Macbeth E-Book

Evelyn Samuel

• Herausgeber: EVES SUPER EASY BOOKS
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 283

Beschreibung

Its unique structure with detailed explanations next to the text, its in depth identification of language devices, exploration of themes, character analysis, typical exam questions, gives students the information to achieve outstanding results.

Leseprobe

STUDY GUIDE - SHAKESPEARE’S

MACBETH

MADE SUPER SUPER EASY

TEXT EXPLAINED IN GREAT DETAIL

ACHIEVE TOP GRADES

A MUST FOR ALL STUDENTS

WRITTEN BY EVELYN SAMUEL

Shakespeare’s Macbeth:

Made Super Super Easy

First Edition Published by Evelyn Samuel

Copyright date © March 2020 Evelyn Samuel

All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without permission.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

The purpose of this book is to educate and entertain.

The views and opinions expressed in this book are that of the author based on her personal experiences and education. The author does not guarantee that anyone following the techniques, suggestions, ideas or strategies will become successful.

The author shall neither be liable nor responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book.

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

Foreward

LAYOUT

INTRODUCTION

Historical context and setting

The supernatural and witchcraft

Tragic Hero

Divine Right of Kings

SUMMARIES AND EXPLANATIONS

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3

ACT 4

ACT 5

CHARACTERS

MACBETH

LADY MACBETH

BANQUO

WITCHES

THEMES

AMBITION/ GREED/POWER

STRUCTURE

HERO TO TRAGIC HERO

TYPICAL EXAM STYLE QUESTIONS

SAMPLE ESSAYS

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth as a Powerful Character?

How does Macbeth’s Conflict Resolve and Change

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my mother, Narainamal.

You will always be my Idol.

Preface

To all students reading my study guide, I have taken the ingredients from the witches’ brew and concocted a magical study guide which will give you magical results!

I do hope that my wealth of information will assist you to achieve the highest possible grades.

I have formulated a unique structure, which has never been done before, which includes the modern text alongside the detailed explanations to make it super easy for you to understand.

In this super easy study guide, almost every line is explained in detailed with connotated meaning, motives, imagery, symbolism, and linguistic devices.

The Historical context of the play is concisely devised enabling you to integrate it into your answers in the exam.

The explanations are supported and highlighted with relevant important quotes.

A set of exam style questions are added and the answers, which are explained at length can be easily found in my text.

Pupils’ sample answers are added to help in the structure of your exam essays.

A detail explanation of the important characters, and so themes are included to assist in exam preparation.

The structure of the text is also outlined and detailed.

Good Luck with your studies on Macbeth!

v

Foreward

Evelyn’s brilliant portrayal of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with its detailed explanations added a ray of sunshine to my very limited understanding of the text.

Shakespeare’s unique and difficult language added more woes to the stress of my exam blues. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon what I considered a gem of a master piece – so skilful written and analysed.

Having read this very informative study guide on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, I can categorically state that its detailed and in-depth explanation has indeed helped me to get a better insight into the play.

Prior to reading this play, I had difficulty grasping Shakespeare’s unusual language and meaning. This study guide was certainly an eye-opener to my understanding of Shakespeare’s writing techniques and languages devices.

I consider it a must for all students.

vii

LAYOUT

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1

•• Historical context and setting ................................................................................... 1

•• The supernatural and witchcraft .............................................................................. 1

•• Tragic Hero .................................................................................................................... 2

•• Divine Right of Kings ................................................................................................. 2

SUMMARIES AND EXPLANATIONS ......................................................................... 2

•• ACT 1 .............................................................................................................................. 3

•• ACT 2 ............................................................................................................................ 35

•• ACT 3 ............................................................................................................................ 58

•• ACT 4 ............................................................................................................................ 82

•• ACT 5 .......................................................................................................................... 107

CHARACTERS ................................................................................................................... 132

•• MACBETH ................................................................................................................ 132

•• LADY MACBETH ................................................................................................. 133

•• BANQUO ................................................................................................................... 135

•• WITCHES .................................................................................................................. 137

THEMES ................................................................................................................................ 140

•• AMBITION/ GREED/POWER ........................................................................... 140

•• STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................... 141

•• HERO TO TRAGIC HERO .................................................................................. 141

EXAM STYLE QUESTIONS ......................................................................................... 143

SAMPLE ESSAYS .............................................................................................................. 152

ix

INTRODUCTION

Historical context and setting

•• William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights of the era, wrote the play around 1603, during the reign of King James 1 of England.

