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Summary Macbeth Analysis chart
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Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.comMacbeth
• Climax: Some argue that the murder of Banquo is the play's
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION climax, based on the logic that it is at this point that Macbeth
reaches the height of his power and things begin to fall apart
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE from there. However, it is probably more accurate to say that
Shakespeare's father was a glove-maker, and Shakespeare the climax of the play is Macbeth's fight with Macduff, as it is
received no more than a grammar school education. He at this moment that the threads of the play come together,
the secret behind the prophecy becomes evident, and
married Anne Hathaway in 1582, but left his family behind
Macbeth's doom is sealed.
around 1590 and moved to London, where he became an actor
and playwright. He was an immediate success: Shakespeare
soon became the most popular playwright of the day as well as
EXTRA CREDIT
a part-owner of the Globe Theater. His theater troupe was Shakespeare or Not? There are some who believe Shakespeare
adopted by King James as the King's Men in 1603. Shakespeare wasn't educated enough to write the plays attributed to him.
retired as a rich and prominent man to Stratford-upon-Avon in The most common anti-Shakespeare theory is that Edward de
1613, and died three years later. Vere, the Earl of Oxford, wrote the plays and used Shakespeare
as a front man because aristocrats were not supposed to write
HISTORICAL CONTEXT plays. Yet the evidence supporting Shakespeare's authorship
far outweighs any evidence against. So until further notice,
When Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, King James of Scotland Shakespeare is still the most influential writer in the English
became King of England. James almost immediately gave his language.
patronage to Shakespeare's company, making them the King's
Men. In many ways, Macbeth can be seen as a show of gratitude
from Shakespeare to his new King and benefactor. For instance, PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY
King James actually traced his ancestry back to the real-life
Banquo. Shakespeare's transformation of the Banquo in Norwegians, aided by Scottish rebels, have invaded Scotland.
Holinshed's Chronicles who helped murder Duncan to the noble The Scots successfully defend their country and their beloved
man in Macbeth who refused to help kill Duncan is therefore a king, Duncan. One Scotsman in particular, Macbeth, Thane of
kind of compliment given to King James' ancestor. Glamis, distinguishes himself in fighting off the invaders. After
the battle, Macbeth and his friend Banquo come upon the
RELATED LITERARY WORKS weird sisters, three witches who prophesy that Macbeth will
become Thane of Cawdor, and one day King. They further
Shakespeare's source for Macbeth was Raphael Holinshed's prophesy that Banquo's descendants will be kings. The men
Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, though in writing don't at first believe the witches, but then learn that the old
Macbeth Shakespeare changed numerous details for dramatic Thane of Cawdor was actually a traitor helping the
and thematic reasons, and even for political reasons (see Norwegians, and that Duncan has rewarded Macbeth's bravery
Related Historical Events). For instance, in Holinshed's version, on the battlefield by making him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth
Duncan was a weak and ineffectual King, and Banquo actually immediately fantasizes about murdering Duncan and becoming
helped Macbeth commit the murder. Shakespeare's changes to king, but pushes the thought away. Later that day, Duncan
the story emphasize Macbeth's fall from nobility to man ruled announces that his eldest son, Malcolm, will be heir to his
by ambition and destroyed by guilt. throne. As Macbeth begins to succumb to his ambition, Duncan
decides to spend the night in celebration at Macbeth's castle of
KEY FACTS Inverness.
• Full Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband about the
prophecy and Duncan's imminent arrival. She decides her
• When Written: 1606
husband is too kind to follow his ambitions, and vows to push
• Where Written: England him to murder Duncan and take the crown that very night.
• When Published: 1623 Macbeth at first resists his wife's plan, but his ambition and her
• Literary Period: The Renaissance (1500 - 1660) constant questioning of his courage and manhood win him over.
