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.