Act 1, Scene 1
Original Text
Modern Text
Thunder and lightning. Enter three
Thunder and lightning. Three WITCHES
WITCHES
enter
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
When shall we three meet again?
When should the three of us meet
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
again? Will it be in thunder, lightning,
or rain?
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
When the hurly-burly’s done,
We’ll meet when the noise of the battle
When the battle’s lost and won.
is over, when one side has won and the
other side has lost.
5
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
That will be ere the set of sun.
That will happen before sunset.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Where the place?
Where should we meet?
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Upon the heath.
Let’s do it in the open field.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
There to meet with Macbeth.
We’ll meet Macbeth there.
The WITCHES hear the calls of their
spirit friends or “familiars,” which look like
animals—one is a cat and one is a toad.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
I come, Graymalkin!
(calling to her cat) I’m coming,
Graymalkin!
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Paddock calls.
My toad, Paddock, calls me.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Anon.
(to her spirit) I’ll be right here!
ALL
ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair
Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Let’s fly
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
away through the fog and filthy air.
10
Exeunt
Act 1, Scene 2
They exit.
Original Text
Modern Text
Alarum within. Enter KING DUNCAN,
Sounds of a trumpet and soldiers fighting
MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX,
offstage. KING DUNCAN enters with his
with attendants, meeting a bleeding
sons MALCOLM and DONALBAIN,
CAPTAIN
LENNOX, and a number of attendants.
They meet a wounded and bloody
CAPTAIN.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
What bloody man is that? He can report,
Who is this bloody man? Judging from
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
his appearance, I bet he can tell us the
The newest state.
latest news about the revolt.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
This is the sergeant
5
Who like a good and hardy soldier fought
to keep me from being captured. Hail,
'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!
brave friend! Tell the king what was
Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
happening in the battle when you left
As thou didst leave it.
it.
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Doubtful it stood,
10
15
20
This is the brave sergeant who fought
For a while you couldn’t tell who
As two spent swimmers that do cling
would win. The armies were like two
together
exhausted swimmers clinging to each
And choke their art. The merciless
other and struggling in the water,
Macdonwald—
unable to move. The villainous rebel
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
Macdonwald was supported by foot
The multiplying villanies of nature
soldiers and horsemen from Ireland and
Do swarm upon him—from the Western
the Hebrides, and Lady Luck was with
Isles
him, smiling cruelly at his enemies as if
Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied,
she were his whore. But Luck and
And fortune, on his damnèd quarrel
Macdonwald together weren’t strong
smiling,
enough. Brave Macbeth, laughing at
Showed like a rebel’s whore. But all’s too
Luck, chopped his way through to
weak,
Macdonwald, who didn’t even have
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that
time to say good-bye or shake hands
name—
before Macbeth split him open from his
Disdaining fortune, with his brandished
navel to his jawbone and stuck his head
steel,
on our castle walls.
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valor’s minion carved out his passage
Till he faced the slave;
Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade
farewell to him,
Till he unseamed him from the nave to th'
chops,
And fixed his head upon our battlements.
25
30
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!
My brave relative! What a worthy man!
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
As whence the sun 'gins his reflection
But in the same way that violent storms
Shipwracking storms and direful thunders
always come just as spring appears, our
break,
success against Macdonwald created
So from that spring whence comfort
new problems for us. Listen to this,
seemed to come
King: as soon as we sent those Irish
Discomfort swells. Mark, King of
soldiers running for cover, the
Scotland, mark:
Norwegian king saw his chance to
No sooner justice had, with valor armed,
attack us with fresh troops and shiny
Compelled these skipping kerns to trust
weapons.
their heels,
But the Norweyan lord, surveying
vantage,
With furbished arms and new supplies of
men,
Began a fresh assault.
35
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Dismayed not this our captains, Macbeth
Didn’t this frighten our captains,
and Banquo?
Macbeth and Banquo?
CAPTAIN
CAPTAIN
Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare the
The new challenge scared them about
lion.
as much as sparrows frighten eagles, or
If I say sooth, I must report they were
rabbits frighten a lion. To tell you the
As cannons overcharged with double
truth, they fought the new enemy with
cracks,
twice as much force as before; they
40 So they doubly redoubled strokes upon the
were like cannons loaded with double
foe.
ammunition. Maybe they wanted to
Except they meant to bathe in reeking
take a bath in their enemies' blood, or
wounds,
make that battlefield as infamous as
Or memorize another Golgotha,
Golgotha, where Christ was crucified, I
I cannot tell—
don’t know. But I feel weak. My
But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.
wounds must be tended to.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
So well thy words become thee as thy
Your words, like your wounds, bring
wounds;
you honor. Take him to the surgeons.
