A closer look at each Act As you examine each Act identify the ten most important events in each.

This will help to increase your understanding of how the themes are developed throughout the play. Act I The main events in Act I are: 1. The witches plan to meet Macbeth. 2. Macbeth is introduced as a hero who will become Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his loyalty. 3. The witches prophesise that Macbeth will be king and Banquo will be the father of a line of kings. 4. Duncan orders the execution of the treacherous Thane of Cawdor. He rewards Macbeth but announces that Malcolm will become heir to the crown. 5. Lady Macbeth learns of the witches prophesies through the letter Macbeth has written her. 6. Macbeth arrives and Lady Macbeth tells him to look like the innocent flower but to act like a serpent, when Duncan arrives. 7. Duncan is greeted by Lady Macbeth. He does not suspect what fate awaits him. 8. Macbeth is troubled by his conscience and almost talks himself out of killing Duncan. 9. Lady Macbeth torments Macbeth about his promise to kill Duncan, and his lack of manliness. She convinces him that a real man would keep his word. She gives the impression that she is more of a man that he is. 10. They then plan the murder together. It is Banquos fear that the witches' words will "enkindle [Macbeth] unto the crown;" that they will stir an ambition in Macbeth that is already latent within him (Act I Scene 3, line 132). This fear is soon realised as Macbeth's thoughts quickly turn to murder (Act I Scene 3, line 152). Why does Macbeth rely so heavily on the predictions of the witches? Does he perceive a connection between these weird sisters and the Fates of Greek myth? The word weird comes from an Old English word wyrd which means fate. Do the witches perform the function of an oracle, of the kind we associate with Greek Tragedy? Macbeth and Banquo are presented as characters who appear equal in many respects yet Banquo does not act on the witches' prediction that he will father kings. How does his refusal to act on the witches prediction reflect on the differences between himself and Macbeth? What images of masculinity do the differences between Banquo and Macbeth suggest to the audience? The ambiguity of the language used by the weird sisters is compatible with the plays theme of equivocation. Banquo recognises the witches as agents of the supernatural, who speak a language that appeals to the inner desires of the characters. Banquo: But tis strange, And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betrays In deepest consequence. Why is Macbeth unable to see the double meaning of the language used by the weird sisters? In Act 2 Scene 1, Banquo dreams of the three weird sisters. Why does Macbeth say, I think not of them? How does this difference between the way these two characters perceive the split between their inner and outer worlds reflect on the plays others themes of fair being foul; and the ideas of loyalty and ambition? Lady Macbeth also shares Macbeths prejudice in appealing to the supernatural. For her, a prediction becomes a promise. Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised; yet I do fear thy nature Lady Macbeth (Act I Scene 5) How does Macbeths written reference, They met me in the day of success, and I have learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal knowledge, strengthen the similarities or differences between how Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Banquo see the role of the weird sisters?

 Why does Shakespeare make double use of ideas like this, e.g. we all see things differently? In most of Shakespeares plays, he uses a mirroring of ideas between the characters, which serves to heighten their differences. Macbeth is no exception. A major concern of the play is the relationship of the personal inner world of the character and its relationship to the social and political order of the outer world, and the way characters act or refuse to act on the way they perceive the world. Macbeth is prepared to engage in deception at Lady Macbeths prompt to "look like th'innocent flower, But be the serpent under't". (Act I Scene 5) Macbeth knows that he must appear to be a loyal Thane, even while he is secretly planning his dark deeds. Lady Macbeth uses her womanly looks to flatter Duncans hopes for loyalty, but has already unsexed herself to commit the bloody deed of killing him. Aspects of the inner world of human psychology are revealed through the nightmares and guilt-ridden hallucinations that accompany the carrying out of the evil acts. Shakespeare chose to present the contrast between what someone is and what they appear to be, so as to accentuate the fundamental meaning of his use of the theme of equivocation, a theme which he also connected to the theme that appearances can be deceptive. Shakespeare uses the theme that appearances are deceptive to present Macbeth as a character who is outwardly brave but inwardly indecisive. To this he adds the idea that Macbeths character contains a fatal flaw. He knows what is right and what is wrong and yet lacks the moral fortitude to act correctly preferring instead to allow himself to be deceived by vague notions about what a real man would do in the circumstances. Psychologically Macbeth is emotionally tormented. His eloquent soliloquies are full of pathos and audiences cannot help but sympathise with his distress. Why does Shakespeares depiction of Macbeth evoke such sympathy? Contrast and compare this view of Macbeth with his depiction of Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth is presented as a ruthless character driven by a desire for greatness and status. However, her desire for power represents a masculine trait that requires her to shed her feminine qualities. In her unsex me here speech, she identifies the feminine virtues of keeping the peace and feeling remorse as barriers to achieving her great purpose. Lady Macbeths rejection of motherhood arouses shock horror emotions from the audience. What image of feminine power is Shakespeare presenting through his depiction of Lady Macbeth? How does this depiction of an essentially uncaring, evil woman increase the sympathy the audience feels for Macbeth? Can you think of any modern examples of this stereotypically evil woman? Act II All the scenes in Act II are set in or near Macbeths castle at Inverness. The Act begins with a discussion between Macbeth and Banquo. It is after midnight. Banquo wants to discuss the witches, but Macbeth tells him they will discuss them some other time, and bids him goodnight. He then delivers an important soliloquy beginning with the words, Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? In this act, you need to pay close attention to Macbeths state of mind. Does he really see a dagger or is it just a vision, a dagger of the mind? The inner world of Macbeths psyche seems to spill over into the physical world, as he carries, to conclusion, his plan to kill Duncan. After killing Duncan Macbeth hears a voice saying, Glamis hath murdered sleep and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more. Earlier, Macbeth sees the dagger leading him to the murder scene. The instrument he refers to in this speech recalls the influence of the witches referred to earlier by Banquo as the instruments of darkness. The other references to wicked dreams and witchcraft support the idea that Macbeth is either possessed by the witches, or obsessed with the idea of killing Duncan to fulfill the witches prediction. You will need to decide to

