Duncan's Murder from "Macbeth"

Summary: Essay is in the form of a news article regarding the murder of Duncan from William
Shakespeare's "Macbeth."

Duncan the king of Scotland was murdered in the castle of Macbeth the thane of Galmis and Cawdor
at midnight on 12th November 1556. The king was murdered on his bed with a dagger . Two grooms
of king were also dead; covered with blood of Duncan on their face and with the dagger used to kill
him.
Macduff being the first one to react said in horror that "murder hath broke ope the lord`s
antinone and stole thence the life of building".Soon after this there was lot of commotion
in the castle and the alarm bell was rung. Everybody was informed about this incident.
Macbeth was very upset and expressed his distress and great loss by saying that "the
wine of life is drawn and the mere lees is left this vault to brag of". He also went to the
extent of showing his love and affection towards the king by adding that "Had I but died
an hour before this chance". On the other hand Malcolm and Donalbain the king`s sons
did not have much to say and remained silent.
Lady Macbeth fainted as Macbeth was giving the explanation of his repent of fury which
had made him to kill the guards of the king. Banquo (nobleman) showed his
determination of finding the killer by saying that" against the undivulged pretence I fight
of treasonous malice".The people of Scotland were also shocked at Duncan's murder.
The night Duncan was murdered was very wild. People heard lamenting painful ghostly
cries. Many of the chimneys were blown down. Some people said that they could hear
Screeching of owl.
Since Malcom and Donalbain both have escaped from the castle and left the country. So
they are considered to be main suspects of Duncan`s murder. While Macbeth was the
next closest to king after his sons so he was made the king. Coronation of Macbeth is
going to take place soon. The killer of king's mystery still unsolved.
In Macbeth what does "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" really mean?

In Macbeth, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” is a motif that runs throughout the play. At the
most basic level, it means that appearances can be deceiving: that which seems “fair” and
good is actually “foul” and evil. The best example of this motif is Macbeth himself. At the
beginning of the play, King Duncan believes Macbeth to be a loyal servant but Macbeth
eventually betrays Duncan’s trust and murders him to steal the throne.

I wish I could answer that as straightforwardly as you ask it!

What the line points to is the play's concern with the discrepancy between appearance and
reality: that is, the difference between how someone seems and how someone is. It is a
central concern of Shakespeare's, and obviously one that fits well with the medium of theatre,
which relies on actors seeming to be something that they most definitely aren't.

Macbeth, when he -...

How does Macbeth's character change throughout the course of the play?
Macbeth’s character changes a great deal over the course of the play. At the beginning of the
play, Macbeth is a respected Thane who has shown great loyalty to King Duncan. Soon after,
Macbeth succumbs to ambition and, encouraged by a prophecy and Lady Macbeth, murders
King Duncan to take his throne. This betrayal throws Macbeth into a state of guilt and fear,
prompting him to murder again and again to satisfy his paranoia. By the end of the play, he
has become an evil tyrant and is rightfully deposed and killed for his crimes.

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a respected general, a devoted husband, and a loyal
subject of the king. The first of the witches' prophecies bring out his ambitious nature, but he
struggles with killing the king. By attacking his manhood, Lady Macbeth convinces him to
committ the first of his evil deeds. Macbeth's evil deed causes him to suffer from fear and
guilt, which leads to even more evil crimes. Then Macbeth...

What are two quotes that show

Lady Macbeth manipulating Macbeth in Macbeth?

The quotes you are looking for are in Act I, Scene vii. Macbeth is having second thoughts
about killing Duncan, but Lady Macbeth refuses to allow him to pass up the opportunity to be
king. Lady Macbeth says the following lines to him:

Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?(40) And wakes it now,
to look so green and pale At what it did so freely? From this time Such...

How is Macbeth a tragic hero?

Macbeth is a tragic hero because he meets three of the four criteria as outlined by Aristotle.

According to Aristotle in the Poetics, the following characteristics are representative of a

tragic hero:
1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily
evident in the play. The character must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO
embody nobility and virtue as part of his/her innate character.

Aristotle shared his view of what makes a tragic hero in his Poetics. Aristotle suggests that a hero
of a tragedy must evoke in the audience a sense of pity or fear, saying, “the change of fortune
presented must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity." [2] In
other words, the focus of the tragic hero should not be in the loss of his prosperity. He
establishes the concept that the emotion of pity stems not from a person becoming better but
when a person receives undeserved misfortune - and fear comes when the misfortune befalls a
man like us. This is why Aristotle points out the simple fact that, “The change of fortune should be
not from bad to good, but, reversely, from good to bad.” According to Aristotle a tragic hero is
thought to be a man whose misfortune comes to him, "not through vice or depravity but by some
error of judgment." In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, for example, the title character kills a man
without knowing that the man in question is his father, then marries his mother out of ignorance.
Creon of Sophocles' Antigone is another notable example of a tragic hero. Polyneices and his
brother, Eteocles, were kings, and the former wanted more power, so he left and assembled an
army from a neighboring city. They attacked and the two brothers killed each other. Through
Creon's law forbidding the burial of Polyneices, Creon dooms his own family. Other examples
provided by Aristotle include Thyestes.
Therefore, the Aristotelian hero is characterized as virtuous but not "eminently good," which
suggests a noble or important personage who is upstanding and morally inclined while
nonetheless subject to human error. Aristotle's tragic heroes are flawed individuals who commit,
without evil intent, great wrongs or injuries that ultimately lead to their misfortune, often followed
by tragic realization of the true nature of events that led to this destiny. [3] This means the hero still
must be - to some degree - morally grounded. The usual irony in Greek tragedy is that the hero is
both extraordinarily capable and highly moral (in the Greek honor-culture sense of being duty-
bound to moral expectations), and it is these exact, highly-admirable qualities that lead the hero
into tragic circumstances. The tragic hero is snared by his or her own greatness: extraordinary
competence, a righteous passion for duty, and (often) the arrogance associated with greatness
(hubris).

.How does the character of Lady Macbeth change throughout the play 'Macbeth'?

The most obvious way we see her change is her mindset and attitude toward guilt. In the
beginning she is ruthless and will do anything to make sure her husband becomes king. We
see this right away when we first meet her in Act 1, scene 5. She receives the letter from
Macbeth and immediately sees the opportunity and starts to make plans. She
questions Macbeth's strength and if he's too kind to go through with...

Can you provide a short summary of Macbeth?

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a brave and loyal Thane to King Duncan. After
hearing a prophecy that he will become king himself, Macbeth is overcome by ambition and
greed. Bolstered by the prophecy and his wife’s encouragement, he kills King Duncan and
takes the throne. Afterwards, Macbeth’s guilt, fear, and paranoia lead him to commit even
more murders to secure his power. His confidence in the prophecies eventually leads to his
downfall and he is overthrown and killed by those he has wronged.

Macbeth is a play of contradiction and ambition. Driven to becoming King, Macbeth will kill
all and any that get in his way. He puts his faith in the words and prophesies of three witches,
after their first one (that he will become Thane of Cawdor) comes through. Macbeth's wife,
Lady Macbeth, is instrumental is Macbeth's ambition, egging him on when he fears he has
gone to far, and scheming of greatness. See the link below for the enotes summary page.

Summary of Macbeth

Act 1

Macbeth, the once heroic protagonist, had won both battles against the rebel army as well
as the Norwegian army. On hearing this, King Duncan decided to reward Macbeth with the
title of Thane of Cawdor as well as pay him a visit at his castle. Meanwhile, on their way
home, Macbeth and Banquo meet the 3 witches which we have encountered in Act 1 Scene
1. The 3 witches prophesy that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor (he does not know the king
entitled him already) and future king of Scotland. They then tell Banquo that he will be the
father of a long line of kings. As soon as the witches disappear, Macbeth receives the news
that he has been made Thane of Cawdor. It is here that belief in the witches kindles inside
Macbeth, so much so that he reveals his hopes for the crown. He immediately sends word to
his wife, Lady Macbeth, who driven by her ambition convinces her husband to murder the
king and take fate into his own hands.

Act 2

The act of murder is carried out, however it has left Macbeth in great distress and in a state
of shock. Lady Macbeth criticizes her husband for being weak but helps him to cover up the
deed to look innocent. When Duncan's body is discovered and Macduff and Macbeth go by
the King's side. Macbeth conveniently kills the guards so that he can blame them and no one
can say otherwise. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee the country out of fear that
someone is out to get them. As foretold, Macbeth is crowned king of Scotland. Macduff has
his doubts about Macbeth and does not attend the coronation.

Act 3

Banquo suspects Macbeth of treachery. Macbeth is aware with this, along with the fact that
Banquo is destined to be ancestor to a line of kings. This gives him enough 'reason' to hire 2
murders to get rid of Banquo along with his son Fleance. Banquo's ghost appears to
Macbeth during the banquet, terrorizing him. Lady Macbeth tell their guests to leave due to
Macbeth's supposed fits. He then decides to visit the witches and demand more prophesies.
Whilst all this is going on, Macduff had fled to England to get Malcolm back on the throne.
Act 4

Through visiting the witches, Macbeth acquires somewhat comforting news. He is told that
he should fear Macduff, however, no one of woman born can hurt him. He is also told that he
will not be beaten until Birnam woods moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth gets the impression
that he is indestructible, even though he has based all the prophesies on face value. He
orders the murder of Macduff's family and servants as pay back to Macduff for openly
disapproving with Macbeth being king. In England, Macduff's loyalty is tested by Malcolm
and after seeing that he is indeed loyal to his country, even to the extent of sacrificing his
family, he agrees to provide an army and accompany him to Scotland to take down Macbeth.

Act 5

On hearing that an English army is heading their way for battle, Macbeth prepares for battle
with what little remains of his army. Lady Macbeth has broken down under the strain of
recent events and commits suicide. However this is the very least of Macbeth's worries as
his life appears to lacks meaning. Macbeth could not believe his ears when he was told that
Birnam wood was in fact moving to Dunsinane... the English army was camouflaged with
branches. Macduff goes to fight Macbeth and it is here that Macbeth learns that Macduff was
born by Caesarian (not considered woman born in those times) and so, like the rest of the
witch's prophesies, the last foretelling has come true. Macbeth is killed and Macduff hails
Malcolm as king of Scotland.

In Macbeth, what were the three predictions of the witches?

When Macbeth and Banquo first encounter them in Act 1, Scene 3 of the play, the three
witches make three predictions:

The Second Witch predicts that Macbeth will be made Thane of Cawdor.

"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!

The Third Witch predicts that Macbeth will become king.

All hail, Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter!

Then Banquo asks them to predict his own future.

If you can look into the seeds...

Why Did Macbeth Kill Macduff's Family

Why does Macbeth have Macduff's family murdered?

As Macbeth descends into insanity he becomes utterly obsessed with eliminating any threats
to his power. In determining which threats to heed Macbeth becomes enthralled with all of
the ideas that the witches give to him, believing that all of the their prophetic warnings will
come true. It is clear that Macbeth seeks to eliminate threats to his own power due to the fact
that he first murders Banquo and his children in order to ensure that Banquo's children will
not pose a threat to Macbeth's rule (or that of his familial line). Moreover, in heeding the
witches prophecy (who warn him of Macduff), Macbeth is required to take action against
Macduff. When the murderers arrive to Lady Macduff's hiding place, they seek to find
Macduff himself, perhaps not fully aware that he has fled, and instead find the family there.
They kill the family in part to eliminate the threat to Macbeth, but also to send the message
to Macduff that they will not fear him and that they believe him to be a traitor. Ironically, it is
in this moment that Macbeth seals his own fate. By murdering Macduff's family he ensures
that Macduff will retaliate and instigate an insurgency against him, ultimately concluding in
Macbeth's downfall. This is the final act in the course of events that guarantees Macbeth's
eventual death.

Macbeth has two reasons for having Macduff's wife and children murdered. The first is to
enact revenge against Macduff, who has fled to England to join Duncan's son Malcolm and
assist in raising an army to attack Scotland and place Malcolm on the throne. The second
reason is to make an example of Macduff and discourage other men from deserting him. In
Act 4. Scene 1, Macbeth says: "The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife, give
to th' edge o' th' sword / His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his
line." This is typical behavior for a tyrant. It is the sort of terrorism Adolf Hitler was to
employ during World War II when officers and enlisted men believed that the war was lost
and were turning against him. Macbeth can no longer count on loyalty or patriotism and feels
he must rule by fear.
 Macbeth is sinking deeper into insanity. He is all consumed with doing whatever it takes to
keep his crown. After he sees the witches again, he fears that Macduff poses the biggest threat
to him. The witches warn Macbeth.

"Beware Macduff, beware the Thane of fire. The power of man, for none born of woman,
shall harm Macbeth"

This frightens Macbeth so he wants to get rid of the threat. Macduff is in England helping
Malcolm build an army. Malcolm is the son of Duncan, who Macbeth killed. Macbeth knows
that Macduff's loyalties don't lie with him, and this makes him angry. He sends his murderers
to kill Macduff's family. Macduff's wife is angry that her husband has left her and their
children and tells her son that he is dead. A messenger shows up to try to warn her to take her
children and leave, but she doesn't. She tells him:

"Whither should I fly? I have done no harm. But I remember now I am in this earthly world;
where to do harm is often laudable, to do good sometime accounted dangerous folly: Why
then, alas, do I put up that womanly defense, to say I have done no harm?"

Lady Macduff won't leave and in the end she and her children and servants are all killed.
Macbeth thinks that, by the witches warning, Macduff was born by some supernatural force,
however he was born by a caesarean section, so he was born by not supernatural deeds, but is
the downfall of Macbeth after all.

What five words could be used to describe each of the main characters?
Five words is not a lot to describe the extremely complex characters of
Shakespeare's Macbeth, but here is a longer list of adjectives for each of the main characters.
I think that a lot of these descriptor words are up to interpretation, so they depend on the
individual reader's opinions. For instance, a character like Banquo, although he shows up
often, does not have a strong personality. Some variations of descriptive words for characters
might be:

Macbeth- contemplative, selfish, cruel, weak, hesitant, haunted, zealous, tyrant, desirous

Lady Macbeth- manipulative, persuasive, ambitious, strong, ruthless, sensual, grotesque, liar,
dominant, action-oriented, mad, powerful, willful, aggressive, purposeful, passionate

Duncan- fair, respected, naive, trusting, happy, jolly, jovial, optimistic, meek, moral, terrible
judge of character

Banquo- brave, loyal, diplomatic, virtuous, friendly, insightful, astute, shrewd

Macduff- emotional, courageous, strong-willed, righteous, justice-oriented, focused,

deliberate, heroic, responsive, intuitive

Malcolm- naive (at first), dignified, honest, suspicious, clever, brave, flexible, open-minded
The three witches/weird sisters (as well as Hecate and all the other apparitions that show up)-
evil, creepy, spooky, eerie, loud, troublemaking, prophetic

I would describe Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as ambitious. I would describe Macbeth as
ruthless, and Lady Macbeth as sensitive. I would describe Malcolm as intelligent and
honorable. I would describe the witches as manipulative and cruel. Finally, Banquo is timid.

King duncan kind, lovable, nice, good ruler.Macbeth brave, ambitious, violent,power
hungery, rude in the later.Lady macbeth ambitious, good in manipulating and pursuing her
husband , sort of intelligent and clever in the act of mudering the king when they were
making plannings.banquo timid,coward.Witches evil sisters
Macbeth Ambition Quotes
What are the main quotes (with line numbers) that develop the theme of ambition
in Macbeth?

In Act I, Sc. v Lady Macbeth speaks about Macbeth’s ambition: “...thou wouldst be great;/Art
not without ambition, but without/The illness should attend it:...” (I.v.18-20) This important
quote enables us to understand Macbeth’s nature which is "too full o' the milk of human
kindness...." Lady Macbeth’s provocation enlivens the evil residing in Macbeth and his
ambition receives a new dimension: “I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but
only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on the other" (I.vii.25-28).

Later in Act II, Sc. iv Ross considers the hollowness of an ambition, which can destroy a
person’s life: “Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up/Thine own life's means!” (II.iv.28-29).
Undoubtedly, Ross’s comment about "suborn'd:/ Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two
sons" is ironic in nature as, at the end of the play, Macbeth too will lose his life for his own
“vaulting ambition.”

Note: The line numbers vary according to editions. The above line numbers are provided
according to the Arden edition of Macbeth.

In addition to re-reading the play, you can find quotes at the eNotes link provided below to
help you find lines from the play related to ambition. But here are a few to get you started:

Macbeth (after hearing the witches' prophecies for him):

"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me/ Without my stir." (Act I, scene iii)

Lady Macbeth (after Macbeth killed Duncan and seems weak from the experience):
"Infirm of purpose!/ Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead/ Are but as pictures: 'tis
the eye of childhood/ That fears a painted devil." (Act II, scene ii)

Macbeth (trying to prepare himself to kill Duncan):

"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps
itself/And falls on the other...." (Act I, scene vii)

I hesitate giving line numbers as every edition of Macbeth will have different line numbering.
It would be best if you looked up the quotes by their act and scene numbers to find where
they are located in the edition you are using.

A good quote would be, "Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,/But be the
serpent under't" (1.5). Lady Macbeth says that to Macbeth.

She is trying to say that he should look like he is pure in the eyes of the king and his men.
"Look like" a flower is a simile; this tells us that Macbeth should maintain the look of
innocence even though he is about to act like a "serpent." This is an allusion to Adam and
Eve, the serpent meaning the devil. This shows us that Lady Macbeth is trying to influence
him into murdering King Duncan.
 So all this shows us that Lady Macbeth is driving her ambition into Macbeth. The
Shakespearean audience would of being shocked because, at the time, they were living in a
patriarchal society, meaning that men were more dominant than and superior to women.

Present a study guide of Acts 1 and 2 of Macbeth which includes quotes and
important notes .
The following guidelines will focus on the most important themes in the play and provide
relevant quotes accompanied by a discussion to illustrate their significance. Stage directions
and their importance are also mentioned.

Themes in Macbeth:

 Equivocation and paradox

 Appearance and reality
 Ambition
 Power corrupts
 Guilt

Act 1, Scene 1:

The scene opens with thunder and lighting used to foreshadow coming disruption. The three
witches, who are agents of evil, and who will play a pivotal role in influencing Macbeth and,
therefore, the events which will unfold, are also introduced. They plan to meet Macbeth after
the war.

Quote:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

The quote establishes the themes of equivocation and paradox, and appearance versus
reality. The witches' paradoxical statement means that whatever seems good is bad and vice
versa. The implication is that one can be deceived by appearances for they might signify
something completely different or the opposite. The witches perform magic and concoct
potions to affect or alter the natural state of things.

Act 1, Scene 2:

The scene is quite informative and tells about the reasons for the war in Scotland. More
importantly, it tells us of Macbeth, who is depicted as a loyal and courageous soldier who
is unrelenting in his fight against those who wish to harm Scotland and his king. An injured
soldier reports the following to King Duncan:
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour's minion carved out his passage

Macbeth is clearly held in high esteem. He is a ruthless warrior who will not allow anything
to prevent him from fulfilling his task. He is a man of honor who dearly loves his country and
his king. Duncan is so impressed by his actions that he decides to reward him with a new
title. He tells Ross to greet Macbeth with the title of the Thane of Cawdor, the previous Thane
being a man the king trusted who is now to be executed for treason. This further supports the
theme of appearance and reality, since the king had been deceived by Cawdor's displays of
loyalty and love.

Act 1, Scene 3:

Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches. They extend three (a charmed number)
contrasting greetings to each of the two generals. They greet Macbeth with his current title,
Thane of Glamis, add the title Thane of Cawdor, and tell him that he will be "king hereafter."
Banquo asks why they greet Macbeth with such esteemed titles while they don't address him.
The witches then proceed to greet him.

The difference in their greetings is that their salutations to Macbeth are direct and need no
further explanation, while their welcome to Banquo is paradoxical:

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Not so happy, yet much happier.
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:

The equivocation is obvious, linking with their earlier statement of "fair is foul, and foul is
fair." The witches are alluding to future events and are predicting that even though Banquo
will have a lesser status than Macbeth, his legacy will be better. He will be happier than
Macbeth for he will be at peace while Macbeth will be overwhelmed by turmoil, paranoia,
and guilt.

Later in this scene, Ross informs Macbeth that he has been awarded Cawdor's title. He is
overwhelmed by the news and, as Banquo puts it, is "rapt withal." We learn of Macbeth's
ambition:

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,

Without my stir.

He believes that since the witches' first prediction about becoming the Thane of Cawdor has
come true, it naturally follows that he will be "king hereafter."

Macbeth has made up his mind and has decided that, no matter what happens, he will do
whatever is necessary to become king.
Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

At the end of the scene, he asks Banquo for an open discussion on the witches' predictions
and what has just transpired.

Act 1, Scene 4:

The scene plays out in Duncan's castle. The king warmly greets both Macbeth and Banquo,
although Banquo is the one he embraces, which suggests a greater closeness between the two.
King Duncan pronounces Malcolm, his eldest son, Prince of Cumberland, which means that
he will become the next king. Macbeth is clearly upset at this and says in an aside:

The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step

On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies.

