Macbeth Summary

A summary of Shakespeare's Macbeth: the tragic tale of a Scottish general's ruthless ambition, spurred by prophecy, leading to murder, tyranny, and deadly consequences.

Macbeth Act 1, Scene 1

Summary

On a desolate heath amidst thunder and lightning, three witches (the Weird Sisters) appear. They arrange their next meeting: after a battle is concluded ("lost and won"), just before sunset, upon the heath. Their purpose is to meet a man named Macbeth. With a chant that "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," they vanish into the foggy, polluted air.

Macbeth Act 1, Scene 2

Summary

At a camp near the battlefield, King Duncan of Scotland, with his sons Malcolm and Donalbain, meets a wounded Captain. The Captain reports on the progress of the rebellion led by the traitorous Macdonwald and a subsequent invasion by the King of Norway. He describes Macbeth's exceptional bravery and brutal skill in combat, killing Macdonwald and fighting fiercely against the new assault. As the Captain is taken to get his wounds treated, the noblemen Ross and Angus arrive. Ross announces the complete victory: the Norwegian king has been defeated and sued for peace. Duncan then declares that the treacherous Thane of Cawdor will be executed and his title given to Macbeth as a reward for his valor.

Macbeth act 1, scene 3

Summary

The Witches reconvene on the heath, exchanging malicious tales of their doings. They sense Macbeth's approach and complete a spell.

Macbeth and Banquo, returning from battle, encounter them. The Witches prophesy Macbeth's future: he is Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter. They then tell Banquo that he will be "lesser than Macbeth, and greater" and "get kings" though he will not be one himself. The Witches vanish, leaving Macbeth and Banquo in shock.

Ross and Angus arrive to announce that King Duncan has bestowed the title of Thane of Cawdor upon Macbeth for his valor. The first prophecy is instantly fulfilled, sparking Macbeth's intense internal struggle. He begins to contemplate murdering Duncan to fulfill the third prophecy ("king hereafter"). Banquo, wary, warns that "instruments of darkness" often tell small truths to betray people in greater matters. Macbeth, outwardly composed, is inwardly consumed by the "horrid image" of regicide.

Macbeth act 1, scene 4

Summary

King Duncan, at his palace, learns of the executed Thane of Cawdor's noble and repentant death, which leads him to reflect on the impossibility of judging a man's loyalty by his appearance ("There's no art / To find the mind's construction in the face"). Macbeth and Banquo arrive, and Duncan profusely thanks Macbeth, promising to reward him further. He then formally names his son, Malcolm, as his heir and grants him the title "Prince of Cumberland." To honor Macbeth, Duncan announces his plan to visit Macbeth's castle at Inverness. Macbeth departs ahead of the king to prepare, but in a private aside, he seethes at Malcolm's new status as an obstacle to the throne. He resolves to let his "black and deep desires" overcome this step, either by yielding or by vaulting over it.

Macbeth Act 1, Scene 5

Summary

At Macbeth's castle, Lady Macbeth reads a letter from her husband. It details his encounter with the witches, their prophecies, and the immediate fulfillment of the Thane of Cawdor title. She is electrified by the promise that he "shalt be king," but immediately fears Macbeth is too full of "the milk of human kindness" to seize the crown by the quickest, most violent route. A messenger arrives to announce King Duncan will stay at the castle that night. Seeing fate as an opportunity, Lady Macbeth calls upon dark spirits to strip her of feminine compassion and fill her with absolute cruelty to carry out the regicide. When Macbeth arrives, she asserts that Duncan will not leave alive and instructs her husband to appear hospitable while she takes charge of the murderous preparations.

Macbeth act 1, scene 6

Summary

King Duncan, his sons, and noblemen arrive at Macbeth's castle, Inverness. Duncan immediately comments on the castle's pleasant and welcoming atmosphere, noting the sweet air. Banquo observes that the martlets (swifts) have nested on the walls, a sign the place is wholesome and hospitable. Lady Macbeth enters and formally, with elaborate humility, welcomes the king. Duncan graciously thanks her for the trouble of hosting him and asks to be taken to Macbeth, whom he praises highly. The scene ends with Lady Macbeth leading the king into the castle.

Macbeth act 1, scene 7

Summary

In a soliloquy, Macbeth wrestles with the profound reasons not to kill Duncan: the inevitable consequences, the violation of multiple layers of trust (as kinsman, subject, and host), and Duncan's own virtuous nature, whose murder would provoke universal outrage. He concludes his ambition is insufficient to propel him to the deed. When Lady Macbeth enters, he declares, "We will proceed no further." She responds with a fierce barrage of mockery, questioning his manhood and love, and horrifyingly vows she would have dashed her own nursing infant's brains out if she had sworn to do so as he has. She then presents a concrete plan: get Duncan's chamberlains drunk, use their daggers to kill the king, and frame them for the murder. Convinced and galvanized, Macbeth commits to the plot, and they agree to hide their intentions behind a welcoming façade.