•• At the time this play was written, Scotland and England were united under one king.

•• Shakespeare’s plays reflect the social, economic, and historical elements of that period.

•• King James’ concerns and fascination about witchcraft and the supernatural were reflected in the play.

The supernatural and witchcraft

•• King James published a book, Demonology, on the subject. God and the church played a vital role in England at that time. People believed in God and the devil, fate and the supernatural.

•• Because people accused them of associating with the devil and, thereby, being evil, witches were condemned and burned.

•• The play is filled with dark imagery, and it is one of Shakespeare’s most interesting and compelling plays.

1

Tragic Hero

•• Macbeth is a tragedy where we see the rise and fall of a hero.

•• Macbeth is a typical tragic hero who fell from grace because of a tragic flaw in his character: greed and ambition. His greed led to serious consequences - several murders, his mental and psychological demise, disruption of the natural order, severed ties with God, the destruction of a country, and, at the end, his own death.

Divine Right of Kings

•• Most importantly, the play explores the issues of kingship and loyalty.

It was believed that God had designed a symbiotic balance for nature and humanity. If corruption sets in, then the normal order, instituted by God, is violated. It is then that chaos reigns; this is evidenced in Macbeth’s decision to kill King Duncan. It was considered a sin to violate this “divine right of God”, no matter the person.

•• Kings were given the ‘divine right’ to rule by God; the king had absolute power and was seen as being next to God. If anyone violated this divine appointment and sought to harm the king in any way, it disturbed the natural order of God’s will. Macbeth’s killing of King Duncan had disturbed the natural order and, hence, invited God’s wrath, culminating with death.

SUMMARIES AND EXPLANATIONS

Next page: text in left column; explanation in right column.

2

MACBETH

ACT 1 scene 1

Thunder and lightning.

SUMMARY

Three WITCHES enter

The three evil witches meet in the

FIRST WITCH

eerie heath in “thunder and lightning”.

When should the three of us meet again?

They plan to meet Macbeth to create

Will it be in thunder, lightning, or rain?

mischief in his life. They sing in rhyme

SECOND WITCH

and rhythm, “fair is foul, and foul is

We’ll meet when the noise of the battle is

fair, hover through the fog and filthy

over, when one side has won and the

air”. It’s as though they are singing a

other side has lost.

jubilant song in trapping Macbeth to

carry out foul deeds. In the opening

THIRD WITCH

scene, Shakespeare creates an

That will happen before sunset.

atmosphere of mystery and evil to set

the tone and pace of the gory events

FIRST WITCH

to follow.

Where should we meet?

EXPLANATION

SECOND WITCH

The bare surroundings of the heath

Let’s do it in the open field.

create a scary, mysterious atmosphere.

Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy (“in

THIRD WITCH

thunder, lightning or rain”) to describe

We’ll meet Macbeth there.

the weather. This has a profound

The WITCHES hear the calls of their spirit

impact on the mood of the opening

friends or “familiars,” which look like

scene, implying that nature is angry and

animals—one is a cat and one is a toad.

at odds with itself because the divine

FIRST WITCH

right of kings is about to be violated.

During King James rule, kings were seen

(calling to her cat) I’m coming, Graymalkin!

as chosen by God, and any attack on a

SECOND WITCH

king can be seen as a violation of the

My toad, Paddock, calls me.

divine right of kings.

THIRD WITCH

(to her spirit) I’ll be right here!

That will happen before sunset.