They smack of honor both. Go get him
surgeons.
45
Exit CAPTAIN with attendants
The CAPTAIN exits, helped by attendants.
Enter ROSS and ANGUS
ROSS and ANGUS enter.
Who comes here?
Who is this?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
The worthy thane of Ross.
The worthy Thane of Ross.
LENNOX
LENNOX
What a haste looks through his eyes! So
His eyes seem frantic! He looks like
should he look
someone with a strange tale to tell.
That seems to speak things strange.
ROSS
God save the king.
ROSS
God save the king!
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Whence cam’st thou, worthy thane?
Where have you come from, worthy
thane?
ROSS
From Fife, great king,
50
55
ROSS
Great king, I’ve come from Fife, where
Where the Norweyan banners flout the
the Norwegian flag flies, mocking our
sky
country and frightening our people.
And fan our people cold.
Leading an enormous army and assisted
Norway himself, with terrible numbers,
by that disloyal traitor, the thane of
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor,
Cawdor, the king of Norway began a
The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal
bloody battle. But outfitted in his
conflict,
battle-weathered armor, Macbeth met
Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapped in
the Norwegian attacks shot for shot, as
proof,
if he were the goddess of war’s
Confronted him with self-comparisons,
husband. Finally he broke the enemy’s
Point against point, rebellious arm 'gainst
spirit, and we were victorious.
arm,
Curbing his lavish spirit; and to conclude,
The victory fell on us.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Great happiness!
Great happiness!
ROSS
ROSS
That now
So now Sweno, the Norwegian king,
Sweno, the Norways' king, craves
wants a treaty. We told him we
composition.
wouldn’t even let him bury his men
Nor would we deign him burial of his men
until he retreated to Saint Colme’s Inch
Till he disbursed at Saint Colme’s Inch
and paid us ten thousand dollars.
60
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.
65
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
No more that thane of Cawdor shall
The thane of Cawdor will never again
deceive
betray me. Go announce that he will be
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his
executed, and tell Macbeth that
present death,
Cawdor’s titles will be given to him.
And with his former title greet Macbeth.
ROSS
ROSS
I’ll see it done.
I’ll get it done right away.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath
The thane of Cawdor has lost what the
won.
noble Macbeth has won.
Exeunt
They all exit
Act 1, Scene 3
Original Text
Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES
5
Modern Text
Thunder. The three WITCHES enter.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Where hast thou been, sister?
Where have you been, sister?
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Killing swine.
Killing pigs.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Sister, where thou?
And you, sister?
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,
A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap
And munched, and munched, and
and munched away at them. “Give me
munched. “Give me,”
one,” I said. “Get away from me,
quoth I.
witch!” the fat woman cried. Her
“Aroint thee, witch!” the rump-fed
husband has sailed off to Aleppo as
runnion cries.
master of a ship called the Tiger. I’ll sail
10
Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o'
there in a kitchen strainer, turn myself
th' Tiger;
into a tailless rat, and do things to
But in a sieve I’ll thither sail,
him—
And like a rat without a tail,
I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.
15
20
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
I’ll give thee a wind.
I’ll give you some wind to sail there.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Thou 'rt kind.
How nice of you!
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
And I another.
And I will give you some more.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
I myself have all the other,
I already have control of all the other
And the very ports they blow,
winds, along with the ports from which
All the quarters that they know
they blow and every direction on the
I' th' shipman’s card.
sailor’s compass in which they can go.
I’ll drain him dry as hay.
I’ll drain the life out of him. He won’t
Sleep shall neither night nor day
catch a wink of sleep, either at night or
Hang upon his penthouse lid.
during the day. He will live as a cursed
He shall live a man forbid.
man. For eighty-one weeks he will
Weary sev'nnights nine times nine
waste away in agony.
Shall he dwindle, peak and pine.
25
Though his bark cannot be lost,
Although I can’t make his ship
Yet it shall be tempest-tossed.
disappear, I can still make his journey
Look what I have.
miserable. Look what I have here.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Show me, show me.