what extent Macbeth is provoked by either the witches or his own heat-oppressed brain into committing the act of killing Duncan. Sleep is important, as an extended metaphor, that signifies or represents Macbeths troubled existence, and the troubled state of the country. No one can sleep because Macbeths ambition to become king plunges the country into a darkness that seems to mirror his psychological state. Images of natural disorder abound in this act, an owl eats a falcon and two noble horses eat each other. The symbolism of the act is centered on the images of birds at war with each other, and every scene in the act contains a least one reference to birds. It has been suggested that the references to the owl in this act represent a metaphor for Macbeth. Macbeth is like an owl, which sleeps by day and hunts by night. Compare this idea to the Elizabethan world order, which places the eagle or falcon at the top of the order of the bird kingdom. What are the implications for the order of the world? There are also several references to hell in this scene. The porter imagines that he is guarding the gate to hell. Explore the irony of these references. What other biblical references can you find in Act II? What does Banquos declaration, In the great hand of God I stand and thence against the undivulged pretense I fight suggest about the differences between him and Macbeth (Act II Scene 3)? What is the dramatic function of the Old Mans single appearance in the play? Whose point of view does he represent? How do his lines reinforce the themes of the play? Act III Act III opens shortly after Macbeth has been crowned King. Macbeths succession has not brought peace, and the implications, in the text, reveal that he has to employ spies in each of the most important households to inform him of any move against him. The voice of conscience speaks loudly to Macbeth in this scene soon after he has Banquo murdered. The theme to focus on in Act III is what does it mean to be a man? Earlier in the play Lady Macbeth defines masculinity as the ability to ruthlessly achieve a desired goal. In Act I Scene 2, Duncan applauds Macbeths ruthless killing of the merciless Macdonald who Macbeth unseamed from the nave to th chaps. Duncan exclaims, O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman. Identify as many versions of masculinity and femininity as you can as you read the play.

The idea of what it means to be a real man is a question that can be looked at from several different viewpoints. Try comparing the views of several different characters with each other. Then consider the way that the idea of what it means to be a man means to each of them. Consider how these ideas about masculinity move the action of the play forward. For example, Duncan rewards masculine valour with titles, this brings him closer to his own demise. Macbeth kills in order to gain power and honour from the king and his fellow thanes. He then kills the king to prove he is a man of destiny. Macduff defends his masculinity by killing Macbeth out of revenge for the killing of his wife and children. Examine the role that masculinity plays in motivating each of the characters to carry out their plans. In Act III Scene 1, Macbeths discussion with the murderers about how a man is meant to behave mirrors the words used by Lady Macbeth in Act 1. Macbeth taunts the murderers with references to their rank, station and file (Act III Scene 1, lines 90-105). Reflect on the relationship Macbeth has with the murderers and how closely it mirrors the methods he and Lady Macbeth used to kill Duncan. What does this suggest about all murderers? Especially note the references to stains and blood in committing the act of murder which are meant to signify guilt. Why does Macbeth refer to the blood on the murderers face? Is this real or imagined blood? How does this link with the themes of appearances and disturbance of the natural order? How does this foreshadow the blood Lady Macbeth tries to wash from her hands in Act V?

