MacbethMacbethActs 1-5 SummaryActs 1-5 Summary

Act IAct I Macbeth receives prophesies from 3 witches Macbeth receives prophesies from 3 witches Witches tell Macbeth he will become Thane Witches tell Macbeth he will become Thane

of Cawdor then King of Cawdor then King Banquo’s sons will be kings Banquo’s sons will be kings Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to kill King Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to kill King

Duncan Duncan Macbeth’s conscience tells him not to kill Macbeth’s conscience tells him not to kill

the Kingthe King Macbeth agrees to kill Duncan due to his Macbeth agrees to kill Duncan due to his

ambition and his wife’s manipulation ambition and his wife’s manipulation

Act IIAct II

Duncan stays at Duncan stays at Macbeth’s castle Macbeth’s castle (Inverness) for the (Inverness) for the nightnight

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and Lady Macbeth act like Macbeth act like good hosts for King good hosts for King Duncan Duncan

They plan to kill They plan to kill Duncan in his Duncan in his sleepsleep

Act IIAct II Lady Macbeth gets Duncan’s guards Lady Macbeth gets Duncan’s guards

drunkdrunk Macbeth murders Duncan in his bed Macbeth murders Duncan in his bed

chamberchamber Macbeth hears a voice that tells him he Macbeth hears a voice that tells him he

will never sleep againwill never sleep again He tries to wash Duncan’s blood from his He tries to wash Duncan’s blood from his

hands but cannot erase his evil deedhands but cannot erase his evil deed Macduff discovers Duncan is deadMacduff discovers Duncan is dead Malcolm & Donalbain flee the countryMalcolm & Donalbain flee the country

Act IIAct II ““Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash

this blood/Clean from my hand? No; this blood/Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather/The this my hand will rather/The multitudinous seas multitudinous seas incarnadine,/Making the green one incarnadine,/Making the green one red” (2.2.60-63)- Macbethred” (2.2.60-63)- Macbeth

““My hands are of your colour; but I My hands are of your colour; but I shame/ to wear a heart so white” shame/ to wear a heart so white” (2.2.64-65) – Lady Macbeth(2.2.64-65) – Lady Macbeth

Act IIIAct III-Macbeth feels threatened by Banquo and the witches’ prophesy about Banquo’s sons becoming king

- Macbeth wants more power and hires murderers to kill Banquo and son, Fleance

Act IIIAct III

Role Reversal: Lady Macbeth does not tell Macbeth to kill Banquo.

Macbeth’s ambition leads him to have Banquo killed.

Murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes

Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at feast HE IS LOSING HIS MIND FROM GUILT!!! Lady Macbeth covers up for her

husband’s madness and plays it cool

Act IIIAct III

““Things bad Things bad begun make begun make strong strong themselves by themselves by ill” (3.2.55)- ill” (3.2.55)- MacbethMacbeth (Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost

at the feast)

Act IVAct IV

Act IVAct IV

Macbeth seeks the witches to find Macbeth seeks the witches to find out more infoout more info

Witches tell him 3 things:Witches tell him 3 things:– Beware Macduff, Thane of FifeBeware Macduff, Thane of Fife– No man born of woman can kill MacbethNo man born of woman can kill Macbeth– Macbeth won’t be killed until Burnam Macbeth won’t be killed until Burnam

Wood meets Dunsinane HillWood meets Dunsinane Hill Macbeth plans to kill Macduff and his Macbeth plans to kill Macduff and his

family family

Act IVAct IV

Lady Macduff is angry that her husband Lady Macduff is angry that her husband fled to England without his familyfled to England without his family

Thinks he did something bad and is a Thinks he did something bad and is a traitor traitor

Macbeth hires murderers to kill Macduff Macbeth hires murderers to kill Macduff and his wife and childrenand his wife and children

The murderers succeed in killing Lady The murderers succeed in killing Lady Macduff and her childrenMacduff and her children

Macduff is not murdered Macduff is not murdered Ross tells Macduff about his wife and kids Ross tells Macduff about his wife and kids

The Dire Consequences of Guilt!!!

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”

(5.1.31-32) – Lady Macbeth

Act VAct V Lady Macbeth suffers from insanity and Lady Macbeth suffers from insanity and

cannot sleep cannot sleep Macduff and Malcolm plot with English Macduff and Malcolm plot with English

army to oust Macbeth from the thronearmy to oust Macbeth from the throne Macbeth feels safe until Birnam Wood Macbeth feels safe until Birnam Wood

meets Dunsinane (as in witch’s prophesy) meets Dunsinane (as in witch’s prophesy) Lady Macbeth dies, Macbeth is indifferentLady Macbeth dies, Macbeth is indifferent Macduff fights Macbeth and kills him Macduff fights Macbeth and kills him Macduff was born by caesarian section, Macduff was born by caesarian section,

so prophesy came true- he was not “born so prophesy came true- he was not “born of woman” of woman”

Acting out Act 5Acting out Act 5

Scene 1: Lady Macbeth’s insanityScene 1: Lady Macbeth’s insanity Scene 3: Macduff’s men prepare to Scene 3: Macduff’s men prepare to

attack at Dunsinaneattack at Dunsinane Scene 4: Macduff’s army marches with Scene 4: Macduff’s army marches with

tree branches from Birnam Wood tree branches from Birnam Wood Scene 5: Lady Macbeth is deadScene 5: Lady Macbeth is dead Scene 6: Macduff is ready to fightScene 6: Macduff is ready to fight Scene 7: Macbeth fights Macduff (man Scene 7: Macbeth fights Macduff (man

born not of woman) born not of woman)