ALL

The witches want to meet in the “set of

sun”. Note the use of dark imagery to

Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Let’s fly away

highlight the chaos that they are about

through the fog and filthy air.

to cause in Macbeth’s life. The ugly-

They exit.

looking, evil witches create an eerie

3

atmosphere in the bare surroundings

of the heath, and the miserable

weather adds to this eeriness. This

setting foreshadows all the gory scenes

to follow, like all the horrible murders.

The Elizabethan audience was

accustomed to seeing witches being

condemned and executed, and King

James believed in the power of the

witches. They were even blamed for

terrible weather like this. Shakespeare

ends this scene with a rhyming couplet:

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

“Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair.

Hover through the Fog and Filthy air”

This paradox of “good is bad and bad is

good” will recur throughout the play.

This can be associated with the evil

deeds of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth,

which the witches see as being good

because they are so evil.

The witches make evil look good and

good look evil.

The play has many contrasting images

of light and darkness. For example,

Macbeth can be seen as the light until

after he meets the witches. Once they

predict his kingship, he becomes dark

just like them.

The witches disappear as quickly as

they came in the “Fog and Filthy air”.

This alliterative device highlights the

witches, evil, ugly behaviour and the

doom that they are about to cause

in Macbeth’s life.

4

MACBETH

ACT 1 scene 2

Sounds of a trumpet and soldiers fighting

SUMMARY

offstage. KING DUNCAN enters with his

In Act 1, Scene 2, we see Macbeth’s

sons MALCOLM and DONALBAIN, LENNOX, bravery and heroism on the battlefield.

and a number of attendants. They meet a

He is a celebrated war hero. King

wounded and bloody CAPTAIN.

Duncan was told how Macbeth bravely

DUNCAN

overcame the Norwegian forces. He

fought ferociously, tackling the enemy

Who is this bloody man?

and “like valour’s minion carved out

his passage”.

Judging from his appearance, I bet he can

tell us the latest news about the revolt.

King Duncan is overwhelmed and

MALCOLM

ironically called Macbeth, “O valiant

This is the brave sergeant who fought to

cousin, worthy gentleman”. Because he

keep me from being captured. Hail, brave

had come home victorious., Duncan,

friend! Tell the king what was happening

very graciously, awards him the title of

in the battle when you left it.

Thane of Cawdor immediately.

CAPTAIN

EXPLANATION

For a while you couldn’t tell who would win.

The armies were like two exhausted

Who is this bloody man?

swimmers clinging to each other and

struggling in the water, unable to move. The

At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 2, we

villainous rebel Macdonwald was supported

should look at Shakespeare’s use of

by foot soldiers and horsemen from Ireland

auditory imagery, which is often ignored

and the Hebrides, and Lady Luck was with

but plays a very vital role in the play. For

him, smiling cruelly at his enemies as if she

example, when Lady Macbeth dies off

were his whore. But Luck and Macdonwald

stage, we hear the screams.

together weren’t strong enough. Brave

Macbeth, laughing at Luck, chopped his way

The alarm bell sounds by trumpets,

through to Macdonwald, who didn’t even

signalling victory on the battlefield and

have time to say good-bye or shake hands

excitement. This can be compared to

before

the knelling of the bells later in the play,

which signals Duncan’s death; “ring the

Macbeth split him open from his navel to

alarum bell! Murder and Treason”. This

his jawbone and stuck his head on our

sound can also be juxtaposed with

castle walls.

“thunder and lightning”, which

is frightening, while the bell is one

DUNCAN

of triumph here.

My brave relative! What a worthy man!

5

CAPTAIN

Macbeth split him open from his navel to

But in the same way that violent storms

his jawbone and stuck his head on our

always come just as spring appears, our

castle walls

success against Macdonwald created new

problems for us. Listen to this, King: as

At the beginning, Duncan asks, “What

soon as we sent those Irish soldiers running

bloody man is that?” The motif of blood

for cover, the Norwegian king saw his

runs throughout the play. For example,

chance to attack us with fresh troops and

the brutal killings throughout the play

shiny weapons.

are visceral. Malcolm tells Duncan that

DUNCAN

Macbeth is a “good and hardy” soldier

Didn’t this frighten our captains,

who saved him from captivity.