Show me, show me.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Here I have a pilot’s thumb,
Here I have the thumb of a pilot who
Wrecked as homeward he did come.
was drowned while trying to return
home.
Drum within
30
A drum sounds offstage.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
A drum, a drum!
A drum, a drum! Macbeth has come.
Macbeth doth come.
ALL
ALL
(dancing together in a circle) The weird
(dancing together in a circle) We weird
sisters, hand in
hand,
35
sisters, hand in hand, swift travelers
over the sea and land, dance around
Posters of the sea and land,
and around like so. Three times to
Thus do go about, about,
yours, and three times to mine, and
Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
three times again, to add up to nine.
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Enough! The charm is ready.
Peace! The charm’s wound up.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO
MACBETH and BANQUO enter.
MACBETH
MACBETH
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
(to BANQUO) I have never seen a day
that was so good and bad at the same
time.
40
45
BANQUO
BANQUO
How far is ’t called to Forres?—What are
How far is it supposed to be to Forres?
these
(he sees the WITCHES) What are these
So withered and so wild in their attire,
creatures? They’re so withered-looking
That look not like th' inhabitants o' th'
and crazily dressed. They don’t look
Earth,
like they belong on this planet, but I
And yet are on ’t?—Live you? Or are you
see them standing here on Earth. (to the
aught
WITCHES) Are you alive? Can you
That man may question? You seem to
answer questions? You seem to
understand me,
understand me, because each of you has
By each at once her choppy finger laying
put a gruesome finger to her skinny
Upon her skinny lips. You should be
lips. You look like women, but your
women,
beards keep me from believing that you
And yet your beards forbid me to
really are.
interpret
That you are so.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Speak, if you can: what are you?
Speak, if you can. What kind of
creatures are you?
50
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of
Glamis!
Glamis!
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of
Cawdor!
Cawdor!
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king
All hail, Macbeth, the future king!
hereafter!
55
60
BANQUO
BANQUO
Good sir, why do you start and seem to
My dear Macbeth, why do you look so
fear
startled and afraid of these nice things
Things that do sound so fair? (to the
they’re saying? (to the WITCHES) Tell
WITCHES) I' th' name of truth,
me honestly, are you illusions, or are
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
you really what you seem to be? You’ve
Which outwardly ye show? My noble
greeted my noble friend with honors
partner
and talk of a future so glorious that
You greet with present grace and great
you’ve made him speechless. But you
prediction
don’t say anything to me. If you can see
Of noble having and of royal hope,
the future and say how things will turn
That he seems rapt withal. To me you
out, tell me. I don’t want your favors
speak not.
and I’m not afraid of your hatred.
If you can look into the seeds of time
And say which grain will grow and which
will not,
Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor
fear
Your favors nor your hate.
65
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Hail!
Hail!
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Hail!
Hail!
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Hail!
Hail!
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Lesser than Macbeth and greater.
You are lesser than Macbeth but also
greater.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Not so happy, yet much happier.
You are not as happy as Macbeth, yet
much happier.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.
Your descendants will be kings, even
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
though you will not be one. So all hail,
Macbeth and Banquo!
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
70
75
Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
MACBETH
MACBETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me
Wait! You only told me part of what I
more.
want to know. Stay and tell me more. I
By Sinel’s death I know I am thane of
already know I am the thane of Glamis
Glamis.
because I inherited the position when
But how of Cawdor? The thane of
my father, Sinel, died. But how can you
Cawdor lives,
call me the thane of Cawdor? The thane
A prosperous gentleman, and to be king
of Cawdor is alive, and he’s a rich and
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
powerful man. And for me to be the
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from
king is completely impossible, just as
whence
it’s impossible for me to be thane of
You owe this strange intelligence, or why
Cawdor. Tell me where you learned
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
these strange things, and why you stop
With such prophetic greeting. Speak, I
us at this desolate place with this
charge you.
prophetic greeting? Speak, I command
you.
WITCHES vanish
BANQUO
80 The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
The WITCHESvanish.
BANQUO
The earth has bubbles, just like the
And these are of them. Whither are they
water, and these creatures must have
vanished?
come from a bubble in the earth.
Where did they disappear to?
85
MACBETH
MACBETH
Into the air, and what seemed corporal
Into thin air. Their bodies melted like
Melted, as breath into the wind. Would
breath in the wind. I wish they had
they had stayed.
stayed!
