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Macbeth key knowledge

The document provides an overview of the play 'Macbeth,' detailing its five acts and key scenes, including the witches' prophecies, Macbeth's rise to power, and his eventual downfall. It highlights themes such as ambition, supernatural influences, and the consequences of moral conflict, while also noting the historical context related to James VI. Additionally, it discusses the setting, main characters, and the tragic elements that define the narrative.

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4 views6 pages

Macbeth key knowledge

The document provides an overview of the play 'Macbeth,' detailing its five acts and key scenes, including the witches' prophecies, Macbeth's rise to power, and his eventual downfall. It highlights themes such as ambition, supernatural influences, and the consequences of moral conflict, while also noting the historical context related to James VI. Additionally, it discusses the setting, main characters, and the tragic elements that define the narrative.

Uploaded by

19lconstable
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Brief overview:

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1 - Opens with the three witches meeting each other.
This is the first mention of Macbeth’s name in the play, and sets up
the link between them. Establishes the witch's power over the
events of the play.

Act 1, Scene 2 - The Captain gives a report on the battle to Duncan,


during which he praises Macbeth. We learn that Macbeth is to be
given the Thane of Cawdor’s title.

Act 1, Scene 3 - The witches meet again on a heath, Macbeth and


Banquo arrive and meet the witches, who give them both
prophecies. Banquo is sceptical, but Macbethwants to learn more.
Macbeth is told that he is now Thane of Cawdor by Ross and
Angus.

Act 1, Scene 4 - When Macbeth and Banquo return to the palace


they meet with King Duncan who thanks them for their heroism in
the battle. He announces that he will make his son, Malcolm, the
next heir to the throne.

Act 1, Scene 5 - Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth


explaining the witches prophecies, and she doubts that he is strong
enough but is determined to help him. When Macbeth arrives home
they plan to kill Duncan.

Act 1, Scene 6 - Banquo and Duncan arrive at Macbeth’s castle, and


describe it similarly to Eden.

Act 1, Scene 7 - Macbeth doesn’t want to kill Duncan but Lady


Macbeth persuades him to by insulting him and his masculinity.
Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1 - Banquo discusses the night and it’s unnatural


darkness. He has dreamt about the Witches’ prophecies and has
been tempted by them but has resisted. Macbeth hallucinates and
sees a dagger, leading him to kill Duncan. Offstage, Duncan is
murdered.

Act 2, Scene 2 - Lady Macbeth remarks at her ability in planning


the murder and drugging the guards. Macbeth returns from killing
Duncan, feeling guilty and covered in blood.

Act 2, Scene 3 - The porter, drunk, likens himself to a porter of hell.


He describes sins that mirror Macbeth’s actions. Macduff discovers
that Duncan is dead, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fake their shock at
this. Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, arrive and are told
their father has been killed, most likely by his guards. They flee to
England and Ireland in fear.

Act 2, Scene 4 - Ross and an old man discuss the recent events and
reflect on the reversal of the natural order. Macbeth is made king by
the other lords.

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1 - Banquo reveals he has suspicions about Duncan’s


death but doesn’t say anything, and is invited to a feast by
Macbeth. After Banquo leaves, Macbeth thinks about the witches
prophecy and realises that Banquo stands in his way of fulfilling
them. He then meets with two murderers and plots Banquo’s
murder.

Act 3, Scene 2 - Lady Macbeth reveals her concerns about the


stability of their reign, and Macbeth discusses his issue of Banquo
with her but does not tell her of his plan.

Act 3, Scene 3 - Banquo is murdered but his son, Fleance, escapes.


Act 3, Scene 4 - Macbeth hosts a banquet and is told that Banquo
has been killed, but Fleance escaped. Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost
at the banquet and Lady Macbeth has to take control. The night
ends in chaos.

Act 3, Scene 5 - Witches meet with Hecate, who predicts their next
meeting with Macbeth, but tells them that this time he will come of
his own accord. She then scolds them for helping Macbeth gain
power, telling them to trick him into false security and send him to
his doom.