He sees Malcolm's appointment as a hurdle to his ambition and decides that he has to do
something to overcome it. We are informed of the dark side of his goal when he says:

Stars, hide your fires;

Let not light see my black and deep desires:
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be,
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.

Macbeth is filled with malice, and he pleads to the stars to grow dark so that none may,
metaphorically, see his wicked aspiration.

Act 1, Scene 5:

In this short scene, we are introduced to Lady Macbeth, who is reading a letter from her
husband informing her of the good tidings. She is overjoyed that he has been awarded the
title Thane of Cawdor, but fears that, although he has ambition, he lacks the ruthlessness to
commit evil to further his goal:

yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it:

She believes that Macbeth is too kind-hearted and sincere to perform as heinous a deed
such as a regicide. She is overjoyed when she later hears about Duncan's imminent arrival at
her castle. She calls on the powers of darkness to turn her into an evil and ruthless man who
has no qualms in committing the greatest villainy.

Come, you spirits

...unsex me here,
 And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty!

She also beseeches the powers of nature, as much as her husband did, to hide her evil intent.

It is apparent that the wicked couple are of the same mind. They want to kill Duncan or
whoever else they need to destroy to gain power. When she meets Macbeth she makes it clear
that Duncan will not see the light of day, and further tells him that whatever they are planning
should be left mainly to her.

Act 1, Scene 6:

On his arrival at Macbeth's castle, Duncan ironically remarks:

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.

His words accentuate the theme of appearance and reality, for what he perceives contrasts
directly with what the malicious Macbeths are planning for him. Lady Macbeth extends the
irony by stating:

All our service

In every point twice done and then done double

The pun on the word point should be pertinently evident. The evil couple plan to murder the
king - a pointy reckoning indeed!

Act 1, Scene 7:

The scene establishes the finalization of the Macbeths' evil plot and indicates Macbeth's
initial refusal and doubt about going through with their malicious plan.

In his soliloquy, Macbeth provides some reasons why he cannot possibly consider murdering
Duncan:

 He is related to the king - they are cousins.

 He is Duncan's servant (subject).
 He is Duncan's host and should protect and not harm him.
 Duncan has been a good king, and his untimely and foul death will provoke a huge
outcry.
 He does not have any real reason to kill the king except ambition.

It is on this basis that Macbeth later tells his wife, "We will proceed no further in this
business." She is shocked by his refusal and calls him a coward. She tells him that he is
untrustworthy and cannot keep his word whereas she would, if she had vowed to do so, even
kill her breastfeeding baby by bashing its brains out.

Macbeth expresses doubt about the success of their venture, but she assures him that they will
not fail. She plans to get Duncan's guards so inebriated that they can be easily blamed for
their liege's murder. Macbeth is impressed by his wife's determination and decides to proceed
with their malicious plan. He states:

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

His words link with the theme of appearance and reality and is a repeat of what his wife
had told him earlier, to "look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under't." They must
put up appearances of friendship and conviviality while they are planning a very malicious
deed.

Act 2, Scene 1:

In this scene, Banquo makes it clear that he will remain loyal to his king. When Macbeth tells
him that they should discuss the witches' prophecies and how Banquo can benefit, the latter
says, in part:

...but still keep

My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,
I shall be counsell'd.

Banquo wishes to retain his honor and integrity and will not sacrifice these for anything. It is
this that makes him a risk to Macbeth. Later in the scene, Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a
bloody dagger floating in front of him. He is overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he is
about to do. He admits that the image is false and is created by a "heat oppressed brain" and
states:

There's no such thing:

It is the bloody business which informs
Thus to mine eyes.

He is, however, determined to follow through and states that while Duncan is still alive, he
will not achieve what he desires. Macbeth is driven by what he calls his "vaulting
ambition."

Act 2, Scene 2:

Macbeth has committed the murder, and the scene displays his paranoia and fear. The scene
also indicates the contrast between his and Lady Macbeth's attitude to the killing.
Macbeth is so overwrought that he has brought the murder weapons with him. He is too
afraid to return them to Duncan's chamber and states that he has heard all sorts of voices and
couldn't say amen. At this point, Lady Macbeth seems to be made of sterner stuff, and she
scolds her husband for being so feeble. She takes the daggers back. On her return Macbeth
states, in part:
this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas in incarnadine,
Making the green one red.

He is overwhelmed by guilt while his wife seems completely unperturbed. She tells him that
her hands are just as full of blood but that she's ashamed of him being so cowardly. She states
that a "little water" will effortlessly absolve them of guilt. Macbeth hears knocking and
wishes that it could awaken Duncan. He most definitely regrets having killed his king.

Act 2, Scene 3:

The scene deals with Macduff and the other lords' arrival at Macbeth's castle. The porter at
the beginning introduces some humor which provides a break from the powerful drama
and tension of the preceding scene. Lennox, in discussion with Macbeth, discusses strange
events he has witnessed which leads to the murderer ironically commenting that:

'Twas a rough night.

He alludes to the terrible ordeal that he has gone through when committing his foul deed. His
conscience is sorely charged.

Macduff discovers that the king had been brutally slain and is horrified. Macbeth and his lady
put on acts of extreme dismay, and she supposedly faints. Lennox reports that evidence points
to the guards as the perpetrators. Macbeth, who previously could not re-enter Duncan's
chamber, has seemingly rushed off in that direction and states, on Lennox's declaration, that
he has executed Duncan's guards. Macduff is immediately alert and suspicious and asks:

Wherefore did you so?

Macbeth creates the impression that he was overwhelmed by his love for Duncan and
ironically provides a glowing report of the dead king. He states that he could not help himself
but lash out in fury and revenge. Lady Macbeth senses an uncomfortable situation and calls
attention to herself, thus saving her husband from further scrutiny.

Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, decide to flee in fear of their lives. Malcolm
decides to go to England while Donalbain will leave for Ireland. Their escape places
suspicion on them for having had a part in their father's murder.

Act 2, Scene 4:

At the start of the scene, Ross and an old man discuss the disruptions in nature that they
have witnessed. It is clear that there has been significant perturbation. Their conversation
indicates an overturn in the natural order of things. Duncan's murder is an unnatural deed
and foreshadows greater distress and chaos.

In his conversation with Macduff, it becomes quite evident that Malcolm and Donalbain are
the chief suspects in their father's murder. It is also apparent that Macbeth has been named the
new king and is to be crowned at Scone. Macduff's loyalties are quite pertinent when he tells
Ross that he is not planning to attend the coronation and that he will go to his castle at Fife.
When Ross tells him that he will be going to Scone, Macduff tells him:

Well, may you see things well done there: adieu!

Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!

Macduff is most apparently suggesting that the new rule may be less comfortable than the
old. The implication is that Macbeth will not be as good a king as Duncan had been.
Furthermore, what Macduff says is even greater confirmation of his distrust for Macbeth.

What is an analysis of the text of Act I, Scene 3 (lines 111-155) of Macbeth?

1 Answer
Because it is a drama of such a hallucinatory intensity, Shakespeare's Macbeth has been
called a tragedy of the imagination (Harold Bloom). By his own admission, Macbeth's
thoughts and imaginings overwhelm him, driving him to the commission of premeditated
actions.

In Act I, Scene 3, the three witches discuss their plans to cause Macbeth much unrest as they
await his and Banquo's arrival. In lines 111–155, Macbeth is both seduced by the
pronouncements of the witches and frightened by their menacing natures.

When Macbeth and Banquo encounter these witches, the greetings to Macbeth confuse him.
The first witch calls him by his current title, then the second witch addresses him as Thane of
Cawdor, and finally the third witch says, "All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be King hereafter!"
(1.3.50) Finally, they foretell that Banquo will not be king himself, but he will beget kings.

Macbeth wants the "imperfect speakers" to tell him more and explain how all that they have
said can be. Soon, however, Ross and Angus, two noblemen of Scotland, ride up and greet
Macbeth, reporting that the king is delighted by Macbeth's valor and success on the
battlefield. Further, Ross says that his admiration contends with his desire to praise Macbeth
(1.3.93), but it is their duty to bring Macbeth to the king with the pledge of a greater honor.
Finally, Ross reports to Macbeth that the king bade him to address Macbeth as Thane of
Cawdor.

Ross's words baffle Macbeth because he knows that the Thane of Cawdor lives. Angus then
informs Macbeth that the Thane of Cawdor is a traitor who conspired with the Norwegians,
and he has been stripped of his title and sentenced to die. Hearing this, Macbeth turns to
Banquo and asks him if he does not now want his sons to be kings since the witches'
prophecy about him has been proven true. But Banquo cautions Macbeth that "the
instruments of darkness" (witches) often reveal part of a truth in order to seduce men and lead
them to their destruction in the end (foreshadowing).

Banquo's words go unheeded by Macbeth, whose imagination has been stirred by the two
truths told, and just as Banquo has observed of others, Macbeth is seduced by their
predictions. It is at this point that the tragedy of the imagination begins in Macbeth. He
begins to contemplate becoming king since the other title (Thane of Cawdor) is now his.
Macbeth wonders why he covets the title of king: "Present fears/Are less than horrible
imaginings" (1.3.141-142). Macbeth considers that he may have to do nothing and fate will
simply take over. And yet, he is frightened by the blurring of reality and fantasy--"And
nothing is but what is not." (1.3. 145 )

It would seem that Macbeth's tragedy of the imagination has begun: on one hand, he feels that
his ability to act is stifled by his thoughts and speculations; on the other hand, he considers
murder, and then he thinks that he may not have to do anything as fate will simply aid him:

Come what come may,

Time and the hour runs through the roughest day
(1.3.152-153).

In other words, what is going to happen is, one way or another, going to happen. But, in truth,
Macbeth's thoughts are running away with him as reality and fantasy are merging in his
mind--as he has admitted in line 145.

In Macbeth, how does Shakespeare characterize the witches and what is

their thematic significance?
The memorable Three Weird Sisters in Shakespeare's Macbeth perform a significant role
throughout the play by manipulating Macbeth to make rash decisions which lead to his tragic
downfall. In the opening scene of the play, Shakespeare introduces the audience to the Three
Weird Sisters, who discuss meeting Macbeth when the battle is over before delivering their
famous line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (Act I, Scene 1, line 12).

Thematically, this statement introduces the...

In Macbeth, what is the importance of what the porter says in Act II, Scene
III?
In Act Two, Scene 3, Shakespeare offers the audience much needed comic relief by
introducing the intoxicated Porter who makes several witty, yet significant remarks during the
scene. The Porter pretends to be the gatekeeper of Hell while Macduff repeatedly knocks at
the door. He comments that he was pretending to be the devil's porter so that he could let
someone from every profession into hell. The Porter's comments are ironic as Shakespeare
links Macbeth's castle in Inverness, the place where Duncan's brutal murder takes place, to
Hell. The Porter then jokes with Macduff about the effects of alcohol by mentioning that it
increases desire but simultaneously impedes sexual performance. The effects of alcohol also
allude to Macbeth's confusion and lust for power. The Porter's comments about sexual
performance also echo Lady Macbeth's taunts directed towards her husband.
Can you provide a character sketch of Macbeth?
When Shakespeare's Macbeth begins, Macbeth is a noble and courageous military leader.
He's defeated the King of Norway and the treacherous Macdonwald in a decisive battle, and
for his efforts he is fated to earn King Duncan's approval and admiration. Based on the way
the play opens, it's easy to view Macbeth as an honorable man, one who could be potentially
destined for greatness.

The way that Macbeth's character unravels is what makes him a tragic figure. With the Weird
Sisters' prophetic promises ringing in his ears, Macbeth increasingly allows his ambition to
get the better of him. At first, though he is clearly tempted by the chance to kill Duncan and
steal the crown, Macbeth seems reluctant to follow through with his schemes. However, once
Macbeth actually does murder Duncan, he truly begins to change. He becomes increasingly
paranoid and resorts to ruthlessness to satisfy his craving for security. Indeed he even goes so
far as to murder one of his closest companions, Banquo, and all of Macduff's family. By the
end of the play, Macbeth has become a true tyrant, and, when Macduff kills him, Macbeth
seems to have recognized the uselessness of his hunger for power and to have embraced
despair. For an example of Macbeth's despair, take a look at his famous soliloquy responding
to Lady Macbeth's death in Act 5, Scene 5:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. (21-30)

This soliloquy is a meditation on the apparent uselessness of life, at least according to

Macbeth's perspective. Thus, we can see that Macbeth begins the play as a courageous, even
heroic figure, but through the course of the narrative he transforms into a paranoid and
despairing tyrant. This transformation is truly tragic, and it's impossible to avoid wondering
what kind of man Macbeth might have been if he hadn't heard the Weird Sisters' prophecy.

In Macbeth, analyze the way in which Banquo serves as a foil to a central

character and thus helps to expand your understanding by contrast. Please
use supporting detail and evidence from the text.
This is a great question, and I would argue that Banquo serves as a foil to Macbeth and helps
us more clearly see the mistakes that Macbeth makes. After all, Banquo not only is present
for the witches' prophesies regarding Macbeth, but he's also part of the prophesies himself.
However, while Macbeth chooses to act on the witches' predictions and tries to forcefully
make the prophecy come true, Banquo chooses not to act and to simply allow fate to take its
own course. As a result, Banquo can be seen as a foil for Macbeth because he takes the
opposite course of action and, though he's murdered halfway through the play, one could
argue that he enjoys a better fate than Macbeth.
As a reminder, let's take a look at parts of the witches' predictions regarding Macbeth and
Banquo in Act 1, Scene 3. Here's the part of the prophesy that concerns Macbeth (all quotes
come from eNotes' online version of the text):

First Witch: All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!

Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! (50-52)

Now, here's the part of the prediction that concerns Banquo:

First Witch: Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Second Witch: Not so happy, yet much happier.

Third Witch: Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:

So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! (68-71)

So, as we can see, there's clear textual evidence that both Macbeth and Banquo play a part in
the witches' predictions. However, the way the two men respond to this prediction is
completely different. Macbeth decides to take matters into his own hands and forcefully make
his part of the prophecy come true. This decision leads him to murder his way to the crown of
Scotland. By extension, Macbeth's rash decisions also lead to his unpopularity and
subsequent downfall. Banquo, however, takes a very different course of action. Indeed, he
more or less sits back and does nothing, allowing his fate to unfurl naturally. Also, though
Banquo dies, it's suggested that his line becomes a royal dynasty (which is totally possible, as
Banquo's son narrowly escapes murder). Indeed, in Act 4, Scene 1, Macbeth sees a vision of
eight kings accompanied by Banquo, and the implication here is that, though Banquo has
died, his family will ultimately become a royal dynasty. Thus, though Banquo dies, he
arguably has a better fate than Macbeth, who dies as a hated dictator with no family.

As we can see, Banquo is a foil for Macbeth because, rather than trying to force the witches'
predictions to come true, he passively allows fate to take its course. Moreover, Banquo's fate
seems to be preferable to Macbeth's. As such, Banquo is a foil not only because his actions
(or lack thereof) contrast with Macbeth's actions, but also because his fate suggests that
Macbeth might have had a happier fate had he not tried to force the witches' prophecy to
come true.

What is Macbeth?
Macbeth is one of the most famous plays by one of the world’s most legendary authors,
William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare, who wrote in the late 16th century and early
17th century, revolutionized the theater by writing linguistically intricate plays that dealt
seriously with human emotion across a wide range of characters. Macbeth is no exception!
Macbeth is a Shakespearean tragedy. The strict definition of a tragedy is a serious literary
work that portrays the downfall of a heroic, albeit flawed, individual. Tragedies often end in
the death of their protagonists; in this case, Macbeth’s attempts are foiled by MacDuff.
Though Shakespeare fans quibble about his best works, Macbeth is widely seen as an
exemplar of the tragic form, alongside Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet.

In a nutshell, Macbeth portrays a man whose desperate ambition leads him to his downfall.
After three witches prophesy that Macbeth will rise in power until he becomes king,
Macbeth, goaded by his cruel and avaricious wife, first murders King Duncan. His guilt and
paranoia cause him leave a bloody legacy during his short kingship, including his former ally
and friend, Banquo, as well as the innocent wife and children of MacDuff, another Scottish
thane. Ultimately, Macbeth is foiled by his misreading of the witches’ further prophecies. He
believes himself to be invincible but dies at the hands of MacDuff. Through Macbeth's death,
law and order are restored to Scotland.

Though I’ve given you a synopsis, the question “What is Macbeth?” can definitely lead you
into deeper analysis. I’ve given you a link to the Folger Shakespeare library’s commentary
on Macbeth, which will give you many more details about this fascinating literary
masterpiece.

Source:

http://www.folger.edu/macbeth

Are there any quotes that show Macbeth's self-awareness? If so, could you
please include some techniques present in those quotes.

Macbeth demonstrates his self-awareness throughout the play, beginning in Act I, Scene 4,
when he says, "Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires." He
recognizes that his ambition to be king by killing Duncan would be an indefensible and
immoral act, yet his thoughts drift to that place.

Another quotation that demonstrates Macbeth's self-awareness is found in Act I, Scene 7,

when he observes "I have no spur/ To prick...

How is Lady Macbeth both a strong wife and weak woman?

Lady Macbeth is both a strong wife and a weak woman at different points in Macbeth. At the
beginning, she is the strong wife who knows that her husband will not be able to decide to
kill the king on his own. Before he comes home, she asks the spirits to make her more like a
man so she can do what needs to be done. “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 (Act I, Scene
5). When her husband expresses his doubts about killing the king, she goads him into
changing his mind: “Art thou afear’d/ to be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art
in desire?” (Act I, Scene 7). Lady Macbeth continues to support her husband and ensure that
the murder is successful. “Infirm of purpose!/ Give me the daggers” (Act II, Scene 2). In the
aftermath of the murder, Lady Macbeth is by Macbeth’s side to protect him when he is weak.
“I pray you, speak not, he grows worse and worse” (Act III, Scene 4).

Lady Macbeth is also weak, although she does not see this in herself until it is too late.
During the Duncan's murder, Lady Macbeth experiences a moment of weakness when she
looks down at Duncan and sees he resembles her father. She is unable to kill Duncan for this
reason. “Had he not resembled/ my father as he slept, I had done ‘t (Act II, Scene 2). Later in
the play, Lady Macbeth realizes her guilt is keeping her from enjoying the rewards of the
crown. “Nought’s had, all’s spent/ when our desire is got without content“ (Act III, Scene 2).
As her husband kills more people and she recognizes that power does not make her as happy
as she expected, Lady Macbeth sinks into madness and is unable to recover.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, why is Macduff's plan effective?

I assume you are referring to Macduff's plan to leave Scotland at his earliest convenience and
seek assistance for Macbeth's overthrow.

The plan is effective in the sense that firstly, Macduff, in leaving in such a hurry, denies
Macbeth the opportunity to assassinate him as he had done with Banquo. Macbeth has been
aware of Macduff's sentiments and knows where his loyalties lie and wants him dead. In fact,
the murderers who kill Macduff's entire family come looking for him for, on their arrival, the
first murderer asks Lady Macduff, "Where is your husband?"

The murder of Macduff's entire family and his servants indicates how ruthless and
bloodthirsty the tyrant has become. With his rushed escape Macduff had, essentially,
abandoned his family and left them vulnerable and open to Macbeth's malice. In this regard,
the plan was not entirely effective. In his defense, though, one can argue that he had no
choice but to leave. If he had tarried, he would have been killed as well. His escape ensured
that he would be able to acquire support for what has become a desperate cause—the survival
of his beloved Scotland.

Macduff meets up with Malcolm in England, where he is informed that Edward, the English
king, has promised support for their cause in the form of "goodly thousands"—experienced
and battle-hardened soldiers. Macduff also later learns that Siward, "with ten thousand
warlike men, / Already at a point, was setting forth."

He and Malcolm eventually meet up with the troops as they approach Macbeth's castle from
Birnam wood. They later overrun his castle, and Macduff is brought face to face with the evil
tyrant. He kills him in a sword fight and decapitates him. The bloody tyrant has come to an
ignominious end, and Macduff has had his revenge.

How does Shakespeare portray Lady Macbeth as rejecting her femininity

through the course of the play?
Lady Macbeth begins rejecting the femininity of her gender when she demands that she be
unsexed. There seems to be a visible mid-way transition in what she rejects when Macbeth
declines to disclose his plans for Banquo to her: "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest
chuck,/ Till thou applaud the deed." In the end, it seems the only thing Lady Macbeth rejects
is her actions when she laments that there is neither enough water nor perfume in Arabia to
cleanse the blood and smell from her hands.