BANQUO
BANQUO
Were such things here as we do speak
Were these things we’re talking about
about?
really here? Or are we both on drugs?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Your children shall be kings.
Your children will be kings.
BANQUO
BANQUO
You shall be king.
You will be the king.
MACBETH
MACBETH
And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?
And thane of Cawdor too. Isn’t that
what they said?
BANQUO
BANQUO
To the selfsame tune and words. Who’s
That’s exactly what they said. Who’s
here?
this?
Enter ROSS and ANGUS
ROSS
90 The king hath happily received, Macbeth,
95
100
ROSS and ANGUS enter.
ROSS
The king was happy to hear of your
The news of thy success, and when he
success, Macbeth. Whenever he hears
reads
the story of your exploits in the fight
Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight,
against the rebels, he becomes so
His wonders and his praises do contend
amazed it makes him speechless. He
Which should be thine or his. Silenced
was also shocked to learn that on the
with that,
same day you fought the rebels you
In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame
also fought against the army of
day,
Norway, and that you weren’t the
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan
least bit afraid of death, even as you
ranks,
killed everyone around you.
Nothing afeard of what thyself didst
Messenger after messenger delivered
make,
news of your bravery to the king with
Strange images of death. As thick as tale
praise for how you defended his
Can post with post, and every one did
country.
bear
Thy praises in his kingdom’s great
defense,
And poured them down before him.
ANGUS
We are sent
ANGUS
The king sent us to give you his thanks
To give thee from our royal master
and to bring you to him. Your real
thanks,
reward won’t come from us.
Only to herald thee into his sight,
Not pay thee.
105
ROSS
ROSS
And, for an earnest of a greater honor,
And to give you a taste of what’s in
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of
store for you, he told me to call you
Cawdor:
the thane of Cawdor. So hail, thane of
In which addition, hail, most worthy
Cawdor! That title belongs to you
thane,
now.
For it is thine.
BANQUO
What, can the devil speak
BANQUO
(shocked) Can the devil tell the truth?
true?
MACBETH
MACBETH
The thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you
The thane of Cawdor is still alive.
dress me
Why are you putting his clothes on
In borrowed robes?
me?
ANGUS
ANGUS
110
Who was the thane lives
115
The man who was the thane of
yet,
Cawdor is still alive, but he’s been
But under heavy judgment bears that life
sentenced to death, and he deserves to
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he
die. I don’t know whether he fought
was combined
on Norway’s side, or if he secretly
With those of Norway, or did line the
aided the rebels, or if he fought with
rebel
both of our enemies. But his treason,
With hidden help and vantage, or that
which has been proven, and to which
with both
he’s confessed, means he’s finished.
He labored in his country’s wrack, I
know not;
But treasons capital, confessed and
proved,
Have overthrown him.
MACBETH
(aside)
120
Glamis, and thane of
MACBETH
(to himself) It’s just like they said—now
Cawdor!
I’m the thane of Glamis and the thane
The greatest is behind. (to ROSS and
of Cawdor. And the best part of what
ANGUS) Thanks for your pains.
they predicted is still to come. (to
(aside to BANQUO) Do you not hope
ROSS and ANGUS) Thank you for the
your children shall be kings,
news. (speaking so that only BANQUO
When those that gave the thane of
can hear) Aren’t you beginning to hope
Cawdor to me
your children will be kings? After all,
Promised no less to them?
the witches who said I was thane of
Cawdor promised them nothing less.
BANQUO
That, trusted home,
125
BANQUO
If you trust what they say, you might
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
be on your way to becoming king, as
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But ’tis
well as thane of Cawdor. But this
strange.
whole thing is strange. The agents of
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
evil often tell us part of the truth in
The instruments of darkness tell us
order to lead us to our destruction.
truths,
They earn our trust by telling us the
Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’s
truth about little things, but then they
In deepest consequence.
betray us when it will damage us the
(to ROSS and ANGUS) Cousins, a word, I
most. (to ROSS and ANGUS)
pray you.
Gentlemen, I’d like to have a word
with you, please.
BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS move to
ROSS, ANGUS, and BANQUO move
one side
to one side.
