Literature notes for Macbeth Play. Includes timeline of story, common themes, and quotes for characters such as macbeth, lady macbeth, malcom, macduff, 3 witches, banquo and duncan
Acts : Total number of scenes :
1 7
2 4
3 6
4 3
5 9
Timeline ( scenes ) :
Act 1 :
1) Introduction to the 3 witches
2) ‘Bloody captain’ ➝ Macbeth, the war hero
3) MB & BQ meet the witches → the 1st prophecy is heard
4) DC reveals that MC will be the next king of Scotland
5) LMB plotting DC’s murder
6) LMB inviting DC to the castle
7) MB decided not to kill DC, but LMB convinces him to
Act 2 :
1) MB talks to BQ while waiting for LMB’s signal ( bell ) to kill DC
↳ MB sees floating dagger
2) LMB cleans up after MB → framing the guards with the bloody dagger
3) MD finds DC’s dead body
↳ MB kills guards “in anger” which makes him suspicious
↳ LMB pretends to faint to save MB
↳ Malcom runs away to England
4) Aftermath of DC’s death → MB is crowned king
Act 3 :
1) MB planning BQ’s murder with the 2 Murderers
2) MB and LMB talk → MB & LMB role reversal, MB = scheming & LMB = unaware of MB’s plans
3) BQ’s death by the 3 Murderers → The 3 Murderers mess up, Fleance ( BQ’s son )escapes
4) BQ’s Ghost is seen by MB → consequence of guilt
5) Hecate scolds the 3 Witches → MB is seen as selfish
6) Lennox and a Lord talks → both men suspect MB
↳ BQ’s death is blamed on Fleance ( who escaped )
↳ MD goes to England to find MC for help to save Scotland from the ‘ tyrant ’ MB
,Act 4 :
1) MB & the witches’ apparitions → head w/ a helmet, bloody child & crowned child holding a tree
2) Lady MD & Son are murdered
3) MC tests MD → Ross’ Scotland poem + the news that MD’s family is dead
Act 5 :
1) Doctor and Gentlewoman watch LMB sleepwalk → consequence of betrayal, guilt
2) Lennox joins MC to defeat MB
↳ alternating POV, gives audience a sense of urgency, switch between MB & MC, good vs bad
3) MB is confident that he is safe due to the 2nd prophecy ( “ Great birnam wood… ” )
4) MC instructs his soldiers to cut down a tree and cover themselves, // to prophecy
5) MB finds out that LMB is dead → MB’s soliloquy
6) MC & his soldiers reveal themselves from the trees
7) MB fights Young Siward → YS dies
8) MD meets MB → many //s to prophecy → MD defeats / kills MB → good guys win
9) MC & his soldiers celebrate their victory
Writing :
P ➝ point / topic sentence / argument
E ➝ evidence / quote ( Act ___ Scene ___ )
C ➝ context of quote ( who say, why say )
L ➝ lit device ( explain how it is unique )
T ➝ theme / big idea
E ➝ explain
L ➝ link ( thus.. )
Themes in Macbeth :
1) Consequences of betrayal / regicide
↳ death & violence
↳ madness / guilt
↳ isolation
↳ community suffering / death
2) Moral inversion
↳ good vs evil / fair vs foul
3) Macbeth’s freedom of choice
↳ made the decision to meet the witches again in Act 4 Scene 1
↳ consequence of meddling with magic / supernatural → MB’s defeat
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