Macbeth and Banquo?

Shakespeare creates a picture,

CAPTAIN

describing Macbeth’s bravery, enabling

The new challenge scared them about as

the reader to visualise the scenario.

much as sparrows frighten eagles, or

This is seen in the sergeant’s report

rabbits frighten a lion. To tell you the truth,

that Macbeth struck a foe so that “he

unseamed him from the nave to the

they fought the new enemy with twice as

chaps”.

much force as before;

they fought the new enemy with twice as

they were like cannons loaded with double

much force as before

ammunition. Maybe they wanted to take a

bath in their enemies’ blood, or make that

This violent imagery foreshadows

battlefield as infamous as Golgotha, where

Macbeth’s violent character. Even Lady

Christ was crucified, I don’t know. But I

Macbeth didn’t know about the vicious

feel weak. My wounds must be tended to.

trait in Macbeth because she says, “You

DUNCAN

are too full of the milk of kindness”,

Your words, like your wounds,

suggesting purity and innocence in

Macbeth. Duncan was so overwhelmed

bring you honour.

with Macbeth’s bravery that he calls

him, “noble Macbeth.” He praised

Take him to the surgeons.

Macbeth’s bravery.

The CAPTAIN exits, helped

by attendants.

bring you honour

ROSS and ANGUS enter.

[EXIT CAPTAIN]

Who is this?

Even Duncan is unaware of Macbeth’s

MALCOLM

ruthlessness. Ironically, later, when

The worthy Thane of Ross.

Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth to

murder

6

LENNOX

Duncan, he says, “He’s here in

His eyes seem frantic! He looks like

double trust”, as king and cousin.

someone with a strange tale to tell.

The captain goes on to describe

ROSS

Macbeth and Banquo’s bravery, how

God save the king!

they charged at the enemy to, perhaps,

DUNCAN

“memorize another Golgotha”.

Golgotha is the “place of skulls” where

Where have you come from, worthy thane?

Christ was crucified, and it is compared

ROSS

to the bloody battlefield.

Great king, I’ve come from Fife, where the

Shakespeare uses Biblical imagery to

Norwegian flag flies, mocking our country

and frightening our people. Leading an

describe the scenery of bloodshed. This

enormous army and assisted by that disloyal

can be associated to Christ’s crucifixion

traitor, the thane of Cawdor, the king of

and the blood he shed on the cross.

Norway began a bloody battle. But outfitted

Duncan was good and pure like Christ,

in his battle-weathered armour, Macbeth

and he too shed his blood when he

met the Norwegian attacks shot for shot, as

died. Furthermore, the repetition of

if he were the goddess of war’s husband.

thunders and storms foreshadows King

Finally, he broke the enemy’s spirit, and we

Duncan’s fate.

were victorious.

There’s a storm looming over Duncan’s

DUNCAN

fate, and the witches’ prophecy is

Great happiness!

about to be fulfilled.

ROSS

The Sergeant says, “Whence comfort

So now Sweno, the Norwegian king, wants a

seemed to come discomfort swells”.

treaty. We told him we wouldn’t even let

him bury his men until he retreated to Saint

This is an example of dramatic irony; it

Colme’s Inch and paid us ten thousand

is Duncan’s joy in winning the war and

dollars.

giving the title Thane of Cawdor to

DUNCAN

Macbeth that began the latter’s plot

to murder the former. “Macbeth’s

The thane of Cawdor will never again

greed swelled”, which made him,

betray me.

eventually, kill Duncan.

Go announce that he will be executed, and

Shakespeare uses animal imagery; “as

sparrows, eagles, or the hare fear the

lion”. Just as sparrows fear eagles or the

tell Macbeth that Cawdor’s titles will be

hare fear the lion, the Norwegian army

given to him.

feared the Scottish army.

