1 The Tragedy of Macbeth Scene by Scene

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The Tragedy of Macbeth Scene by Scene Review with Key Quotes, Themes, & Ideas By Julie Faulkner 2

Suggestions for use: l Use this to review after reading each act in class. l Excellent for differentiation. l Easy print and go for absentee students. l Easy posting on websites for daily review points. l Choose one or two of the points and have students elaborate as a bell ringer or ticket out to tie lessons/reading together. 3

Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 1 l Witches - Supernatural influences – plan to meet Macbeth on his way back from battle l “Fair being Foul” - Paradox l King Duncan - Scotland l Duncan’s sons- Malcolm and Donalbain l Generals - Macbeth and Banquo l Thunder , lightning , and rain - sense of doom 4

Macbeth Act 1 - Scene 2 l Macdonaldwald’s (1 st Thane of Cawdor) rebellion l Scotland wins – Unknown to Macbeth, he will earn title of Thane of Cawdor - “ THE SPOILS OF WAR” 5

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 l The witches first set of prophesies l Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor l Macbeth will be King l Banquo’s sons will be kings l Macbeth - “So foul and fair a day , I have not seen - recalls witches first scene – a motif or reoccurring quote/idea l Banquo - “The instrument of darkness tell us truths - only to betray us” l Ross and Angus bring news of promotion to Macbeth 6

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 4 l Execution of Cawdor l “You can’t tell what is in a person’s heart by looking at his face”- false face motif l Duncan announces Malcolm to be King l Macbeth wonders how this proclamation will affect his prediction to be king: “Let not light see my black and deep desires” 7

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5 l Setting in Macbeth’s home l Lady Macbeth comes up with plan to kill Duncan - Husband weak with “The milk of human kindness” l Lady Macbeth – immediately ready to accept witches’ prophecy 8

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 6 l Lady Macbeth - chameleon - perfect hostess l Duncan’s speech full of dramatic irony “castle pleasant” - “air is sweeter” sees a martlet (a summer bird) l to Duncan the castle appears to be a paradise 9

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7 l Lady Macbeth - convinces Macbeth to do the “horrid deed” l Macbeth’s Soliloquy – he realizes Duncan is a good King and virtuous man and his death would bring sorrow to Scotland l Lady Macbeth’s Argument- we will wonder “What could have been? ” - “Would kill her own baby to do this” 10

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1 l Past midnight - Moon has set and the “Candles” of heaven cannot be seen - dark brooding mood l Dagger Speech - Mental disturbance: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? ” —Macbeth, 2. 1. 42– 3 11

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 2 l Lady Macbeth - “That which have made them drunk, hath made me bold, What hath quenched them have given me fire” l Ironically Lady Macbeth –drugged the guards and would have murdered Duncan had he not looked like her father l Macbeth has two concerns - he has murdered Duncan who was asleep (off stage) l Lady Macbeth frames the guards and says blood is only like paint; wash it off 12

Act 2 Scene 3 l Knocking at the door – symbolic of their consciences actual knock is Malcolm and Donalbain l Porter’s Joke: Said to be the origin of the knock-knock joke l Lennox - extraordinary weather -unnatural events - The universe and events related l Conscious: “With all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? ”— Macbeth, 2. 2. 78– 9 13

Act 2 Scene 3 l Lady Macbeth faints when Macbeth proclaims he has killed the guards avenge the act of treasonous malice - not in the plan l Malcolm – flees to England l Donalbain – flees to Ireland l “ There are daggers in men’s smiles. ” – false face motif 14

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4 l Macbeth has become King because the sons have fled l Old Man - Traditional figure in lit represents what “has been” l Crazed nature: symbolic - owl kills falcon daylight has been replaced by night horses of the King’s stable have eaten each other l “Make good of bad, and friends of foes. ” – wise warning from old man 15

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 l Banquo suspects Macbeth l Even with new title Macbeth does not feel at ease l Macbeth wants to know how the murderers ease their conscience. “We are men. ” l Macbeth murderers dogs but he shows his inhumanity and imperfections - also wants to kill Fleance 16

Act 3 Scene 2 l Macbeth plans murder of Banquo w/o Lady Macbeth l Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s world not at peace l Macbeth wants to get rid of his bond with humanity 17