MACBETH
130 (aside)
Two truths are told,
MACBETH
(to himself) So far the witches have told
As happy prologues to the swelling act
me two things that came true, so it
Of the imperial theme. (to ROSS and
seems like this will culminate in my
ANGUS) I thank you, gentlemen.
becoming king. (to ROSS and ANGUS)
(aside) This supernatural soliciting
Thank you, gentlemen. (to himself) This
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
supernatural temptation doesn’t seem
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
like it can be a bad thing, but it can’t
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of
be good either. If it’s a bad thing, why
Cawdor.
was I promised a promotion that
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
turned out to be true? Now I’m the
140 Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
thane of Cawdor, just like they said I
And make my seated heart knock at my
would be. But if this is a good thing,
ribs,
why do I find myself thinking about
Against the use of nature? Present fears
murdering King Duncan, a thought so
Are less than horrible imaginings.
horrifying that it makes my hair stand
135
on end and my heart pound inside my
chest? The dangers that actually
threaten me here and now frighten me
less than the horrible things I’m
imagining.
145
My thought, whose murder yet is but
Even though it’s just a fantasy so far,
fantastical,
the mere thought of committing
Shakes so my single state of man
murder shakes me up so much that I
That function is smothered in surmise,
hardly know who I am anymore. My
And nothing is but what is not.
ability to act is stifled by my thoughts
and speculations, and the only things
that matter to me are things that don’t
really exist.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Look how our partner’s rapt.
Look at Macbeth—he’s in a daze.
MACBETH
MACBETH
(aside) If chance will have me king, why,
(to himself) If fate wants me to be king,
chance may crown me
perhaps fate will just make it happen
Without my stir.
and I won’t have to do anything.
BANQUO
BANQUO
New honors come upon
150
(to ROSS and ANGUS) Macbeth is not
him,
used to his new titles. They’re like
Like our strange garments, cleave not to
new clothes: they don’t fit until you
their mold
break them in over time.
But with the aid of use.
MACBETH
(aside)
Come what come
may,
MACBETH
(to himself) One way or another, what’s
going to happen is going to happen.
Time and the hour runs through the
roughest day.
155
BANQUO
BANQUO
Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your
Good Macbeth, we’re ready when you
leisure.
are.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Give me your favor. My dull brain was
I beg your pardon; I was distracted.
wrought
Kind gentlemen, I won’t forget the
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen,
trouble you’ve taken for me whenever
your pains
I think of this day. Let’s go to the king.
Are registered where every day I turn
(speaking so that only BANQUO can
160 The leaf to read them. Let us toward the
hear) Think about what happened
king.
today, and when we’ve both had time
(aside to BANQUO) Think upon what
to consider things, let’s talk.
hath chanced, and, at more time,
The interim having weighed it, let us
speak
Our free hearts each to other.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Very gladly.
Absolutely.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Till then, enough. (to ROSS and ANGUS)
Until then, we’ve said enough. (to
Come, friends.
ROSS and ANGUS) Let’s go, my
friends.
Exeunt
They all exit.
Act 1, Scene 4
Original Text
Modern Text
Flourish. Enter KING DUNCAN,
A trumpet fanfare sounds. KING
LENNOX, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN,
DUNCAN, LENNOX, MALCOLM,
and attendants
DONALBAIN, and their attendants
enter.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not
Has the former thane of Cawdor been
Those in commission yet returned?
executed yet? Haven’t the people in
charge of that come back?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
My liege,
5
10
My king, they haven’t come back yet.
They are not yet come back. But I have
But I spoke with someone who saw
spoke
Cawdor die, and he said that Cawdor
With one that saw him die, who did
openly confessed his treasons, begged
report
your highness’s forgiveness, and
That very frankly he confessed his
repented deeply. He never did anything
treasons,
in his whole life that looked as good as
Implored your highness' pardon, and set
the way he died. He died like someone
forth
who had practiced how to toss away his
A deep repentance. Nothing in his life
most cherished possession as if it were a
Became him like the leaving it. He died
worthless a piece of garbage.
As one that had been studied in his death
To throw away the dearest thing he owed
As ’twere a careless trifle.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
There’s no art
There’s no way to read a man’s mind
To find the mind’s construction in the
by looking at his face. I trusted Cawdor
face.
completely.
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust.
15
Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and
MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and
ANGUS
ANGUS enter.
(to MACBETH) O worthiest cousin,
(to MACBETH) My worthiest kinsman!
The sin of my ingratitude even now
Just this moment I was feeling guilty
20
Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before
for not having thanked you enough.