Macbeth act 2 scene 1

Summary

The scene opens late at night in the courtyards of Inverness castle. Banquo, accompanied by his young son Fleance, is restless. He speaks of a "heavy summons" to sleep but fears his own dreams, acknowledging that in repose, "cursèd thoughts" (of the witches' prophecies) may come. Macbeth enters, and Banquo informs him that King Duncan, having been a pleased and generous guest, is now asleep. He gives Macbeth a diamond from the king as a gift for Lady Macbeth. Banquo then tentatively mentions dreaming of the "Weïrd Sisters." Macbeth lies, saying "I think not of them," but suggests they speak of it another time. He tests Banquo's loyalty by hinting that if Banquo supports ("cleave to my consent") him when the time comes, it will be profitable. Banquo gives a guarded, principled reply, vowing to keep his "allegiance clear."

After Banquo and Fleance leave, Macbeth sends his servant away and is left alone. In a state of high tension, he hallucinates a dagger floating in the air, pointing him toward Duncan's chamber. He tries to grasp it but cannot. He questions whether it is a "dagger of the mind," a product of his fevered brain. The vision becomes more gruesome as it appears covered in "gouts of blood." This spectral dagger confirms the path he is on. Macbeth then describes the night as a time when "Nature seems dead," and wickedness like witchcraft and murder is awake. He steels himself to the deed, wishing the earth would not hear his treasonous steps. At the sound of Lady Macbeth's bell—their pre-arranged signal—he resolves, "I go, and it is done," and exits to murder Duncan.

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2

Summary

Immediately following the murder, the scene shifts to the castle courtyard where Lady Macbeth waits, agitated. She has drugged the king's guards (grooms) and laid out their daggers. Hearing an owl shriek—an omen of death—she takes it as a signal that Macbeth is acting. In a startling moment of vulnerability, she admits she would have killed Duncan herself had he not resembled her father asleep. A frantic Macbeth enters, bloody daggers in hand, already haunted by sounds and visions. He reports that as he killed Duncan, one guard laughed and the other cried "Murder!" in his sleep, and that he could not utter "Amen" to their prayers. He believes he heard a voice condemning him to "sleep no more."

Lady Macbeth, pragmatic and sharp, tells him not to dwell on it or he'll go mad. She notices he has foolishly brought the murder weapons with him and orders him to return them to frame the grooms. Paralyzed with guilt, Macbeth refuses. She contemptuously calls him "infirm of purpose," takes the daggers herself to smear the grooms, and exits. Alone, Macbeth descends further into horror, staring at his blood-stained hands, believing not even all the ocean can cleanse them—they would instead turn the sea red.

Lady Macbeth returns just as ominous knocking begins at the castle gate. Her hands are now bloody too, but she chastises Macbeth for his weakness ("I shame / To wear a heart so white"). She insists a little water will clear them, and they must retire to bed to appear innocent. In a final, broken line, Macbeth expresses a wish to undo reality itself: "Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst."

Macbeth Act 2, scene 3

Summary

The scene opens with the Porter of Macbeth's castle, drunkenly and comically responding to the persistent knocking at the gate. He imagines himself as the porter of Hell, admitting sinners: a greedy farmer, an equivocating Jesuit (a contemporary reference to the Gunpowder Plot), and a thieving tailor. He opens the door to Macduff and Lennox, who have arrived to wake King Duncan. After some ribald jesting about the effects of alcohol, Macduff asks for Macbeth.

Macbeth enters, coolly greeting them and directing Macduff to the King's chamber. Lennox describes the terrible storms and supernatural portents of the night ("strange screams of death"), which Macbeth dismisses with the ironic understatement, "'Twas a rough night." Macduff re-enters in a state of shock, crying "O horror, horror, horror!" He announces Duncan has been murdered. Macbeth and Lennox rush off to see, while Macduff raises the alarm.

Lady Macbeth enters, pretending ignorance. Banquo arrives and learns the news. Macbeth returns, giving an extravagant speech of grief, claiming life has lost all meaning. Lennox reports that the king's grooms, covered in blood with daggers by them, are the obvious murderers. Macbeth then announces, in a seemingly rash act of passion, that he has already killed these "murderers" in a fit of furious love for Duncan. Macduff is immediately suspicious ("Wherefore did you so?"). Macbeth launches into a graphic, poetic justification, describing Duncan's wounds.

