The play Macbeth takes place in Scotland. Scotland is located north of England.
The first characters we meet are three witches. They're alone in the countryside. They make
plans to meet when a battle is over. We don't know what battle they're talking about.
They will meet someone named Macbeth. This first scene
is like the opening of a scary movie: lightning, thunder, witches. What is going on?
We don't know! It's very confusing and it's supposed to be that way. It's not just
confusing because it was written by Shakespeare! But one line here I want you to remember.
That's really confusing! Opposites that don't normally go together. This is our first hint
that THINGS MAY NOT BE WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE in this play. So a character who appears
quite good, may not be so good in the end.
Outside of Forres, the good King of Scotland, King Duncan, receives news from the battlefront.
A bloody messenger arrives on horseback and updates the king about a rebel invasion from
the western islands. The rebel leader is called Macdonwald. The messenger doesn't say where
the battle takes place. He says that brave Macbeth with the Scottish army fought back
the rebels. Macbeth killed Macdonwald by stabbing him in the navel (belly button) & slicing
his body open to his mouth. Here's the quote.
King Duncan likes this report. Then another report arrives. Ross tells the king about
an invasion on the east of Scotland. The King of Norway tried to invade Scotland and brave
Macbeth & the Scottish army quickly arrived and defeated the Norwegians.
At this point in the play, Macbeth has been a HERO in 2 big battles.
Macbeth's title is "Thane of Glamis". Thane means he is a general and Glamis is a place in Scotland.
Macbeth the Thane of Glamis and Banquo, also a thane, journey back to King Duncan's camp from the battlefield.
But on the way to see King Duncan, something happens that changes everyone's life forever.
Macbeth & Banquo meet the witches. The witches
tell the men 3 things that will happen in the future: 3 prophecies. The witches say
Exact quote in "quotes" "Hail" means GREETINGS."thee" means YOU. But
they call him Thane of Cawdor(!?!!) Macbeth's name is Thane of GLAMIS. Weird...
means YOU WILL BE KING AFTER THIS
means YOU WILL HAVE KINGS IN YOUR FAMILY, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ONE OF THEM
Macbeth wants to ask the witches some questions, but they disappear. Right then, noblemen arrive with a message for Macbeth.
THE KING IS THANKFUL TO YOU FOR WINNING 2 BATTLES. HE'S GIVING YOU A NEW TITLE. CONGRATULATIONS!"
Macbeth doesn't understand. He says, "I KNOW THE THANE OF CAWDOR. WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME THAT NAME?
The messenger says
That's just what the witches said! The first prophecy has already happened. Macbeth is Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth can't figure out if these prophecies are good or bad.
He thinks, "IF THEY'RE GOOD NEWS, WHY DO I HAVE A SCARY FANTASY OF KILLING THE KING?
Macbeth is saying, "I'M THINKING OF MURDER, BUT IT'S STILL A FANTASY."
Macbeth and Banquo arrive at King Duncan's palace
and they are thanked for their bravery during the 2 invasions.
King Duncan announces 2 things. #1 - His son, Malcolm, will be the next king.
Macbeth was hoping that King D. would make him the next king!
Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, reads a letter from Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth is very happy to read this letter.
Lady Macbeth thinks her husband is too kind, too full of milk and she wants to get rid
of that kindness in him. Lady Macbeth wants to put her determination
in his ear. She wants to get rid of anything that gets in the way of her husband's ambitions
to become king. A servant tells Lady Macbeth that...
Lady Macbeth says a prayer to evil spirits asking to be filled with cruelty, so she can
be a part of King D's murder and never regret it.
Macbeth arrives home and Lady Mac tells him of her plans.
Macbeth looks really worried. She tells him to wear a false face, so people can't see
what he's really thinking.
She wants Macbeth to look happy and innocent on the outside, but to be ready to strike, to bite like a snake when the right time comes.
King D, Banquo and the other royals arrive at Macbeth's castle. Lady Mac greets them,
pretending to be the perfect hostess.
Macbeth has left the dining room and sits alone in his castle. He doesn't want to kill King D!
Here's the 2nd reason
The words are in an unusual order. In modern English, we might say...
What's his reason for killing the king? Pure ambition! Macbeth wants to be king.
Now, we are going to look at one of the most important quotes in the entire play.
Macbeth is talking to himself about why he shouldn't kill the king. He starts comparing his situation
to riding a horse. In horseback riding, if the rider wants the
horse to go faster, he can put a spur on his boot.
The rider digs the spur into the horse's flesh, and those points prick the horse's skin & it motivates the horse
to run faster.
Macbeth is looking for a mental kind of spur - a valid reason to make killing the king easier. He can't think of anything.
Macbeth has no valid reason to motivate himself to complete his intention of killing Duncan.
Macbeth wants to be king. Macbeth is still comparing his situation to riding a horse.
He says his ambition is too strong to get on a horse. It will end up with him falling over onto the other side
of the horse. His ambition will leap too far, overleaping itself, and falling
on the other side.
Lady Mac finds him & he says they will not kill the king.
and the business is killing the king. Lady Mac doesn't like that. She says if he
doesn't kill the king, he is not a man! She says if she had said she was going to do something,
she would do it, and she gives Macbeth a crazy example. She says if she had agreed to kill
a newborn baby who was tenderly nursing at her breast and dash out its brains, if she
had agreed to this, she would do it. Macbeth agrees to the murder.
Lady Mac has a plan for the murder. She will get King Duncan's servants drunk & make it
look like they did the murder.
Macbeth agrees to this plan. He puts on his false face to entertain his guests.