That swiftest wing of recompense is slow
You have done so much for me so fast
To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less
that it has been impossible to reward
deserved,
you properly. If you deserved less, then
That the proportion both of thanks and
perhaps my payment would have
payment
matched your deeds! All I can say is
Might have been mine! Only I have left to
that I owe you more than I can ever
say,
repay.
More is thy due than more than all can
pay.
25
MACBETH
MACBETH
The service and the loyalty I owe
The opportunity to serve you is its own
In doing it pays itself. Your highness' part
reward. Your only duty, your highness,
Is to receive our duties, and our duties
is to accept what we owe you. Our
Are to your throne and state children and
duty to you and your state is like the
servants,
duty of children to their father or
Which do but what they should, by doing
servants to their master. By doing
everything
everything we can to protect you,
Safe toward your love and honor.
we’re only doing what we should.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Welcome hither.
30
You are welcome here. By making you
I have begun to plant thee, and will labor
thane of Cawdor, I have planted the
To make thee full of growing. (to
seeds of a great career for you, and I
BANQUO) Noble Banquo,
will make sure they grow. (to
That hast no less deserved, nor must be
BANQUO) Noble Banquo, you deserve
known
no less than Macbeth, and everyone
No less to have done so, let me infold thee
should know it. Let me bring you close
And hold thee to my heart.
to me and give you the benefit of my
love and good will.
BANQUO
There, if I grow,
35
BANQUO
Then if I accomplish anything great, it
The harvest is your own.
will be a credit to you.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
My plenteous joys,
My joy is so overwhelming it brings
Wanton in fullness, seek to hide
tears to my eyes. My sons, relatives,
themselves
lords, and all those closest to me, I
In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen,
want you to witness that I will bestow
thanes,
my kingdom on my eldest son,
And you whose places are the nearest,
Malcolm. Today I name him the prince
40
know
of Cumberland. But Malcolm isn’t
We will establish our estate upon
going to be alone in receiving honors—
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name
titles of nobility will shine like stars on
hereafter
all of you who deserve them. (to
The prince of Cumberland; which honor
MACBETH) And now, let’s go to your
must
castle at Inverness, where I will
Not unaccompanied invest him only,
become even more obliged to you
But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall
because of your hospitality.
shine
On all deservers. (to MACBETH) From
hence to Inverness,
And bind us further to you.
MACBETH
MACBETH
45 The rest is labor which is not used for you:
I’m not happy unless I can be working
I’ll be myself the harbinger and make
for you. I will go ahead and bring my
joyful
wife the good news that you are
The hearing of my wife with your
coming. With that, I’ll be off.
approach.
So humbly take my leave.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
My worthy Cawdor!
My worthy Cawdor!
MACBETH
MACBETH
50 (aside) The prince of Cumberland! That is a
55
(to himself) Malcolm is now the prince
step
of Cumberland! To become king
On which I must fall down, or else
myself, I’m either going to have to step
o'erleap,
over him or give up, because he’s in my
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your
way. Stars, hide your light so no one
fires;
can see the terrible desires within me. I
Let not light see my black and deep
won’t let my eye look at what my hand
desires.
is doing, but in the end I’m still going
The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be
to do that thing I’d be horrified to see.
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to
see.
Exit
MACBETH exits.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
True, worthy Banquo. He is full so
(to BANQUO, in the middle of a
valiant,
conversation we haven’t heard) You’re
And in his commendations I am fed;
right, Banquo. Macbeth is every bit as
60
It is a banquet to me.—Let’s after him,
valiant as you say, and I am satisfied
Whose care is gone before to bid us
with these praises of him. Let’s follow
welcome:
after him, now that he has gone ahead
It is a peerless kinsman.
to prepare our welcome. He is a man
without equal.
Flourish. Exeunt
Trumpet fanfare. They exit.
Act 1, Scene 5
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter LADY MACBETH, alone, with a
LADY MACBETH enters, reading a
letter
letter.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
(reading) “They met me in the day of
“The witches met me on the day of my
success, and I have learned by the
victory in battle, and I have since
perfectest report they have more in them
learned that they have supernatural
than mortal knowledge. When I burned in
knowledge. When I tried desperately
desire to question them further, they
to question them further, they vanished
made themselves air, into which they
into thin air. While I stood spellbound,
vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the
messengers from the king arrived and
wonder of it came missives from the king,
greeted me as the thane of Cawdor,
who all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor,' by
which is precisely how the weird sisters
which title, before, these weird sisters
had saluted me before calling me ’the
saluted me, and referred me to the coming
future king!' I thought I should tell you
on of time with 'Hail, king that shalt be!'
this news, my dearest partner in
This have I thought good to deliver thee,
greatness, so that you could rejoice
my dearest partner of greatness, that thou
along with me about the greatness that
might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by
is promised to us. Keep it secret, and
being ignorant of what greatness is
farewell.”
promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and
farewell.”