At this critical moment, Lady Macbeth faints (or pretends to), diverting attention. Banquo calls for a meeting to investigate further. As others disperse, Malcolm and Donalbain, Duncan's sons, confer in private. Recognizing their peril ("There's daggers in men's smiles"), they decide to flee immediately—Malcolm to England, Donalbain to Ireland—to escape the murderer who is likely still among them.

Macbeth Act 2 scene 4

Summary

The scene opens outside Macbeth's castle. Ross speaks with an Old Man, who remarks that in his seventy years he has never seen a night as strange and dreadful as the last. Ross observes that though by the clock it is day, an unnatural darkness still smothers the sun. They discuss further omens: a majestic falcon was killed by a lowly "mousing owl," and Duncan's own well-bred horses broke from their stalls, became wild and cannibalistic, eating each other.

Macduff enters. Ross asks who is responsible for the king's murder. Macduff replies, "Those that Macbeth hath slain"—the chamberlains. He reveals the official story: the servants were suborned (bribed) by Malcolm and Donalbain, who have since fled, casting grave suspicion upon themselves. Ross exclaims this is also "against nature," a case of ambition destroying the very lineage it seeks. He concludes that the kingship will therefore fall to Macbeth. Macduff confirms Macbeth has already gone to Scone to be crowned. When Ross asks if Macduff will attend the coronation, Macduff pointedly says he will return home to Fife instead. They part with cautious, ominous farewells.

Macbeth Act 3 scene 1

Summary

Act 3, Scene 1 of Macbeth opens with Banquo alone, reflecting on the prophecy of the Weird Sisters. He acknowledges that Macbeth has gained everything they promised (king, Cawdor, Glamis) but suspects he “played’st most foully” to get it. Banquo then recalls that the witches foretold he would be the root and father of many kings, not Macbeth. This thought gives him hope, but he cuts himself short as the royal party enters.

Macbeth, now King, enters with Lady Macbeth, Lennox, Ross, and attendants. He pointedly acknowledges Banquo as the “chief guest.” They arrange for Banquo to attend a “solemn supper” that night. Macbeth inquires about Banquo’s afternoon plans, learning he will be riding some distance but promises to return for the feast. Macbeth also asks if Fleance, Banquo’s son, will accompany him, to which Banquo confirms.

After everyone else departs, Macbeth is left with a servant. He confirms that the men he wishes to see are waiting, and orders them brought in. In a crucial soliloquy, Macbeth reveals his tortured state of mind. He says, “To be thus is nothing, / But to be safely thus.” His fear fixates entirely on Banquo, whose noble nature and daring wisdom make him a threat. Macbeth feels his own spirit “rebuked” by Banquo, just as Mark Antony was said to be by Octavius Caesar. He obsesses over the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s children will be kings, feeling he has committed his terrible crimes only to place “a fruitless crown” on his own head and a “barren sceptre” in his grip, which will then pass to an “unlineal hand” (Banquo’s lineage). He resolves to challenge fate itself to prevent this.

The two murderers enter. Macbeth works to persuade them that Banquo is their enemy, responsible for their misfortunes. He questions their manhood and patience, asking if they are so “gospeled” (Christian) that they would pray for the man who has ruined them. He uses a metaphor comparing men to different breeds of dogs, all classified as “dogs” but valued differently, implying they must prove they are not in the “worst rank of manhood.” The murderers, hardened by life’s injustices, declare they are reckless and ready for revenge. Macbeth confirms Banquo is also his enemy, but claims he cannot kill him openly due to shared friends, hence the need for secrecy. He orders them to kill both Banquo and Fleance that night as they return to the palace. He promises to give them exact instructions later.

The scene ends with the murderers resolved, and Macbeth declaring, “Banquo, thy soul’s flight, / If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.”

Macbeth Act 3 scene 2

Summary

Act 3, Scene 2 opens with Lady Macbeth, attended by a servant. She learns that Banquo has left court but will return for the feast. After sending the servant to request an audience with the King, she delivers a short soliloquy expressing profound discontent: “Naught’s had, all’s spent, / Where our desire is got without content.” She concludes it’s “safer” to be the victim (Duncan) than to live in “doubtful joy.”

Macbeth enters, and she urges him to stop dwelling on the past, using the same phrase she employed after Duncan’s murder: “What’s done is done.” Macbeth rejects this platitude. In a tense and revealing speech, he says they have only “scorched the snake, not killed it,” and that they now live in constant fear and “restless ecstasy.” He envies the dead Duncan, whom “nothing / Can touch him further.”

Lady Macbeth, adopting a more practical and reassuring tone, tells him to appear “bright and jovial” for their guests. Macbeth agrees but insists she pay special, flattering attention to Banquo. He laments that they must now wear masks (“make our faces vizards to our hearts”). When she tells him to stop this line of thinking, he exclaims, “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! / Thou know’st that Banquo and his Fleance lives.” This is a direct confession of his torment’s source.