After reading Macbeth's letter—which he closes by saying that he doesn't want her to be
"ignorant of what greatness is promised thee [her]"—she begins the process of rejecting her
feminine qualities by contemplating the need to chastise Macbeth and to pour the "valour" of
her words into his—the warrior's—ears. By saying this, she identifies herself with masculine
traits relating to war, killing, and ambition. As her ambition heats up for the attainment of
Macbeth's kingship and her own queenship, Lady Macbeth goes further and further in
rejecting feminine characteristics by demanding that the spirits "unsex me here, / And fill me.
. . top-full / Of direst cruelty!" and that they come to "my woman's breasts, / And take my milk
for gall."

It can be argued that in the midst of Macbeth's torment over the role Banquo might play,
Lady Macbeth begins a transition away from vehement rejection of feminine qualities. This is
evident when she laments the unfolding outcome of events: "Nought's had, all's spent."
Immediately after this reflection, Macbeth enters. Instead of pouring valor and venom into
Macbeth's ears, she consoles him, calling upon the feminine trait of comfort-giving to do so:
"Things without all remedy / Should be without regard: what's done is done."

Shortly after that, we see Lady Macbeth be secretly observed by a doctor attempting to
diagnosis her strange behavior. Macbeth has already seen Banquo's ghost at the banquet.
Lady Macbeth has already tried to rouse him and accused him of being "quite unmann'd in
folly." Now she is walking in her sleep, pantomiming washing her hands "this a quarter of an
hour"—an ironic turn of events, as she earlier told Macbeth that a little water would wash
Duncan's blood from his hands—and she is longing for the perfume of Arabia to get rid of the
scent of blood from her hands. Here we see a Lady Macbeth who now rejects her past
actions that her mind is unhinged.

How does Shakespeare present the character of Macbeth as a conflicted

character in Act 1, scene 7?
In Macbeth's opening soliloquy, he lists the great many reasons he has not to go through with
Duncan's murder: he is Duncan's host, his subject, his friend. Further, killing Duncan doesn't
necessarily mean he gets the throne; more action will be required to achieve this. He also
knows that Duncan is a good king and that Macbeth will compromise his soul by killing him.
However, he finishes with his one reason to go forward: his "Vaulting ambition" (1.7.27).

Even his ambition, though, is not enough. When his wife enters, he tells her, "We will
proceed no further in this business" (1.7.31). He has resolved not to kill the king as a result
of the multitudinous points against it. Then again, Lady Macbeth begins to work on him:
cajoling, persuading, and insulting him. She says that he won't be a man if he doesn't go
through with the murder and how she'll count him as disloyal to her if he goes back on his
word. At last, she convinces him. However, Macbeth's ambivalence is evident by the
internal conflict he voiced during the soliloquy and by his resulting resolve to cancel their
plans before flip-flopping and acquiescing to his wife's demands for loyalty.
Explain the contrast between Duncan's statements to Lady Macbeth and
her plans for him.
Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle in Act I, scene vi thanking Lady Macbeth for taking the
trouble to host him. He speaks of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as hospitable, which would
include providing protection to him as their guest. He mentions Macbeth's great love for him:

And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him
To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess,
We are your guest tonight.

Duncan refers to Lady Macbeth as "noble" and says that because of his great love for
Duncan, Macbeth has ridden home ahead to help prepare to greet him as a guest.

In fact, Lady Macbeth plans to have her husband murder Duncan. Rather than offer
hospitality and protection, she plans to kill this guest so that her husband can become king.
This is an example of dramatic irony, which is when the audience knows something a
character doesn't. In this case, the audience already knows from the previous scene that Lady
Macbeth's plans for her king are anything but loving and hospitable. We know that Duncan is
walking into a trap.

What is the hidden truth in Macbeth in the paradox, "so foul and fair a day
I have not seen"?
Macbeth says this to Banquo early in the play. On the surface the day is "fair" or good
because Macbeth, Banquo and their armies have won a victory against their enemies, who are
traitors to the king. It is "foul" because many lives have been lost on the battlefield, and more
directly, because the witches have brought thunder and high winds with them to greet
Macbeth and Banquo.

On a deeper level, this particular day will prove to be both fair and foul to Macbeth because it
is the day on which the witches prophesy that he will become Thane of Cawdor and King of
Scotland. He will become Thane of Cawdor, a piece of good or fair news for an ambitious
and victorious soldier, but the prophecy that he will become king, will prove to be a tragic or
foul one for Macbeth. Macbeth's offhand statement is full of meaning but Macbeth will not
know until later the true import of his words on this fateful day.

What are two examples of dramatic irony in Act I, Scene 4 of Macbeth?

In Act 1, Scene 4 of Macbeth, King Duncan meets Macbeth for the first time since the great
battle. Duncan expresses his boundless gratitude for Macbeth's indispensable help against the
enemy and concludes by saying, rather ironically:

Only I have left to say,

More is they due than more than all can pay.
This is ironic because the audience knows full well that Macbeth is thinking of taking
everything away from Duncan. It is almost as if Duncan knows Macbeth's intentions and is
unconsciously giving him permission to do it.

Macbeth's reply is loaded with irony. He tells the King:

The service and the loyalty I owe,

In doing it pays itself.

Macbeth is saying just the opposite of what the audience knows he is thinking.

How does betrayal affect the plot of Macbeth?

Betrayal drives the plot of the play. First, Macbeth betrays his king, friend, guest, and kinsman when
he murders Duncan. Macbeth has always been loyal to the king, and he recently fought valiantly on
two different fronts in order to secure Scotland against traitorous rebels and foreign invaders.
However, once the Weird Sisters tell him that he'll become Thane of Cawdor and king, and then he
actually learns that he's been named the Thane of Cawdor, his ambition consumes him and he
eventually betrays his king and country.

Later, Macbeth betrays his former best friend, Banquo, ordering his murder as well as the murder of
Banquo's son, Fleance, because the Weird Sisters told Banquo that his descendants would be kings.
Macbeth regretted Duncan's murder, but by the time he betrays his best friend, his conscience is
basically dead. Betrayal of those by whom one is trusted seems to be a sure way to become utterly
morally corrupt.

How does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth in Act I, Scene V?

In this scene, Lady Macbeth receives a letter from Macbeth in which he tells her about the
prophecies and his recent promotion to Thane of Cawdor. Shakespeare's portrayal of Lady
Macbeth in this scene is uniformly negative. Specifically, he presents her as an ambitious and
ruthless woman, capable of convincing Macbeth that killing Duncan is the only way to
realize his dreams of becoming king.

To demonstrate this, take a look at her dialogue after receiving the letter. She talks about
Macbeth lacking the necessary feelings ("the illness") to go for the crown. This is because
Macbeth is too kind-hearted ("too full o' th' milk of human kindness.") In contrast, Lady
Macbeth urges Macbeth to return home so that she can use her influence to ready him for
murder:

Hie thee hither,

That I may pour my spirits in thine ear

And chastise with the valor of my tongue

All that impedes thee from the golden round.

This implies that while Macbeth lacks the cunning and cold-bloodedness to kill, Lady
Macbeth has it in abundance and, more importantly, can allay any of his fears about
committing such a heinous crime.

Moreover, by using the words "golden round" to describe the crown, Shakespeare shows that
Lady Macbeth is just as eager for power as her husband.

Finally, after the servant brings news of Macbeth and Duncan's arrival, Lady Macbeth asks to
be unsexed and to be filled with "direst cruelty." In other words, she wants to possess all the
traits which make murder possible so that she can guarantee their accession to power and
prestige.

Why does Shakespeare chose to omit the title character from the opening
scene of Macbeth?
To be precise, Macbeth does not appear in the first two scenes of the play. But by the time he
does appear, alongside his friend, comrade, and fellow Scottish noble Banquo, we have
learned much about him. From the first scene, for example, we learn that the witches, who are
clearly up to no good, plan to meet with Macbeth. In the second scene, we hear an account of
a battle involving Macbeth, where he is revealed to be a brave and apparently loyal thane to
the king, who he defends against a rebellion led by the traitor Macdonwald. We also learn that
Macbeth is held in high esteem by King Duncan, who values him as a "valiant cousin" and a
"worthy gentleman." We also see that Macbeth is to receive the title of Thane of Cawdor. The
former thane, having joined the rebellion, is to be executed at Duncan's order. So even though
Macbeth has not appeared on stage by the end of the second scene, we know much about him
and his circumstances. Perhaps by waiting until the third scene to introduce the title character,
Shakespeare intends to add to the sense in which Macbeth is affected by forces outside his
control, especially the witches. It is also true that Duncan's admiration for Macbeth adds to
the sense of treachery that accompanies Macbeth's assassination of the king later. Through the
witches' incantations that "what's fair is foul/what's foul is fair, the first scene has often been
described as setting the stage for the villainy and evil that pervade the entire play. So by
leaving Macbeth out of the first two scenes, Shakespeare arguably adds to the depth of the
plot.

Why is Macbeth unlucky?

It could be argued that Macbeth makes poor decisions more than that he is unlucky, but he
encounters an element of poor luck at two crucial moments early in the play. First, it is a
stroke of bad luck that he discovers he has become Thane of Cawdor right after his encounter
with the witches, who prophecy he will be Thane of Cawdor and greet him by that name. This
leads Macbeth to put too much weight on the witches' seemingly wild prophecy that Macbeth
will become King of Scotland. He starts to believe it could be true.

His second moment of ill luck occurs when, just as he has decided it would be a bad idea to
murder Duncan, who is a good king and a man to whom he is offering hospitality, his wife
intervenes. Lady Macbeth speaks so forcefully about her own desire to "unsex" herself and
even says she would go so far as to dash her baby's brains out if she had promised to do so,
that Macbeth feels compelled to go through with the murder, even though he knows it is only
going to lead to more and more bloodshed. At this point, there is no going back, and it is all
downhill from then on.

So, if Macbeth had not had the bad luck to run into the witches at just the wrong time, and if
he had been able to evade his wife after he had decided not to murder Duncan, he might have
had a much better fate.

In Macbeth, what is important about the witches' prophecy ?

The weird sisters' prophecy has several important functions in the play. First, their meeting on
the blasted heath creates an ominous atmosphere of supernatural horror at the start of the
play. It is one of the most dramatic scenes in the play and an audience favorite.

More importantly, Shakespeare lived in a place and period where most of his audience would
have been Christian and believed witches to be evil and allied with the Devil. Thus they
provide a religious and moral context for understanding the play.

Next, they set in motion the main plot of the play. It is their prophecy that causes Macbeth to
turn his ambition, which has previously been manifested in loyal service to Duncan, to
focusing on killing Duncan and taking the throne himself. Because it is evil witches who
tempt him to do this, the audience knows that his choices are not justified and that he will
prove evil as well. The witches constantly bring out the worst in Macbeth.

Compare and Contrast Macbeth and Banquo in Act One, Scene Three.
(Include context.)
Both Macbeth and Banquo are bewildered by the weird sisters. The witches proclaim that
Macbeth is Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, and will eventually be king. Banquo asks Macbeth
why this news startles him. Banquo asks the witches to tell his future. They say that he will
not be king, but his sons will. Given Macbeth's first reaction, it seems that Banquo is initially
more comfortable with the prophecies than Macbeth is.
Seeing proof of what the witches had said, Macbeth becomes ambitious. Banquo, on the other
hand, collects his thoughts and becomes skeptical. Here, we clearly see how Macbeth gives in
to his ambition while Banquo takes a step back and employs a healthy (intelligent)
skepticism:

And oftentimes, to win us our harm,

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,

Win us with honest trifles, to betray's

In deepest consequence. (I.iii.133-46)

After hearing Banquo's warning, and considering how "foul and fair" the day has been,
Macbeth is skeptical as well. So, both men share a healthy skepticism. But Banquo inevitably
accepts the notion that if the future matches the witches' prophecies, so be it. Macbeth
becomes more obsessed with the prophecies and his future. Macbeth's ambition and his wife's
influence will feed this obsession.

In this particular scene, Macbeth is skeptical but intrigued to the point of being obsessed.
Banquo is skeptical and careful in thinking about the encounter.

How does Lady Macbeth feel about her husband? What motivates her
plans for the future?
Initially, Lady Macbeth thinks of her husband as ambitious but ultimately "too full o' th' milk
of human kindness" to do anything disloyal or untoward in order to achieve his potential, as
outlined by the Weird Sisters (1.5.17). She believes him to be incapable of ruthlessness and
also easy for her to manipulate. After she receives the letter in which he acquaints her with
the Weird Sisters' predictions for his future, she hopes that he will come home quickly so that
she can "pour [her] spirits in [his] ear" and convince him that he will need to do something
dramatic in order to bring his destiny nearer.

Ambition seems to motivate her plans for the future. She wants Macbeth to be king, and the
prospect of becoming queen seems quite desirable to her. When Macbeth arrives home, she
tells him, "Thy letters have transported me beyond / This ignorant present, and I feel now /
The future in the instant" (1.5.64-66). She is anxious to bring the future closer because she
wants it now.

What happened after the death of Macdonwald?

According to the Captain with whom King Duncan speaks in Act 1, Scene 2, Macbeth
bravely confronts the traitor, Macdonwald, stabbing him in the navel and ripping him open all
the way up to his jaw. After Macbeth "unseamed" his foe, Macbeth placed Macdonwald's
head on a spike on the battlements so that all can see what becomes of a traitor (1.2.24).
However, the Captain continues, Macbeth and Banquo were not done fighting yet: after the
battle against Macdonwald's rebel forces was over, the rebels having fled the scene, the king
of Norway saw his opportunity to attack when the loyal Scottish forces were tired and
weakened. Thus, the king ordered a new attack, with fresh soldiers, on Macbeth's army.
Although Macbeth and Banquo were clearly worried, they were victorious in this battle as
well.

What were the attitudes towards witchcraft in Shakespeare's time?

Shakespeare wrote during the English Renaissance—a time in which humankind thirsted for
knowledge in many areas (sciences and arts being two of the more prominent)—but it is true
that the Elizabethans were a suspicious lot who often depended more on emotion than
erudition. In addition, the influences of the Catholic and Anglican churches of the time
encouraged people to believe in a spiritual realm, and not just one that housed peaceful,
benevolent, angelic spirits. Furthermore, people of Shakespeare's time considered astrology
and astronomy to be the same science, so they were just as willing to accept the concept that
Romeo and Juliet were "star-crossed" as they were to accept they were hormone-charged
teenagers. With the combination of these elements in full force, people in Shakespeare's time
were very willing to accept that there could be malevolent forces in the world and also
believed that these forces could be called forth by those who wanted to utilize their dark
powers. The witches in Macbethare partial evidence of this willingness to believe in the
power of witchcraft; however, Shakespeare carefully crafted the three witches so they could
be viewed as "secret, black, and midnight hags" with little power of their own just as easily as
they could be viewed as controlling creatures in contact with a dark, occult underworld.
When it came to witchcraft during Shakespeare's time (and thus, within Shakespeare's plays),
the willing suspension of disbelief was not always a necessary component. Many audience
members would have considered appearances by witches and spirits to be completely
plausible reasons for misfortune in the lives of real people as well as characters in a play

What is the importance of plotting in Act III, Scene 1 of Macbeth?

The word "plotting" refers to an act in which the perpetrator(s) secretly plan to commit an
evil deed. In this sense, then, plotting, by its very nature, seeks a malicious outcome, meaning
those who indulge in the act do not wish to do any good and are, consequentially, evil.

Plotting in Act III, Scene 1 is important because it reveals the extent of Macbeth's perfidy.
The scene illustrates that he has reached such a state of ruthless and cold-blooded malice, that
he has lost all rectitude. There are no boundaries to his pervasive perversion, so much so that
he plots the murder of his confidante and friend Banquo and Banquo's son, Fleance.

It is clear from the beginning of the scene that Macbeth has already started plotting Banquo's
assassination. Macbeth, who earlier somewhat reluctantly acquiesced to his wife's insistence
on killing king Duncan, has now become a master in the art of murder. His conversation with
Banquo most pertinently illustrates his sly and wicked intent. He seeks as much information
about Banquo's journey as possible so he may perfectly plan the assassination.

When Macbeth meets the assassins, he blatantly lies to them about Banquo's role in their
misery and strife, giving them a reason to kill the general. He absolves himself from all
blame. Furthermore, he challenges their courage and their will to destroy those who had
supposedly done them harm—in this instance, Banquo. They are easily convinced and swear
revenge. Macbeth, just to make sure, reminds them that Fleance should also be killed.
Macbeth's cold-blooded statement at the end of the scene most potently indicates the depth
and magnitude of his evil:

It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight,

If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.

The once-honorable and -admired general has truly lost his way—the fair has become
absolutely foul.

I have been asked to write a short story focusing on one of the characters in
Macbeth. I would like to choose a woman as I feel that women often took
the backseat in many of Shakespeare's plays. I...
I have been asked to write a short story focusing on one of the characters in Macbeth. I would
like to choose a woman as I feel that women often took the backseat in many of
Shakespeare's plays. I wanted to write about someone other than Lady Macbeth as she seems
like the obvious choice. Does anyone know of any other influential women in the play than I
could write about?

Lady Macduff is an interesting character, although she only appears in the one scene when the soldiers
invade her castle at Fife. That is in Act IV, Scene 2. You might be able to make an exciting short story
out of Lady Macduff. She goes through a lot of stress in a very short time but manages to act with
courage and dignity. She tries to carry on a conversation with her little boy in spite of her terrible
anxiety and distractions. She doesn't want her son to be affected by her fears. First she is anxious
because her husband has fled to England. Then she is warned of impending danger by Ross. Finally a
soldier appears with orders to murder her and her son. One of her most striking observations is the
following:

Whither should I fly?

I have done no harm. But I remember now
I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
Is often laudable, to do good sometime
Accounted dangerous folly.

The three witches are also women. It would be quite a challenge to write a short story about one or all
of them.

And then there is the Waiting Gentlewoman who is watching over Lady Macbeth during the famous
sleepwalking scene in Act V, Scene 1. The advantage of writing about this scene would be that you
could include two women in your story: the Waiting Gentlewoman and Lady Macbeth.

How is ambition important to the play, Macbeth, written by Shakespeare?

What quotations support the theme of ambition.
It is ambition that initially prompts Macbeth to plot the murder of King Duncan. Although it
doesn't seem that he's ever dreamed of being the king before, when the Weird Sisters tell him
that he will become king, Macbeth begins to dream of it. Although he is incredulous initially,
when the sisters' first apparent prediction, that he will become Thane of Cawdor, comes to
fruition, he starts to believe it might be possible for him to become king after all. Then, when
Duncan names his older son, Malcolm, Prince of Cumberland and his heir to the crown,
Macbeth considers how fervently he now aspires to rule the country, saying, "Stars, hide your
fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires" (1.4.57-58). He wants the stars to go
dark so that no one will be able to look at him and see his new ambition for the throne.

Later, Macbeth recounts all the reasons he has not to go forward with the plan to kill Duncan,
and there are many. However, he has one reason to stick to the plan: his "Vaulting ambition"
(1.7.28). This ambition, then, is what has fueled his machinations so far.

How are the witches powerful in Macbeth?

Though there is disagreement among readers about whether or not the Weird Sisters truly
possess the ability to prophesy or influence the future, it is clear they do have some
supernatural powers at least. For example, after delivering their predictions to Macbeth and
Banquo in Act I, Scene 3, the witches vanish. Obviously, this is not something the average
person can do, so it does show us the Weird Sisters have some power.

Later, the...

What does Macbeth mean when he refers to his "black and deep desires"
(1.4.58)?
Macbeth has recently met with the Weird Sisters who told him that he would become the
Thane of Cawdor as well as King of Scotland. Because he learns from Ross that he has,
indeed, been given the title of Cawdor immediately following the Weird Sisters' apparent
prediction, Macbeth quickly begins to believe that the second prophecy will come true as
well. He begins to desire the position of king, a role he never seems to have considered for
himself before. When Duncan names his son, Malcolm, the Prince of Cumberland and his
heir to the throne, Macbeth is disappointed to say the least. To himself, he says that he will
either have to halt his progress to the throne now or jump over this step to becoming king.
He speaks to the stars, asking them to go dark so that no one will be able to see his "black and
deep desires"; in other words, he now fully admits to himself that he wants the throne and
everything that comes with it. This also begins to foreshadow the terrible deeds of which
Macbeth will be capable later on.

Macbeth "sees" a dagger before murdering Duncan, and "hears" a voice

after it. Do these details tell us anything about his attitude to murder?
They definitely do. While much attention often focuses on Macbeth's murderous rampage and
subsequent demise, it's sometimes easy to forget he is initially reluctant to commit acts of of
violence. This reluctance is made manifest by the fact that Macbeth's evil deeds seem to
unhinge him. As you note in your question, Macbeth imagines a dagger before killing
Duncan, and hears an imagined voice afterward. These strange hallucinations suggest that
both the prospect of murdering an ally, along with actually following through with this act,
are entirely unsavory, so Macbeth's mind is accordingly wracked with guilt. As such, based
on these details in the play, we can surmise that Macbeth's attitude toward murder is one of
disgust, apprehension, and dread, as his mind can't seem to handle the stress of murdering a
former friend in cold blood.

How does Macbeth's poor decision making influence his doom?