ROSS

Once again, note Shakespeare’s

I’ll get it done right away.

frequent use of imagery. The metaphor,

7

DUNCAN

“My gashes cry for help” suggests the

pain the Sergeant is experiencing.

The thane of Cawdor has lost what the

noble Macbeth has won.

Duncan alliterates “words” and

“wounds”, showing his appreciation for

They all exit.

their bravery.

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

The thane of Cawdor will never again

betray me

Ross describes the battlefield to

Duncan. He said that the Norwegian

banners waved proudly and fanned the

Scottish dead soldiers with it.

Norway suffered many causalities

even though they were assisted by the

traitorous former Thane of Cawdor; he

fought a very “dismal” conflict.

Macbeth is compared to “Bellona’s

bridegroom”, i.e. Mars, the Roman God

of War whose wife was the Roman

Goddess of War.

Macbeth bravely confronted the enemy

with unmatched courage and skill,

thereby winning the war for Scotland.

tell

Macbeth that Cawdor’s titles

will be given to him

Once again, Duncan shows his

appreciation (“Great happiness!”).

Ironically, the Thane of Cawdor was put

to death for being a traitor, and

Macbeth, a future traitor, succeeded

him. “And with his former title greet

Macbeth.” This foreshadows Macbeth’s

later act of treachery when he goes

against the divine right of kings and

kills Duncan.

8

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

He too ended up a traitor like

the previous Thane of Cawdor.

The thane of Cawdor has lost what the

noble Macbeth has won

Duncan was happy to give the title of

Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth. He said,

“What he hath lost, noble Macbeth

had won”.

Once again, King Duncan refers to

Macbeth as being noble but is unaware

of the treachery lodged deep within

him

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

9

MACBETH

ACT 1 scene 3

Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES

SUMMARY

Thunder. The three WITCHES enter.

Once again, the witches meet in the

FIRST WITCH

dreary heath in thunder. They meet

Where have you been, sister?

Macbeth and Banquo who react

differently to their prophecies. They tell

SECOND WITCH

Macbeth that he will become Thane of

Killing pigs.

Cawdor and king. They also tell Banquo

THIRD WITCH

that his sons will be in line to become

And you, sister?

kings. Banquo is very sceptical about

them and says that they “look not like

FIRST WITCH

inhabitants of the earth”.

A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap and

munched away at them. “Give me one,” I

Banquo is astonished at Macbeth’s

said. “Get away from me, witch!” the fat

reaction towards the witches, and he

woman cried. Her husband has sailed off to

says that he seems “rapt withal”.

Aleppo as master of a ship called the Tiger.

Macbeth is so fascinated with the

I’ll sail there in a kitchen strainer, turn

witches that he urges them “stay you

myself into a tailless rat, and do things to

imperfect creatures, tell me more”. He

him—

is surprised that they predicted that he

SECOND WITCH

will be Thane of Cawdor, because he

I’ll give you some wind to sail there.

says, “The Thane of Cawdor lives”.

FIRST WITCH

Soon after, Ross and Angus bring news

How nice of you!

that Macbeth has been awarded the

title of the Thane of Cawdor, because

THIRD WITCH

the present Thane of Cawdor has been

And I will give you some more.

executed. Macbeth is shocked that the

FIRST WITCH

witches’ predictions have already

I already have control of all the other

materialized, but Banquo warns him

winds, along with the ports from which

that, “the instruments of darkness tells

they blow and every direction on the

us truths”. He says that they “win us

sailor’s compass in which they can go. I’ll

with honest trifles” to fool and betray

drain the life out of him.

us. Macbeth thinks about becoming

king, and he tells Banquo that he wishes

He won’t catch a wink of sleep, either at

to discuss the witches’ predictions with

night or during the day.

him at a later stage to which Banquo

agrees.

10

He will live as a cursed man. For eighty-one

EXPLANATION

weeks he will waste away in agony.

Although I can’t make his ship disappear,

He won’t catch a wink of sleep, either at

I can still make his journey miserable.

night or during the day

Look what I have here.