• Genre: Tragic drama That night they murder Duncan and frame the men guarding
Duncan's room. The next morning, Macduff, another Scottish
• Setting: Scotland and, briefly, England during the eleventh
century
thane, discovers Duncan dead and raises the alarm. Macbeth
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and Lady Macbeth pretend to be shocked and outraged. Macbeth – Lady Macbeth's husband and a Scottish nobleman,
Macbeth murders the guardsmen of Duncan's room to keep the Thane of Glamis. He is made Thane of Cawdor for his
them silent, but says he did it out of a furious rage that they bravery in battle, and becomes King of Scotland by murdering
killed the king. Duncan's sons think they may be the next target, the previous King, Duncan. As Macbeth opens, Macbeth is one
and flee. Macbeth is made king, and because they ran, Duncan's of the great noblemen in Scotland: valiant, loyal, and honorable.
sons become the prime suspects in their father's murder. He's also ambitious, and while this ambition helps to make him
Because he knows the witches' prophecy, Banquo is suspicious the great lord he is, once he hears the weird sisters' prophecy
of Macbeth. And because of the prophecy that Banquo's line Macbeth becomes so consumed by his desire for power that he
will reign as kings, Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat. Macbeth becomes a tyrannical and violent monster who ultimately
gives a feast, inviting many thanes, including Banquo. Macbeth destroys himself. What's perhaps most interesting about
hires two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance as they Macbeth is that he senses the murder will lead to his own
ride to attend the feast. The men kill Banquo, but Fleance destruction even before he murders Duncan, yet his ambition is
escapes. At the feast, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, though no so great that he still goes through with it.
one else does. Macbeth's behavior and the death of Banquo Lady Macbeth – Macbeth's wife. Unlike her husband, she has
make all the thanes suspicious. They begin to think of Macbeth no reservations about murdering Duncan in order to make
as a tyrant. Macduff refuses to appear at the royal court at all, Macbeth King of Scotland. She believes that a true man takes
and goes to England to support Malcolm in his effort to raise an what he wants, and whenever Macbeth objects to murdering
army against Macbeth. Duncan on moral grounds, she questions his courage. Lady
Macbeth visits the three witches to learn more about his fate. Macbeth assumes that she'll be able to murder Duncan and
They show him three apparitions who tell Macbeth to beware then quickly forget it once she's Queen of Scotland. But she
Macduff, but also that no "man born of woman" can defeat him discovers that guilt is not so easily avoided, and falls into
and that he will rule until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane madness and despair.
(a castle). Since all men are born of women and trees can't Banquo – A Scottish nobleman, general, and friend of Macbeth.
move, Macbeth takes this to mean he's invincible. Yet the He is also the father of Fleance. The weird sisters prophesy
witches also confirm the prophecy that Banquo's line will one that while Banquo will never be King of Scotland, his
day rule Scotland. To strengthen his hold on the crown, descendants will one day sit on the throne. Banquo is as
Macbeth sends men to Macduff's castle to murder Macduff's ambitious as Macbeth, but unlike Macbeth he resists putting
family. Meanwhile, in England, Macduff and Malcolm prepare to his selfish ambition above his honor or the good of Scotland.
invade Scotland. When news comes to England of the murder Because he both knows the prophecy and is honorable, Banquo
of Macduff's family, Macduff, weeping, vows revenge. is both a threat to Macbeth and a living example of the noble
While the English and Scottish under Malcolm march toward path that Macbeth chose not to take. After Macbeth has
Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth begins sleepwalking and imagining Banquo murdered he is haunted by Banquo's ghost, which
blood on her hands that can't be washed off. Macbeth has symbolizes Macbeth's terrible guilt at what he has become.
become manic, cruel, and haughty—many of his men desert to Macduff – A Scottish nobleman, and the Thane of Fife. His wife
Malcolm's side. In Birnam Wood, Malcolm and his generals is Lady Macduff, and the two have babies and a young son.
devise a strategy to hide their numbers—they cut branches to Macduff offers a contrast to Macbeth: a Scottish lord who, far
hold up in front of them. As Macbeth prepares for the siege, from being ambitious, puts the welfare of Scotland even ahead
Lady Macbeth dies, perhaps of suicide. Macbeth can barely feel of the welfare of his own family. Macduff suspects Macbeth
anything anymore, and her death only makes him give a speech from the beginning, and becomes one of the leaders of the
about the meaninglessness of life. Then Malcolm's forces rebellion. After Macbeth has Macduff's family murdered,
appear looking like a forest marching toward the castle. Macduff's desire for vengeance becomes more personal and
Malcolm's forces quickly capture Dunsinane, but Macbeth powerful.
himself fights on, mocking all who dare to face him as "men King Duncan – The King of Scotland, and the father of Malcolm
born of woman." But Macduff reveals that he was "untimely and Donalbain. Macbeth murders him to get the crown.
ripped" from his mother's womb (a caesarean section). Macduff Duncan is the model of a good, virtuous king who puts the
kills Macbeth, and Malcolm is crowned as King of Scotland. welfare of the country above his own and seeks, like a gardener,
to nurture and grow the kingdom that is his responsibility.
