Macbeth

by William Shakespeare
Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest
tragedy, and tells the story of a brave
Scottish general named Macbeth who
receives a prophecy from a trio of
witches that one day he will become
King of Scotland.
Plot
Macbeth, a scottish general, and Banquo had
recently defeated the allied forces of Norway and
Ireland.
In the next scene, three witches appear greeting
them with prophecies. They predict that Macbeth
will be named Thane of Cawdor, and afterwards
King of Scotland. As for Banquo, he will not be
king himself, but he will father a line of kings.
Just after the witches vanish, a man comes
informing them that Macbeth shall be named
Thane of Cawdor as the previous one was put to
death due for his traitorous activities
The first prophecy is thus fulfilled and Macbeth
immediately considers that he might actually be a
king
Macbeth and Banquo encoutering the witches
King Duncan names his son Malcolm as his heir, and
declares he will spend the night at Macbeths castle in
Inverness.
In that very night Macbeth, encouraged by his wife, kills
Duncan in his sleep, and also the guards that were
guarding Duncans room.
The kings sons flee as they were afraid that whoever killed
their father is after them too, and so Macbeth, as a
kinsman, becomes the king.
Knowing that the withces predicted that Banquo will father
a line of kings, Macbeth plans to hire men to kill him and
his son, Fleance, but succeeds only in killing Banquo.
At the royal banquet, Macbeth sees Banquos ghost and
startles everyone around him, as the ghost was only visible
to him.


Macbeth seeing Banquos ghost
Macbeth, disturbed, visits the three witches again and asks
them to reveal the truth about their prophecies. To answer
his questions, they summon horrible apparitions
Firstly, an armored head appears telling him to beware
Macduff
Secondly, a bloody child tells him that no one born of
woman could harm him
Thirdly, a crowned child holding a tree states that he will be
safe until the forests start moving.
Thus, Macbeth feels secure as he is sure that all men are
born of woman and forest cannot move.
After the witches leave, Macbeth is informed that Macduff
has fled to England. Hearing that, Macbeth orders that
Macduffs castle must be seized, and most cruelly, he send
murderers to slaughter his wife and children

Macbeth consulting the vision of the
armored head
Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth becomes wracked with guilt by the
crimes he and her husband have commited. She started
sleepwalking and while doing this she confesses about killing
Duncan, Banquo and Lady Macduff as she was trying to wash off
imaginary bloodstains from her hands
As Macduff finds out about what happened at his castle, he
promises revenge. Also, prince Malcom, Duncans son, succeded
in raising an army in England. They join forces and come after
Macbeth. The invasion had the support of the scottish nobleman as
they were frightened by Macbeths tyrannical behaviour.
Before Macbeths opponents arrive, he receives news that Lady
Macbeth has killed herself causing him to fall into depression.
Nevertheless, he awaits the attack and fortifies the Dunsinane
castle. He is certain that the witches prophecies guarantee his
invincibility
Lady Macbeth sleepwalking
He is struck with fear when he finds out that the army is advancing
with tree limbs, as they were trying to camoumflage their number.
Appearently, this fulfills one of the prophecies
Eventually the English forces overwhelm the castle. Macbeth still
boasts that he has no reason to fear Macduff, as he was born of a
woman. Macduff declares that from his mother's womb / Untimely
ripp'd and is not of woman born, fulfilling the second prophecy.
Finally, Macduff beheads him, fulfilling the third prophecy
Macbeth is not Shakespeares most
complex play, but it is certainly one
of his most powerful and emotionally
intense. Thats why it has shocked
and fascinated audiences for nearly
four hundred years.