Lady Macbeth responds with a coldly pragmatic statement: “But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne” (they are not immortal). Seizing on this, Macbeth declares them “assailable” and hints at “A deed of dreadful note” to occur that night before the bat flies or the beetle hums. When she asks, “What’s to be done?” he pointedly shuts her out: “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed.”

The scene concludes with Macbeth invoking the coming night to “Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale”—the bond being either the prophecy securing Banquo’s lineage or the bonds of natural law and friendship. He observes the arrival of night and its “black agents,” tells his speechless wife that “Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill,” and leads her out.

Macbeth Act 3 scene 3

Summary

The scene opens with the two Murderers Macbeth recruited joined by a mysterious Third Murderer. The First Murderer is suspicious, demanding to know who sent him. The Third Murderer answers "Macbeth," and the Second Murderer verifies his trustworthiness, stating he knows their exact instructions. They settle in to wait.

They note the last glimmers of daylight, a time when late travelers hurry to their lodgings. Hearing horses, they realize their target approaches. They confirm it is Banquo, as the other expected guests are already at the palace. They note that Banquo has dismounted and is walking the final distance to the castle gate, as is customary.

Banquo and his son, Fleance, enter carrying a torch. The Murderers see the light and prepare. Banquo's innocuous line, "It will be rain tonight," is met with the First Murderer's deadly cry, "Let it come down!" They attack in the darkness.

Banquo, mortally wounded, cries out to Fleance to "Fly!" and urges him to seek revenge. He dies. In the chaos, someone (likely Fleance in the struggle) extinguishes the torch. The Third Murderer asks who put out the light, and the First Murderer realizes the consequence: "There's but one down. The son is fled." The Second Murderer laments that they have lost the best half of their mission. With only Banquo dead and Fleance escaped, they resolve to go and report what they have done to Macbeth.

Macbeth Act 3 scene 4, the Banquet Scene

Summary

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth host a royal banquet for their nobles. Macbeth plays the gracious host, urging his guests to sit according to their rank and promising to mingle among them. As the feast begins, the First Murderer appears at the doorway. Macbeth goes to him and sees blood on his face, which the Murderer identifies as Banquo's. Macbeth is pleased Banquo is dead, but his satisfaction shatters when he learns Fleance has escaped. He laments that now his fears and doubts return, whereas with both dead he would have been "perfect." He dismisses the Murderer, dismissing Fleance as a future threat.

Returning to the feast, Lady Macbeth chides him for neglecting his hosting duties. As Macbeth toasts the company, he moves to his seat—only to see the Ghost of Banquo sitting in his place. Horrified, he addresses the ghost directly: "Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake / Thy gory locks at me." The lords, who see nothing, are bewildered. Lady Macbeth quickly intervenes, telling the guests this is a momentary, harmless fit Macbeth has had since youth. She sharply rebukes Macbeth privately, accusing him of unmanly fear and hallucinating like he did with the "air-drawn dagger."

As Macbeth argues he truly sees the ghost, it vanishes. He regains some composure, blaming his "strange infirmity," and proposes a toast. However, he foolishly calls for Banquo's presence: "Would he were here!" The ghost reappears. Macbeth loses all control, crying, "Avaunt, and quit my sight!" He challenges the apparition to take any other form. Lady Macbeth, realizing she cannot salvage the situation, urgently dismisses the guests, telling them to leave without ceremony.

Alone, the Macbeths' dynamic shifts. Macbeth is now consumed by dark thoughts: "It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood." He reveals he has spies in all the nobles' houses and notes Macduff's defiant absence. He resolves to visit the witches again to learn more by "the worst means." He admits he is so steeped in blood ("I am in blood / Stepped in so far") that turning back is as hard as going forward. Lady Macbeth, now the weaker party, can only suggest he needs sleep. Macbeth agrees but ominously states, "We are yet but young in deed," implying more violence is to come.

Macbeth Act 3 scene 5

Summary

The scene opens with the Three Witches meeting Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, who is furious with them. She scolds the "beldams" (hags) for being "saucy and overbold" in dealing with Macbeth without her inclusion. As the "mistress of [their] charms," she is offended they did not call her to "show the glory of [their] art."

Furthermore, Hecate criticizes their choice of subject. She calls Macbeth a "wayward son," motivated by self-interest ("loves for his own ends, not for you"). To correct this, she orders them to meet her the next morning at "the pit of Acheron" (a river in the underworld), where Macbeth will come to learn his destiny. She instructs them to prepare their magical instruments.

