Macbeth Synopsis

MacBeth Synopsis

On the edges of a battlefield, three witches meet and plot, waiting for Macbeth who, with Banquo, his comrade-in-arms, soon encounters them. They greet him as Thane of Glamis, then as his title, then as Thane of Cawdor, and finally as the future King. They are scarcely gone when word arrives that the Scottish forces have been victorious and, as a token of his favor, Duncan, King of Scotland, has bestowed the title of Thane of Cawdor on Macbeth. Musing on the witches' prophecy, Macbeth hurries home to his wife, in advance of Duncan's visit.

Lady Macbeth receives the news from her husband and, unlike Macbeth who would rather not pursue the matter too forcefully, plots to kill Duncan. The King is their guest that night and, by getting his attendants drunk, she tells him that they can kill Duncan and pin the murder on his guards. Troubled by his conscience, Macbeth almost backs out at the last minute, but his wife forces him to go through with the plan. Duncan's body is discovered the next morning by Macduff, the Thane of Fife, and when they flee, Duncan's sons Malcolm and Donalbain are blamed for the murder.

Macbeth is crowned King, but rules uneasily, partly because the prophesy of the witches was also heard by Banquo to whom they promised his children would someday rule. Fearful both of Banquo and the truth of the witches' predictions, Macbeth arranges with three murderers to have his friend, along with his daughter Fleance, killed. The attempt succeeds only partly as Fleance escapes and, during a banquet, the ghost of Banquo returns to haunt Macbeth. In one of the most famous scenes in Shakespeare, Macbeth incriminates himself before the assembled company by his words to the ghost, whom only he can see. The nobles leave the hall, suspicious and wondering at what they've heard. Lady Macbeth consoles her husband, who resolves to continue in his bloody path.

General unrest grows as Macbeth, ruling from a position of fear and distrust, becomes a despot. In desperation, he seeks out the witches again, who summon three apparitions; the first predicts that Macduff will unseat Macbeth, the second says that "none of woman born" poses a threat, and the third predicts that Macbeth will never fail until Birnam Wood comes to his castle at Dunsinane. Reassured, he presses them for more news, and they produce a line of eight kings, all descended from Banquo, who will succeed him. Macbeth sends the murderers to Macduff's castle where they find that he had fled to England, but they kill his wife and child.

Meanwhile, troubled by her conscience, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, reliving the night of the murder of Duncan. When one of her gentlewomen consults a doctor, her secret is revealed.

In England, Malcolm is raising an army and preparing to win back his father's kingdom. On the march toward Dunsinane - where Macbeth has taken refuge, still believing in the witches prophecies, Malcolm orders his troops to carry boughs from nearby Birnam Wood to disguise their numbers. As he prepares for the assault, Macbeth hears news from his sentries: Birnam Wood seems to be moving, heading for Dunsinane. Taking comfort that "none of woman born" can harm him, however, he arms himself and confronts Macduff. Boasting of the prophesy, Macbeth hears Macduff tell him that he was indeed not "of woman born" but was instead delivered by caesarean section. Realizing all hope is lost, Macbeth takes flight and is hunted down by Macduff as Malcolm and his forces take the castle. Victory is declared, and Malcolm, now rightful King of Scotland, leads his followers on to Scone for his coronation.