The witches appear on the heath in

SECOND WITCH

thunder. This use of pathetic fallacy is

Show me, show me.

symbolic of the witches’ explosive

FIRST WITCH

and thunderous intentions for

Here I have the thumb of a pilot who was

Macbeth.

drowned while trying to return home.

Notice the bleak, eerie, gothic setting

A drum sounds offstage.

highlighting the witches’ sinister, wicked

THIRD WITCH

behaviour.

They are discussing how one of them

A drum, a drum! Macbeth has come.

caused havoc in a sailor’s life and

caused his ship to be wrecked in the

ALL

stormy seas, because his wife refused

(dancing together in a circle) We weird

to give them her chestnuts.

sisters, hand in hand, swift travellers over

She says, “Here I have a pilot’s thumb,

the sea and land, dance around and around

wrecked as homeward did it come.”

like so. Three times to yours, and three

times to mine, and three times again, to

A drum, a drum! Macbeth has come

add up to nine. Enough! The charm is ready.

Shakespeare maps out their evil

MACBETH and BANQUO enter.

character paving the way for their

MACBETH

devious actions with Macbeth later on.

These weird, mystical, supernatural

(to BANQUO ) I have never seen a day that was creatures sing in rhyme and rhythm. “A so good and bad at the same time.

drum, a drum, Macbeth doth come.”

Once again, they sing a jubilant song,

BANQUO

because they are plotting to make

How far is it supposed to be to Forres?

mischief on Macbeth, speaking in half-

(he sees the WITCHES ) What are these

truths to confuse him. The theme of

creatures?

sleep surfaces here at the beginning of

They’re so withered-looking and crazily

the play.

dressed. They don’t look like they belong on

The first witch says, “Sleep shall

this planet, but I see them standing here on

neither night or day hang upon his

Earth. (to the WITCHES ) Are you alive? Can pent-house lid”, referring to torturing you answer questions? You seem to

the sailor with lack of sleep. This is the

understand me, because each of you has

first mention of sleep, and the motif of

put a gruesome finger to her skinny lips. You

sleep

11

look like women, but your beards keep

runs throughout the play. Macbeth

me from believing that you really are.

talks about murdering sleep, and Lady

MACBETH

Macbeth sleepwalks before she dies.

Speak, if you can. What kind of

These are but a few examples of the

creatures are you?

theme of sleep.

FIRST WITCH

[MACBETH AND BANQUO ENTER]

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane

of Glamis!

I have never seen a day that was so good

and bad at the same time

SECOND WITCH

Macbeth seems to be echoing the

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of

Cawdor!

witches’ words: “So foul and fair a day I

have not seen.” Here, he can be

THIRD WITCH

associated with the witches’ foul deeds,

All hail, Macbeth, the future king!

because he goes on to murder later on.

There is a contrast between

BANQUO

Macbeth’s and Banquo’s reaction to

My dear Macbeth, why do you look so

the witches. Banquo is sceptical of the

startled and afraid of these nice things

witches’ predictions whilst

they’re saying? (to the WITCHES ) Tell me honestly, are you illusions, or are you

really what you seem to be? You’ve

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you,

greeted my noble friend with honours and

thane of Cawdor

talk of a future so glorious that you’ve

made him speechless. But you don’t say

Macbeth is amazed and wants to

anything to me. If you can see the future

connect with them. Banquo asks, “What

and say how things will turn out, tell me. I

are these so withered and wild in their

don’t want your favours and I’m not afraid

attire.” The alliteration “withered and

of your hatred.

wild” suggests their evil, mysterious

FIRST WITCH

appearance. Banquo says that they

Hail!

“look not like the inhabitants o’ Earth,

and yet are on it.”

SECOND WITCH

He is shocked and confused about the

Hail!

appearance of these supernatural

THIRD WITCH

creatures and further questions the

Hail!

witches’ appearance. “You should be

women, and yet your beards forbid

FIRST WITCH

me to interpret that you are so.” The

You are lesser than Macbeth but also

witches give the men their

greater.

predictions. They tell Macbeth that he

will be Thane of Cawdor and king, and

12

SECOND WITCH

they tell Banquo that “thou shall get

You are not as happy as Macbeth, yet much

kings, though thou be none”.

happier.

