Macbeth
Drama
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William Shakespeare
Macbeth Main Text
The Tragedy of Macbeth
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ACT I
SCENE I. A desert place.
Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches
First Witch
When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch
That will be ere the set of sun.
First Witch
Where the place?
Second Witch
Upon the heath.
Thir...
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Macbeth Key Facts
Full Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Playwright: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Title of the Playwright: Father of English Drama, The Bard of Avon
Source: Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland by Raphael Holinshed (Holinshed’s Chronicles), other earlier sources
Written Time: Around 1606
First Performed: Probably 1606
Published Date: 1623 (First Folio)
Total Acts & Scenes: 5 Acts, 28 Scen...
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Macbeth Summary
Plot Summary- English
The Witches’ Prophecy and the Plan to Kill King Duncan: At the beginning of the play, three witches want to meet Macbeth. Meanwhile, King Duncan’s army, led by General Macbeth, wins the battle against the enemy, and this news is conveyed to King Duncan. Hearing this, King Duncan is very pleased. After the war, as Macbeth and Banquo are returning, the three witches greet them...
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Macbeth Themes
Ambition and Power: Ambition is one of the main themes in Macbeth. Macbeth wants to become king, and Lady Macbeth wants him to have power, too. Their strong desire for power makes them do bad things, like killing King Duncan. Because of their ambition, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth start doing more evil deeds. The play shows that too much ambition can make people lose their morals, become cruel, a...
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Macbeth Characters
Major Characters
Macbeth: Protagonist. A brave and ambitious Scottish general and Thane of Glamis. He is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the Three Witches. He becomes King of Scotland after murdering King Duncan, and is ultimately destroyed by his unchecked ambition and guilt.
Lady Macbeth: Macbeth’s wife and one of Shakespeare’s most infamous female characters. Ambitious, manipul...
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Macbeth Literary Device
Figures of Speech
Metaphor: A metaphor directly calls one thing something else to show similarity, without using “like” or “as.” Example: “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage.” Macbeth calls life a “walking shadow” and a “poor player” (actor), meaning life is short, insubstantial, and meaningless.
Personification: Personification is when no...
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Macbeth Quotations
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
Explanation: The witches say this in Act 1, Scene 1. It means that appearances are often deceiving—what seems good may be bad, and what seems bad may be good.
“First Witch: All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis.
Second Witch: All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor.
Third Witch: All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter.”
Explanation: The t...
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Notes
Explore 11 detailed notes related to Macbeth. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.