Hecate then describes her own plan: she will spend the night collecting a mystical "vap'rous drop" from the moon. Distilled by magic, it will create "artificial sprites" whose illusions will manipulate Macbeth. Her explicit goal is to lead him to his ruin ("confusion"). She explains the strategy: these visions will make him "spurn fate, scorn death" and overconfidence ("security / Is mortals' chiefest enemy"). Hearing offstage music from her spirit, Hecate exits. The witches quickly resolve to hurry and prepare for her return.

Macbeth Act 3 scene 6

Summary

The scene opens with Lennox speaking to another Scottish Lord in a tone of deep irony and coded criticism. He sarcastically recounts the "official" story of recent events:

• The "gracious Duncan" was "pitied" by Macbeth—after he was dead.
• The "right valiant Banquo" was killed because he "walked too late," and one might conveniently blame Fleance, who fled.
• It was "monstrous" for Malcolm and Donalbain to kill their father, an act that so grieved Macbeth that he nobly killed the guards in "pious rage."
• He concludes with heavy irony: "He [Macbeth] has borne all things well."

Lennox then drops the pretense, stating that if Macbeth ever caught Duncan's sons or Fleance, they would be killed. He shifts to the real matter: Macduff has fallen into disgrace for his "broad words" and for missing Macbeth's feast. Lennox asks where Macduff has gone.

The Lord reveals that Macduff has fled to the English court to join Malcolm. There, the saintly King Edward welcomes Malcolm with honor despite his misfortune. Macduff has gone to plead with Edward to help mobilize Northumberland and Siward (powerful English earls) for an invasion. The goal is to restore Scotland to normality: safe feasts, peaceful sleep, and honest honor—all of which are now absent under Macbeth's "bloody knives."

The Lord adds that this defiance has so enraged Macbeth that he is preparing for war. Lennox hopes Macduff's wisdom will keep him safe from Macbeth's reach and ends with a prayer for a "swift blessing" to return to their "suffering country / Under a hand accursed." The Lord adds his prayers, and they exit.

Macbeth Act 4 scene 1

Summary

The scene opens with the three Witches in a desolate place, gathered around a cauldron at night. They chant as they throw grotesque ingredients (poisoned entrails, toad, snake fillet, eye of newt, etc.) into their "hell-broth," casting a spell. Their goddess Hecate appears briefly, praises them, and departs. As they finish, the Second Witch senses Macbeth's approach: "Something wicked this way comes."

Macbeth enters and demands answers from the witches, commanding them to speak no matter what cosmic chaos it causes. The witches offer to call their "masters" (apparitions) to deliver the prophecies.

First Apparition: An Armed Head emerges. It warns Macbeth to "Beware Macduff, the Thane of Fife."

Second Apparition: A Bloody Child appears. It tells Macbeth to "Be bloody, bold, and resolute," for "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." This fills Macbeth with confidence; he decides he will kill Macduff anyway, "to make assurance double sure."

Third Apparition: A Child Crowned, with a tree in his hand rises. It tells Macbeth to be proud and fearless, for he will never be vanquished until "Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him." Macbeth is jubilant, believing this to be impossible.

However, Macbeth's mind is still troubled by the witches' earlier prophecy about Banquo's heirs. He demands to know if Banquo's line will ever rule Scotland. Reluctantly, the witches show him a horrific vision: a parade of eight kings, the last holding a mirror reflecting many more, all resembling Banquo. The ghost of Banquo, blood-smeared ("blood-boltered"), smiles and points to them as his descendants. The vision confirms that Banquo's line, not Macbeth's, will inherit the throne.

The witches and apparitions vanish. Lennox enters and informs Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Enraged and now acting on impulsive, violent instinct, Macbeth declares that from now on, the first thought in his heart will be the first act of his hand. He resolves to attack Macduff's castle immediately and slaughter his wife, children, and all his kin.

Macbeth Act 4 scene 2

Summary

The scene shifts abruptly from the supernatural to the domestic, taking place in Macduff's castle at Fife. Lady Macduff is in distress, conversing with her cousin Ross. She is furious and bewildered by her husband's sudden flight to England, leaving her and their children unprotected. She argues that his action makes him look like a traitor, and that even a tiny wren will fight an owl to protect its young—implying Macduff lacks natural, paternal instinct.

Ross, fearful and speaking in the ambiguous, cautious language of a subject under tyranny, tries to defend Macduff as "noble, wise, judicious" and hints that these are cruel times when people are called traitors without knowing why. He is clearly terrified of staying too long and departs hastily.

Left with her young Son, Lady Macduff, in her grief and anger, tells the boy his father is dead. What follows is a poignant, witty, and heartbreaking conversation. The boy displays a child's logic and intelligence, questioning what a traitor is and humorously undermining his mother's claims. He instinctively defends his father's honor. Their banter reveals their close bond and the child's unsettling precociousness in a world turned upside down.