Act 3, Scene 6 - Lennox and the other lords discuss recent events.
Malcolm and Macduff have left for England to raise an army. People
are beginning to suspect Macbeth.

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1 - Macbeth meets the witches again and receives


three apparitions about his future: to beware of Macduff, that no
one of “woman born” can harm him, and that he will never be
defeated until “Birnam Wood [come] to high Dunsinane hill”.

Act 4, Scene 2 - Lady Macduff describes Macduff as a traitor, saying


he has betrayed her by going to England. Macbeth has Lady
Macduff and their son killed.

Act 4, Scene 3 - Malcolm tests Macduff loyalty and decides to trust


him. Ross arrives and tells them they need to go back to Scotland.
He later tells Macduff that Macbeth has killed his wife and child,
Malcolm tells Macduff to take revenge.

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1 - Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and obsessively


washing her hands (re-enacting the murder and trying to wash the
blood off her hands). The doctor comes to visit her but says that she
is possessed and he cannot heal her.
Act 5, Scene 2 - The army is marching towards Dunsinane. Macbeth
is going mad.

Act 5, Scene 3 - Macbeth shows hubris and is cruel to Seyton. The


doctor tells him about Lady Macbeth.

Act 5, Scene 4 - Malcolm tells the army to carry boughs in front of


them to disguise their numbers.

Act 5, Scene 5 - In the middle of battle Macbeth finds out that Lady
Macbeth has died.He no longer feels fear. He is told that the woods
are moving and there is going to be a siege.

Act 5, Scene 6 - The army, including Malcolm, Siward, and Macduff,


has reached the castle. They reveal themselves from under the
branches and blow trumpets.

Act 5, Scene 7 - Macbeth kills young Siward. Macduff wants to


avenge his family so he looks for Macbeth. The castle is being
defeated, Macbeth’s forces are betraying him.

Act 5, Scene 8 - Macduff faces Macbeth, but Macbeth thinks he


can’t be killed. Macduff then reveals that he was born by caesarean
section rather than a natural birth. Macbeth dies. Malcolm is
crowned King of Scotland and vows to restore order.

Key context
Genre:
● Macbeth is a dramatic tragedy
● It follows a classic five-act structure
● Hamartia (‘fatal flaw’): A character’s fatal flaw is the thing that
leads to their ultimate downfall - Macbeth’s hamartia is his
ambition
● Catharsis - the relieving of tension or release of emotions in a
play
● Dramatic tragedy tropes:
- Tragic hero
- Supernatural
- Death
- Inner conflict
- Good vs Evil
- Obeying/ disobeying God

James VI:
● Written for James VI due to his interest in the supernatural.
● The witches are used as a symbol of the supernatural due to
James VI’s interests and the general populations fear of
magic/ supernatural beings
● The prophecies come from an idea in James VI’s own book
about witchcraft where he states that too get powers you
must make a deal with the devil, which is essentially what
Macbeth does to ensure he comes to power
● The Divine Right of Kings (the idea that the king is chosen by
God) links to James VI - he believed that he was chosen by
god and so by including this idea into the play Shakespeare is
warning people against trying to attack James as it would
result in a punishment from God
● James VI was deeply misogynistic and it can be seen in
Macbeth: Shakespeare reflected these views in how he creates
Lady Macbeth and the witches to be the evil character who
manipulate the men
- This can also be seen as the opposite where by making
the female characters powerful and able to overpower
the men in the story, Shakespeare is supporting the
women

Setting:
● 11th century Scotland
● The poor weather reflects the threatening mood of the play
through pathetic fallacy
● The play starts with bad weather to foreshadow the oncoming
tragedy
Main Characters

Macbeth:
● The eponymous tragic hero
● Originally presented as a typical protagonist but Shakespeare
flips it upside down and makes him the villain
● His hamartia (his fatal flaw) is his ambition and he is unable to
stop himself from killing Duncan due to his desire for power
● He is manipulated by the witches and his wife into seeking
power and ends up dying as a result of it
● He is very masculine but has it used against him by Lady
Macbeth who threatens his abilities as a man

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