One of the most fascinating aspects of Macbeth is that, though Macbeth's future is presented
as if fate were guiding it, there's also the suggestion that Macbeth's poor decisions influence
and bring about his downfall. For instance, consider Macbeth's behavior after he gains the
crown. Though it would appear that Macbeth is initially liked by most of his followers (or, at
the very least, he's not disliked), Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid and embarks on a
murderous rampage to quell his fears, first killing Banquo, and then murdering Macduff's
family. By doing so, Macbeth rightly earns a reputation as a tyrant, and his formerly loyal
followers begin to plot revenge. By extension, we can see that Macbeth's paranoid and
tyrannical behavior (his poor decision making, in other words) directly leads to the rebellion
of his noblemen and his eventual demise. In that case, even if fate is at work in the play, it's
also clear that Macbeth's poor decisions play a huge role in bringing about his downfall.

Homework Help > Macbeth

What does Macbeth mean when he says, "There is none but he/ Whose
being I do fear"?
As his paranoia increases, Macbeth becomes very anxious about Banquo, as the witches told
him his sons will become kings.

In the beginning of Act III, at Forres, the castle that was King Duncan's and is now
Macbeth's, Banquo, who is a guest, realizes Macbeth has all that "the weird women"
promised him. Also, he fears Macbeth had a hand in his own fortune: "Thou play'dst most
foully for 't" (Act III, Scene 1, line 3). Then, because of the turn of events, Banquo wonders if
the witches' prophecy about himself will come true.

Later, Banquo informs Macbeth that he and his son Fleance plan to ride for an hour; Macbeth
extends good wishes for an enjoyable ride and urges Banquo to return for the banquet that
evening.

After Banquo and his son's departure, Macbeth expresses his fear of Banquo, who heard the
prophesy about him and received prophesies of his own.

To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus—

Our fears in Banquo stick deep.
And in his royalty of nature reigns that
Which would be feared. . .
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor
To act in safety (Act III, Scene 1, lines 50-56).
When Macbeth says he fears Banquo's "being," he means he is worried that since the
predictions of the witches have come true for him—even though he helped cause some of this
reality—those predictions about Banquo's becoming the father of kings may also become
real. Since Macbeth has no heirs, he fears he may have sold his soul to the Devil in order to
make Banquo's sons kings as the witches have foretold.

Only for them, and mine eternal jewel [his soul]

Given to the common enemy of man [the Devil to whom he has sold his soul],
To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings! (Act III, Scene 1, lines 71-73)

In addition, he worries Banquo may take some actions himself for his "safety." Macbeth hires
two murderers and sends them to kill Banquo and his son.

How might Shakespeare's relationship with King James I have influenced

Macbeth?
King James I was a generous patron to Shakespeare, and his patronage resulted in
Shakespeare's becoming quite wealthy. Because of this, Shakespeare tended to alter his
source materials and insert references that flattered King James into many of his works.

The setting of the play and its use of medieval Scottish source material is connected to James'
own Scottish heritage. Rather than treat, as the source material did, usurpation of a throne as
a relatively ordinary occurrence of the period and Macbeth himself as a relatively decent ruler
who killed his predecessor and was in turn murdered, Shakespeare emphasizes the legitimacy
of Duncan's authority and the heinousness of Macbeth's rebellion against his rightful king.
This emphasis on the legitimacy of kingship and the awful consequences of rebellion would
obviously meet James' approval.

Finally, the play is deeply religious in focus, concerned witchcraft and filled with Biblical
allusions, two key interests of King James.

In Macbeth, is Macbeth a victim or aggressor?

Both. It does seem as though, in the beginning, the Weird Sisters plan to manipulate
Macbeth. When they meet in Act 1, scene 1, they chant, "Fair is foul and foul is fair / Hover
through the fog and filthy air" (1.1.12-13). They appear to imply that they are going to make
good things seem bad and bad things seem good, and this is designed to trick Macbeth into
believing that something is good when it will really lead to his ruin. In this sense, then, he is
a victim.

On the other hand, once Macbeth's terrible ambition is sparked by the Weird Sisters'
"prophecies," he becomes an aggressor. He not only murders the king, Duncan, but he also
plans the murder of his former best friend, Banquo, as well as Banquo's young son, and
Macduff's innocent wife, children, and servants. Once Macbeth starts on his path of
destruction, he continues to become worse and worse, changing from a somewhat
sympathetic figure to an awful and ruthless tyrant.
What, in Macbeth, is the symbolic meaning of Lady Macbeth's
unconsciousness and why is it ironic ?
I believe that you are referring to Lady Macbeth's somnambulism and her actions during this
state.

The lady's mental deterioration is symbolic of the destructive power of evil. Evil seeks to
destroy and overturn the natural order. Its power is vested in its utter contempt for good and a
depraved and ruthless desire for authority driven by greed, arrogance and self-
aggrandizement.

Those who ruthlessly seek power turn to evil means to get what they want. The forces of evil
which they seek out and believe in, provide them a shortcut to fulfill their pernicious desires.
So it was with both Lady Macbeth and her husband. Note, for example, her plea to the dark
forces when she decides to murder king Duncan, in Act 1, scene 5:

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! make thick my blood;
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry 'Hold, hold!'

Her dramatic cry is truly terrifying. Once she has made up her mind, she becomes
unstoppable and even goes as far as mocking her husband for being so feeble and cowardly.
She uses powerful and persuasive language to convince her unsure husband that they should
commit their heinous crime. She is so forceful that he is swayed to state that she should 'bring
forth men children only' since they would bear her courage and purpose.

It is, therefore, ironic that Lady Macbeth was the first to falter when she saw the depth of
destruction she had unleashed. In persuading her husband, she had opened a Pandora's box of
evil. Macbeth became unrelentingly ruthless. He turned into a tyrannical monster intent on
destroying all those who opposed his will, no matter what. He had his closest friend and
confidante, Banquo, killed because he deemed him a threat and had Macduff's entire family
assassinated for the same reason. Also, Macbeth had become so intent on waging a war with
his own people that he had very little time for her.
Lady Macbeth became increasingly paranoid. She was driven by guilt and would attempt to
remove unseen stains from her hands. She would constantly have a light with her and mutter
about the dark deed she and her husband had committed. She was overwhelmed by remorse
and the trauma of what she had done eventually drove her to madness and then suicide.

What she probably did not realize was that evil, being a destructive force, also destroys those
who seek and then embrace it. She and her husband became tools to spread mayhem and both
of them became, ironically, victims of their own malice.

How is power subverted in Macbeth?

On the whole, I think it's fair to say that power is generally subverted in Macbeth by two
means: violence and popular rebellion.

It goes without saying that Macbeth subverts King Duncan's royal power by violently
murdering him. However, Macbeth then suffers a similar fate at the end of the play when
Macduff kills him in single combat. Thus, it would seem that royal authority is often
subverted in the play by violent means. Indeed, even the king isn't safe, as his nobles can
easily remove him with violence if they choose to do so.

Along the same lines, popular rebellion effectively subverts Macbeth's tyrannical reign. For
example, though Macbeth is theoretically the most powerful man in Scotland, he's no match
for the combined forces of Malcolm and Macduff when they rise against him. As such, it
seems that the power of kings can also be subverted if the masses rise up against it.

All in all, in Macbeth Shakespeare illustrates the fragility of power and the ways in which it
can be subverted. More specifically, he focuses on the ways in which violence and popular
rebellion defy and dismantle power structures.

What does Act I, Scene 2, tell us about Macbeth?

This particular scene shows us what other characters think about Macbeth at the beginning of
the story. The wounded captain calls him "brave Macbeth" and details Macbeth's courageous,
though brutal, behavior during the two battles in which he fights (line 18). He is relentless
and swift, like "Valor's minion," or the chosen darling of valor or courage (line 21). Further,
when Duncan hears the captain's report, he cries, "O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!" This
tells us Macbeth is actually related to the king and that the king thinks of him incredibly
highly (line 26). In fact, Duncan thinks so well of Macbeth that he decides to give him an
additional title, the Thane of Cawdor, and he tells the same men to execute the old Thane of
Cawdor for treason and inform Macbeth of his new title. This scene makes it clear that
everyone thinks highly of Macbeth, he is beloved by his king, and he seems to be quite loyal
to the crown.

How is Duncan's rule over his people different from Macbeth's?

Duncan's rule over his people is quite different from Macbeth's because the two use vastly
different methods of motivating people. Duncan seems to use positive reinforcement; for
example, he rewards Macbeth for his great service to Scotland during the battles with which
the play begins by giving him a new title. Duncan rewards people for their loyalty and
friendship to the crown. Macbeth, on the other hand, tends to use negative reinforcement. He
does not trust his countrymen and subjects, and actually employs a spy in all the nobles'
homes. Further, when they behave in ways that he does not like, he punishes them, but does
not reward them for their loyalty to him. Duncan rules with kindness; Macbeth, with fear.
Duncan gives to Scotland; Macbeth takes all he can from it.

Why are Malcolm and Macduff considered to be heroes in Macbeth?

Macbeth takes the throne by murdering the rightful king, Duncan, and upsets the natural
order of things in Scotland. At the time, a king's rule was considered to be in accordance with
God's will, so the murder of Duncan can be viewed as a rebellion against God's will. By
taking the throne unlawfully, Macbeth throws Scotland into chaos.

The two most prominent characters in the play who are resolved to restore order in the
country are Macduff and Malcolm. Macduff is among the first to doubt the legitimacy of
Macbeth's claim to the throne. He senses that Macbeth gained power by resorting to illegal
means, and, of course, he is right. Macbeth murders Malcolm's father, Duncan, as well as
Macduff's family. Both Malcolm and Macduff have two reasons to attempt to depose
Macbeth. First, they want to restore peace and order in Scotland and make sure the rightful
ruler takes the throne. Second, they are motivated to depose Macbeth because they want to
exact revenge on him for killing all the innocent people, including their own family.

Malcolm joins Macduff in his quest to depose Macbeth, and they both succeed in defeating
him and his army. They are heroes because they manage to save their country from the
tyrannical rule of a cold-blooded murderer.

How is Macbeth a statement of evil and how do others contribute to this?

Although Macbeth gradually embraces evil, viewing him only in terms of his criminal
behavior is not a precise examination of his character. When we take a look at his soliloquies,
which often reveal his fears and doubts, we can realize Macbeth is a complex character who
has a conscience. Even when he tries to come across as brutal and evil, his conscience keeps
haunting him. In his famous soliloquy when he proclaims life is futile, Macbeth realizes our
lives mean nothing in particular. We are mere shadows on the planet, and the power we gain
is temporal. If Macbeth were wholly evil, he would be preoccupied with causing more harm
and would not think about the futility of life and other philosophical issues.

Although Macbeth alone is to blame for initiating his own downfall, his wife and the witches
have an impact on him. Lady Macbeth's persuasive speech motivates Macbeth to go after his
"black and deep desires." The witches' prophecy is another factor that influences Macbeth. He
becomes obsessed with the prophecy and decides to take matters into his own hands.

(locate his soliloquy)

How is "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown" portrayed through

the character of Macbeth?
When Macbeth murders Duncan, he can no longer go back to the point when his conscience
was more or less clear. He has stepped into the realm of darkness, where he is tortured by his
thoughts of insecurity and doubt. The witches' prophecy becomes engraved in his mind, and
he cannot help but remember the witches said Banquo's sons would inherit the throne one
day. This news greatly perturbs him:

They hail'd him father to a line of kings:

Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding.

Although Macbeth gains power when he takes the throne, in a way, he loses more. He loses
his peace, compassion, and all sense of right and wrong. He becomes tormented by his
insecurities and his belief that others will attempt to dethrone him.

Macbeth takes the witches' prophecy too seriously and decides to kill Banquo and his son.
This will lead to many more misdeeds on Macbeth's part because he has forever lost his
common sense. He wants to get rid of anyone who could potentially harm him in any way.
This will lead to his imminent downfall.

How does Shakespeare present the character of Lady Macbeth and

establish the potential for future conflict in Act I, Scene 5 of Macbeth?
In Act I, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband describing his encounter
with the witches and their prophecy that he will become king of Scotland. She is presented as
a devoted wife, willing to abandon whatever scruples she has to help her husband achieve
what they view as his destiny. When she discovers King Duncan will be at their castle, she
immediately resolves to "unsex" herself, becoming ruthless and cruel in order to push
Macbeth, who she views as "too full of the milk of human kindness" to carry out the murder
that will put him on the throne. She is also remarkably assertive. No sooner does she learn
Duncan will be staying at Inverness that night then she begins to hatch a plan to kill him. She
tells Macbeth what to do, advising him to greet Duncan with great hospitality so as not to
reveal their plot:

bear welcome in your eye,

Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't.

Beyond that, she tells Macbeth, he should "leave the rest to me," meaning Macbeth should
simply act normal while she plans the brutal and treasonous murder of the king. Lady
Macbeth's actions would have been viewed by Shakespeare's audiences as not only devious
and cruel, but as an inversion of the natural order of things. This is certainly how she is
presented in this scene, and it is consistent with the theme originally described by the
witches: what's fair is foul and what's foul is fair. Yet the modern audience might be equally
struck by Lady Macbeth's love and ambition for her husband as well as her willingness to
defy prescribed gender roles. As for the potential for conflict, it is obvious the couple is
plotting to kill the King, an act that will plunge Scotland into bloody chaos.

How do Lady Macbeth and the witches influence Macbeth to change?

The Weird Sisters influence Macbeth to change simply by telling him that he will become
Thane of Cawdor and then king. When he learns he has been made the Thane of Cawdor,
Macbeth begins to hope for the throne in a way that he seems never to have done before.
Judging by the captain's description of him in battle, Macbeth has been loyal and brave, a
good subject and kinsman to King Duncan. Once the witches plant the seed of ambition, it
begins to grow out of control, prompting Macbeth to dream of killing Duncan—and possibly
his son, Malcolm—prior even to returning home to the company of his murderous wife.

Lady Macbeth influences her husband to change by persuading him to go forward with their
plan, even after he decides they would "proceed no further in this business" (Act I, Scene 7,
line 32). Lady Macbeth insults her husband's masculinity, convincing him he will not be a
man if he does not keep his promise to her and take the throne now. After he does commit the
murder, she insists that his guilt makes him a coward. Soon enough, she realizes she's created
a monster who is even capable of killing innocent women and children without a second
thought.

What is Macbeth's reaction to the witches' "news," and does this change
when he finds out he is the Thane of Cawdor?
Initially, Macbeth is incredulous; he cannot believe what the Weird Sisters have told him. He
wants them to keep talking and to tell him more, including how they know the information
they claim to know and how they came to meet with Macbeth and Banquo on the heath.
When the witches vanish, Macbeth is awestruck and says that he wishes they had stayed to
answer his questions. Banquo wonders if he and Macbeth were hallucinating when they saw
the weird women, and the pair of friends seems to joke about the oddness of the experience.

However, once Ross and Angus tell Macbeth that he's been named the Thane of Cawdor,
Macbeth expresses confusion, but then he begins to hope (privately) that the sisters' other
prediction would come true. He says, "Two truths are told / As happy prologues to the
swelling act / Of the imperial theme" (1.3.140-142). He refers to the fact that the Weird
Sisters were right -- he is the Thane of both Glamis and Cawdor now -- and so he begins to
think that he cannot but become king (the "imperial theme"), as they said he would. In other
words, he goes from disbelief and shock to acceptance and certainty.

What does Macbeth's reaction to the news of his wife's death say about his
state of mind?
Whatever else we might say about the Macbeths earlier in the play, there was no doubt that
they were essentially a loving couple. By the end of the play, however, they seem to have
"grown apart," as we might say today. Early in the play, Lady Macbeth is remorseless and
cruel as she goads her husband into the murder of Duncan and urges him not to feel any guilt
for doing so. By the end of the play, she herself has been overcome with guilt, as revealed in
the first scene of Act V, when she attempts to wash imaginary blood from her hands while
sleepwalking. In the meantime, Macbeth has become a bloody, murderous tyrant, without
regard for human life. This development is underscored by this speech, in which he
essentially expresses no grief whatsoever at his formerly beloved wife's death. Immediately
before receiving the news, he says that after everything he has done, "direness...cannot once
start me." He is immune, in short, to horror.

At the same time, Macbeth's speech reveals a sort of grim, existential resignation. Life, he
says in reaction to her death, is essentially meaningless:

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

This is perhaps the bleakest passage in all of Shakespeare's plays, and it is obviously Lady
Macbeth's passing that has evoked this profound sense of pessimism in her husband. If
everything is meaningless--just a march toward "dusty death," then what was the point of
everything they have done to seize the throne? In any case, Macbeth's state of mind, already
astonishingly bleak, does not improve when he receives the news that Birnam Wood
(Malcolm's men concealing themselves with tree boughs) apparently advancing on his castle,
thus fulfilling one half of the witches' prophecy.

Explain how the character of Macbeth changed after the killing of King
Duncan.
Prior to killing Duncan, Macbeth felt guilty and unsure. He told his wife, Lady Macbeth,
"We will proceed no further in this business" (1.7.34), and he even hallucinates a dagger, first
clean and then bloodied, because he is so anxious and guilt-ridden at the thought of the
murder he's about to commit. However, once Macbeth has done the deed, and after he gets
over his initial concern for his soul, he becomes a great deal more ruthless and feels a lot less
guilty about the violent steps he takes.

Once he's killed Duncan in order to acquire the throne, he soon begins to feel that he must get
rid of Banquo and Banquo's son if he is to keep his new position and power. The Weird
Sisters had said that Banquo would not be king, but he would father kings, and Macbeth
doesn't want to lose the throne to anyone of Banquo's line. He promptly decides to kill his
once-best friend; he convinces two murderers that it is Banquo's fault that they are poor and
destitute, and thus persuades them to murder him (and Fleance, though Fleance escapes).
Further, Macbeth feels no guilt about this action, and he no longer considers the state of his
soul.

Descending into even greater ruthlessness and tyranny, Macbeth eventually murders the
family and servants of Macduff, as a way of sending a message to his political enemy.
Macbeth has murdered Duncan and Banquo, and attempted to murder Fleance, and now he
actually murders an innocent woman and her children as well as a great many innocent
servants, simply because of their connection to Macduff. It is a despicable move that
showcases just how much worse a person Macbeth has become; he's abandoned every loyalty
and he seems to have no conscience left.

Why doesn't Macbeth kill Macduff? How is this significant to the play?
In Act IV, Scene 1, the apparitions warn Macbeth to be careful of Macduff, but also maintain
that "none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth."

Macbeth is happy to hear this, but soon decides he will rid himself of Macduff anyway, just to
ensure his chances of maintaining his hold on power. He soon discovers Macduff has fled
England, and is miffed he didn't act sooner. To ensure no heirs follow Macduff, he orders
Macduff's wife and children to be killed.

The castle of Macduff I will surprise,

Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword

His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

That trace him in his line.

In Act V, Scene 7, Macbeth kills young Siward and proclaims he wasn't afraid to face the
warrior because Siward was born of a woman. In Act V, Scene 8, Macbeth initially refuses to
fight Macduff; he claims he's killed enough of Macduff's family members and wants to
refrain from killing Macduff, too. Furthermore, Macbeth argues that he leads "a charmèd life,
which must not yield/ To one of woman born."

At this point, Macbeth doesn't make any moves to kill Macduff because he thinks Macduff is
no threat to him. It is only after Macduff asserts that he was "untimely ripped" from his
mother's womb that Macbeth begins to take his challenger seriously.

So, it's significant that Macbeth doesn't initially manage to kill Macduff. Earlier in the play,
Macduff escaped Macbeth's clutches when he fled England. Later, on the battlefield, Macbeth
initially refuses to engage Macduff. He's only forced to fight Macduff when Macduff corners
him. In the end, Macduff beheads Macbeth and proclaims Malcolm king of Scotland. In the
play, Macduff fills his role as the one man who can kill Macbeth; his character fulfills the
earlier prophecy that Macbeth should both beware of Macduff and be wary of the man who is
not "born from a woman."
 Macbeth Summary
Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches who predict that he will become Thane of
Cawdor and "king hereafter." His wife, Lady Macbeth, urges him to seize the opportunity and
take the throne. One night, Macbeth murders King Duncan in his sleep, then frames the
guards for the crime.

 Macbeth's best friend, Banquo, was present for the witches' prophecy and realizes that
Macbeth is responsible for King Duncan's murder. To protect himself, Macbeth has Banquo
killed. Fleance, Banquo's son, escapes and is prophesied to become king.
 Duncan's sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland, where they begin plotting
against Macbeth. One of their allies, Macduff, poses a serious threat to Macbeth, so the new
king has Macduff crowned king. Malcolm and Macduff join forces and prepare for war.
 Overcome with remorse over the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth commits
suicide. Her death barely affects Macbeth, who has received three new prophecies: to beware
Macduff, that "none of woman born" shall harm him, and that he won't be defeated until
Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill. Naturally, Macbeth assumes that he's invincible.
 Macduff's forces camouflage themselves with foliage from Birnam Wood as they
march on Dunsinane. Macduff, the product of a gruesome c-section, was not "of woman
born" and thus has the power to defeat Macbeth, who realizes too late that the witches'
prophecies foretold his death and not his success. Macduff kills Macbeth is the play's final
act.

