The play opens with Macbeth and Banquo, two of the Scottish King Duncan’s

generals returning from battle when they encounter three witches in the
woods. The witches tell Macbeth of how he will become the Thane of Cawdor
and then the King of Scotland. For Banquo, they prophesize that he will beget
the line of Scottish Kings, though he will never become king himself. The two
are sufficiently skeptical and continue their journey home.

However, when the two come closer to the encampment, they are presented
with a messenger from King Duncan who announces that Macbeth has been
made the Thane of Cawdor, immediately putting the prophecy into
perspective, making Macbeth wonder how he might become king. He invites
Duncan to dine at his castle that evening and goes ahead to tell his wife of
the day’s events.

Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is very sure of her husband’s future, desiring
the throne and telling him that they must murder Duncan to ensure his
ascension. Immediately upon returning to his castle, Lady Macbeth is able to
convince her husband to take initiative and murder Duncan that very night.

The two plan to get Duncan’s chamberlains drunk enough that they will not
remember the evening and blame them for the murder. When the body of
Duncan is discovered in the morning, Macbeth quickly kills the “culprits” and
assumes the kingship. All the while, Duncan’s sons flee the country, afraid for
their own lives.

Immediately, Macbeth’s misgivings and trust in the prophecies force his hand
in the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance as well, afraid that his heirs will
seize the throne. Successfully killing Banquo, the murderers fail to kill
Fleance.

The night of his murder, Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth and sends him
into hysteria, scaring his guests and angering his wife. His very presence as
the king of Scotland has angered the other nobles and further incites
Macbeth’s misgivings and paranoia.

To ease his fears, he visits the witches again and they offer to him more
prophecies. He must beware of Macduff, a chief opponent to Macbeth taking
the throne. He cannot be harmed by any man born of woman and he is safe
until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. He returns home and finds
that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcom. In fear, Macbeth seizes
Macduff’s castle and orders the murder of his wife and children, inciting
Macduff to further rage. With Malcom, the two raise an army and ride to
Scotland to take on Macbeth with the support of the Scottish nobles who fear
Macbeth’s tyranny and murderous ways.

While Macbeth awaits his opponents, Lady Macbeth is in the process of going
mad, unable to wash the blood from her hands. The news of her suicide
reaches Macbeth directly before the arrival of the English forces and sends
him into an even deeper despair. He awaits confidently as the prophecy
foretold his invulnerability. However, Macduff’s forces arrive under the cover
of boughs cut from Birnam wood. When Macbeth is finally confronted by
Macduff after his forces have been overwhelmed, Macduff announces that he
was “ripped from his mother’s womb” not born and ultimately defeats and
beheads Macbeth, handing the crown back to Malcolm, the rightful heir.