that each soldier will chop off a branch from the forest and carry it in front of him as they march to the castle, concealing their numbers. Outside the castle, the battle began. Initially, Macbeth appeared to be victorious when he killed the Siward's son and vanished. Macbeth then meets Macduff, who can satisfy both of the witches' prophecies. Macduff appears with Macbeth's head in his hand, announcing Malcolm as the next king.
Important Quotations:
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air." (Witches, Act I, Scene 1)
"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir." (Macbeth, Act I, Scene 3)
"Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty!" (Lady Macbeth, Act I, Scene 5)
"Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep" (Macbeth, Act II, Scene 2)
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