Macbeth Themes
 Shakespeare's Macbeth dramatizes the battle between good and evil, exploring the
psychological effects of King Duncan's murder in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth's
conflicting feelings of guilt and ambition embody this timeless battle of good vs. evil.
 Shakespeare uses psychological realism to develop the theme of guilt. Macbeth's
remorse causes him to lose his grip on reality and lash out at those who would remind him of
his evil deeds. In the end, Lady Macbeth's guilt over the murder drives her to suicide.
 Supernatural forces are at work in Macbeth. William Shakespeare introduces this
theme in Act I, Scene I, when the trio of witches predict their first meeting with Macbeth.
Their presence in the play raises the question of fate vs. free will. Would Macbeth have killed
King Duncan, for instance, if the witches had not told him he would become king?
Shakespeare leaves this open to interpretation.

Macbeth Characters at a Glance

 Macbeth, the ambitious Scottish general who kills King Duncan to take the throne.
Macduff defeats him in the play's final act.
 Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's merciless wife, who urges him to kill King Duncan. She
later commits suicide out of remorse.
 The Weird Sisters, a manipulative trio of witches who prophesy that Macbeth will
become king.
 Banquo, Macbeth’s best friend, whom Macbeth has killed when Banquo becomes
suspicious of the new king.
 Duncan, King of Scotland.
 Macduff, the nobleman who kills Macbeth at the end of the play.

Macbeth Analysis
 Shakespeare sets the tone for the play in Act I, Scene I, when the Weird Sisters appear
on stage in the midst of a thunderstorm. Together, the trio of witches proclaim, "Fair is foul,
and foul is air," introducing the theme of good vs. evil that weaves through the entire play.
 Images of blood recur throughout the play, becoming symbols of guilt and evil. When
Lady Macbeth cries, "Out, damned spot!" in Act V, Scene I, she's tormented by guilt over
King Duncan's murder. Her remorse ultimately drives her to suicide.
 The Weird Sisters' prophecies bring an element of ambiguity to the play, even as they
seem to predict the future. For example, the final prophecies suggests that Macbeth can't be
killed, because "none of woman born" can harm him. Shakespeare cleverly circumvents these
prophecies, suggesting that Macbeth's fate was always open to interpretation.

Act I Commentary
Scene i: In what is perhaps the most attention-grabbing opening scene of all of Shakespeare's
plays, we are introduced to the Weird Sisters. The witches (as they are known) would have
been considered by the Elizabethans to be human representatives of supernatural or dark
forces. The thunder and lightening used to mark their entrance emphasises their "other
worldliness." Graymalkin, a cat, and Paddock, a toad, are mentioned as their special
accomplices, as would be dogs, rats, and spiders. This association of animals and insects with
horror and evil is still evident in our Halloween decorations and scary movies.

The stage direction gives no indication of where the scene takes place, and the first word,
"When," indicates that time rather than place will be a major motif of the play. Although the
events in Shakespeare's original source for the play, Holinshed's Chronicles, cover a ten year
period, the play compresses the action so that events quickly follow each other.

The sing-song meter of the lines adds to the witches' mystery and underlines the effect that
this opening "spell" will cast over the play. With all this "hurly burly," it is easy to miss a
crucial piece of information: the witches will meet Macbeth on the heath at sunset. Why?
What do they want with him?

Prophecies are used in Shakespeare's plays for two reasons: (1) to alert the audience to what
will definitely happen, and (2) to alert the audience to what may or may not happen. Either
way, this playwriting technique sets up the debate of whether characters are fated to meet to
their ends or whether they have free choice. Here, however, the audience is only aware that
the witches will meet Macbeth. The atmosphere of thunder, lightening, "fog and filthy air"
imply that it will not be a good meeting.

As if all this were not enough, this opening scene has thirteen lines!

Scene ii: As predicted by the witches, a battle opens this scene. The king, Duncan, and his
son, Malcolm, receive a report on the battle with the rebel, Macdonald, from the Captain. The
King's language, however, is deceptively simple. He judges from the blood on the Captain
that the man "can report/…of the revolt/ the newest state" (1.2.1-3). Duncan is thus
established as a man who draws his conclusions from appearances. Malcolm, on the other
hand, seems to put his trust in loyalty and tradition: "This is the sergeant/who like a good and
hardy soldier fought/'Gainst my captivity" (1.2.3-5). When the bleeding Captain is questioned
by Duncan about Macbeth and Banquo, two of his thanes (lords), he says that the two men
"doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe" (1.2.38).

The Thane of Ross (known simply as Ross) and his companion, Angus, enter the scene to
confirm the report of the Captain, adding that the Thane of Cawdor (another rebel) is
defeated. Since a thane received his lands from the king and owed his loyalty directly to the
king, the actions of the Thane of Cawdor is a serious offence punishable by death. Duncan
not only orders this punishment immediately, but also awards the title, Thane of Cawdor, to
Macbeth for his services to the crown.

Thus, the witches' vague prediction, "when the battle's lost and won", is enacted before the
audience who now knows about Macbeth's promotion before he does. This knowledge will be
especially important for the scene that follows. Here and now, however, it seems a very
normal thing for a king to reward "noble" (1.2.66) Macbeth's military service with a
promotion. Yet, nagging in the back of the mind is the fact that the meeting of the witches
with Macbeth is close at hand. What do they want with him? What will happen next?.

Scene iii: Like scene 1, this scene opens with a peal of thunder and the appearance of the
Three Witches. Here the audience receives an explanation of what the 'unnatural hags' have
been up to since last saw them. The Second Witch has been 'killing swine' (1.3.2), while the
First Witch is plotting revenge against a sailor's wife who had refused to share her chestnuts.
While the three give many details about just what it is they plan to do to the sailor,
Shakespeare is cleverly hinting at the limits of their power. The witches plan to torment the
man with buffeting winds, sleeplessness, starvation, and a faulty compass. All these
misfortunes are natural events and do not directly cause death. The limit to the witches' power
is stated clearly: 'his bark cannot be lost' (1.3.24). Although the witches can inflict malice, it
is the sailor's choices in dealing with them that will determine whether his ship sinks.

Immediately following is Macbeth's and Banquo's entrance. We only know the meeting is on
the heath in the fog from Act One, scene one. The placement of the entrance here emphasises
the limits of the witches' power over Macbeth and Banquo. The veracity f the prophecies that
follow depend on two factors: (1) Macbeth is already Thane of Glamis and does not know
that Duncan has made him Thane of Cawdor; (2) Macbeth alone can choose the means to
make the leap from 'Thane of Cawdor' to 'King hereafter' (1.3.48, 49).

Banquo reinforces this free will to choose in his lines 'If you can look into the seeds of time,/
And say which grain will grow and which will not' (1.3.58-59). The prophecy for Banquo,
'Lesser than Macbeth, and greater./ Not so happy, yet much happier./ Thou shalt get kings,
though thou be none' (1.3.6567) does not mention titles for Banquo, but rather intangible
aspirations such as greatness and happiness which can be achieved by any man. The
audience, however, knows that Macbeth's prophecy will soon be confirmed.

The witches disappear without further explanation, but they have made a deep impression on
Macbeth, one that shows his initial belief in the prophecies: 'Would they had stayed' (1.3.82),
followed by his realisation that Banquo's children will be kings. We will learn later that while
Macbeth is childless, Banquo does have a son, so that while Macbeth will be king, he will not
be able to pass on his regency.

Ross and Angus enter at this point to confirm that Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor. At first
he does not believe the two messengers, but once the events, 'treasons capital, confessed
and...

Act II Commentary
Scene i: By now the audience is anxious to find out how the Macbeths' murder plan will
work, but Shakespeare continues to build the suspense. In this scene we meet Fleance (Flay-
ahns), Banquo'' young son. Both father and son are restless and Macbeth too cannot sleep.
The time is carefully noted as after 'twelve' (2.1.3), midnight, the witching hour. Banquo
delivers a diamond from the King to Macbeth for his wife to thank her for being a 'most kind
hostess' (2.1.16)

Now might Banquo and Macbeth have the discussion promised in 1.3. Banquo tells Macbeth
that he 'dreamt last night of the three weird sisters' (2.1.20), and that they apparently spoke
the truth to Macbeth. Macbeth, however, lies to Banquo: 'I think not of them' (2.1.21), the
response completing Banquo's line that ends in the word 'truth' (2.1.21). Macbeth also tells
Banquo that now is not the time for their proposed discussion and goes one step further,
telling Banquo that when the time comes, he shall gain honour if he sides with Macbeth.
Banquo agrees, on the condition that the affair will not compromise his conscience. Banquo
and Fleance go off to bed, leaving Macbeth alone.

Macbeth imagines that he sees a dagger before him and questions whether it is a real thing or
'a dagger of the mind' (2.1.28). The remainder of his soliloquy contains many references to
witchcraft, as had Lady Macbeth's in 1.5: 'gouts of blood' (46); 'wicked dreams' (50);
'witchcraft' (51); 'Hecate' (52); 'wolf' (53); 'ghost' (56); 'horror' (59). The scene serves a dual
purpose. In the first place, it poses Macbeth without a child against Banquo and Fleance,
reinforcing the prophecy for Banquo. Secondly, it shows the inner workings of Macbeth's
mind. It is a rule for Shakespeare that any time a character is speaking in an aside or to the
audience, the character is telling the truth. Macbeth is no longer plagued by any doubt
whatsoever, and his instruction to the servant to have Lady Macbeth ring a bell reminds us of
her complicity. When the bell does ring, Macbeth describes it as a death knell. On one level it
is, but on another, it is the audio signal of the instigation of Lady Macbeth's plan and the
herald of her entrance for scene 2.

Scene ii: In the middle of a restless, moonlit night (which we would recognise as the
beginning of a horror movie), an owl shrieks and a King is killed. The act that we have
waited happens off-stage, while Lady Macbeth describes how she drugged the wine of
Duncan's guards and left the doors open, the daggers ready for her husband's use. Curiously,
Lady Macbeth explains that she herself would have killed Duncan 'had he not resembled/ My
father as he slept' (2.2.12-13). Apparently, her moral code includes regicide but draws the line
at patricide. The point that murder is murder and is wrong is lost on her.

What follows is even more curious. The two conspirators have an exchange about the sound
of voices. Two of the court guests have awakened, but then prayed themselves back to sleep.
Macbeth could not say 'Amen' and this weakness upsets him. His wife's advice is most
patronising: 'Consider it not so deeply' (2.2.29). Macbeth, however, continues to ramble,
accusing himself of murdering sleep. Lady Macbeth chides him to get a hold of himself and
wash the blood from his hands. She then notices that he has the daggers with him. Angrily
she tells him to go back and put the daggers by the guards and to smear the guards with
Duncan's blood. When Macbeth refuses, she goes herself. In her absence, Macbeth tries to
wash his hands but they will not come clean. When Lady Macbeth returns, she is covered in
royal blood and believes 'a little water clears us of this deed' (2.2.66). As someone knocks at
the gate, they go to bed, Macbeth obviously shocked at what he has done.

This long-anticipated scene is somewhat disappointing in that we do not see the murder, but
we do see is even more terrifying: murder from the point of view of the murderers. The blood
on Macbeth's hands is not nearly so shocking as his simple comment on the taking of a
human life, 'I have done the.

Act III Commentary

Scene i: Structurally, Act III is the mid-point or centre of the five act play. Here we find
Banquo thinking that the prophecies of the witches concerning Macbeth have all come true.
He wonders if their prophecy concerning him may also be true. Banquo, however, suspects
that to make the prophecies come to pass, Macbeth has 'play'dst most foully for't' (3.1.3).
Macbeth invites Banquo to a feast and asks if he can meet with him. Banquo informs the
King that he plans to send the afternoon riding with his son, Fleance. Macbeth tells the
unsuspecting Banquo 'Fail not our feast' (3.1.27). He also mentions that he learned that
Malcolm and Donalbain are in England and Ireland. It is obvious that Macbeth is intent on...

Act IV Commentary
Scene i: According to Hecate's wishes, the Three Witches have gathered the ingredients for
the spell. Here we see them blend them together to the famous chant:

Double, double, toil and trouble,

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. (10-11)

Hecate approves of their efforts and promises them a 'share i'th'gains' (40). Macbeth has
questions and asks for answers, not from the Weird Sisters, but from what he thinks are their
more powerful masters. The answers take the form of three apparitions: an 'Armed Head', 'a
Bloody Child', and 'a Child Crowned, with a tree in his hand' (Act IV, stage directions).
The Armed Head tells Macbeth to 'Beware Macduff' (71). The...

Act V Commentary
Scene i: Having set us up for the invasion of Scotland by its rightful king, Shakespeare
returns us to the domestic tragedy and another famous scene. When we last saw Lady
Macbeth, she was leading her husband to bed to sleep. This scene opens, ironically, with
another Doctor and a Gentlewoman discussing a female sleep-walker. When the Doctor asks
the Gentlewoman to repeat what she heard the sleep-walker say, she steadfastly refuses, since
there were no witnesses.

Here enters Lady Macbeth with a lit taper which she has ordered to be constantly by her side.
In her sleep, Lady Macbeth relates details of Duncan's murder and her husband's part in it, the
murder of Banquo, and the holocaust at Fife. The Doctor tells...

Historical Background
Shakespeare drew from many sources when he wrote—the Holingshed Chronicles of
England was one of these. From this source he drew much of his historical knowledge, as
Holingshed was the definitive historical source of that time. The story of Macbeth comes
from this source. However, Shakespeare changed several characters to meet the theatrical
purpose of the play. In Holing¬shed’s account Macbeth is older than Duncan, but
Shakespeare reverses their ages and Duncan is portrayed as the older of the two.

Macbeth was written especially for James I and was performed in 1606. James I was King of
Scotland when he came to the English throne; his descendants can be traced back to Banquo.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, often referred to in theater circles as “The Scottish Play,” Banquo
is portrayed as an honorable man who promotes goodness and fairness. In this way,
Shakespeare was keenly aware of his audience and his political responsibilities. His plays
reflect not only timeless conflicts and resolutions, but a view of the Elizabethan society.
The society in which Shakespeare lived was reflected in the characters he wrote about.
London was a crowded city teaming with aristocrats, working class people, and indigents—it
was a hub of activity. By today’s standards the sanitation was very poor, and there were
frequent epidemics of the plague. The city was infested with rats, and the fleas on the rats
caused the Bubonic plague. There were no sewers, only open drains in the middle of the
street. The conditions were difficult; however, the spirit of the people prevailed. It was in this
society that Shakespeare wrote and created his characters.
Shakespearean Theatre

The support of theatre in England varied depending on who was the reigning monarch. Queen
Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603) was the monarch when Shakespeare came into the public eye.
Elizabeth supported the theater and the company performed at the castle on a regular basis.
She reigned until her death in 1603 when James I became ruler.

James I was also an avid supporter of the theatre. Shakespeare’s company, “Lord
Chamberlain’s Men,” came under royal...

Places Discussed
*Scotland

*Scotland. British country north of England that historically had its own language, monarchy,
parliament, and culture. In the period in which Macbeth is set, 1040 to 1057, Scotland was
beginning to form as a nation, building on its Viking and Saxon tribal nucleus, while
constantly wracked by bloody internal disputes and wars with England. Shakespeare’s choice
of this period in Scottish history is far from accidental, as it pertains to the origin of the two
Scottish royal lineages—those of Malcolm and Banquo—through which James I constructed
his successful claims to the thrones of both England and Scotland. Shakespeare even stages
the constitutional shift from feudal elective monarchy to patrilineal inheritance and the
construction of “divine right” (to which James constantly referred), when Duncan names
Malcolm as heir and prince of Cumberland.

By the seventeenth century, Scotland was usually described in the English cultural
imagination as wild and ungovernable because of its difficult topography, harsh weather, and
uncivilized people. Images of Scotland, like those of Ireland and Wales, suffered from
English Tudor nation-building—that is, “England” was constructed negatively, by defining
what it was not. Hence, Shakespeare’s Scotland becomes England’s antithetical Other, a
nightmarish land of barren heaths and misty crags, populated not only by aggressive
clansmen and regicides but also by supernatural forces and demoniac spirits. The play’s
“England,” on the other hand, is depicted as graciously ruled by a “good king,” the saintly
Edward the Confessor, who heals with a royal touch and possesses a “heavenly gift of
prophecy.”

This imaginary rugged Scottish landscape, with its crags, hollows, and storms, is
symbolically central to Shakespeare’s depiction of a turbulent political structure.
Consequently, in the play’s denouement, as the nation is returned to “natural” order, the wild
countryside itself seems to rise up against the murderous Macbeth, as Birnam Wood comes
toward Dunsinane, in the shape of Malcolm’s camouflaged troops and in accordance with the
weird (or wyrd) sisters’ prophecy. Simultaneously, the disruptions of the natural world, the
“hours dreadful and things strange” with cannibalistic horses and “strange screams of death,”
which accompany Macbeth’s regicide and rule, are apparently purged as health is restored to
the “sickly weal.” However, the replacement of one regicide by another reveals the
similarities between the regimes, staging the play’s equivocal wordplay and eliding the
differences, as each term becomes “what is not,” both “fair” and “foul,” like the landscape
itself.

Heath

Heath. Fictional Scottish wasteland of uncontrollable natural and supernatural forces. As

inhabited by the three weird sisters, the “blasted heath” is a symbolically liminal site of
transformation and equivocal multivocality, in which weather is both “foul and fair,” where
the sisters are both “women” and bearded males, who can appear and disappear, and where
prophecy is both “ill” and “good” as language subverts sight and meaning. In addition, the
sisters’ presence gives Scotland gender as (super-)naturally “female” in its uncontrollable
wildness throughout the play, in contrast to Scotland’s strongly masculine warrior culture.

*Scone

*Scone. Ancient castle and holy site, immediately north of Perth and thirty miles north of
Edinburgh. The Pictish capital of the early Scots, Scone became the traditional site for the
“investment” or crowning of new monarchs, who sat on the Stone of Scone, a legendary
symbol of nationalism that traces back to the eighth century. The stone was seized by
England’s Edward I in 1296 and removed to London, where it remained for many centuries.

*Inverness

*Inverness. Scottish town on the Moray Firth, at Loch Ness, about thirty miles west of Forres
and about ninety miles north of Fife. Inverness is the site of the Macbeths’ feudal castle,
located on the northern edge of Duncan’s territory and strategically placed to guard against
incursions from northern Europe. However, this distant frontier also makes it an ideal place
for rebellion against a centralized government, as evidenced by Cawdor’s insurrection. The
town of Cawdor is only ten miles east of Inverness.

*Dunsinane Hill

*Dunsinane Hill. Thousand-foot-high crag, part of the Sidlaw hills and less than ten miles
north of Scone. The site of Macbeth’s military fortress and last stand, the daunting hill faces a
forested area which stretches twelve miles northwest to the town of Birnam. It is through this
“wood” that Malcolm and Siward make their final, disguised attack.

Quotes
Nothing in his life
became him like the leaving of it.
(1.4.7-8)

Act 1, scene 4 is a continuation of the battle scene of Act 1, scene 2. Sandwiched in between
is Macbeth's first encounter with the witches and their prophecy that he will be Thane of
Cawdor. In scene 2, King Duncan has ordered Cawdor's execution, and here in scene 4,
Malcolm, Duncan's son reports on how the execution went. For the Jacobeans who frequently
witnessed executions by beheading, the prisoner pledging loyalty at the last minute was
frequently rewarded with pardon. Cawdor, however, does not survive, in spite of confessing
'his treasons', imploring the King's 'pardon', and showing 'a deep repentance'.

...the milk of human kindness.

(1.5.15)

As Lady Macbeth waits for her husband to arrive home after she has received his letter with
the news of his promotion and the prophecies, she decides that her husband will be king only
through her iron determination since he is sometime too full of compassion, a very unmanly
trait. The phrase is therefore at the top of Lady Macbeth's insult list so that when we use the
phrase to approve of someone's compassion, we are changing it from an insult to a
compliment.

The be-all and the end-all

(1.7.5)

According to the OED, Shakespeare invented this phrase and all subsequent uses by other
authors are borrowed from the playwright. In the play, Macbeth is debating with himself
about committing the murder of Duncan and becoming king without getting caught. If killing
the King would have no consequences, he would have no other problems. But Macbeth
knows regicide can never be so simple. For us, it means an event or person that is the
beginning and end of all things in one package; an ego maniac; a conceited person.

Knock, knock. Who's there…?

