By William Shakespeare Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Act I Duncan—King of Scotland Malcom—Son of Duncan; prince of Cumberland Donalbain—Son of Duncan (quiet so far) Banquo—Macbeth’s best friend/with him during the prophecies. Thane of Cawdor—Dead (treason). Title given to Macbeth—Thane of Glamis AND___Cawdor_

Predictions 1. Macbeth will be king 2. Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor 3. Banquo will father kings 4.Banquo will not be a king 5.Banquo will be not as great as Macbeth but greater still; not as happy as Macbeth but happier.

The plan… Lady Macbeth: She’s violent, fueling the fire, pushing Macbeth forward, murderous, psychopath, greedily ambitious, masculine. Macbeth: pensive, indecisive, guilt, courageous in battle, power-hungry. What’s in the way? Duncan. Malcom. Macbeth. *Frame the servants---get them drunk, kill the king, place the daggers (bloodied) in their hands so when they wake up everyone thinks it was them (even the servants). Mac and Lady Mac plan to grieve so loudly that it couldn’t POSSIBLY have been them.

Act II Macbeth kills Duncan. Lady Macbeth would have, except he looked like her father. Daggers are planted on the servants. Macduff arrives, goes to wake Duncan. Macbeth and Lady Mac pretend as though they just woke up—SHOCK, SURPRISE!!

Act II Continued Servants are suspected—Macbeth in his “rage” kills servants. No one questions Macbeth’s story—even though it is full of holes. Malcolm and Donalbain leave—Malcolm to England, Donalbain goes to Ireland. This makes it look like they paid the servants to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth—crying, fainting, ill.

Act III Banquo becomes suspicious of Macbeth’s intentions—or at least how he got to where he is. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. Banquo is killed on his way to Macbeth’s party, Fleance escapes. Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet

Act III cont’d Lady Macbeth says he has been having these illusions since he was a child… “afflicted” Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth (again) to “be a man.” Banquet comes to an abrupt end. Does Macbeth just need some sleep? (Recall the night creatures he referred to earlier). Witches get chewed out by their boss for meddling in the affairs of mortals—especially one so weakened by his own greed.

Act III Cont’d Lennox talks to a Lord: Speculating Macbeth and Macduff—rumor has it that Macduff has gone to raise an army against Macbeth. (Dramatic irony). Assumed Fleance, Malcolm, Donalbain all had a role in their fathers’ deaths.

Act IV Macbeth visits the witches. They conjure: 3 apparitions Fear Macduff No man born of woman will harm Macbeth Do not fear until Birnham wood comes to Dunsinane castle.

Act IV cont’d Macduff goes to England—Meets up with Malcolm Ross tries to convince Lady Macduff of her husband’s nobility. She argues that he’s a traitor. Macduff’s wife and children are murdered (Macbeth orders this to happen just to be on the safe side.) Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty by telling him he is a worse evil than Macbeth (greedy, lecherous, cruel, unable to be satisfied.) Macduff says, “Well, then, we have no hope.” Thus proving his loyalty to Malcolm.

Act IV Malcolm is none of those things (saintly). “Mother, they’ve killed me.”