Summary
The play begins with a trio of witches.
The scene moves to a military camp where the Scottish King Duncan hears that Macbeth and Banquo have defeated two separate invading armies. As the men cross the moorland they encounter the witches. The witches prophesy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland, while Banquo will produce a line of kings although he will not become King himself. The men do not really pay attention to the prophesies until they are congratulated by King Duncan’s men and it is confirmed that Macbeth is indeed the thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is intrigued and wonders if the rest of the witches prophecy where he becomes king will be fulfilled but is not certain about what to expect. Macbeth meets King Duncan where make plans to have dinner together that night at Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth writes a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, about the latest developments.
Lady Macbeth is not as uncertain as Macbeth and desires him to be king and wants to murder King Duncan in order to obtain the kingship, she overrules all her husband’s opposition and convince him to kill King Duncan. The plan the make the chamberlains drunk until they blackout and blame the murder n them. Despite his own objections and supernatural omens, Macbeth stabs King Duncan while he is asleep, King Duncan is found dead the next morning and Macbeth kills the guards supposedly out of rage at their crimes, he assumes the kingship and Duncan’s Sons flee to England and Ireland respectively as they fear that the same person that killed Duncan might want to kill them as well.
Macbeth orders a hit on, Banquo and his son Fleance, in fear that he might seize the throne, the group of murders ordered to kill Fleance fail in their attempt making Macbeth more anxious about the security of his kingship position. At a banquet the ghost of Banquo visit Macbeth and he makes a big scene in front of his guests who include Scottish nobility, Lady Macbeth tries to rescue the situation but his kingship arouses increasing resistance. Frightened Macbeth goes to the witches cave where a sequence of demons and spirits show him a series of further prophecies: He must be aware of Macduff , he is incapable of being harmed by a man not born of a woman and that he is safe until Birman wood comes to Dunsinane castle. When Macbeth hears that Macduff has fled to England he orders the castle to be seized and that Lady Macduff and he children be murdered.
Macduff is grief stricken with the news that his family has been killed and vows that revenge. Duncan’s son, Prince Malcolm has succeeded in raising an army in England and Macduff joins as he rides to Scotland to challenge Macbeth’s invasion. Lady Macbeth in the mean time has started suffering from sleepwalking in which she believes that her hands are bloodstained; she commits suicide just before Macbeth’s opponents arrive. He retreats to Dunsinane castle where he has retreated but he is struck with numb fear when he hears that the English army is making their way to Dunsinane castle with boughs of Birnam wood; Birnam Wood is indeed coming to Dunsinane castle, fulfilling half of the witches’ prophecy. On the battlefield Macbeth encounters Macduff where he declares that he was not born of man and was untimely ripped from his mother’s womb i.e. he was born via a Cesarean Section. They continue to fight until Macduff kills and beheads Macbeth. Malcolm now the king of Scotland now declares his caring intentions for the country and invites everyone to see him crowned at Scone.