A thorough, emphasized revision booklet on many sections of Macbeth. Themes, characterization analysis symbols, motifs and summaries in depth included- context, key quotes and revision question and answers included
, Contents
1. Plot summary
2. Characters
3. Themes
4. Context
5. Key quotations
6. Example questions and
responses
, Plot summary
1. While returning from a battle victory, Macbeth, a powerful lord, meets three Witches who predict that he
will become King of Scotland.
2. Macbeth tells his wife of the Witches' predictions and she encourages him to murder the current king,
Duncan, who is staying with them as a guest.
3. After Macduff discovers the murder, Duncan's sons flee the country, leaving the way clear for Macbeth to
become king.
4. Banquo, Macbeth's best friend, becomes suspicious of what his friend has done so Macbeth has him
murdered too.
5. Macbeth pays a second visit to the Witches and receives more predictions.
6. In England, Malcolm (Duncan's elder son) and his chief supporter, Macduff, plan to invade Scotland to win
back the throne. An enraged Macbeth has Macduff's wife and children killed; Macduff swears revenge.
7. Lady Macbeth suffers from guilt for what she has done and eventually commits suicide.
8. Malcolm's invasion is successful and Macduff kills Macbeth. Malcolm becomes the new King of Scotland and
the country counts the cost of Macbeth's short but bloody reign.
, Plot summary (with quotations)
1.1 The play opens with the witches discussing Macbeth: “there to meet with Macbeth”
1.2 The Captain describes Macbeth’s bravery to the King: “brave Macbeth”. The king says he will make Macbeth Thane of
Cawdor: “stars shine on all deservers”
1.3 The witches meet Macbeth and tell him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and then King. “Thou shall be king” They tell
Banquo that his sons will be King: “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” Macbeth begins to imagine being King.
1.4 Macbeth is given the title Thane of Cawdor and Banquo comments that the witches’ predictions were true: “can the
devil speak true?” Macbeth mentions how Malcolm stands in the way of his desires. “stars hide your fires, let not light
see my black and deep desires”
1.5 Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter in which he describes his meeting with the witches; she asks for the spirits to help
her persuade Macbeth to do all he needs to become king. “Come ye spirits” “unsex me here” “fill me with direst
cruelty” She says she will ask him to “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”
1.7 Macbeth decides that he will not kill Duncan: ”I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent” “we will proceed no
further in this business” but then Lady Macbeth enters the stage to persuade him that he must do it: “plucked out my
nipple from its boneless gums and dashed the brains out” She tells him that they will be able to frame Duncan’s guards
who: “will bear the guilt of our great quell” Macbeth agrees to the murder: “false face must hide what the false heart
doth know”
2.1 Macbeth sees a dagger floating in the air which leads him to Duncan: “is this a dagger I see before me?”
2.2 After murdering King Duncan Macbeth is afraid: he can’t say “amen” and he is worried about the blood on his hands.
“Macbeth doth murder sleep” “look on’t again I dare not” Macbeth has brought the daggers with him which Lady
Macbeth has to return to Duncan’s chamber as she is not afraid; she tells her husband to not be a coward: “a little water
clears us of this deed” “my hands are of your colour but I shame to wear a heart so white”
2.3 Macduff is upset at discovering Duncan’s body. Macbeth kills the two guards as he claims he was so angry with them.
Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s sons, are afraid that they may now be murdered so they run away to England and
Ireland: “there’s daggers in men’s smiles”
3.1 Banquo says that he is suspicious about how Macbeth became king: “I fear thou played most foully for it” Macbeth then
enters to ask Banquo if he is going riding. After Banquo confirms that he is, Macbeth speaks to two murders and orders
them to kill both Banquo and his son, Fleance.
3.2 Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he is dealing with Banquo but he doesn’t reveal what he has planned: “be innocent of
the knowledge dearest chuck”
3.4 At Macbeth’s banquet, the murders tell him that the killed Banquo but that Fleance escaped. Macbeth is upset that
Fleance still lives but is happy that Banquo is dead: “the grown serpent lies” At his banquet, Macbeth if terrified as he
sees the ghost of Banquo: “never shake thy gory locks at me” Afraid, the guests worry what is the matter with Macbeth.
Once again Lady Macbeth tells him to be a man. Macbeth is concerned that he isn’t safely the king so he tells Lady
Macbeth that he will go back to see the witches. “I will to the weird sisters”
3.6 People begin to grow suspicious of Macbeth. Lennox wishes Macduff well as he has gone to England to help form an
army against Macbeth.
4.1 Macbeth goes back to visit the witches. Macbeth demands to know if he will remain king. The witches call upon three
apparitions which tell him: “beware Macduff”, fear “none of woman born” and fear noting until “Birnam Wood come to
Dunsinane”. Once the witches have vanished, Macbeth hears from Lennox who tells him that Macduff has gone to
England; Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff’s wife and children.
4.2 Macduff’s wife and children are murdered on the orders of Macbeth.
4.3 Malcolm test Macduff’s loyalty to him and to Scotland. After Macduff proves his loyalty, they prepare to attack
Macbeth’s castle.
5.1 Lady Macbeth appears on stage for the final time. She appears disturbed as she asks for her hands to be clear of
Duncan’s blood, before revealing her guilty secrets. “out, out damn spot” “who would have thought the old man to
have had so much blood in him”
5.3 Macbeth learns that his thanes are abandoning him and that the English army is approaching.
5.4 As the English army approach Macbeth’s castle, Malcolm gives the order for the soldiers to cut down branches from
Birnam Wood and hold it in front of them.
5.5 Macbeth learns that his wife is dead and that the English army is approaching: “she should have died hereafter”
Macbeth goes out to meet his fate.
5.7 Macbeth fights Young Siward and kills him
5.8 Macduff and Macbeth do battle. Macbeth says that he can’t be harmed by one of “woman born” but Macduff replies
that he was "from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd". At first Macbeth is afraid: “I’ll not fight thee” but then says that
he will fight him to the death. They fight on and Macduff kills Macbeth. Macduff enters with the head of Macbeth: “the
dead butcher and his fiendlike queen”. Malcolm is crowned King of Scotland.
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