Macbeth Revision Key Scenes Act 1: scene ii, iv & vii Act 2: scene I, ii & iv Act 3: scene ii, iii, & iv Act 4: scene i, ii & iii Act 5: scene i, v & viii

Macbeth Revision Act 1 Key Scenes Act 1 scene ii Act 1 scene iv At Duncan’s camp near Forres. Duncan is with his Lords awaiting news of the battle. The messenger comes to tell him how well Macbeth has fought and Duncan gives him the title Thane of Cawdor. “Captain: brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name” Act 1 scene iv At Duncan’s palace at Forres. The previous Thane of Cawdor is executed. Macbeth and Banquo arrive at the castle and Duncan makes his son, Malcolm, The Duke of Northumberland (his heir to the throne). Macbeth considers what this means for him. “Macbeth: Stars, hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires, The eye wink at the hand” Act 1 scene vii At Macbeth’s castle. Near the Great Hall. Duncan and the Lords are dining at Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth leaves the room and deliberates over killing Duncan. When he decides not to, Lady Macbeth enters and manipulates him into changing his mind again. “Lady Macbeth: We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place and we’ll not fail.”

Macbeth Revision Act 2 Key Scenes Act 2 scene i Act 2 scene ii At Macbeth’s castle in the courtyard. Banquo and Fleance are patrolling the castle. Macbeth enters and Banquo tells him he has dreamt of the witches, but Macbeth lies and tells him he hasn’t thought of them. Alone, Macbeth hallucinates and thinks he sees a blood-stained dagger. As he gets closer to killing Duncan, his mind is filled with evil images. “Macbeth: Now o’er the one half-world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtained sleep.” Act 2 scene ii At Macbeth’s castle, near Duncan’s room. Lady Macbeth waits for Macbeth to return from killing Duncan. When he does, he is obssessed by the fact that he cannot say ‘Amen’ and by a voice saying that he has murdered sleep. She realises he has brought the daggers back and orders him to take them back but he cannot so she does. She returns and, like Macbeth, her hands are covered in Duncan’s blood. They hear a knocking and Macbeth panics but his wife tells him to pull himself together and they go to their room. “Lady Macbeth: A little water clears us of this deed” “Macbeth: Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red” Act 2 scene iv Outside Macbeth’s castle. Ross and an Old Man are discussing recent events. The talk about all the strange and unnatural things that have happened, mirroring Duncan’s unnatural death: the sun is obscured, owls kill falcons and horses eat each other. Macduff arrives and tells them that Duncan’s sons have fled and Macbeth is to go to Scone to be crowned King, but that he will not be attending the ceremony. The old man blesses peacemakers. “Old Man: ‘Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that’s done.” “Macduff: Lest our old robes sit easier than our new”

Theme of the Supernatural Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? I see thee yet, in form as palpable As this which now I draw. Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; And such an instrument I was to use. Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still, And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before. There's no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder, Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf, Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace. With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, And take the present horror from the time, Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.                                     [a bell rings] I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell. Theme of the Supernatural Macbeth hallucinates a dagger. Is it a warning against killing Duncan or an invitation to do it? Theme of Guilt/Conscience Does the dagger represent Macbeth’s conscience, warning him against killing Duncan? Theme of Evil Does the dagger represent evil, inviting him to kill Duncan? Theme of Nature Macbeth is about to change the natural order of things by committing regicide Theme of evil He will be going against God by doing this, therefore committing evil Theme of guilt/conscience His guilt will no longer allow him to find peace through sleep Structure Rhyming couplet – shows he is steadfast and has made up his mind. Puts importance on the line - Macbeth is about to commit the terrible deed. Language Knell = Funeral bell. The bell he hears signifies that it is time for Duncan’s death

Macbeth Revision Act 3 Key Scenes Act 3 scene ii Act 3 scene iii A room in Macbeth’s palace. Lady Macbeth is concerned about Macbeth’s state of mind and advises him not to dwell on the murder. Macbeth is fearful and insecure and even envies the peace that Duncan enjoys in death. He tells his wife to pay attention to Banquo at the evening’s banquet and hints that something terrible will happen that night. “Macbeth: O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!.” Act 3 scene iii A lonely place near Forres. The three murderers, employed by Macbeth, murder Banquo while he and Fleance ride together. However, Fleance escapes. “Banquo: Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou mayst revenge – O slave!” Act 3 scene iv Macbeth greets his guests. The murderer arrives and tells him that Fleance has escaped which disturbs him and renews his fears. Lady Macbeth tells him to welcome his guests but he sees Banquo’s ghost, which shocks him. Lady Macbeth takes control and tells the Lords that he is ill and often has ‘fits’ like this. The ghost leaves and he continues with the banquet but the ghost reappears and Macbeth loses his composure. Lady Macbeth orderes the guests to leave and Macbeth vows to visit the witches to know his future. He also vows to kill anyone standing in his way to remaining King. “Lady Macbeth: Why do you make such faces? When all’s done You look but on a stool” “Macbeth: It will have blood they say: blood will have blood”