 When Macbeth see Banquos ghost he is unmanned. Could it be that Macbeths feminine side is asserting itself through his guilt? Compare this view of masculinity to Lady Macbeths unsex me here speech. How do some of the supernatural elements of the play undermine notions of masculinity and femininity? What message is being directed to the audience about the roles men and women are meant to play? How does witchcraft undermine the established order? Relate this to the idea of cleanliness; what is being implied? Are all witches capable of murder? Lady Macbeth is not involved in the plan to kill Banquo and her role in the play is diminished after Act III. Think carefully about the way Shakespeare uses this mirroring technique. Lady Macbeths character is not as fully developed as Macbeths because, unlike Macbeth, she doesnt consciously weigh the consequences of her actions. Her realisations are depicted as unconscious responses performed in sleep, whereas Macbeth thoughts are consciously and eloquently articulated to the audience. Is Lady Macbeth a foil for Macbeth, whose function is designed to move the audience toward a deeper understanding of the tragic nature of the plays bloody events? Think of Macbeths speech on vaulting ambition as you reflect on how each of these two characters influence each other, before you decide what her dramatic function is. The idea of cleanliness permeates this act, and the theme of removing stains and washing runs throughout the whole play. In Act II Scene 2, Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth to wash the blood from his hands after murdering Duncan. She says, a little water clears us of this deed, but it doesnt. After the murder of Banquo, Macbeth is haunted and tormented by the sight of Banquos ghostly appearance at the banquet. The idea of being unable to cleanse the mind and the spirit is closely tied to the plays themes of order and disorder and light and dark. The killing of Duncan has upset the spiritual order of the world and the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. This confusion is mirrored in the character of Macbeth who, quite literally, has replaced order with disorder on every level, including the spiritual order. This mirroring reinforces the themes of appearances not being what they seem, but also foreshadows the madness and suicide of Lady Macbeth, which is bound to flow from such an unnatural state of affairs. Consider Lady Macbeths pathos, reflected in her sleep-walking speeches, out, damned spot. Here, damnation accompanies the stain that corrupts the spiritual order of the world. Macbeths realisation that, all great Neptunes oceans cannot wash the blood from his hands mirrors Lady Macbeths words, All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Both characters are damned, reinforcing the idea that they have brought hell to earth with their deeds. The identity of the third murderer is a question that is also worth considering in Act III. Some critics have suggested that it is Macbeth himself. What are the implications regarding the events that follow if this is true? Think about Macbeth and Banquo in terms of the acts references to light and dark that they are associated with. How do the images of light and darkness tie in with the theme of good versus evil? How does the contrast between light and dark accentuate the essential nature of each of these two characters? What is happening to the light as Banquo is murdered? Find other references to the sun/son in the play. What are the implications? What do these references symbolise? Act IV Act IV begins with the witches reminder of the double, double nature of their predictions. The apparitions that the witches summon give a double message to Macbeth and he, typically, believes what he wants to believe. The apparitions warn him to fear no man born of woman, and that he need only fear when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.

The doubling or mirroring idea continues as the witches summon the "show of kings." Each king who appears looks "too like the spirit of Banquo," which is deeply disturbing to Macbeth. They remind him of the ghost of Banquo of the previous scene. The line of kings seems to go on forever and Macbeth notes that he sees some carry "twofold balls and treble scepters" (Act IV Scene 1). It is believed that these lines were written to flatter King James 1 who was one of Shakespeares patrons. James would have been very pleased with the thought that his ancestry would last till the crack of doom. There is also irony in the scene when Macbeth curses the witches eternally, as they deliver their own eternal prophesy of Banquos progeny. And, at the end of this show of eight kings, the eighth king holds a mirror in his hand. This king, an eighth-generation descendant of Banquo, is James I himself. The extension of the plays themes carries a greater degree of mirroring than even the audience could have guessed at, as suddenly, the play's James is doubled in the real James, who was also part of the audience. Once again, Shakespeare has blurred the boundary between imagination and reality to emphasise the idea that confusion is magnified by dabbling with the supernatural. Think here about the importance of the coin with the flower and serpent on it. By reflecting on the nature of reality, as to whether the world of the play or the world of the audience is reality, Shakespeare warns the audience of the dangers of double dealing. Confusion, truly has made its masterpiece. The dramatic effect of the scene foreshadows the need to restore order in the world, a message that will not be lost on the audience as the grizzly events of Act IV unfold. Shakespeares use of doubling is extended to the characters in the play, but it is his use of opposites that gives the play its dramatic impact. The scene in which Lady Macduff is killed continues the bird symbolism that began in Act I. Lady Macduff complains to Ross about her husband's abandoning them. She uses a bird metaphor to explain her feelings, "the poor wren, The most diminutive of birds, will fight, Her young ones in her nest, against the owl" (Act IV Scene 2, lines 11-14). Her son also helps to extend the metaphor by reassuring her that he will have to live "as birds do". This metaphor becomes more powerful because the audience knows that Macduffs castle is about to be attacked by Macbeth's men. Macbeth, as suggested, is identified with the owl, and Lady Macduff, trying to protect her son, becomes the wren in a self-realisation of her own words. There are similarities here between Lady Macbeths haughty declaration that she would rather smash out her babys brain than fail to keep a promise, such as Macbeth had made, and Macbeths own actions in ordering the deaths of Lady Macduff and her children. But it is the differences between the two views of mothering that creates the most dramatic impact for the audience.