(2.3.5-6)

In one of the very few comedy bits in Macbeth, the Porter is roused to open the gate just after
the murder of Duncan. As he goes to the gate half asleep, he engages in a conversation with
himself and several others of his own creation. It seems that Shakespeare is responsible for
the beginning of the 'Knock Knock' joke. Variety, an entertainment industry magazine,
reported on 19 August 1936 that America was caught up in a 'knock-knock craze', and on 14
November 1936, England fell for the tasteless pun answers to the question 'knock-knock'
when radio comedian Wee Georgie Wood told several of the jokes on a radio show.
Nowadays, the 'knock-knock' joke is an integral part of panto (short for pantomime), a form
of interactive theatre that stages children's fairy tales, especially at Christmas in Great Britain.

What's done is done.

(3.2.12)
 Here a very calm Lady Macbeth chides her husband for still thinking about Duncan's murder.
She tries to tell him that there is nothing that can be done about it: dead is dead. Interestingly
this advice to her husband emerges in a negative sentence in her sleep-walking: 'What's done
cannot be undone' (5.1.68). Her guilty conscience is even more forceful than the seemingly
simple advice she gives Macbeth. Not only can nothing be done about Duncan's murder, but...

What does the line "Duncan is in his grave; After life's fitful fever he sleeps well" mean?
 » What does "Only for them, and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of
man, To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!" mean?
 » What does Macbeth mean by his "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow"
speech?
 » What does "There's daggers in men's smiles" mean?

A Deed Without A Name"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo are told by three witches that Macbeth will be king and that
the descendants of Banquo will be crowned. Driven by his own wicked ambition and that of
his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and usurps the throne. Worried because the sons of
Duncan remain safe in exile and Fleance, son of the recently murdered Banquo, has escaped
his assassins, Macbeth visits the den of the weird sisters.

SECOND WITCH
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open locks,
Whoever knocks.
[Enter MACBETH.]
MACBETH
How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags?
What is't you do?
ALL
A deed without a name.
MACBETH
I conjure you, by that which you profess,
Howe'er you come to know it, answer me.
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;
Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
...
Even till destruction sicken–answer me
To what I ask you.

"A Little Water Clears Us Of This Deed"

Context: Macbeth has just murdered Duncan, the King of Scotland. He is in a state of shock,
and he has not carried out the plan he and Lady Macbeth had made to put the knife in the
hands of the drugged and drunken grooms who guarded the king. Lady Macbeth, who could
not kill Duncan herself because he reminded her of her father, goes to complete the plan. She
is now the strong one, for her husband can no longer even think of what he has done, much
less look at it again. She bolsters herself with brave talk and leaves to set the scene.
Meanwhile Macbeth stares at his bloody hands in horror, believing that they can never be
cleansed. Lady Macbeth, however, whose hands are now as bloody, berates him as a coward
and assures him that merely washing their hands will clear them of murder. A knocking at the
gates halts their hurried conversation and sends them to their rooms to pretend sleep.

MACBETH
...
Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No. This my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.
LADY MACBETH
My hands are of your colour; but I shame
To wear a heart so white. [Knock.] I hear a knocking
At the south entry. Retire we to our chamber.
A little water clears us of this deed.

"A Tale Told By An Idiot, Full Of Sound And Fury Signifying

Nothing"

Context: Macbeth, King of Scotland, is a usurper who murders the lawful King Duncan and,
when the latter's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee for their lives, fastens the blame on them.
Macbeth's reign is fitful and bloody. As the years pass, he gains more enemies, and many
nobles desert Scotland to join Malcolm in England. Lady Macbeth, her husband's partner in
assassination, suffers from a guilt-ridden conscience that will not let her sleep. There is no
remedy for her illness, and she dies just as Malcolm's forces, come from England to restore
the throne to its rightful claimant, attack Macbeth's stronghold. Word is brought to Macbeth
of his wife's death. He bitterly philosophizes on the event, in a passage which, perhaps,
contains more famous lines than any other in Shakespeare.

MACBETH
...
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
...

"After Life's Fitful Fever He Sleeps Well"

Context: Advised by three witches that he will be king, Macbeth gives way to his ambition,
murders King Duncan, and usurps the throne. In his hasty grab for power, Macbeth has lost
something more precious, peace, which, ironically, he has given to the slain king. The new
king addresses Lady Macbeth.

MACBETH
...
. . . Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave.
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well,
Treason has done his worst; nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,
Can touch him further.
LADY MACBETH
Come on.
Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks,
Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night.
MACBETH
So shall I, love, and so I pray be you. . . .

"All The Perfumes Of Arabia Will Not Sweeten This Little Hand"
Context: Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband telling her of the prophetic words
of three witches that he will become king. When the chance comes to kill King Duncan as he
sleeps, an overnight visitor in Macbeth's castle, Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to murder his
liege and cousin and to usurp the throne. The deed is done, Macbeth is crowned king, and yet
the queen does not enjoy her new estate. Finally insane, Lady Macbeth is obsessed with the
murder of Duncan and the idea that his blood would not wash off her hands after she had
smeared it upon the grooms who slept by their king.

LADY MACBETH
Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.
Oh, oh, oh!
DOCTOR
What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.
GENTLEWOMAN
I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body.
DOCTOR
Well, well, well.
GENTLEWOMAN
Pray God it be sir.
DOCTOR
This disease is beyond my practice. Yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep
who have died holily in their beds.

"Angels Are Bright Still, Though The Brightest Fell"

Context: Duncan, King of Scotland, is murdered in his sleep. His sons, Malcolm and
Donalbain, carrying in their persons the future of their House, wisely flee, Malcolm to
England, Donalbain to Ireland, to wait for calmer times. Macbeth, the present king, murdered
Duncan, put the blame on Malcolm and Donalbain, and usurped the throne. He becomes a
bloody tyrant with whom no man is safe. There is discontent in Scotland. One nobleman,
Macduff, departs Scotland to join Malcolm in England. Now, they are discussing the
lamentable conditions in Scotland, and Malcolm hopes Macduff's looks are an index to his
loyalty.

MACDUFF
I am not treacherous.
MALCOLM
But Macbeth is.
A good and virtuous nature may recoil
In an imperial charge. But I shall crave your pardon.
That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose;
Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.
Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace,
Yet grace must still look so.

"Aroint Thee Witch The Rump-fed Ronyon Cries"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo, generals in the army of King Duncan of Scotland, pass along
a heath near Forres as they return home from a battle in which they have successfully put
down a rebellion against the king. Three witches await their approach to pronounce the words
of prophecy that Macbeth, who is Thane of Glamis, will bear the titles of Thane of Cawdor
and finally king, and that the heirs of Banquo will ascend the throne. As the witches wait,
they discuss their day's adventures, the first witch filling her sisters with indignation as she
tells them of the way a despicable, mangy (ronyon) sailor's wife, fat-bottomed from eating
refuse (rump-fed) refused to share with her the chestnuts she is eating, yelling at her to be
gone.

FIRST WITCH
A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munched, and munched, and munched.
Give me, quoth I.
Aroint thee witch the rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o'th' Tiger;
But in a sieve I'll thither sail,
And like a rat without a tail,
I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.

"Blood Will Have Blood"

Context: Macbeth orders Banquo and his son, Fleance, murdered the night of his feast. The
murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes. One of the murderers comes to tell Macbeth
what has happened just as the celebration is beginning. Macbeth, knowing full well Banquo is
dead, wishes for his presence and is confronted by his wounded and gory ghost sitting in the
place of honor. Shocked almost into madness, Macbeth babbles of blood and murders. Lady
Macbeth hastily excuses him on grounds of an old infirmity, but when the ghost returns a
second time, Macbeth is completely unnerved. Lady Macbeth asks the guests to leave
immediately. Macbeth is sure the ghost is a horrible omen of things to come.

LADY MACBETH
I pray you speak not; he grows worse and worse.
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
...
MACBETH
It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak.
Augurs and understood relations have
By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret'st man of blood. What is the night?

"Cry, Hold, Hold!"

Context: Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband. In it he relates how witches told
him he was to be Thane of Cawdor, and afterwards to be king; and shortly thereafter, he
relates, emissaries from King Duncan confirmed the first part of the prophecy. He is Thane of
Cawdor, and, she resolves, he shall be king, but she worries that Macbeth is "too full o' th'
milk of human kindness" to kill the king and take the throne. On the heels of the letter, arrives
word that King Duncan is coming to Macbeth's castle to spend the night. Instantly she
resolves that Duncan shall not leave the castle alive. Ambitious and ruthless, Lady Macbeth
invokes the spirits of hell to steel her to murder.

LADY MACBETH
. . . 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; make thick my blood, . . .
Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature's mischief. Come thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry, hold, hold!

"Double, Double Toil And Trouble"

Context: Three witches prophesy Macbeth's rise from general to Thane of Cawdor to King of
Scotland, and all comes true. But he pays a bloody price, for he murders King Duncan to
usurp his throne, and he has Banquo, a former fellow-general, slain because he fears him and
his sons as future usurpers of his own place. He wants to know more: what is yet in store for
him. The witches, assembled in a cavern to await his coming, are shrieking and screaming
around a bubbling caldron. Thunder accompanies their weird incantations.

FIRST WITCH
Round about the caldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweltered venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' th' charmed pot.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

"Eye Of Newt"
Context: Macbeth and Banquo are advised by three witches that Macbeth will become king
and that the descendants of Banquo will be monarchs. Macbeth, driven by his own evil
ambition and that of his wife, murders Duncan, his king, his cousin, and his over-night guest.
Though the crown is given to Macbeth, the new king is worried because the two sons of
Duncan remain in exile, and, though Banquo has been murdered, Fleance, his son, has
escaped Macbeth's hired assassins. Macbeth prepares to visit the oracles who gave him the
former prophecy. In the meantime, the witches fix a charm by preparing a boiling caldron,
taking turns casting hideous and venomous objects into the stew and muttering incantations.

SECOND WITCH
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing;
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

"Fair Is Foul, And Foul Is Fair"

Context: Three witches, shrieking and screeching in a storm, illumined by lightning and
accompanied by thunder, tell us they shall come together again before sunset on a heath to
meet a general in Scottish King Duncan's army, named Macbeth. Before they depart, the
witches half scream, half chant a rhymed couplet that gives a mysterious, chilling tone to the
play.

ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair;
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

"God's Soldier Be He"

Context: In the final act of the drama, Macbeth, who has usurped the crown of Scotland and
established himself as a bloody tyrant, is besieged in his castle at Dunsinane by an English
army under the command of Siward, Earl of Northumberland. Macbeth, however, feels
secure by reason of the promises given him by the three witches that he cannot be defeated
"until/Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him," and that "none of
woman born" can harm him. The first of these assurances is destroyed when Malcolm,
rightful heir to the Scottish throne, orders each soldier in the English army to hew a branch
from the trees in Birnam wood and carry it before him so that the size of the attacking forces
may be concealed. As a result of this stratagem, the watchers on the castle walls are given the
impression that the forest is indeed moving towards "high Dunsinane hill." In a last desperate
attempt, although he has grown weary of life, Macbeth orders a sortie, and the battle is
joined. The first of his enemies to confront him is young Siward, son of the English
commander, who is killed in a hand-to-hand fight with the usurper. When the old earl
receives this news, he is concerned only with knowing whether his son fought and died
bravely, as a soldier should. His conversation with Ross is as follows:

ROSS
Your son my lord, has paid a soldier's debt.
He only lived but till he was a man,
The which no sooner had his prowess confirmed
In the unshrinking station where he fought,
But like a man he died.
...
SIWARD
Had he his hurts before?
ROSS
Ay, on the front.
SIWARD
Why then, God's soldier be he.
Had I as many sons as I have hairs,
I would not wish them to a fairer death.
And so his knell is knolled.

"Good Digestion Wait On Appetite"

Context: Three witches intercept Macbeth and Banquo along a heath and disclose to the
warriors that Macbeth will rise in power until finally he becomes king, but that the heirs of
Banquo will eventually receive the throne. Driven by his own ambition and that of his wife,
Macbeth murders King Duncan of Scotland and usurps the throne. Since Banquo and his son
Fleance stand in the way of the new king, Macbeth plans a banquet to which they will be
invited, secretly hiring assassins to murder them before the banquet takes place. After the
guests have assembled, one of the murderers draws Macbeth aside and informs him that
Banquo has been killed but that Fleance has escaped. The whispered conversation between
Macbeth and the murderer lasts so long a time that Lady Macbeth, in order to allay any
suspicion on the part of the guests, has to remind her husband that he has forgotten his duties
as a host.

LADY MACBETH
My royal lord,
You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold
That is not often vouched, while 'tis a-making,
'Tis given with welcome. To feed were best at home;
From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony,
Meeting were bare without it.
[Enter GHOST OF BANQUO and sits in MACBETH'S seat.]
MACBETH
Sweet remembrancer!
Now good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both.
LENNOX
May't please your Highness sit.
MACBETH
Here had we now our country's honour roofed,
Were the graced person of our Banquo present; . . .

"I Bear A Charmed Life"

Context: Macbeth, King of Scotland by grace of murder, false accusation, and usurpation, is
told by apparitions, conjured by three witches, that he (1) must avoid Macduff, the Thane of
Fife, (2) that he need fear no man born of woman, and (3) that he shall not be vanquished
until Great Birnam wood shall come to Dunsinane, Macbeth's castle. English and loyal Scots
forces, under the command of Malcolm, lawful claimant to the throne, approach the castle,
each man carrying a tree branch, thus fulfilling the third part of the prophecy. They broach
the castle's defenses and enter. During the fighting, Macbeth has avoided Macduff, but now,
cornered, he must fight the Thane of Fife. Although Macbeth admits he has avoided Macduff,
he is still confident of invulnerability, believing that Macduff was born of woman.

MACBETH
...
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.
MACDUFF
Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripped.

"I Dare Do All That May Become A Man"

Context: Ambitious Macbeth, general in King Duncan of Scotland's army, is told by three
witches that he shall be made Thane of Cawdor, and afterwards shall be king. The apparitions
disappear. Word is soon brought that the king indeed has made him Thane of Cawdor for
meritorious military service. The first part of the prophecy is true. Perhaps the second will be
true also. The king decides to spend the night at Macbeth's castle, and Macbeth precedes him
to prepare for his coming. Lady Macbeth, more ambitious and ruthless than her husband,
immediately thinks of assassination as a means to hurry the future and urges her husband to
do the deed. He has misgivings. He decides against it and tells Lady Macbeth his decision.
She upbraids him, rallies him to his forgotten purpose, and subtly insults his manhood.

LADY MACBETH
. . . Would'st thou have that
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i' th' adage?
MACBETH
Prithee peace.
I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none.

"I Must Become A Borrower Of The Night"

Context: Duncan has been murdered, and Macbeth, on the disappearance of Malcolm and
Donalbain, sons of the dead king, has been named sovereign. Nature is in a turmoil, but
Macbeth has ordered a feast at which he wishes Banquo's presence. Banquo, however, in a
short soliloquy, reveals his suspicions of foul play on Macbeth's part. He also reminds himself
of the witches' prophecy that he shall be "the root and father/ Of many kings." He has to leave
with his son, Fleance, but he hopes to be back in time for Macbeth's festivities. Macbeth has
other plans, however, for he is afraid of Banquo and Banquo's knowledge of the old hags'
words.
MACBETH
Ride you this afternoon?
BANQUO
Aye, my good lord.
MACBETH
We should have else desired your good advice,
Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,
In this day's council; but we'll take tomorrow.
Is't far you ride?
BANQUO
As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
'Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse the better,
I must become a borrower of the night
For a dark hour or twain.

"Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me?"

Context: Macbeth, already Thane of Cawdor, has ambitions to be King of Scotland, and
thereby fulfill his destiny, foretold him by three witches. His opportunity to usurp the throne
is at hand, since King Duncan is an overnight guest in his castle. Lady Macbeth, even less
scrupulous and more ambitious than her husband, has no misgivings about regicide, but
Macbeth has second thoughts. He decides against the murder, but Lady Macbeth lifts his
flagging spirit by upbraiding him and scorning his cowardice. She succeeds in banishing his
doubts and restoring his purpose. Now, late at night, with nearly everyone abed and asleep,
Macbeth starts on his murderous errand, but his mind tricks him, and he sees a vision.

MACBETH
...
Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? . . .
There's no such thing,
It is the bloody business which informs
Thus to mine eyes. . . .

"Lay On Macduff"
 link Link

Context: Macbeth, King of Scotland, obtains the throne by means of murder, false accusation,
and usurpation. His reign is marked by tyranny and cruelty. No man is safe from bloody
Macbeth, and many nobles flee to England to join Malcolm, rightful heir to the throne. One,
Macduff, seeks out Malcolm but leaves his family in Scotland. Macbeth, for revenge, has
them wiped out. Now, the forces of Malcolm attack Dunsinane, Macbeth's stronghold, broach
its defenses, and Macduff corners Macbeth. Macbeth, who believes he has a charmed life,
safe from any man born of woman, is told by Macduff that he "was from his mother's womb
untimely ripped" and therefore Macbeth is vulnerable. Macbeth despairs; but when Macduff
taunts him, he decides to fight.

MACBETH
...
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on Macduff,
And damned be him that first cries, hold, enough.

"Letting I Dare Not Wait Upon I Would"

Context: Macbeth, destined to become King of Scotland according to the prophecy of three
witches, wavers in his determination to usurp the throne by murdering King Duncan, his
liege, his cousin, and his guest for the night. Lady Macbeth chides her husband for his
cowardice, comparing him to the cat, in an adage of Heywood, which would like to eat fish,
but does not want to get his feet wet.

MACBETH
We will proceed no further in this business.
He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.
...
LADY MACBETH
. . . Wouldst thou have that
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting I dare not wait upon I would,
Like the poor cat i' th' adage?

"Life's But A Walking Shadow"

Context: Macbeth, destined to become King of Scotland according to the prophecy he
receives from three witches and urged on by his wife in his ambition to obtain the crown,
murders King Duncan and seizes the throne. Insecure in his tenure of power, Macbeth
commits additional murders. Lady Macbeth, strong in ambition at first, becomes weak from
worry over the foul deeds committed by the pair and finally suffers a complete mental and
physical collapse, and dies. Macbeth receives word of her death while he watches the
advance of an English army commanded by Malcolm, son of the murdered King Duncan. In a
well-known speech Macbeth comments on the brevity and futility of life as he sorrows for his
dead queen:

MACBETH
...
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to a dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

"Light Thickens, And The Crow Makes Wing"

Context: Macbeth, told by three witches that he shall become king, and driven by a wicked
ambition, slays King Duncan and usurps the throne. One evil act leads to another as Macbeth
plans the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance to foil the decree of the witches that the heirs
of Banquo shall be kings. As evening approaches and the time draws near for his hired
assassins to kill Banquo and Fleance, Macbeth notes the atmosphere of evil in the night, and
says to Lady Macbeth:

MACBETH
...
. . . Light thickens, and the crow
Makes wing to th' rooky wood.
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
Thou marvel'st at my words; but hold thee still,
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So prithee go with me.
[Exeunt.]

"Make Assurance Double Sure"

Context: Macbeth is extremely unhappy and unsure as king. He revisits the old witches to ask
for more prophecy so he may know what to expect. The witches call upon their masters. The
first apparition, an armed Head, tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff, whom he had already
suspected and feared. An apparition of a bloody child tells him not to fear, for no man of
woman born can harm him. Somewhat pacified for a moment, Macbeth almost decides to let
Macduff live. However, his usual fear and suspicion overcome him, and he quickly changes
his mind and plans for Macduff's death so that he may hopefully sleep in peace once again–as
he did before he murdered Duncan.

SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and resolute, laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
[Descends.]
MACBETH
Then live Macduff, what need I fear of thee?
But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.

"Memorize Another Golgotha"

Context: A bleeding captain enters early in the second scene of the play to report to Duncan,
King of Scotland, and his supporters the progress in the war with "the merciless
Macdonwald." Macdonwald is a worthy foe and fights to the last with valor. Macbeth,
however, with Banquo's aid, triumphs. The battlefield is indeed a bloody one and would be as
memorable as Golgotha where Christ was crucified. Macbeth then goes on to defeat Sweno
of Norway and the rebellious Thane of Cawdor.

CAPTAIN
But the Norweyan lord . . .
...
Began a fresh assault.
DUNCAN
Dismayed not this
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
CAPTAIN
Yes,
As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
If I say sooth, I must report they were
As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they
Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorize another Golgotha,
I cannot tell–
...

"Minister To A Mind Diseased"

 link Link

Context: Macbeth, receiving the prophecy of three witches that he will become king, murders
King Duncan of Scotland and usurps the throne. In all this and in additional murders Macbeth
is abetted by his wife until finally Lady Macbeth lapses into insanity. Macbeth then has two
deep concerns: First, an English army is advancing against his forces with the intention of
giving the crown to Malcolm, son of the murdered king, and second, Lady Macbeth is
critically ill. While receiving reports on the approach of the English army, Macbeth also
confers with Lady Macbeth's doctor:

MACBETH
...
How does your patient, doctor?
DOCTOR
Not so sick my lord,
As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies
That keep her from her rest.
MACBETH
Cure her of that.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
DOCTOR
Therein the patient
Must minister to himself.

