Macbeth Act 1 Summary

• This is a summary of the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Act 1

• The first scene introduces the witches, setting the mood and motifs of supernatural influence, fair being foul, and Scotland's fate
• Duncan calls Macbeth "valiant Cousin! Worthy gentleman!" after Macbeth defeats Macdonwald, which is ironic as Macbeth will murder Duncan
• The Thane of Cawdor is sentenced to death
• Witches predict Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and king
• Witches predict Banquo will be lesser but greater, not as happy but happier, and his descendants will be kings
• Ross informs Macbeth he now holds the title of Thane of Cawdor
• Banquo is leery of the witches predictions, stating they often tell of good things without revealing the bad consequences
• Malcolm describes Cawdor's honorable last moments before execution, prompting Duncan to say you can't judge a person's heart by their face
• Macbeth desires to be king but realizes he must take action against Duncan and his sons
• Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth could be a good king but lacks the ruthlessness, so she plans to manipulate him
• Lady Macbeth prays to be filled with cruelty to enable Macbeth to become king
• Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it", to hide his true feelings
• Macbeth's internal arguments against killing Duncan include their kinship, Duncan's virtue and popularity, and the sorrow it would bring to Scotland
• Lady Macbeth uses arguments to convince Macbeth to commit the murder including he isn't a coward and to be a man and take what he wants, she stated she would kill her own baby to fulfil a promise
• Lady Macbeth plans to drug the king's guards, allowing Macbeth to murder Duncan in his sleep

Act 2

• Macbeth lies to Banquo, claiming he doesn't think about the witches' predictions
• Lady Macbeth will ring a bell as a signal that she has taken care of the guards
• Lady Macbeth says that Duncan looks like her father sleeping as an excuse for not murdering him herself
• After the murder, Macbeth is concerned about not being able to say "Amen," Lady Macbeth tells him not to dwell on it or it will drive him crazy (which is ironic as she descends into insanity and commits suicide)
• Macbeth is worried about hearing a voice saying, "Macbeth does murder sleep," so Lady Macbeth instructs him to wash the "filthy witness" from his hands and forget about it (which is ironic as she develops a hand washing compulsion)
• Macbeth can't bear to return the daggers to the scene of the crime because he cannot face Duncan again
• Macduff and Lennox are knocking
• The drunken porter states that drinking provokes "nose-painting, sleep, and urine."
• Lennox describes the night as terrible and predicting confusing times, Macbeth dismisses it as a "rough night"
• Macduff discovers Duncan's body
• Macduff says it's not for Lady Macbeth to hear about the murder, which is ironic as she was a determining force
• Macbeth claims he killed the guards out of pain and rage, but he actually wanted to eliminate witnesses
• Malcolm and Donalbain flee because they fear the king's murderer is after them
• Ross doesn't believe Malcolm and Donalbain were responsible because it goes against nature.

Act 3

• Macbeth wants Banquo and Fleance dead because they suspect him, he has done the hard work in becoming king and he does not want Banquo's descendants to benefit
• Macbeth hires murderers to ambush Banquo and Fleance, Banquo is killed, but Fleance escapes
• Macbeth states Fleance will be a problem in the future, since he will have children who will become kings, but, for now Macbeth can let him go
• Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet table
• Lady Macbeth covers for Macbeth by saying he often has fits and sends the guests home when he gets out of hand
• Macduff is missing from the banquet table
• Macbeth says, "I am in blood Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er,"meaning there is no going back
• Hecate wants the witches to give Macbeth visions that provide false hope for his personal safety and his rule
• Lennox is starting to become suspicious of Macbeth, Fleance, and Duncan's sons

Act 4

• Macbeth arrives after Witch 2 says, "By the pricking of my thumb, Something wicked this way comes."
• Macbeth is demanding and trying to take charge with the witches
• The witches show Macbeth an armed head, bloody child, and crowned child
• The armed head warns, "Beware Macduff"
• The bloody child says, "None of woman born shall harm Macbeth”
• The crowned child with a tree in its hand says,"Macbeth shall never vanquished be until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him"
• Eight kings followed by Banquo's ghost symbolizes Banquo’s descendants will be kings
• Macbeth says (about the witches), "Infected be the air wheron they ride, And damned all those that trust them!", which means he is damned
• Macduff is in England helping Malcolm
• Lady Macduff is angry/upset that Macduff left her and the children unprotected
• Macbeth has Macduff's family and servants killed because Macduff is not loyal
• Malcolm fled to England after his father was killed
• Macduff travels to England trying to convince Malcolm to return and take the crown
• Malcolm tests Macduff to see if he is loyal and trustworthy
• Ross brings news that Macduff's family and servants are all dead
• Malcolm tells Macduff to deal with his grief and turn it into anger, using it against Macbeth
• Malcolm resolves to kill Macbeth by the end of Act 4

Act 5

• The doctor and gentlewoman observe Lady Macbeth sleepwalking and talking about the murders.
• The doctor decides not to mention what he heard and tells the woman to watch Lady Macbeth
• Macbeth wants the doctor to ease his wife's suffering
• Malcolm uses the trick of having his men cut off tree branches and use them as camouflage to hide the number of men in his army
• Malcolm explains that Macbeth's armies are there in body only and there should not be any serious opposition
• Macbeth is calm about Lady Macbeth's death, and states she would have died sooner or later
• Hearing the news about Birnam Wood moving, Macbeth resolves to fight to the bitter end
• Young Siward first fights Macbeth but is killed
• Young Siward died with wounds to the front chest, which is important, displaying his bravery as he faced his enemy
• Macbeth gives Macduff the excuse of having too much blood on his hands already referring to killing his family, but not wanting to fight him
• Macbeth knows he is in trouble when Macduff tells him he was taken from his mother's womb instead of being "born of woman."
• Macduff fights and beheads Macbeth
• Malcolm will be the new king of Scotland