Plot Summary + Context

• Act 1, Scene 1

  Opens with three witches meeting arranging to meet Macbeth

  Establishes the witches having power over events forecoming
• Act 1, Scene 2

  Macbeth is praised by Duncan for courageousness

  learn Macbeth will be given the title of 'Thane of Cawdor'
• Act 1, Scene 3

  Witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on heath and give them prophecies
• Act 1, Scene 4

  Macbeth meets Duncan and is praised for heroism and told that Malcom will be the next heir
• Act 1, Scene 5

  Lady Macbeth gets the letter explaining the witches prophecies of Macbeth becoming King, then they plan to kill Duncan
• Act 1, Scene 6

  Banquo and Duncan arrive at Macbeth's castle and honours Macbeth as his host
• Act 1, Scene 7

  Macbeth contemplates killing Duncan and knows it is immoral, Lady Macbeth persuades him by hurting his masculinity
• Act 2, Scene 1

  Banquo discusses the unnatural darkness, Macbeth hallucinates and sees a bloody dagger, Duncan is then murdered
• Act 2, Scene 2

  Macbeth returns from killing Duncan and is overcome with guilt, Lady Macbeth frames the murder on the drunk porters, both end with blood on their hands
• Act 2, Scene 3

  Macduff discovers Duncans body, Malcom and Donaldbain flee to England and Ireland in fear
• Act 2, Scene 4

  Macbeth is to be king, the disruption of natural order is discussed by Rosse and an Old man
• Act 3, Scene 1

  Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth and Macbeth retaliates by plotting Banquo's death, he meets with two murderers and plot his death
• Act 3, Scene 2

  Lady Macbeth reveals concerns about the stability of their reign and Macbeth hints to her about his plot to kill Banquo
• Act 3, Scene 3

  Banquo is murdered but his son, Fleance, escapes
• Act 3, Scene 4

  Macbeth hosts a banquet and is told Banquo has been killed but his son escaped, Macbeth hallucinates and sees a ghost of Banquo, Lady Macbeth takes control and Macbeth plans to meet the witches again
• Act 3, Scene 5

  Witches meet with Hecate who predicts their next meeting with Macbeth, she scolds them for helping Macbeth gain power and plans to destroy Macbeth
• Act 3, Scene 6

  Lennox suspects Macbeth, Malcom and Macduff leave for England to raise an army, Macbeth also has started to prepare for war
• Act 4, Scene 1

  Macbeth meets witches and receives three apparitions of which that to be aware of Macduff, 'no one of woman born can harm him', and that he will never be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane
• Act 4, Scene 2

  Lady Macduff and her child are murdered
• Act 4, Scene 3

  Malcom tests Macduffs loyalty, Rosse tells Macduff that his family has been murdered and he wants revenge
• Act 5, Scene 1

  Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and obsessively washing her hands, reenacting the murder, the Doctor visits and confirms she is possessed
• Act 5, Scene 2

  English army heads towards Dunsinane, Macbeth is going mad and losing power
• Act 5, Scene 3

  Macbeth shows hubris and says he is not afraid, he is informed about Lady Macbeth and her hallucinations but doesn't care
• Act 5, Scene 4

  All of the army cut trees from Birnam Wood to hide behind and approach Macbeth's castle
• Act 5, Scene 5

  In the middle of battle, Macbeth finds out Lady Macbeth has died, told that Birnam Wood is heading for the castle
• Act 5, Scene 6

  Malcolm gives order for everyone to throw down their branches, they begin to attack Macbeth's castle
• Act 5, Scene 7

  Macbeth kills Young Siward, Macduff looks for Macbeth to avenge his family, Macbeth's forces betray him
• Act 5, Scene 8


  Macduff and Macbeth fight, Macbeth finds out Macduff was born via Caesarean section, Macbeth is killed by Macduff
• Act 5, Scene 9

  Malcolm is crowned King
• Macbeth is a dramatic tragedy surrounding protagonist Macbeth and witches as catalysts for all the events
• Daemonologie

  book wrote by King James I

  meaning 'the science of demons'

  he believed witchcraft was an act of satan

  purpose was to provide evidence of witchcraft for those who didn't believe in it
• Divine right of kings

  chosen by God to be King