Macbeth: Scene Summaries
Macbeth: Scene Summaries
Act 1, Scene 1: The Three Witches
- In an open place during a storm, the three witches plan to meet with Macbeth.
- They create an atmosphere of evil ambiguity and supernatural influence, setting the tone for the whole play.
Act 1, Scene 2: A Sergeant Reports to King Duncan
- King Duncan hears the Sergeant reporting on the war.
- He learns about Macbeth’s bravery in the battle against the rebels.
Act 1, Scene 3: Macbeth and Banquo meet the Witches
- The witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor, and later the king.
- They also tell Banquo that his descendants will be kings, although he won’t be.
Act 1, Scene 4: Macbeth’s Promotion
- King Duncan announces his decision to make his son, Malcolm, the heir to the throne.
- Macbeth sees this as a threat to the fulfillment of the witches’ prophesy.
Act 1, Scene 5: Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth’s Letter
- Lady Macbeth reads a letter detailing the witches’ prophecies.
- She calls on the forces of evil to make her ruthless in achieving the throne for Macbeth.
Act 1, Scene 7: Macbeth’s Soliloquy about Ambition and Murder
- Macbeth struggles with his conscience and the fear of eternal damnation.
- Inspired by Lady Macbeth, he decides to go through with the murder of Duncan.
Act 2, Scene 1: The Murder of Duncan
- Macbeth hallucinates a dagger leading him towards Duncan’s room.
- He kills Duncan offstage, torn between guilt and ambition.
Act 2, Scene 2: Aftermath of the Murder
- Macbeth returns from the murder scene, shaken and guilt-ridden.
- Lady Macbeth plants the daggers on the sleeping guards, implicating them in the murder.
Act 3, Scene 1: Banquo’s Suspicions
- Banquo becomes suspicious of how Macbeth attained the throne.
- Macbeth arranges for Banquo’s murder, but Banquo’s son, Fleance, escapes.
Act 4, Scene 1: Macbeth Consults the Witches
- Macbeth receives prophecies from the witches again, giving him a false sense of security.
Act 5, Scene 1: Lady Macbeth’s Sleepwalking Scene
- Tormented with guilt and sleeplessness, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and reveals her knowledge of the murders.
Act 5, Scene 8: Macbeth’s Last Stand
- In the final scene, Macbeth is killed by Macduff.
- Macduff reveals that he was born through a caesarean section, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy that Macbeth could only be killed by a man not born of a woman.
Act 5, Scene 9: Malcolm is King
- After Macbeth’s death, Malcolm is hailed as King.
- The play ends, leaving readers with thoughts about the devastating effects of unchecked ambition and betrayal.