Macbeth Revision Act 4 Key Scenes Act 4 scene i Act 4 scene ii A desolate place near Forres. The witches are making a spell. Macbeth enters and challenges them to answer his questions. They show him 3 apparitions: An armed head tells him ‘beware Macduff’ and a bloody child tells him that no man born of woman can harm him. However, he still swears to kill Macduff. A third apparition tells him that he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. He demands to know more and the witches show him a procession of 8 kings and Banquo, before they disappear. Lennox enters and tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England and Malcolm and he vows to kill every member of Macduff’s family he can catch. “Macbeth: From this moment, The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand” Act 4 scene ii Fife. The castle of Macduff. Macduff’s wife and son discuss Macduff’s fleeing to England and tells him his father is a traitor and that he does not love them. Ross arrives and assures her that Macduff knows best and that everything will be OK. Ross leaves and a messenger arrives to warn them of danger. The murderers enter and kill the son and chase Lady Macduff off stage to kill her. “Ross: cruel are the times when we are traitors And do not know ourselves, when we hold rumour From what we fear, yet know not what we fear” Act 4 scene iii England. The palace of King Edward. Macduff arrives in England and urges Malcolm to defend Scotland, which is suffering under Macbeth’s tyranny. Malcolm suspects that Macduff may be acting for Macbeth and trapping him and so he tells Macduff that he is unfit to be king as he is too greedy and full of sexual desire. Macduff condemns Malcolm and cries for Scotland. Malcolm then tells him that his reaction has proved that he is not working for Macbeth and explains that he was lying. He says he is ready to invade Scotland. Ross arrives and reports that there is much suffering in Scotland. He tells Macduff that Macbeth has murdered his family and Macduff blams himself. He vows vengeance on Macbeth. “Doctor: at his touch, Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand, They presently amend” “Ross: Alas, poor country, Almost afraid to know itself”

Macbeth Revision Act 5 Key Scenes Act 5 scene i Act 5 scene v A room in Dunsinane castle. Lady Macbeth’s Gentlewoman reports to the doctor that she has seen Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. Out of loyalty, she refuses to tell him what her mistress speaks while sleepwalking. Lady Macbeth enters and tries to wash imagined blood from her hands. Her words echo those previously spoken by her and Macbeth about all the the murders. The doctor is shocked. “Lady Macbeth: Out, damned spot!” Act 5 scene v Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth enters with only a few of his loyal soldiers who remain. Malcolm’s Army is outside the castle but Macbeth defies it – he has lost all sense of fear. Seyton brings news of Lady Macbeth’s death and he begins to brood on life’s futility. He begins to doubt the apparitions and swears he will die fighting. “Macbeth: I have almost forgot the taste of fears …I have supped full with horrors; Direness familiar to my slaughterous thoughts” Act 5 scene viii Outside Dunsinane Castle. Facing Macduff, Macbeth boasts that no naturally born man can kill him, but Macduff reveals that he was born by caesarean. Dismayed, Macbeth refuses to fight. Macbeth says he will capture Macbeth and display him as an example of a tyrant. Macbeth determines to go down fighting and Macduff kills him. “Macduff: Macduff was from his mother’s womb Untimely ripped” “Macbeth: I will not yield To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s fee”

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Structure Repetition of ‘tomorrow’ highlights the futility of life – time goes on and on, whether we are alive or dead Language Alliteration emphasises how “petty”, or silly, little and pointless, life is. Language Alliteration emphasises that life is the road to death – we are all just waiting for death Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Language A candle is a metaphor for life: it burns brightly for a while but quickly fades and dies and is replaced Language Shakespeare uses the metaphor of an actor on a stage to describe life. We have a short time in the limelight, where we go through a range of emotions, but then the show (life) is over and forgotten