Macbeth: A Brief Summary
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Script Text:
Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” begins with two scottish generals, Macbeth and Banquo, defeating Norwegian and Irish armies. This leads them to become praised by the king of Scotland named Duncan.
Macbeth and Banquo are in the middle of a conversation when they meet three witches. These witches give each of the generals a prophecy for the future. The witches state that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland in the near future. They go on to say that Banquo will never become a king himself, but that his future bloodline will be filled with kings generation after generation.
Macbeth is doubtful of the prophecies, but before he knows it, he is made Thane of Cawdor. This shocking reality causes him to write a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, about the prophecies. She immediately calls him to action and states that Macbeth must kill the king. Although Macbeth is anxious and doubtful of his wife’s plan, he proceeds to do as she asks.
When King Duncan comes to spend the night at Macbeth’s castle, the plot to kill him unfolds. Macbeth and his wife plan to get the King’s guards so drunk that they have no recollection of the night before. After the guards are knocked out, Macbeth plans to kill the king and leave the knife with the guards as a way to pin the murder on them.
When it comes time to murder King Duncan, Macbeth starts freaking out. Lady Macbeth takes over and completes all necessary tasks except the murder itself. She applies heavy pressure on Macbeth by questioning his manhood.
In the morning, King Duncan’s sons escape once the king is found murdered. Because of this, there is an air of suspicions surrounding the sons and the murder of their father, King Duncan. Macbeth becomes paranoid that the guards will become aware of their innocence, so Macbeth murders them. He scapegoats his action on his anger over the king’s death. Macbeth is named king of Scotland because Duncan’s sons have left.
At this point, Banquo becomes suspicious of Macbeth when he recalls the prophecies of the witches, and vice versa. Banquo plans to leave with his son, and Macbeth plans to have them both killed. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, but only succeeds in killing Banquo. Macbeth becomes even more paranoid when Banquo’s ghost pays him a visit one night while he is at a dinner with guests.
In an attempt to feel better, Macbeth meets with the witches once more. They show him three different apparitions: The first is a head that warns him of Macduff; the second, a bloody child that tells him no man born of a woman will be able to kill him; and the third, another child who is holding a tree. This last child states that Macbeth’s end will come when Great Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.
The latter insights from the witches leads Macbeth to call for Macduff’s castle to be taken over, and orders that MacDuff along with his family are to be killed. Macduff is not found to be at the castle, but his wife and child are. Both are subsequently slaughtered.
It becomes apparent that Lady Macbeth’s has been disturbed with bouts of sleepwalking resulting from her guilt of Duncan’s murder. She is seen talking about Duncan’s death and attempting to wash nonexistent blood off of her hands. She eventually dies (by assumed suicide) and this forces Macbeth to continue in his downward spiral of misery.
Duncan’s son, Prince Malcolm, raises an army in England to defeat Macbeth. Macduff joins forces with Prince Malcolm in an attempt to avenge the deaths of his wife and child.
When Macbeth comes face to face with Macduff, he happily states that no woman-born man shall kill him. Macduff shouts that he was a baby born through his mother’s stomach (via cesarean section). Macbeth is then decapitated by Macduff.
Prince Malcolm becomes king and it is abundantly clear that he treats the people much better than Macbeth did. Although Malcolm is not one of Banquo’s sons, he is known as an ancestor to the present kings.
The End
Script Text:
Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” begins with two scottish generals, Macbeth and Banquo, defeating Norwegian and Irish armies. This leads them to become praised by the king of Scotland named Duncan.
Macbeth and Banquo are in the middle of a conversation when they meet three witches. These witches give each of the generals a prophecy for the future. The witches state that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland in the near future. They go on to say that Banquo will never become a king himself, but that his future bloodline will be filled with kings generation after generation.
Macbeth is doubtful of the prophecies, but before he knows it, he is made Thane of Cawdor. This shocking reality causes him to write a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, about the prophecies. She immediately calls him to action and states that Macbeth must kill the king. Although Macbeth is anxious and doubtful of his wife’s plan, he proceeds to do as she asks.
When King Duncan comes to spend the night at Macbeth’s castle, the plot to kill him unfolds. Macbeth and his wife plan to get the King’s guards so drunk that they have no recollection of the night before. After the guards are knocked out, Macbeth plans to kill the king and leave the knife with the guards as a way to pin the murder on them.
When it comes time to murder King Duncan, Macbeth starts freaking out. Lady Macbeth takes over and completes all necessary tasks except the murder itself. She applies heavy pressure on Macbeth by questioning his manhood.
In the morning, King Duncan’s sons escape once the king is found murdered. Because of this, there is an air of suspicions surrounding the sons and the murder of their father, King Duncan. Macbeth becomes paranoid that the guards will become aware of their innocence, so Macbeth murders them. He scapegoats his action on his anger over the king’s death. Macbeth is named king of Scotland because Duncan’s sons have left.
At this point, Banquo becomes suspicious of Macbeth when he recalls the prophecies of the witches, and vice versa. Banquo plans to leave with his son, and Macbeth plans to have them both killed. Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, but only succeeds in killing Banquo. Macbeth becomes even more paranoid when Banquo’s ghost pays him a visit one night while he is at a dinner with guests.
In an attempt to feel better, Macbeth meets with the witches once more. They show him three different apparitions: The first is a head that warns him of Macduff; the second, a bloody child that tells him no man born of a woman will be able to kill him; and the third, another child who is holding a tree. This last child states that Macbeth’s end will come when Great Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.
The latter insights from the witches leads Macbeth to call for Macduff’s castle to be taken over, and orders that MacDuff along with his family are to be killed. Macduff is not found to be at the castle, but his wife and child are. Both are subsequently slaughtered.
It becomes apparent that Lady Macbeth’s has been disturbed with bouts of sleepwalking resulting from her guilt of Duncan’s murder. She is seen talking about Duncan’s death and attempting to wash nonexistent blood off of her hands. She eventually dies (by assumed suicide) and this forces Macbeth to continue in his downward spiral of misery.
Duncan’s son, Prince Malcolm, raises an army in England to defeat Macbeth. Macduff joins forces with Prince Malcolm in an attempt to avenge the deaths of his wife and child.
When Macbeth comes face to face with Macduff, he happily states that no woman-born man shall kill him. Macduff shouts that he was a baby born through his mother’s stomach (via cesarean section). Macbeth is then decapitated by Macduff.
Prince Malcolm becomes king and it is abundantly clear that he treats the people much better than Macbeth did. Although Malcolm is not one of Banquo’s sons, he is known as an ancestor to the present kings.
The End
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