Macbeth

• Three witches


  Plotting their malevolent scheme
• King Duncan


  Awards Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor
• Macbeth and Banquo


  Encounter the three witches who give them prophecies
• Prophecies given to Macbeth

  He will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland
• Prophecies given to Banquo


  His sons will become kings
• Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor

  1. Convinces Macbeth the prophecies are true

  2. Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth to kill King Duncan

  3. Macbeth kills King Duncan
• Macbeth


  Pretends he hasn't thought about the witches' prophecies
• Macbeth


  Hallucinates a dagger before killing King Duncan
• Aftermath of King Duncan's murder

  1. Macbeth kills the guards

  2. Duncan's sons flee the country
• Banquo


  Becomes suspicious of Macbeth's actions
• Macbeth has Banquo and his son Fleance murdered


  1. Banquo is killed

  2. Fleance escapes
• Macbeth


  Sees Banquo's ghost at a banquet, causing a scene
• The witches


  Decide they need to deceive Macbeth as his ego has grown too big
• The witches give Macbeth more prophecies


  1. No man born of a woman can harm Macbeth

  2. Birnam Wood will come to Dunsinane
• Macbeth


  Becomes a tyrannical and brutal leader, ordering the murders of Macduff's wife and son
• Malcolm and Macduff


  Plot to bring down Macbeth
• Lady Macbeth


  Descends into madness and guilt, sleepwalking and seeing spots on her hands
• Macbeth hears of Lady Macbeth's death


  He contemplates the meaning of life and why he did this
• Macbeth and Macduff battle

  1. Macduff reveals he was not born naturally, but by Caesarean section

  2. Macduff beheads Macbeth
• Malcolm


  Becomes the rightful King of Scotland, restoring order and peace
• Macbeth as a puppet to the witches

  The witches are the Puppet Master, they make Macbeth speak and act the way they want, he is completely influenced by them
• Macbeth is influenced by the witches


  Or did he already have an innate sense of evil within him
• Macbeth emulates the witches

  He mirrors the witches and is completely entranced by their enchanting spells
• Macbeth being a puppet to the witches

  • Indoctrinated (brainwashed)
  • Malleable (being molded)
  • Mentally fragile (weak)
• Macbeth's first line in the play: '"So foul and fair a day I have not seen"'
• Macbeth's first line


  Mirrors the witches' use of oxymorons (conflicting words)
• Macbeth's first line


  Shows he is already influenced by the witches before even meeting them
• Macbeth

  A vessel for the witches' misconduct and evil, a puppet to their malevolent schemes
• Macbeth: '"Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"'
• Macbeth questioning the witches' prophecy


  Indicates he may not fully take it on board, yet still believes it to his core
• Macbeth is an easy vessel for the witches' misconduct and is ultimately a puppet to their evil
• Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it


  Appearance vs reality - Lady Macbeth appears innocent and vulnerable on the outside, but is malevolent and devilish on the inside
• Dash the brains out


  Subversion of femininity and masculinity - Lady Macbeth rejects feminine traits like motherhood and instead embodies masculine characteristics like violence
• Come, thick night


  Supernatural - Lady Macbeth calls upon supernatural powers to strip her of her femininity and grant her darkness/power
• Had he not resembled my father as he slept I had done it

  Cowardice - Despite trying to appear brave and masculine, Lady Macbeth is constrained by her inner cowardice and femininity
• [Enters with a taper]: 'Redemption and salvation - The taper/candle symbolises Lady Macbeth's hope for cleansing and forgiveness for her sins, as she is mentally fragmented'
• 91% of students increased by 1 to 5+ grades in 2023 using the Light Up Hub resources
• The false face must hide what the false heart doth know: 'Act 1 Scene 7'
• Appearance versus reality


  When someone appears in one way but the reality is very different
• Macbeth


  • He is duplicitous - he is two-faced with his intentions
  • He appears noble and valiant but is actually deceitful and malevolent (evil)