Reflect on the ideas of feminine values each of the plays two women represent.

Why does Shakespeare use two very different examples of womankind? How do these examples of mothering contrast with the images of fatherhood represented by Duncan, who, like a father, would like his subjects to grow according to their position and their worth.

Why does Macduff leave his wife and children?

Act V Act V begins with Lady Macbeths guilty, but unconscious, revelations about the murders. The audience now sees the weak side of Lady Macbeth, which presents a shocking visual contrast with the Lady Macbeth of previous acts. The washing theme is continued as the sleep-walking, sleep-talking Lady Macbeth, in vain, tries to scrub the stains of the murders from her hands. The blood represents guilt, but as guilt is associated with sin, the stain reminds the audience of the biblical reference to the sin in the book of Genesis, when Cain killed Abel and God placed a mark upon Cain.

During the period of James 1 reign, as many as 8000 people were tried and found guilty of witchcraft and were burned at the stake. Some were accused of being witches because they were said to have the mark of the devil on them, which in reality, was often a mole or birth-mark. God placed the mark on Cain to protect him, but it is clear that Lady Macbeths mark does not protect her because others have identified her guilt which identifies her with the devil. This scene would remind the audience of the witchcraft trials that were going on all over the country. The doctor and nurse who attend Lady Macbeth are witnesses to her guilt. The doctor later tells Macbeth that he cannot cure an infected mind and that Lady Macbeth has more need of a priest than a doctor. This reinforces the plays underlying theme of good versus evil. You can contrast this need for healing with the healing powers that are associated with the good King Edward who could heal his subjects with a touch of his hand. Turn to the description of the miraculous healing powers of King Edward in Act IV Scene 3, lines 149-161. What powers are associated with the reign of a good and virtuous king? How does Shakespeares use of biblical imagery support the contrast he creates between Macbeths reign and that of King Edwards?

Using two columns, headed good and evil, list some of their individual characteristics.

Lady Macbeths Out, damned spot, out, I say! speech employs a choppier form of language that we associate more with the witches rather than with her use of the complex rhythm of her earlier speeches. What theme is Shakespeare accentuating through this use of language? What does this use of language suggest about Lady Macbeths status and her state of mind? Compare the Act V examples of her speech with the language she uses to greet Duncan in Act I. What do you notice about the length of the sentences and the kind of words she uses? Does Shakespeare use this language to foreshadow Lady Macbeths death?

The way a person uses language indicates their status in Shakespeares plays. The nobility use a poetic language to indicate their rank. Read the Language features section for a more detailed understanding of the way Shakespeare uses language. Just as clearly as Lady Macbeths shriveling is made visible to the audience, Macbeths own demise appears to be written and foreshadowed in his use of language. Compare the language used by both characters. What differences do you notice? Is Macbeth ever robbed of his status by the words he uses? Even in defeat, Macbeths refusal to yield to Malcolm is amplified by the fact that he chooses to hold on to the nobility that is expressed through his use of poetic language. Does this different use of language shift the guilt of the deed of murdering Duncan more towards Lady Macbeth? Explain your view, and show how the language used influences the themes already discussed. How does Macbeths use of language mark him as the tragic hero in the play? Has Macbeth been too trusting in listening to the witches, and his wife? Reflect on Macbeths speech that life is a tale told by a fool in Act V.

How does this linking of life with the lowest in rank, the fool, reveal the moral of the play? What are the implications regarding connecting ones fate too closely to the double-talk and predictions of others? What does this positioning of Shakespeares male and female characters reveal about the traditional roles that men and women are expected to play? How is a violent woman depicted in comparison to a violent man? How is masculinity related to violence?

 It is useful, in this last Act, to think of both the Macbeths as puppets of the devil, and it is interesting that Macbeths only remaining servant in Act V is Seyton. Given the double play that Shakespeare uses, who then is the real master and who is the real servant within the economy of this mirror play? The role of the mirror (in a dramatic sense) in this play, is one that is barely mentioned by most scholars, yet it joins together most of the themes used by the playwright.