MACBETH – ACT I NOTESScene i:

Depicts the witches who discuss when they are going to meet again

The weather is stormy, symbolizing disruption in the natural world and corruption of morals 

Scene ii: Duncan finds out that Macbeth killed

Macdonwald and praises him as a loyal and brave soldier

The captain then tells Duncan that the Norwegian king is sending more troops

Ross, Lennox and Malcolm (Duncan’s son) come onto the scene and tell him that the Thane of Cawdor (a traitor) has been captured and that since he’s a traitor he’ll be executed.

Duncan decides to appoint Macbeth Thane of Cawdor for his bravery in battle.

MACBETH – ACT I NOTESScene iii: Again, it’s storming and the witches meet when they said

they would and wait for Macbeth. They discuss a sailor they have placed a curse of

sleeplessness on and a storm they create to punish a woman who did not share chestnuts with one of the witches.

Macbeth and Banquo come to the heath and meet the witches who greet his first as Thane of Glamis (which he is), Thane of Cawdor (which Duncan has appointed him, but he doesn’t know yet) and tells him he’ll become king.

Macbeth starts wondering what they mean; Banquo recognizes this and tells him not to be deceived by the witches.

The witches tell Banquo that his sons will become kings even though he, himself, is not a king.

The witches disappear leaving the men with their riddles. Ross and Lennox come and tell Macbeth that he has been

named Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth starts contemplating whether or not and how he should become king.

MACBETH – ACT I NOTESScene iv: Duncan and Malcolm greet Macbeth and praise him

for his bravery and valor; Macbeth honors Duncan and pledges his loyalty to him.

Duncan tells Macbeth that they will all come to his castle (Inverness) for dinner that night.

Scene v: Lady Macbeth gets a letter from Macbeth explaining

what the witches have said and that their first prophecy came true.

She then worries that although Macbeth is ambitious, that he’s too loyal to Duncan and too compassionate of a person to commit cold-blooded murder.

She prays to evil spirits that they should “unsex” her; or take away her femininity and compassion so that she can plan the murder.

She convinces Macbeth that murdering Duncan is the only way he can become king.

MACBETH – ACT I NOTESScene vi: Duncan and Banquo come to the castle and comment

on how welcoming it is; Banquo even makes a comment on the martlets nesting there (birds that typically nest in churches).

Lady Macbeth greets Duncan very kindly and with great hospitality; making it seem like she cares for him.

Scene vii: Macbeth’s famous soliloquy where he debates whether

or not to commit the murder; he eventually talks himself out of it because Duncan is a good king and has been kind to him.

Lady Macbeth sees the weakness in Macbeth and makes him feel like a coward and like he’s not a real man—she is trying to manipulate him into going through with the murder.

They decide that she will get the guards drunk and when they pass out Macbeth should take on of their daggers and kill Duncan so they can frame the guards for the murder.

MACBETH – ACT II NOTESScene i: We meet Banquo’s son, Fleance, this lets you know that

Banquo has heirs and that the Witches’ prophecy has the potential to come true.

Macbeth and Banquo briefly talk about the Witches’ prophecy and Macbeth denies having thought about it much at all; most likely because he doesn’t want to be implicated in the Kings’ upcoming murder.

Macbeth sees the vision of the dagger. This is either a real hallucination or he is simply talking about the dagger he’s about to use. Either way, it symbolizes his feelings of guilt.

Scene ii: Lady Macbeth makes comments about the owl hooting and the

bell clanging—these are both indicators of a death therefore we know that Macbeth has killed Duncan.

When Macbeth returns he’s covered in blood and he’s feeling incredibly guilty. He’s unable to pray and he says he’ll never be ale to sleep again.

Lady Macbeth tries to calm him down and tells him to wash off the blood and to make all the accommodations for framing the guards—smear them with blood and plant the daggers with them.

MACBETH – ACT II NOTESScene iii: The Porter comes in and provides comic relief; he talks

about the things that drinking causes (nose-painting, sleep, lechery and urinating).

Macduff discovers Duncan’s dead body. Macbeth kills Duncans two chambermen—he claims he

does so out of loyalty and rage, however, we know he does it so that they cannot defend themselves if accused and they will be blamed for the murder.