Banquo appears surprised at Macbeth’s

THIRD WITCH

reaction to the witches. “Why do you

Your descendants will be kings, even though

start and seem to fear things that do

you will not be one. So all hail, Macbeth and

sound so fair?”

Banquo!

He questions Macbeth about his strange

FIRST WITCH

behaviour and says that he seems “rapt

Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

withal”. Macbeth is keen to hear more

MACBETH

and urges them to stay; “Speak I charge

Wait! You only told me part of what I want

you”. He is confused and excited, and

to know. Stay and tell me more. I already

now the witches have planted a seed of

know I am the thane of Glamis because I

greed and wonderment in Macbeth that

inherited the position when my father, Sinel,

will have serious consequences later in

died. But how can you call me the thane

his life.

of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor is alive,

and he’s a rich and powerful man. And for

[THE WITCHES VANISH]

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

me to be the king is completely impossible,

just as it’s impossible for me to be thane of

Cawdor. Tell me where you learned these

strange things, and why you stop us at this

desolate place with this prophetic

greeting? Speak, I command you.

The WITCHES vanish.

BANQUO

The earth has bubbles, just like the water,

and these creatures must have come

from a bubble in the earth. Where did

they disappear to?

MACBETH

Into thin air. Their bodies melted like breath

in the wind. I wish they had stayed!

BANQUO

Were these things we’re talking about really

here? Or are we both on drugs?

MACBETH

Your children will be kings.

13

BANQUO

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

You will be the king.

MACBETH

And thane of Cawdor too. Isn’t that

what they said?

BANQUO

That’s exactly what they said. Who’s this?

ROSS and ANGUS enter.

ROSS

The king was happy to hear of your success,

Macbeth. Whenever he hears the story

of your exploits in the fight against the rebels,

he becomes so amazed it makes him

speechless. He was also shocked to learn that

on the same day you fought the rebels you

also fought against the army of Norway, and

that you weren’t the least bit afraid of death,

even as you killed everyone around you.

Messenger after messenger delivered news of

your bravery to the king with praise for how

you defended his country.

ANGUS

The king sent us to give you his thanks and

to bring you to him. Your real reward

won’t come from us.

ROSS

And to give you a taste of what’s in store

for you, he told me to call you the thane of

Cawdor. So hail, thane of Cawdor! That

title belongs to you now.

BANQUO

(shocked) Can the devil tell the truth?

MACBETH

The thane of Cawdor is still alive. Why

are you putting his clothes on me?

ANGUS

The man who was the thane of Cawdor

is still alive, but he’s been sentenced to

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death, and he deserves to die. I don’t know MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

whether he fought on Norway’s side, or if

he secretly aided the rebels, or if he fought

with both of our enemies. But his treason,

which has been proven, and to which he’s

confessed, means he’s finished.

MACBETH

(to himself) It’s just like they said—now

I’m the thane of Glamis and the thane of

Cawdor. And the best part of what they

predicted is still to come. (to ROSS and

ANGUS ) Thank you for the news.

(speakingso that only BANQUO can hear) Aren’t you beginning to hope your children will be kings? After all, the

witches who said I was thane of Cawdor

promised them nothing less.

BANQUO

If you trust what they say, you might be on

your way to becoming king, as well as thane

of Cawdor. But this whole thing is strange.

The agents of evil often tell us part of the

truth in order to lead us to our destruction.

They earn our trust by telling us the truth

about little things, but then they betray us

when it will damage us the most. (to ROSS

and ANGUS ) Gentlemen, I’d like to have a

word with you, please.

ROSS, ANGUS, and BANQUO move

to one side.

MACBETH

(to himself) So far, the witches have told me

two things that came true, so it seems like

this will culminate in my becoming king. (to

ROSS and ANGUS ) Thank you, gentlemen.