"More Needs She The Divine Than The Physician"

Context: Lady Macbeth has been ailing and walking in her sleep since Macbeth went to war
with England, Malcolm, Macduff, and Siward. A doctor is called, and while one of Lady
Macbeth's women is describing her condition to him, Lady Macbeth herself suddenly appears
with a taper, sleepwalking. She rubs her hands, trying to remove the imaginary blood from
them and speaks of both Duncan's and Banquo's murders. The doctor is shocked, but he is
both personally and professionally touched at her sighing laments. He realizes that she is
beyond his help as a doctor and commends her to God. His only prescription is that she be
constantly watched and kept from harming herself.

DOCTOR
Foul whisperings are abroad. Unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles; infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.
More needs she the divine than the physician.
God, God forgive us all. Look after her,
Remove from her the means of annoyance,
And still keep eyes upon her. So good night.
My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight.
I think, but dare not speak.

"None Of Woman Born Shall Harm Macbeth"

Context: At the play's beginning three witches foretell Macbeth's rise from general to Thane
of Cawdor to King of Scotland, and all comes true with some bloody help from Macbeth. He
murders King Duncan to usurp his throne, and he has Banquo, a former fellow-general, slain
because he fears him and his sons as future usurpers of his own place. Everything the witches
told Macbeth has come true. He meets the three weird sisters in a cavern to find out what the
future now holds in store for him. They answer his demands by a show of apparitions. An
armed head first warns him of Macduff, a Scots nobleman. The second apparition is of a
bloody child.
SECOND APPARITION
Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth!
MACBETH
Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.
SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man. For none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

"Nor Heaven Peep Through The Blanket Of The Dark "

Context: Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband telling her of the prophetic words
delivered to him by three witches: Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, shall become Thane of Cawdor
and finally king. The letter adds that already King Duncan has bestowed upon Macbeth the
title of Thane of Cawdor as a reward for putting down a rebellion led by Macdonwald and the
insurrectionist Thane of Cawdor, who has been executed at the king's command. An attendant
interrupts Lady Macbeth to tell her that the king approaches and will spend the night at
Inverness, home of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, fearing her husband lacks the strength to carry
out a plot to get Duncan out of the way of his ambition, seizes upon the opportunity of the
king's visit to have him murdered and make Macbeth his successor. In a famous soliloquy
Lady Macbeth delivers a speech filled with omens of darkness, involking the spirits to seal
off in her the elements of kindness and to allow the dread deed to be done.

LADY MACBETH
. . . The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. . . .
...
. . . Come thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry, hold, hold!

"Nothing In His Life Became Him Like The Leaving It"

Context: The army of King Duncan of Scotland, led by Macbeth and Banquo, successfully
puts down a rebellion of Macdonwald and the Thane of Cawdor. Macdonwald meets death in
battle at the hand of Macbeth, and the Thane of Cawdor is condemned to die by the decree of
the king. Duncan, awaiting news of the execution, is assured by his son Malcolm that, though
the executioners have not returned, reports have come of the death of Thane of Cawdor.

MALCOLM
My liege,
They are not yet come back. But I have spoke
With one that saw him die; who did report,
That very frankly he confessed his treasons,
Implored your Highness' pardon, and set forth
A deep repentance. Nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it. He died,
As one that had been studied in his death,
To throw away the dearest thing he owed,
As 'twere a careless trifle.
DUNCAN
There's no art
To find the mind's construction in the face.
He was a gentleman, on whom I built
An absolute trust. . . .

"Out Damned Spot, Out I Say!"

Context: Macbeth, general in King Duncan of Scotland's army, is to be Thane of Cawdor and
later king, according to three witches' prophecies. He is made Thane of Cawdor for
meritorious military service, and the king, being in the neighborhood of Macbeth's castle,
stays overnight. Impatient and ambitious, Macbeth, with his wife's help, murders the king in
his sleep. Macbeth escapes blame, and, the king's son having fled, is elected and crowned
king. He becomes a bloody tyrant in the land. Lady Macbeth had not shrunk from the murder
of Duncan, and, subsequently, in her waking hours, is superbly in command of herself. But
while she sleeps, her suppressed emotions and stifled conscience demand expression. She
walks in her sleep, crying out in conscience-tortured anguish, reliving the night of the
regicide.

LADY MACBETH
Out damned spot, out I say! One–two–why, then 'tis time to do 't. Hell is murky. Fie my lord,
fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to
account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

"Out, Out, Brief Candle!"

Context: Macbeth, at Dunsinane in full armor, is ready to fight the advancing enemy when he
hears a cry from the women within the castle. He has become so inured to horrors, however,
that he hardly fears another lament. Seton, his armor-bearer, is sent to discover the cause of
the mourning. He returns with the news of the queen's death. There is no visible breakdown
whatsoever on Macbeth's part, although the pace of his speech slows considerably, and he
becomes very philosophical. Life signifies nothing, he says; therefore, since she would have
died at some time or another, Lady Macbeth's death does not greatly affect him at that
moment. At the entrance of a messenger, his tone alters radically, and he again becomes the
war-like commander.

SETON
The Queen, my lord, is dead.
MACBETH
She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

"Present Fears Are Less Than Horrible Imaginings"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo, generals in the army of King Duncan of Scotland, have
distinguished themselves in putting down a rebellion led by the Thane of Cawdor. The king
hears of their deeds and determines to give Macbeth the title of the defeated Thane. Before
the emissaries reach Macbeth, however, he and Banquo are informed by three witches that
not only shall Macbeth be Thane of Cawdor, but that he shall be king and that Banquo shall
be the father of kings. The king's emissaries arrive and confirm the witches' prophecy that
Macbeth is to be invested with the title of Thane of Cawdor. If this much is true, thinks
ambitious Macbeth, can the complete fulfillment of the witches' prophecy be far behind? Lost
in thought, he contemplates regicide as a way to hasten his fortune.

MACBETH
[Aside.] This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings. . . .

"Screw Your Courage To The Sticking-place"

Context: Ambitious Macbeth, already Thane of Cawdor, aspires to be king. He can thus fulfill
his destiny, foretold him by three witches. His opportunity to hurry the future is at hand, since
King Duncan of Scotland is an overnight guest in his castle. Lady Macbeth, even more
ambitious, ruthless, and remorseless than her husband, has no scruples about regicide, but
Macbeth has some second thoughts and misgivings. He decides against murder. Lady
Macbeth comes to find him while the king and court are banqueting because the king asks for
him. He tells her his decision. Immediately she upbraids him for his lack of purpose, his
cowardice, and finally, his last lingering doubts.

MACBETH
If we should fail?
LADY MACBETH
We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. . . .

"Sleep In Spite Of Thunder"

Context: The greatly troubled Macbeth is insecure as king. He revisits the old witches to ask
for more prophesy, so that he might know what to expect. The witches perform their
incantations. The first apparition, an armed Head, tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff, whom
he had already suspected and feared. An apparition of a bloody child tells Macbeth not to
fear, for no man of woman born can harm him. Somewhat pacified for the moment, Macbeth
almost decides to let Macduff live. However, his usual fear and suspicion overcome him; he
quickly changes his mind and plans for Macduff's death so that he may sleep in peace once
again–as he had slept before he murdered Duncan.

SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man. For none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
[Descends.]
MACBETH
Then live Macduff, what need I fear of thee?
But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies;
And sleep in spite of thunder.

"Sleep That Knits Up The Raveled Sleave Of Care"

Context: Macbeth, ambitious Thane of Cawdor, aspires to be King of Scotland and thus fulfill
his destiny prophesied by three witches. After successfully subduing a rebellion, King
Duncan stays the night at Inverness, Macbeth's castle, and so opportunity is at hand to hasten
the future by assassination. Macbeth contemplates regicide but decides against it. Lady
Macbeth, even more ambitious and ruthless than her husband, by means of cajolery,
encouragement, and scorn, restores his purpose. In the dead of night, with all abed, Macbeth
murders Duncan in his sleep. Now, frightened, remorseful, heavy with foreboding, Macbeth,
as in a trance, tells his Lady that he thought he heard someone cry out as he was doing
murder.

MACBETH
Methought I heard a voice cry, sleep no more.
Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care.
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast.

"Stand Not Upon The Order Of Your Going"

Context: Macbeth, an ambitious general in King Duncan of Scotland's army, is to be king,
and his fellow general, Banquo, is to be the father of kings, according to three witches'
prophecy. Macbeth hurries fortune by murdering the king, fastening blame on others, and
then being elected and crowned king. But he proves to be a bloody tyrant, and, because he
has no heir, he fears Banquo. Banquo may kill him to seat his progeny on the throne in
accordance with the prophecy. Macbeth has Banquo murdered, but Fleance, Banquo's son,
escapes. Now, at a banquet, Banquo's ghost appears twice to Macbeth. The second time,
Macbeth causes such an uproar that the feast is hopelessly ruined. Lady Macbeth takes charge
when guests question her husband.

LADY MACBETH
I pray you speak not; he grows worse and worse.
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.

"The Lord's Anointed Temple"

Context: Forewarned by the prophecy of three witches of his destiny to become King of
Scotland and spurred on by an ambitious wife, Macbeth murders Duncan, his king, his
kinsman, and his over-night guest. The corpse is discovered by Macduff, a nobleman charged
with the duty of awakening the king. Referring to the king as "the Lord's anointed temple,"
Macduff reports the murder.

MACDUFF
O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
Cannot conceive nor name thee.
MACBETH and LENNOX
What's the matter?
MACDUFF
Confusion now hath made his masterpiece.
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o' th' building.
MACBETH
What is't you say–the life?
LENNOX
Mean you his Majesty?
MACDUFF
Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak.
See, and then speak yourselves. . . .

"The Deep Damnation Of His Taking Off"

Context: In a well-known soliloquy, Macbeth, forewarned by the prophecy of three witches
that he will be "King hereafter" and spurred on by the determination of Lady Macbeth,
debates murdering King Duncan, his kinsman, his king, and, this night, his guest.

MACBETH
. . . He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman, and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against
The deep damnation of his taking-off.
...
. . . I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself,
And falls on th'other–

"The Imperial Theme"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches who inform them that Macbeth will be
Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and that Banquo will beget kings. As the witches
vanish, Ross and Angus appear to tell Macbeth of the praises and rewards heaped upon him
by King Duncan–one of which is the title of the Thane of Cawdor, stripped from the traitor
whom Macbeth had defeated along with Sweno of Norway. Both Macbeth and Banquo are
startled at how suddenly the prophecy of the witches comes true. Banquo is dubious of the
"instruments of darkness" and their words, for he fears betrayal. Macbeth too is really torn
between a feeling of good and evil and cannot understand why he is so stunned and
frightened when part of the tidings has already been fulfilled. He becomes deeply absorbed in
his own thoughts, which dwell constantly on the last part of the prediction.

MACBETH [aside]
Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme. . . .
...
This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? . . .
...

"The Insane Root That Takes The Reason Prisoner"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo, generals in the army of Duncan, King of Scotland, pass along
a heath near Forres as they return home after successfully putting down a rebellion against
their king. Suddenly three witches appear from the gloom and hail the warriors with the
prophecy that Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, will receive the titles Thane of Cawdor and king,
and that Banquo, though he will not become king, will beget kings. The fateful words spoken,
the witches disappear, leaving Macbeth and Banquo stunned and wondering if they have
eaten something to make them have visions, possibly the root of hemlock.

BANQUO
The earth has bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanished?
MACBETH
Into the air; and what seemed corporal melted,
As breath into the wind. Would they had stayed.
BANQUO
Were such things here, as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
MACBETH
Your children shall be kings.
BANQUO
You shall be king.
MACBETH
And Thane of Cawdor too–went it not so?
BANQUO
To the selfsame tune and words.

"The Milk Of Human Kindness"

Context: Lady Macbeth, in her castle at Inverness, has received a letter from her husband,
with the story of his encounter with three witches who hailed him as Thane of Cawdor and as
"King hereafter." While still overcome with astonishment at their prophecy, he receives word
that, for his valor in battle, he had indeed been created Thane of Cawdor in place of the rebel
thane who had conspired with Norway against Scotland. The sudden fulfilment of part of the
witches' prophecy has fired Macbeth's ambition: he may yet be king. But his wife, more
clear-sighted and more ruthless than he, knows that her husband may well lack the strength of
mind needed to achieve the goal he seeks. In her soliloquy she analyzes her husband's
character and resolves to bolster his weakness with her greater strength.

LADY MACBETH
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way. . . .

"The Primrose Way"

Context: Macbeth, at his wife's insistence, has just murdered Duncan, and in so doing has
"murdered" sleep, "the innocent sleep,/ Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care, The
death of each day's life, sore labour's bath." Lady Macbeth has taken the bloody daggers
back, to lay them, smeared with blood, beside the sleeping grooms. As the two guilty people
look down at their bloody hands, there is a knocking at the gate without. The porter,
protesting against being roused at this hour, goes to open it, and to admit Macduff and
Lennox. Before opening the gate, however, the Porter makes several comments, typified by
the following:

PORTER
. . . Knock, knock. Never at quiet. What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-
porter it no further. I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose
way to th' everlasting bonfire. . . .

"

The Sear, The Yellow Leaf"

Context: Now heard more familiarly as "sere and yellow leaf time of life," the sense is quite
the same as Macbeth means it: fast-approaching age. In the play, Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor,
usurps the throne of Scotland by murdering the lawful King Duncan and fixing the blame on
others. But his has been a fitful, bloody reign. Lady Macbeth, who aided him in murder, has a
sick conscience, and Macbeth sees enemies on every side. King Duncan's son, Malcolm, who
fled to England when his father was assassinated, is now returning with loyal Scotsmen and
English forces to wrest the throne from Macbeth. Macbeth, assured by three witches that he
has a charmed life, that no one born of woman can kill him, and that he is safe until Great
Birnam wood walks to his stronghold, is nevertheless sick at heart, and, awaiting attack by
Malcolm, he faces the emptiness of his life.

MACBETH
...
I have lived long enough. My way of life
Is fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf,
And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but in their stead
Curses, not loud but deep,
...

"The Wine Of Life Is Drawn"

Context: Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor, and his wife have great and impatient ambitions. He
aspires to be King of Scotland. He murders King Duncan, an overnight guest in his castle, in
his sleep in order to usurp the throne and thus fulfill the prophecy of three witches who told
Macbeth that he would become king. Now, the next morning, two noblemen arrive to see
King Duncan. Macbeth greets them. One, Macduff, goes to the king's chamber, finds the king
dead, and rouses the house. Macbeth feigns surprise and dismay at the news of the regicide.

MACBETH
Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for from this instant,
There's nothing serious in mortality.
All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead,
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.

"Therein The Patient Must Minister To Himself"

Context: Macbeth obtains the throne of Scotland by assassinating the lawful King Duncan
while the latter is a guest in his castle, and fastening the blame on the king's two sons,
Malcolm and Donalbain, who flee. The arsurper and his wife Lady Macbeth, who aided him
in his murderous act, have an unquiet, tyrannous reign. No one is safe from Macbeth, who
sees enemies on every side. More and more nobles flee to join Malcolm. Now Lady Macbeth,
whose sick conscience will not let her sleep, is near death, and Malcolm's forces from
England, swelled by loyal Scotsmen, approach to attack the tyrant's stronghold. As Macbeth
awaits the onslaught, he and Lady Macbeth's doctor discuss her treatment.

MACBETH
...
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
DOCTOR
Therein the patient
Must minister to himself.

"There's Daggers In Men's Smiles"

Context: The household of Macbeth is awakened by the knocking of Macduff and Lennox,
who have come to call on the king. Macduff goes to seek him and finds him dead. Aghast, he
reports to Macbeth and Lennox who go to see for themselves. Lady Macbeth, Malcolm, and
Donalbain are roused and the king's sons informed of his murder, done supposedly by his
chamber-men, who were found covered with blood and in possession of bloody daggers.
Macbeth, however, when he goes to see the body, kills them, supposedly in a rage of violent
feeling, but actually to keep them from talking. Malcolm, Duncan's heir, and Donalbain, the
younger son, fear for their lives and decide to leave in the confusion. They are suspicious of
all, and because of their position, they feel they will be safer elsewhere.

MALCOLM
. . . Let's not consort with them.
To show an unfelt sorrow is an office
Which the false man does easy. I'll to England.
DONALBAIN
To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune
Shall keep us both the safer. Where we are,
There's daggers in men's smiles; the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.
MALCOLM
This murderous shaft that's shot
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore to horse,
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away. . . .

"'Tis The Eye Of Childhood That Fears A Painted Devil"

Context: Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor, has ambitions to be King of Scotland and thus fulfill his
destiny prophesied by three witches. He helps King Duncan subdue a rebellion near his
demesne, and that night the king is Macbeth's guest. Opportunity to hasten his future by
means of regicide is given him; he considers murder, but decides against it. Lady Macbeth,
even more ambitious and less scrupulous than her husband, urges, encourages, and scorns
him into undertaking the deed. Macbeth murders Duncan in his sleep. Now, vision-ridden,
remorseful, heavy with foreboding, Macbeth refuses to return to Duncan's bed chamber to
smear the sleeping grooms with blood and leave the daggers with them to point blame in their
direction. Lady Macbeth upbraids him.

MACBETH
I'll go no more.
I am afraid, to think what I have done.
Look on't again I dare not.
LADY MACBETH
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. The sleeping, and the dead
Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must seem their guilt.
"'Twere Well It Were Done Quickly"
Context: Macbeth, general in King Duncan of Scotland's army, is told by three witches that
he shall be Thane of Cawdor and afterward king. Immediately following the disappearance of
the apparitions, he is told the king has made him Thane of Cawdor as reward for outstanding
service. Therefore, if the first part of the prophecy came true, so will the second; and if so,
why not hurry it along with the assistance of a murder? But Macbeth puts the thought from
his mind. He writes to his wife, who, more ambitious than her lord, immediately thinks of
murder as the way to the throne, and as if to aid her cause, the king comes to Macbeth's castle
to spend a night. Before he arrives, Macbeth comes home, and Lady Macbeth tells him to
leave the bloody business to her. Now King Duncan arrives and Macbeth, alone, speaks his
thoughts. He is apprehensive of the consequences of assassination.

MACBETH
If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly. If th' assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all–here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases,
We still have judgment here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which being taught return
To plague th' inventor. . . .

"Vaulting Ambition, Which O'er Leaps Itself"

Context: Informed by three witches that he is to be Thane of Cawdor and later king, Macbeth,
valiant general of King Duncan of Scotland's army, is soon brought word that he indeed has
been made Thane of Cawdor for meritorious military service, and thus the first part of the
prophecy is fulfilled. Macbeth brings King Duncan home with him to spend the night. His
wife, Lady Macbeth, immediately plans regicide as a means of hurrying the second half of
the witches' prophecy. Ambitious, ruthless, cruel, she anticipates no remorse, but Macbeth,
"too full o' th' milk of human kindness," has second thoughts and misgivings about murdering
Duncan. He ruefully concludes he can find no excuse for regicide save his own ambition.

MACBETH
He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman, and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath born his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, . . .
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'er leaps itself,
And falls on th' other–

"We Have Scotched The Snake, Not Killed It"

Context: Macbeth, promised by witches that he will be king, murders King Duncan of
Scotland and usurps the throne. However, certain obstacles remain: (1) the witches advise
that the heirs of Banquo shall be kings, (2) the sons of the slain king live in exile, and (3) in
gaining power Macbeth has lost peace. Lady Macbeth encourages her lord to forget the past,
but Macbeth says that their difficulties have not yet been overcome.

LADY MACBETH
...
How now my lord, why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard: what's done is done.
MACBETH
We have scotched the snake, not killed it.
She'll close, and be herself, whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. . . .

"What Man Dare, I Dare"

Context: Macbeth and Banquo, generals in King Duncan of Scotland's army, are told by three
witches that Macbeth shall be Thane of Cawdor and afterwards king, and that Banquo shall
be the father of kings. Shortly, word is brought that the king has made Macbeth Thane of
Cawdor for brilliant military service. Macbeth, ambitious and impatient, assassinates King
Duncan in his sleep. The blame is fastened on the king's sons who, fearing for their own
safety, flee, one to England, the other to Ireland. Thus, hastening his future through regicide,
Macbeth is elected and crowned King of Scotland. But he is uneasy. Because he has no heir,
he fears Banquo will kill him to secure his own line in accordance with the witches' prophecy.
He plans a banquet and invites Banquo and his son Fleance, but arranges to have them
murdered en route. Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes. Now, informed of Banquo's death,
he is about to partake of the banquet when Banquo's ghost appears at the table. Only Macbeth
can see it, and is frightened. The banquet continues. The ghost appears again. Macbeth is
greatly perturbed and causes a commotion as Lady Macbeth tries to calm him. He stares at
the ghost.
MACBETH
What man dare, I dare.
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger,
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble.
...