A Messenger rushes in, warning Lady Macduff of imminent danger and urging her to flee with her children. After he leaves, she delivers a moment of profound despair, recognizing that in Macbeth's Scotland, "to do harm / Is often laudable, to do good sometime / Accounted dangerous folly."

Before she can act, Murderers sent by Macbeth burst in. They demand to know Macduff's whereabouts. Lady Macduff responds with defiant scorn. When one Murderer calls Macduff a traitor, the son cries out, "Thou liest, thou shag-eared villain!" The Murderer calls him an "egg" (a fragile, young thing) and stabs him. The boy's dying words to his mother are, "Run away, I pray you." Lady Macduff flees, crying "Murder!" with the Murderers in pursuit.

Macbeth Act 4 scene 3

Summary

The scene is set at the court of King Edward the Confessor in England. Malcolm, Duncan's son and the rightful heir to the Scottish throne, is in exile. Macduff arrives to plead with him to return and overthrow Macbeth.

1. Malcolm's Test:

Macduff immediately urges military action, describing Scotland's suffering under Macbeth. Malcolm, however, is suspicious. He fears Macduff is an agent of Macbeth sent to lure him to his death. To test Macduff's loyalty, Malcolm engages in an elaborate deception. He claims to be utterly unfit to rule, listing a cascade of vices worse than Macbeth's:

• Unbounded Lust: His lust would violently prey upon the noblewomen of Scotland.
• Insatiable Greed (Avarice): He would steal the lands and wealth of his own nobles.
• Complete Lack of Kingly Virtues: He claims to possess none of the "king-becoming graces" like justice, mercy, or temperance.

Macduff initially tries to excuse these flaws but is ultimately horrified, declaring Scotland lost if its rightful heir is even more damned than Macbeth. He laments, "O Scotland, Scotland!" and prepares to leave in despair.

2. The Oath and the Alliance:

Seeing Macduff's genuine, patriotic despair, Malcolm immediately retracts his confession. He reveals it was a test: "My first false speaking / Was this upon myself." He proclaims his true innocence (he is a virgin, never sworn falsely, etc.) and swears allegiance to Macduff and Scotland. He further reveals that King Edward has provided Siward with ten thousand troops for the invasion. The alliance is sealed.

3. The Holy King and the Diseased State:

A brief interlude features an English Doctor who speaks of King Edward's miraculous power to heal "the evil" (scrofula, known as "the King's Evil"). This portrait of Edward as a holy, healing king stands in stark contrast to Macbeth, the disease infecting Scotland.

4. Ross's News and Macduff's Grief:

Ross arrives from Scotland. His report is bleak: the country is a living tomb where good men die daily. When Macduff anxiously asks after his family, Ross, with terrible hesitation, finally reveals the horrific truth: Macbeth's murderers have slaughtered Lady Macduff, their children, and all the household servants.

Macduff is shattered. Malcolm urges him to convert his grief into vengeful rage: "Let grief / Convert to anger. Blunt not the heart; enrage it." After a moment of profound, silent sorrow, Macduff accepts this, vowing to face Macbeth in combat. The scene ends with the resolution to depart for Scotland: "Macbeth / Is ripe for shaking."

Macbeth Act 5 scene 1

This scene is a pivotal moment of psychological revelation in Macbeth, showing the catastrophic effects of guilt.

Summary

The scene opens with a Doctor of Physic and a Gentlewoman who serves Lady Macbeth. The Gentlewoman has summoned the doctor because she is troubled by what she has seen: Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. The doctor has watched for two nights without result. The Gentlewoman explains that since Macbeth went to war (to face the invading English army), Lady Macbeth has been rising, writing a letter, sealing it, and returning to bed—all while fast asleep.

As they speak, Lady Macbeth enters, carrying a candle (taper). The Gentlewoman notes she always has light nearby, by her own command. They observe as Lady Macbeth begins her compulsive ritual of trying to wash her hands. She speaks, and the doctor decides to record her words.

Her speech is a fragmented, agonized reliving of the crimes:

1.     On Duncan's murder: "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" She struggles with the indelible bloodstain. She recalls the moment of the murder ("One. Two. Why then, 'tis time to do 't") and Macbeth's fear ("Hell is murky... a soldier, and afeard?"). She is haunted by the sheer volume of blood ("who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?").

2.     On the murder of Lady Macduff: "The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?" This shows her knowledge of Macbeth's later, independent atrocities.

3.     On her perpetual guilt: "What, will these hands ne'er be clean?" and "Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand."