(to himself) This supernatural temptation

doesn’t seem like it can be a bad thing, but

it can’t be good either. If it’s a bad thing,

why was I promised a promotion that

turned out to be true? Now I’m the thane of

Cawdor, just like they said I would be. But if

this is a good thing, why do I find myself

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thinking about murdering King Duncan, a MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

thought so horrifying that it makes my hair

stand on end and my heart pound inside

my chest? The dangers that actually

threaten me here and now frighten me less

than the horrible things I’m imagining. Even

though it’s just a fantasy so far, the mere

thought of committing murder shakes me

up so much that I hardly know who I am

anymore. My ability to act is stifled by my

thoughts and speculations, and the only

things that matter to me are things that

don’t really exist.

BANQUO

Look at Macbeth—he’s in a daze.

MACBETH

(to himself) If fate wants me to be king,

perhaps fate will just make it happen and

I won’t have to do anything.

BANQUO

(to ROSS and ANGUS ) Macbeth is not used to his new titles. They’re like new clothes: they don’t fit until you break them in over time.

MACBETH

(to himself) One way or another, what’s

going to happen is going to happen.

BANQUO

Good Macbeth, we’re ready when you are.

MACBETH

I beg your pardon; I was distracted. Kind

gentlemen, I won’t forget the trouble

you’ve taken for me whenever I think of

this day. Let’s go to the king. (speaking so

thatonly BANQUO can hear) Think about what happened today, and when we’ve both had time to consider things, let’s talk.

BANQUO

Absolutely.

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MACBETH

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

Until then, we’ve said enough. (to ROSS and ANGUS ) Let’s go, my friends.

They all exit.

MAKE YOU OWN NOTES BELOW

17

MACBETH

ACT 1 scene 4

A trumpet fanfare sounds. KING

SUMMARY

DUNCAN, LENNOX, MALCOLM,

King Duncan receives Macbeth and

DONALBAIN, and their attendants enter.

Banquo with grace and heartfelt

DUNCAN

gratitude for their outstanding

Has the former thane of Cawdor been

achievements on the battlefield.

executed yet? Haven’t the people in

Duncan enquires of Malcolm if the

charge of that come back?

Thane of Cawdor has been executed.

MALCOLM

Duncan learns that the Thane of Cawdor

has confessed to his treasons and had

My king, they haven’t come back yet. But I

spoke with someone who saw Cawdor die,

asked for Duncan’s pardon, and he

and he said that Cawdor openly confessed

repented for what had done.

his treasons, begged your highness’s

“Implore your highness’ pardon and set

forgiveness, and repented deeply. He

forth a deep repentance.” Duncan says,

never did anything in his whole life that

“There’s no art to find the mind’s

looked as good as the way he died. He died

construction in the face.” Ironically,

like someone who had practiced how to

toss away his most cherished possession as

Duncan had built an absolute trust in

if it were a worthless a piece of garbage.

Macbeth. He said, “You just cannot read

what’s on a men’s mind just by looking

DUNCAN

at his face.” Here, Macbeth’s evil

There’s no way to read a man’s mind by

intentions of killing Duncan is lurking

looking at his face. I trusted Cawdor

within him. He begins to develop “black

completely.

and deep desires” to get the crown for

himself; however, Duncan could not see

MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS,

his intentions on his face.

and ANGUS enter.

Duncan tells Macbeth that he will be

(to MACBETH )

visiting them at the castle. Macbeth

tells Duncan that Lady Macbeth will be

My worthiest kinsman!

delighted, and he leaves to prepare for

Duncan’s arrival.

Just this moment I was feeling guilty for not

having thanked you enough. You have done

EXPLANATION

so much for me so fast that it has been

impossible to reward you properly. If you

There’s no way to read a man’s mind by

deserved less, then perhaps my payment

looking at his face

would have matched your deeds! All I can

say is that I owe you more than I can ever

Duncan asks, “Is execution done

repay.

on Cawdor?”

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MACBETH

This foreshadows the fact that Duncan

gave the title of Thane of Cawdor to

The opportunity to serve you is