Duncan is the living embodiment of the political and social
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS order that Macbeth destroys.
MAJOR CHARACTERS Malcolm – The older of King Duncan's two sons, and Duncan's
designated heir to the throne of Scotland. Early in the play,
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Malcolm is a weak and inexperienced leader, and he actually Old Man – An elderly fellow who sees some strange things
flees Scotland in fear after his father is murdered. But Malcolm happen the night Macbeth murders Duncan.
matures, and with the help of Macduff and an English army, English Doctor – An English doctor.
Malcolm eventually overthrows Macbeth and retakes the
throne, restoring the order that was destroyed when Duncan Scottish Doctor – The doctor Macbeth assigns to cure Lady
was murdered. Macbeth of her madness.
Weird Sisters – Three witches, whose prophecy helps push
Macbeth's ambition over the edge, and convinces him to THEMES
murder Duncan in order to become King. The witches'
knowledge of future events clearly indicates that they have In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
supernatural powers, and they also clearly enjoy using those coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
powers to cause havoc and mayhem among mankind. But it is occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
important to realize that the witches never compel anyone to a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
do anything. Instead, they tell half-truths to lure men into giving black and white.
into their own dark desires. It's left vague in Macbeth whether
Macbeth would have become King of Scotland if he just sat AMBITION
back and did nothing. This vagueness seems to suggest that
Macbeth is a play about ambition run amok. The
while the broad outlines of a person's fate might be
weird sisters' prophecies spur both Macbeth and
predetermined, how the fate plays out is up to him.
Lady Macbeth to try to fulfill their ambitions, but
the witches never make Macbeth or his wife do anything.
MINOR CHARACTERS Macbeth and his wife act on their own to fulfill their deepest
Fleance – Banquo's teenage son. Macbeth sees him as a threat desires. Macbeth, a good general and, by all accounts before
because of the weird sisters' prophecy that Banquo's the action of the play, a good man, allows his ambition to
descendants will one day rule Scotland. overwhelm him and becomes a murdering, paranoid maniac.
Lady Macduff – The wife of Macduff and the mother of Lady Macbeth, once she begins to put into actions the once-
Macduff's children (and the only female character of note in the hidden thoughts of her mind, is crushed by guilt.
play besides Lady Macbeth). She questions her husband's Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want to be great and
decision to leave his family behind when he goes to England to powerful, and sacrifice their morals to achieve that goal. By
help Malcolm save Scotland from Macbeth. contrasting these two characters with others in the play, such
Young Macduff – Macduff's son, still a child. as Banquo, Duncan, and Macduff, who also want to be great
leaders but refuse to allow ambition to come before honor,
Lenno
ennoxx – A Scottish nobleman. Macbeth shows how naked ambition, freed from any sort of
Ross – A Scottish nobleman. moral or social conscience, ultimately takes over every other
Angus – A Scottish nobleman. characteristic of a person. Unchecked ambition, Macbeth
suggests, can never be fulfilled, and therefore quickly grows
Donalbain – King Duncan's younger son and Malcolm's
into a monster that will destroy anyone who gives into it.
brother.
Murderers – Men hired by Macbeth to kill Banquo and
FATE
Fleance.
From the moment the weird sisters tell Macbeth
Porter – The guardian of the gate at Macbeth's castle..
and Banquo their prophecies, both the characters
Hecate – The goddess of witchcraft. and the audience are forced to wonder about fate.
Gentlewoman – Lady Macbeth's attendant. Is it real? Is action necessary to make it come to pass, or will the
prophecy come true no matter what one does? Different
Siward – A warlike English lord.
characters answer these questions in different ways at
Young Siward – Siward's son. different times, and the final answers are ambiguous—as fate
King Edward – The King of England. He is so saintly his touch always is.
can cure the sick. Unlike Banquo, Macbeth acts: he kills Duncan. Macbeth tries to
Captain – A captain in the Scottish Army. master fate, to make fate conform to exactly what he wants.
Se
Seyton
yton – Macbeth's servant. But, of course, fate doesn't work that way. By trying to master
fate once, Macbeth puts himself in the position of having to
master fate always. At every instant, he has to struggle against
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