4.     On calming Macbeth: She shifts to moments of trying to manage her husband's guilt after the deeds: "Wash your hands... Look not so pale... Banquo's buried; he cannot come out on 's grave." She also returns to the night of Duncan's murder: "To bed, to bed. There's knocking at the gate... What's done cannot be undone."

After she exits, the doctor is horrified. He states that her ailment is spiritual, not medical ("More needs she the divine than the physician"). He advises the Gentlewoman to watch Lady Macbeth closely and remove any means of self-harm, before leaving, his mind utterly bewildered.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 2

Summary

Act 5, Scene 2 shifts the focus from the internal, private torment of Lady Macbeth to the external, public rebellion against Macbeth. On the Scottish countryside, a contingent of Scottish lords—Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Lennox—and their soldiers march to join the approaching English army led by Malcolm, his uncle Siward, and Macduff.

The lords discuss the situation:

·        Menteith confirms the English army is near, driven by powerful motives for revenge.

·        Angus states their rendezvous point will be Birnam Wood.

·        Lennox notes that Donalbain is not with Malcolm, but that Malcolm's forces include many young, untested soldiers ("unrough youths").

·        They then discuss Macbeth's state. He is fortifying his castle at Dunsinane. Reports of his behavior vary: some call it madness, others "valiant fury." Angus delivers the key political analysis: Macbeth has lost control ("He cannot buckle his distempered cause / Within the belt of rule"). His subjects obey out of fear, not love, and his hold on the crown is illegitimate and ill-fitting.

·        Menteith suggests Macbeth's frenzied state is a natural recoil of a guilty conscience.

·        The lords resolve to march and give their true obedience to Malcolm, whom they see as the "med'cine of the sickly weal" (the cure for the sick commonwealth). Their mission is to purge Scotland of Macbeth's tyranny, even if it costs their lives.

The scene ends as they march toward Birnam Wood.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 3

Summary

Macbeth, in Dunsinane, defiantly dismisses reports of the advancing army, clinging to the witches' prophecies: he fears nothing until Birnam Wood moves and since all men are "born of woman," he believes himself invincible. He brashly curses the thanes who have deserted him for the English.

A terrified servant enters with news of the enemy. Macbeth viciously berates him for his fearful appearance before learning it's the English force. After dismissing the servant, Macbeth calls for his armor-bearer, Seyton. In a moment of stark introspection, he admits to being "sick at heart," feeling his life has fallen into the withered "yellow leaf," devoid of the honors of old age and filled only with curses and hollow flattery from his subjects.

When Seyton confirms the reports, Macbeth resolves to fight fiercely. He demands his armor despite Seyton's suggestion it's premature and orders a harsh crackdown on any talk of fear. He then turns to the Doctor attending Lady Macbeth. Upon hearing that her illness is psychological ("thick-coming fancies"), Macbeth demands an impossible cure: a medical remedy for a diseased mind, to erase "rooted sorrow." The doctor states the patient must heal herself, prompting Macbeth to dismiss medicine entirely.

As he is armed, Macbeth's thoughts spiral between military and spiritual sickness. He tells the doctor that if he could diagnose and cure Scotland's disease, he'd be widely praised. He then asks what drug could "scour" the English away. After reaffirming his false confidence in the prophecy, he exits. The doctor delivers a final aside, wishing to be far from Dunsinane, signaling the palpable danger and corruption of the place.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 4

Summary

The scene shifts to the outskirts of Birnam Wood, where Malcolm, the rightful heir, has united his English army with the Scottish rebel forces led by Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Lennox. They are accompanied by Siward (English general) and Macduff.

Malcolm expresses hope that the time when people can sleep safely in their bedrooms ("chambers will be safe") is near. Menteith agrees. When Siward asks the name of the forest ahead, he is told it is Birnam Wood.

Malcolm immediately issues a tactical command: each soldier is to cut down a bough (branch) and carry it in front of him. This will conceal their true numbers from Macbeth's scouts.

Siward comments that their intelligence confirms the overconfident Macbeth remains entrenched in Dunsinane castle, expecting a siege. Malcolm confirms this is Macbeth's "main hope," but explains that Macbeth's army is composed only of conscripts ("constrained things") who serve without heart, having deserted in droves where possible.

Macduff cautions against over-speculation, urging them to focus on diligent soldiering ("industrious soldiership"). Siward echoes this, stating that only the outcome of battle ("certain issue strokes must arbitrate") will decide matters. They then march toward Dunsinane.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 5

Summary

In Dunsinane Castle, a defiant Macbeth orders banners hung on the outer walls, confident the fortress can withstand any siege until the attacking army is weakened by "famine and the ague." He laments that if Malcolm's forces weren't supplemented by his own deserters, he would meet them in open battle.