Malcolm and Donalbain fear they will either be killed as well or they will be suspected of murder so they run away from Scotland—Malcolm goes to England, Donalbain to Ireland.

Scene iv: Ross and the Old Man discuss the unnatural occurrences

that have been taking place—the owl killing the falcon (which represents Macbeth killing Duncan) and Duncan’s horses killing and eating each other.

Ross states that with Duncan’s two sons gone Macbeth will be named king.

MACBETH – ACT III NOTES

Scene i Banquo becomes Macbeth’s next target

because he suspects that Macbeth had something to do with Duncan’s death

Macbeth also targets Banquo because according to the witches, his sons will take over as kings of Scotland which is threatening to Macbeth

To celebrate his kingship, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are holding a feast at Inverness where all the lords of Scotland have been invited

Macbeth meets with three men he’s hired to kill Banquo

MACBETH – ACT III NOTESScene ii Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both discuss

their inability to sleep and feelings of guilt Lady Macbeth reminds Macbeth to put on

a happy face so that the lords do not suspect he’s had anything to do with Duncan’s death or Banquo’s disappearance

Macbeth doesn’t tell Lady Macbeth of his plans to kill Banquo and makes several references to dark imagery—these images reflect his darkness of character

MACBETH – ACT III NOTESScene iii The three murders kill Banquo in the forest on

his way to Macbeth’s feast Fleance, Banquo’s son, escapes the murders

Scene iv Macbeth greets the lords at the feast and sees

Banquo’s ghost sitting at his place at the table and begins to act insane

Lady Macbeth tries to cover for him, but he continues to see the ghost

Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he’ll go back to visit the weird sisters

MACBETH – ACT III NOTES

Scene v Hecate chastises the witches for not

inviting her to help in giving Macbeth the prophecies and then dooms Macbeth to suffering and ruin

Scene vi Lennox voices his suspicions of Macbeth

and mentions that he isn’t sure whether Malcolm and Donalbain are the murders or if perhaps there was someone else who was responsible

MACBETH – ACT IV NOTESScene i The witches are making a strange potion at

the beginning of the scene when Macbeth goes to see them

The witches make four apparitions appear to Macbeth—

1.Armed Head = “Beware Macduff”2.Bloody Child = “None of woman born shall

harm Macbeth”3.Child Crowned = “Macbeth shall never

vanquished be until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him”

4.8 Kings & Mirror = Banquo’s heirs shall rule

MACBETH – ACT IV NOTES Macbeth hears that Macduff has gone to England to join

Malcolm; the prophecy told him to beware of Macduff so he decides to have Macduff’s wife and children murdered

Scene ii Ross goes to Lady Macduff

Scene iii Macduff goes to Malcolm who tests him to see if he is a

traitor Macduff passes Malcolm’s “test” and they discuss the

benevolence of King Edward for giving them safe refuge in England and for lending his army to them to battle Scotland

Ross delivers the news to Macduff that his family has been murdered and Malcolm convinces Macduff to save his rage for revenge against Macbeth

They decide to lead the English army against Macbeth to regain control in Scotland

MACBETH – ACT V NOTESScene I Lady Macbeth has been suffering from

horrible nightmares and has been sleepwalking and talking in her sleep

She dreams of having blood stains on her hands that she cannot wash away

She pretty much admits to the doctor and a nursemaid that she was responsible for Duncan’s death

Scene ii Menteith, Angus and Caithness explain that

they are aware Macbeth murdered Duncan and all of Scotland is suffering under Macbeth’s rule

MACBETH – ACT V NOTESScene iii Macbeth doesn’t worry about the

advancing English forces because of the prophecies

Scene iv Malcolm directs the English armies to cut

down trees and walk with them so they are covered = looks like the trees are “walking”; Birnam Wood is literally moving towards Dunsinane

Macbeth meets Macduff in battle

MACBETH – ACT V NOTESScene v The doctor comes and tells Macbeth that Lady

Macbeth is dead A messenger tells Macbeth that the woods are

“moving” and Macbeth realizes he was tricked by the witches

Scene vii Macduff explains that he was not born naturally

of a woman; he was born through a C-section Macduff and Macbeth meet in battle; Macduff

kills Macbeth Malcolm takes his rightful place as king of

Scotland