Act 3 Scene 3 l Banquo killed - Fleance escapes l Forces of darkness are at odds with light l Escape of Fleance - turning point along plot l Banquo’s dying words “to revenge” 18

Act 3 Scene 4 l Macbeth has party at his house to celebrate his new position - Macduff not there l Murderers tell Macbeth Fleance escaped Macbeth losses it l Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost - goes into a fit – he has lost control l Macbeth will kill Macduff and visit three sisters l “It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood. ” —Macbeth, 3. 4. 152– 53 19

Act 3 Scene 5 l Hecate joins three sisters l She is enraged that she was not consulted before they toyed with Macbeth. She promises his ruin. l Everybody has somebody they must answer to. 20

Act 3 Scene 6 l Lennox reveals doubts about Macbeth Did he really kill the guards for the reason he said? l Macduff has fled to England to join forces with Malcolm also asks help from King Edward of England 21

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 l “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. ”—Witches, 4. 1. 10– 1 l “Something wicked this way comes. ” – Witches – then enters Macbeth – prophesy/foreshadowing? l Macbeth goes to weird sisters and demands to be shown apparitions of the future 1. disembodied head of a warrior who warns Macbeth of Macduff’s revenge 2. blood-covered child who cannot be killed by any man “ of woman born” 3. a child carrying a tree promises Macbeth cannot lose in battle until Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane 22

Macbeth Act 4 Scene 1 (cont) l Macbeth asks about Banquo’s sons and sees a procession of Banquo and future kings l Macbethless future for Scotland l Macduff has fled to England Macbeth announces revenge of Macduff’s wife and children l “I’ll make assurance double sure. ”— Macbeth, 4. 1. 93 23

Act 4 Scene 2 l Lady Macduff feels Macduff has acted dishonestly l Son says the world is full of dishonest men l Murderers stab Mac. Duff’s son (on stage) and pursue Lady Macduff offstage 24

Act 4 Scene 3 l Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty - says he would be a great tyrant - reverse psychology l Macduff still hates Macbeth - Malcolm has gotten what he wants Macduff’s loyalty l Ross tells him of the slaughter of wife and child - Macduff vows revenge 25

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 1 l Lady Macbeth has gone mad - sleepwalks and tells fragments of events l Scene played in dark except one candle l “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”—Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 31 l “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. ” —Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 46– 7 l “What’s done cannot be undone. ”—Lady Macbeth, 5. 1. 62– 3 26

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 2 l Four lords of Scotland - Lennox, Mentith, Angus, and Caithness resolve to join Malcolm and English forces who are at Birnam Wood 27

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 3 l Macbeth dismisses reports of invasion (confident tyrant) l Trusts the prophecies l Doctor tells Macbeth of Lady Macbeth’s illness 28

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 4 l English and Scottish armies under leadership of Malcolm meet at Birnam Wood l Malcolm orders soldiers to cut a branch and carry it in front of them as camouflage “To shadow the number of our host” l taken from Holinshed’s Chronicles - 1577 29

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5 l Macbeth fully armed – trash talking l shriek offstage - The queen is dead l Birnam Wood appears to have uprooted itself advancing towards Dunsinane (false promise #1) l Shakespeare - Power-seeking tyrants tend toward self-destruction l Soliloquy - “Tomorrow, and tomorrow. ”—Macbeth, 5. 5. 21; Life “is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing. ” 30

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 6 l Malcolm and his troops have reached Dunsinane l Siward first to advance – young soldier l Macduff order of troops- discipline harbinger or sign of what is to come 31

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 7 l Macbeth challenged by son of Siward l Macbeth’s forces have surrendered Dunsinane Castle l kills young Siward – Ha! He thinks - “Thou wast born of woman. ” l Macduff - ironic timing- takes place of Siward 32

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 8 l l l l Macbeth and Macduff finally face to face Macbeth ponders suicide but thinks “Hey, I can’t die. ” Macduff tells him he entered the world “Untimely ripp’d” from mother’s womb (false promise #2) Macbeth realizes witches are “imperfect speakers” They fight - Macbeth dies (off stage) Macduff returns with Macbeth’s head Malcolm proclaimed new king of Scotland 33