A cry of women is heard offstage. Seyton investigates. Macbeth reflects that he has become so numb to horror that nothing can startle him anymore. Seyton returns to announce, "The Queen, my lord, is dead." Macbeth responds with detached, nihilistic resignation ("She should have died hereafter"), then launches into the famous "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" soliloquy, depicting life as a meaningless, repetitive march toward death, a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.

Immediately, a Messenger enters, terrified to report that as he watched, Birnam Wood appeared to move toward Dunsinane. Macbeth first calls him a liar, then threatens him, but upon the Messenger's insistence, accepts the report. This realization destroys his final pillar of false security. He understands the witches have deceived him with a technical truth ("equivocation"). He commands his men to arm, resigning himself to his fate. Expressing weariness with life itself, he decides to go out and fight, declaring, "At least we'll die with harness on our back."

Macbeth Act 5 scene 6

Summary

The scene is brief and action-oriented. Malcolm, Siward, Macduff, and their army, still carrying the branches from Birnam Wood, arrive within sight of Dunsinane Castle.

Malcolm gives the command: "Your leafy screens throw down." This act reveals the army's true size and, more importantly, fulfills the witches' prophecy—Birnam Wood has now figuratively "come" to Dunsinane.

He then issues battle orders with calm authority:

1. Siward and his son will lead the "first battle" (vanguard).
2. Malcolm and Macduff will handle the rest of the plan ("what else remains to do") according to their strategy.

Siward responds with a rousing couplet, vowing to fight fiercely. Macduff orders the trumpets to sound, calling them "clamorous harbingers of blood and death." The scene concludes with the army advancing as battle alarums (offstage sounds of combat) begin.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 7

Summary

On the battlefield before Dunsinane, Macbeth enters, comparing himself to a bear tied to a stake for baiting—unable to flee, forced to fight. He briefly questions who, if anyone not "born of woman," he should fear.

Young Siward, the son of the English commander, encounters him. When Macbeth gives his name, Young Siward defiantly calls him the devil and attacks to prove his hatred is not fear. They fight, and Macbeth kills him. With cold contempt, Macbeth dismisses the victory: "Thou wast born of woman." He exits, still clinging to the prophecy.

Macduff enters, seeking Macbeth amidst the noise of battle. He is driven by a personal need for vengeance, fearing that if someone else kills Macbeth, the ghosts of his murdered family will haunt him. He refuses to waste his sword on common soldiers ("wretched kerns"), vowing to use it only on Macbeth.

Elsewhere on the field, Malcolm and Siward (the father) meet. Siward reports that Dunsinane Castle has surrendered easily ("gently rendered"). The battle is going well: Macbeth's own forces are fighting half-heartedly or even against each other, the loyal thanes are fighting bravely for Malcolm, and victory is near. Malcolm notes that some enemies intentionally miss them ("strike beside us"), indicating widespread desertion from Macbeth's cause.

Macbeth Act 5 scene 8

Summary

The scene begins with Macbeth alone on the battlefield, refusing to commit suicide like a defeated Roman ("play the Roman fool"). He resolves to keep fighting as long as he sees living opponents.

Macduff enters, demanding Macbeth face him. Macbeth reveals he has deliberately avoided Macduff, feeling overburdened with the blood of Macduff's family. Macduff, silent with rage, attacks. Macbeth, still clinging to the prophecy, boasts he leads a "charmed life" safe from anyone "of woman born." In response, Macduff delivers the fatal revelation: he was "from his mother's womb / Untimely ripped" (a Caesarean section).

This truth shatters Macbeth's final illusion. He curses the witches for their deceptive "double sense" that kept the literal promise but destroyed his hope. Defeated in spirit, he refuses to fight. Macduff then offers him a choice: yield and be displayed as a captured monster for public scorn. To avoid this ultimate humiliation, Macbeth chooses to fight on, declaring a final, desperate defiance.

They fight and exit. After an alarum, they re-enter fighting, and Macduff kills Macbeth and exits with his body.

The scene shifts to Malcolm, Siward, Ross, and others after the battle. They note the missing. Ross informs Siward that his son, Young Siward, died a soldier's noble death, his wounds on the front. Siward accepts this with stoic pride.

Macduff enters carrying Macbeth's severed head, hails Malcolm as King, and declares "The time is free." All the thanes echo the acclamation.

In his first speech as king, Malcolm addresses the restoration:

• He thanks his supporters and rewards them by elevating his thanes to the rank of earls, a new honor in Scotland.
• He outlines his future plans: to recall exiles, punish the "cruel ministers" of Macbeth's tyranny, and investigate the deaths of Macbeth and his "fiend-like queen" (Lady Macbeth, suspected suicide).
• He vows to rule justly ("by the grace of grace") and invites all to his coronation at Scone.