"What's Done Is Done"

Context: Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor, murders King Duncan of Scotland, hoping to hasten the
fulfillment of a prophecy by three witches that he shall soon be king. Impatient and
ambitious, he assassinates the king in his sleep while the latter is a guest in his castle. Lady
Macbeth smears the king's grooms with blood, thereby fastening blame on them. The death
discovered and the house aroused, Macbeth slays the king's grooms, claiming they are
instruments of murder. The king's sons, aware of treachery and afraid for their lives, flee, one
to England, the other to Ireland. Because of their flight, suspicion fastens upon them as
perpetrators of the crime, and Macbeth is elected King of Scotland. But he is not content, for
he fears Banquo, a former fellow-general whom the witches prophesied would be the begetter
of kings. Because Macbeth has no heir, the fact that Banquo's offspring shall gain the throne
rankles in him, and he plans to have Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. As he plots, Lady
Macbeth sends for him. He comes, brooding. She misreads his thoughts, thinking he is
conscience-stricken.

LADY MACBETH
How now my lord, why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard: what's done is done.

"Who Would Have Thought The Old Man To Have

Had So Much Blood In Him"
Context: Lady Macbeth learns that three witches or "weird sisters" have prophesied that
Macbeth will become king. When the opportunity arises to murder King Duncan as he rests, a
guest in her home, the lady chides Macbeth if he should fail to murder the king and seize the
throne. Yet when the deed is accomplished and the power is gained and numerous other
murders have been committed, Lady Macbeth does not enjoy her royal estate; instead, she
lapses into insanity. A lady in attendance and a doctor observe the deranged queen as she
walks and talks in her sleep, reliving the murder of King Duncan.

LADY MACBETH
. . . Fie my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can
call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much
 blood in him?
DOCTOR
Do you mark that?
LADY MACBETH
The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now? What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No
more o'that my lord, no more o'that; you mar all with this starting.
DOCTOR
Go to, go to! You have known what you should not.

Macbeth is a tragic hero because he meets three of the four criteria as outlined by Aristotle.
According to Aristotle in the Poetics, the following characteristics are representative of a
tragic...

 Our Macbeth Overview Quiz covers important plot points and character
developments including the banquet scene, Macbeth's greatest fears, and the subject of Lady
Macbeth's hallucinations. Take the quiz to test your knowledge of Shakespeare's most
haunting play.

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 1 by Jamie Wheeler

Just a few ladies, hanging around in the country side... Oh, wait... Does that one have warts?
And what are they stirring in that huge pot? Is that a... thumb? Welcome to Act 1, Scene 1 of
Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth. No ruby slippers or benevolent witches here. The
Bard of Avon really knows how to create a mood. Be sure you understand the witches'
puzzles better than Macbeth does by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz for Macbeth Act
1, Scene 1.

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 by Jamie Wheeler

 "The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse, " warned Irish philosopher Edmund
Burke. He was right. Power is like a drug: the more you have, the more you want. Such is the
case with Macbeth. He has proven himself to be a formidable force and has been rewarded
for his efforts... but he wants more. Be sure you understand the players and their positions as
they strive to achieve and maintain power by taking eNotes' exclusive, interactive quiz
on Macbeth Act 1, Scene 2. Each of our questions is ranked by level of difficulty. Did you
score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead. See how you do!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 by Jamie Wheeler

An enigma wrapped in a mystery! By Act 1, Scene 3, things are getting stranger (if that's
possible) and more confusing. The Weird Sisters are stirring the pot, both literally and
figuratively. Banquo is trying to figure out the witches' riddle. Macbeth is reveling in the old
crones' flattery of titles, present and future. Be sure you understand who is being manipulated
and why by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 1, Scene 3. Each of our
questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been
answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 by Jamie Wheeler

It must have appeared to King Duncan that Scotland was his chessboard. Executions here,
appointments there; castles to visit, knights to move about. The "game" Duncan is playing,
however, is not one he will win. Plans are being made without his knowledge, sanction, or
consent. Of course, the new players who think they can wrest and maintain control are also
deluded. Be sure you understand how the game is being played by taking our exclusive,
interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 1, Scene 4. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can
understand its level of difficulty and see how your score compares with others who have also
taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 by Jamie Wheeler

The ambitions of "The Real Housewives of Wherever" are NOTHING compared to the
aspirations Lady Macbeth. While Macbeth certainly has the lion's share of culpability in the
tragedy that is to come, his greedy wife bears much of the responsibility as well. In this
scene, the audience learns just how far Lady Macbeth is willing to go to achieve what she
wants. Make sure you are following the twists and turns by taking our exclusive, interactive
quiz to Macbeth Act 1, Scene 5. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can understand
its level of difficulty and see how your score compares with others who have also taken this
quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 6 by Jamie Wheeler

“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides," warned the French novelist André
Malraux. King Duncan would have done well to have understood this maxim regarding
human behavior as he crossed the threshold of Inverness. Although he is greeted warmly and
returns the hospitality both in word and deed, much is being hidden from the monarch. Test
how well you are understanding the Macbeths' hidden agenda by taking our exclusive,
 interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 1, Scene 6. Each of our questions is ranked by level of
difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been answered correctly. Did you
score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 by Jamie Wheeler

"Keeping Up with the Macbeths"? "Survivor: Scotland"? If reality television had been around
in the eleventh century, scouts might well have chosen Macbeth and his wife for their own
show. They have all the human foibles we all like to rubberneck... they are already rich, but
they want to acquire even more wealth. They have power but they want even more power.
And what makes this show even more compelling? The plotting of a murder to get what they
both want. Make sure you understand how the tragedy is set in motion during the dinner table
scene of Macbeth Act 1, Scene 7 with eNotes' interactive quiz. Each of our questions is
ranked so that you can understand its level of difficulty. See how your score compares with
others who have also taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 by Jamie Wheeler

Bell, hook, or candle: signs that some people are up to no good. The evil plot brewing
between the Thane of Cawdor and his lady love is coming to a boil and the vile soup finally
spills over. The deed is done but the consequences and ramifications have only just begun.
Freud would have called Macbeth's actions "repression," but nothing repressed can stay that
way forever. Discover who is hiding what, whose dreams are being haunted, and what else is
unfolding by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 2, Scene 1. Each of our
questions is ranked so that you can understand its level of difficulty. See how your score
compares with others who have also taken this quiz. Give it a try!

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2 by Jamie Wheeler

Have you ever had friends that were so bad for each other that it made you cringe? Alone, the
friends seemed fine; but together, they were a train wreck. Well, this is the case with Macbeth
and Lady Macbeth; they inflame whatever is worst about the other person when together. In
Act 2, Scene 2 the terrible twosome have acted on their plan, rather than just thought about it.
Be sure you understand who-compelled-whom to do what as well as the key points of the
action by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 2, Scene 2. Each of our
questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been
answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 3 by Jamie Wheeler

"When clouds appear, wise men put on their cloaks," warns a citizen in
Shakespeare's Richard III. Macbeth does not heed this wisdom. Portents of doom abound.
Control over events is ebbing away. Rash actions will have dire consequences. Inverness, to
put it in modern terms, has broken bad. Be sure you are following all of the twists and turns
of Macbeth Act 2, Scene 3 by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz. Each of our questions is
ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been answered
correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4 by Jamie Wheeler

If Act 2, Scene 4 left you going, "Um, huh? What? I can't even..." this is not a surprise. The
action is fast and furious. Players are dead, people are missing, mystery and accusations
abound, and many characters are in mourning for their murdered king. A power vacuum is a
dangerous thing and decisions are being made quickly about the future of Scotland. How well
are you understanding who-is-doing-what, who-is-saying-what and where the action is
headed? Find out by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 2, Scene 4. Rank
your score against others and see how you compare. What have you got to lose? Nothing!
What do you have to gain? A better grade!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 by Jamie Wheeler

"The best of men cannot suspend their fate: The good die early, and the bad die late," Daniel
Defoe wrote. The same lesson could be applied to the characters of Macbeth. While Macbeth
and Banquo are hoping for good fates, for themselves and for their children, fate does not
operate on wishes and desires. Make sure you are following the characters as they try to
thwart or hasten what fate has in store for them by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz
to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 1. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can understand its
level of difficulty and see how your score compares with others who have also taken this
quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2 by Jamie Wheeler

For someone who shows such bravery on the battlefield, Macbeth sure has a hard time
standing up to his wife. However, Lady Macbeth is not completely responsible for her
husband's actions; she isn't even aware of some of his future, murderous plans. Act 3, Scene 2
finds the criminal couple at odds with both their actions and their consciences. Discover how
well you understand the Macbeths' individual and collective motivations by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 2. Each of our questions is ranked so that
you can understand its level of difficulty and see how your score compares with others who
have also taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 3 by Jamie Wheeler

If Macbeth was a season of "Survivor: Scotland" one of the characters is about to be voted off
the island in Act 3, Scene 3. The play isn't called The Tragedy of Macbeth for nothing.
Murder and betrayal mark this bloody, memorable scene. Be sure you recall what went down
by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 3. Your score is
automatically ranked against others so that you can see how well you've done compared to
others who have taken this quiz. What have you got to lose? Nothing! What do you have to
gain? A better grade!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 by Jamie Wheeler

 “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead,” Benjamin Franklin once said. And he was
right. Three people know who killed Duncan. Only one of them is dead. Guilt is consuming
one of the players, and greed continues to propel both of those in on the secret to keep trying
to cover up and succeed in their power grab. Despite their best efforts, however, uncontrolled
variables are disrupting their plot. Ghosts were definitely NOT in the contingency plans.
Discover how well you are following the actions and motivations of the characters in this
fast-moving scene by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 4. Each
of our questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question
has been answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you
do!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 5 by Jamie Wheeler

If you think it's bad when your mom blows a gasket, try angering the Head Witch of
Scotland! Okay, Hecate is not really the mother of the other witches in this play but she
certainly wields power and authority over them. And she is about to make life a lot worse for
Macbeth. Be sure you understand what Hecate and her band of Weird Sisters are up to by
taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 5. Your score is automatically
ranked against others so that you can see how well you've done compared to others who have
taken this quiz. What have you got to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? A better
grade!

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 6 by Jamie Wheeler

Nothing like a few murders to make a naive kid grow up in a hurry. Such is the case with
Lennox, a character who exhibits growth and wisdom by the end of this act. It is Lennox, not
his elders, who has put the grisly pieces together. Make sure you understand the conclusions
Lennox has reached and other factors out of Macbeth's control by taking our exclusive,
interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 3, Scene 6. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can
understand its level of difficulty. See how your score compares with others who have also
taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 by Jamie Wheeler

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the most doomed of all? If you're Macbeth, you can safely
assume at this point that it's you. However, Macbeth continues his record of really poor
decision making in this scene by going back to the witches for "help." Make sure you are
following Macbeth's attempts to thwart or hasten what fate has in store for him by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 4, Scene 1. Each of our questions is ranked so that
you can understand its level of difficulty and see how your score compares with others who
have also taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 2 by Jamie Wheeler

“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it,"
observed J.R.R. Tolkien. In Act 4, Scene 2, Lady Macduff is left to explain her husband's
hasty departure to her son. Sides are being taken and courage is being tested by this point in
the play. Make sure you are following the ever-increasing pace of the action by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 4, Scene 2. Rank your score against others and see
how you compare. What have you got to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? A better
grade!

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 3 by Jamie Wheeler

"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around
him," Machiavelli warned in The Prince. In Act 4, Scene 3 of Macbeth, Malcolm is put in this
position. He is weighing his own abilities to govern and assessing the quality of the men who
have aligned with him. Discover whether Malcolm has made good choices or poor ones as
this scene unfolds by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 4, Scene 3. Each
of our questions is ranked so that you can understand its level of difficulty and see how your
score compares with others who have also taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 by Jamie Wheeler

About 400 years before Freud articulated the concept of the super-ego, Lady Macbeth was
walkin' the walk. LITERALLY. Guilt has a way of seeping through even the most carefully
caulked cracks. No one seems to know what's going on, and no one knows what do do.
Discover how Lady Macbeth's inner turmoil is affecting the outcome of the play by taking
our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 5, Scene 1. Each of our questions is ranked by
level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been answered correctly.
Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 2 by Jamie Wheeler

You can look in a lot of "leadership" books and probably none are going to tell you (except
for maybe Machiavelli's The Prince) that murder is the key to success. Macbeth thinks that
the ends have justified the means, but those forced to follow him have significantly different
ideas. The play is coming to a close and the action is heating up. Make sure you understand
all the plots and schemes, both by Macbeth and those plotting against him by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 5, Scene 2. Rank your score against others and see
how you compare. What have you got to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? A better
grade!

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 3 by Jamie Wheeler

Denial. It ain't just a river in Egypt. Also, don't ever ask Macbeth to play "Clue" with you.
He'll never get it. All the signs are there but Macbeth refuses to read them. And his wife,
she'll snap out of it soon... right? By this point in the play, literally everyone, including the
horses, have figured out that those witches are just interesting old ladies. Everyone, that is,
except Macbeth. Be sure you are understanding how the action is building towards the tragic
conclusion by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act 5, Scene 3. Each of our
questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question has been
answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 4 and 5 by Jamie Wheeler

Oh, hindsight! How nice to meet you out here, in the woods! Yep, it's not called The Tragedy
of Macbeth for nothing. Macbeth has lost everything. All of his plans for power and wealth
are dissolving in the pools of blood beneath his feet. Too late does he realize the folly of his,
and his wife's, actions. Control has been an illusion all along. How closely have you been
watching the thread of Macbeth's fate unravel? Find out by taking our exclusive, interactive
quiz to Macbeth Act 5, Scenes 4 and 5. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can
understand its level of difficulty. See how your score compares with others who have also
taken this quiz. Give it a try below!

Macbeth Act 5 Scenes 6 to 8 by Jamie Wheeler

Six prophecies professed. Six prophecies fulfilled. The Tragedy of Macbeth has reached its
bloody, foretold conclusion in these final, fast-paced scenes. Fates are determined, lives are
lost, justice is served. Be sure you are clearly recalling who lives, who dies, and how each of
the prophecies has come to fruition by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth Act
5, Scenes 6 to 8. Each of our questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many
times each question has been answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go
ahead, see how you do!

Macbeth in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

"Ambition should be made of sterner stuff," Marc Antony said in Shakespeare's Julius
Caesar. The same thing could be said of Macbeth. The Thane of Cawdor had shown
remarkable bravery on the battlefield, and his ambition seemed boundless. However, as the
once-great warrior discovered, his "stuff" was not as "stern" as it needed to be. Macbeth is
haunted by his deeds and he will pay for his betrayal. Be sure you understand the nuances of
this tragic character by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz to Macbeth in Macbeth. Each
of our questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging how many times each question
has been answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher? You rock. Go ahead, see how you
do!

Lady Macbeth in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

"Out, out, damned spot!" Lady Macbeth is one of literature's most fascinating characters. She
is arguably even more driven to wealth and power than her murderous husband. It is she who
compels Macbeth, she, who, ultimately, compels the tragedy. No actions occur without
reaction, however. For Lady Macbeth, those actions take place both externally and internally
after her plans are executed. How well do you understand the motivations of this key
character in Shakespeare's tragedy? Take our exclusive, interactive quiz to Lady Macbeth
in Macbeth and find out! Each of our questions is ranked by level of difficulty by gauging
how many times each question has been answered correctly. Did you score a six or higher?
You rock. Go ahead, see how you do!

Banquo in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

False friends and mysterious prophecies; betrayals and upheavals. Throughout it all, Banquo,
a trusted general in King Duncan's army, acts bravely and wisely. In fact, Banquo's wisdom is
what Macbeth fears the most. The general's quick mind might just be the treacherous Thane's
undoing. Be sure you understand how Banquo affects the action of the play by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz to Banquo in Macbeth to help you comprehend this important
character. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can understand the level of difficulty
and see how your score compares with others who have also taken this quiz. Give it a try
below!

Witches in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

"Double, double, toil and trouble!" You probably knew this line long before you read The
Tragedy of Macbeth. In fact, most of our popular lore about witches, from cauldrons, to
warts, to pointy hats, comes to us courtesy of the bard. However, the witches here are not just
for a Halloween-like effect. Instead, they both propel and predict the behavior of the players
and the tragedy that is to come. Be sure you understand the important role of the Witches
in Macbeth by taking our exclusive, interactive quiz. Rank your score against others and see
how you compare. What have you got to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? A better
grade!

Macduff in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

Modern men, take a cue from Macduff and "feel it like a man." Macduff is one of
Shakespeare's most intriguing characters. He is brave but not foolhardy. He is emotional but
not helpless. Macduff acts only after carefully reviewing his options; he doesn't fly into a rage
and hurt people, although no one would be surprised, or blame him, if he did. Loyal to both
king and country, Macduff's character humanizes some very inhumane activities in this play.
Be sure you understand the complexities of this character and his motivations by taking our
exclusive, interactive quiz Macduff in Macbeth to help you comprehend this important
character. Each of our questions is ranked so that you can understand the level of difficulty
and see how your score compares with others who have also taken this quiz. Give it a try
below!

Malcolm in Macbeth by Jamie Wheeler

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." This line comes from Shakespeare's Henry IV but
it applies to any king in his plays, or indeed, any king in real life. Power is attractive. Power
is often seized. In Macbeth, when Duncan is killed Malcolm must make decisions that will
have lasting ramifications. How well do you understand how this important character fits into
the framework of the play? Take our exclusive, interactive quiz to Malcolm in Macbeth and
find out. Rank your score against others and see how you compare. What have you got to
lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? A better grade!
Sample Essay Outlines
These analytical papers are designed to review your knowledge of the drama and apply that
knowledge to a critical paper. The topics may request that you examine the conflicts, themes,
or question a standard theory about the play.

Topic #1
The term tragic hero refers to a central character who has a authoritative status in the drama,
but through a flaw in his or her character brings about his or her demise. The flaw may
consist of a poor decision that is made and creates a situation the character cannot change or
control. The tragic hero recognizes his or her flaw, however there is nothing that can be done
to avert tragedy. Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero. Write a paper tracing the sequence of
events that contribute to Macbeth’s demise and tragic end.

Outline
I. Thesis Statement: Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero. He compromises his honor and negates
moral responsibility to attain power and position which result in his tragic end.

II. Definition and characteristics of a tragic hero

1. Fate
2. Weakness
3. Poor decision making resulting in a catastrophe
4. Realization of flaw but unable to prevent tragedy

III. The Witches

A. Plan to meet Macbeth
B. Statement that fair is foul, and foul is fair
IV. Allegiance to Scotland and Duncan
A. Battle with Macdonwald
B. Battle with the King of Norway
C. Duncan’s Response
1. Honor bestowed on Macbeth
2. Duncan’s opinion of Macbeth

V. Witches on the battlefield

A. The prophecy
B. Macbeth’s Response
C. Banquo’s Response

VI. Macbeth’s meeting with Duncan

A. Duncan greets Macbeth with respect
B. Macbeth’s reaction to Duncan naming Malcolm as his successor

VII. Decisions made before Macbeth is king

A. Lady Macbeth’s plan
1. Macbeth’s response
2. Lady Macbeth’s Influence on Macbeth
3. Macbeth’s decision
B. Eve of the Murder
1. Floating Dagger
2. Macbeth’s reaction
C. Duncan’s Murder
1. Murder of the guards
2. Response
D. Discovery of Duncan’s body
1. Macbeth’s reaction
2. Duncan’s sons
3. Macbeth named as king

VIII. Decisions made as King

A. Banquo
1. Fear of prophecy
2. Hires Murderers
B. Banquet
1. Reaction to Murderers
2. Ghost
C. Meeting with the Witches
1. Response to Prophecy
2. Macduff and family
3. Leaving for Dunsinane in England
D. Battle with Malcolm’s forces
1. Dunsinane prophecy
2. Young Siward
3. False sense of security
E. Reactions to Lady Macbeth’s illness and death
F. Meeting Macduff
1. Guilt
2. Revealing prophecy to Macduff
3. Macbeth’s realization that the Witches told him half-truths

IX. Macbeth’s tragic end

A. Macduff’s victory
B. Malcolm’s speech

Topic #2
Lady Macbeth is seen as a controlling factor in Macbeth’s life. She is able to control his
actions and events. However, she loses control of Macbeth. Write a paper describing what
control she has in Macbeth’s life and how the loss of that power contributes to her demise.

Outline
I. Thesis Statement: Lady Macbeth’s desire for power prompts her interest in controlling
Macbeth’s actions. However, she loses control which contributes to her tragedy.

II. Introduction of Lady Macbeth

A. Reading Macbeth’s letter
B. Witches prophecy fulfilled
C. Opinion of Macbeth
D. Desire for Power
1. Strength needed
2. Her plan
III. Meeting with Macbeth
A. Affection towards each other
B. Lady Macbeth’s plan

IV. Power over Macbeth

A. Macbeth’s Decision about Lady Macbeth’s plan
1. Lady Macbeth’s response to Macbeth
a. Attacks...