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
(she looks up from the letter) You are thane
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy
of Glamis and Cawdor, and you’re
nature;
going to be king, just like you were
5 It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness
promised. But I worry about whether
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be
or not you have what it takes to seize
great,
the crown. You are too full of the milk
Art not without ambition, but without
of human kindness to strike
The illness should attend it. What thou
aggressively at your first opportunity.
10
wouldst highly,
You want to be powerful, and you
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play
don’t lack ambition, but you don’t have
false,
the mean streak that these things call
And yet wouldst wrongly win. Thou'ld’st
for. The things you want to do, you
have, great Glamis,
want to do like a good man. You don’t
15 That which cries, “Thus thou must do,” if
want to cheat, yet you want what
thou have it,
doesn’t belong to you. There’s
And that which rather thou dost fear to
something you want, but you’re afraid
do,
to do what you need to do to get it.
Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee
You want it to be done for you. Hurry
hither,
home so I can persuade you and talk
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear
you out of whatever’s keeping you
And chastise with the valor of my tongue
from going after the crown. After all,
All that impedes thee from the golden
fate and witchcraft both seem to want
round,
you to be king.
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth
seem
To have thee crowned withal.
Enter SERVANT
A SERVANT enters.
What is your tidings?
What news do you bring?
SERVANT
SERVANT
The king comes here tonight.
The king is coming here tonight.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Thou 'rt mad to say it.
20 Is not thy master with him, who, were ’t
You must be crazy to say that! Isn’t
Macbeth with the king, and wouldn’t
so,
Macbeth have told me in advance so I
Would have informed for preparation?
could prepare, if the king were really
coming?
SERVANT
SERVANT
So please you, it is true: our thane is
I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Macbeth is
coming.
coming. He sent a messenger ahead of
One of my fellows had the speed of him,
him who arrived here so out of breath
25 Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely
that he could barely speak his message.
more
Than would make up his message.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Give him tending.
Take good care of him. He brings great
He brings great news.
news.
Exit SERVANT
The SERVANT exits.
The raven himself is hoarse
So the messenger is short of breath, like
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
a hoarse raven, as he announces
30 Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
Duncan’s entrance into my fortress,
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me
where he will die. Come, you spirits
here,
that asist murderous thoughts, make
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-
me less like a woman and more like a
full
man, and fill me from head to toe with
35 Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.
deadly cruelty! Thicken my blood and
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
clog up my veins so I won’t feel
That no compunctious visitings of nature
remorse, so that no human compassion
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace
can stop my evil plan or prevent me
between
from accomplishing it! Come to my
40 The effect and it! Come to my woman’s
female breast and turn my mother’s
breasts,
milk into poisonous acid, you
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring
murdering demons, wherever you
ministers,
hide, invisible and waiting to do evil!
Wherever in your sightless substances
Come, thick night, and cover the world
You wait on nature’s mischief. Come,
in the darkest smoke of hell, so that my
thick night,
sharp knife can’t see the wound it cuts
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of
open, and so heaven can’t peep through
hell,
the darkness and cry, “No! Stop!”
That my keen knife see not the wound it
makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of
the dark
To cry “Hold, hold!”
Enter MACBETH
45
MACBETH enters.
Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor,
Great thane of Glamis! Worthy thane
Greater than both, by the all-hail
of Cawdor! You’ll soon be greater than
hereafter,
both those titles, once you become
Thy letters have transported me beyond
king! Your letter has transported me
This ignorant present, and I feel now
from the present moment, when who
The future in the instant.
knows what will happen, and has made
me feel like the future is already here.
MACBETH
My dearest love,
50
Duncan comes here tonight.
MACBETH
My dearest love, Duncan is coming
here tonight.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
And when goes hence?
And when is he leaving?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Tomorrow, as he purposes.
He plans to leave tomorrow.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
O, never
That day will never come. Your face
Shall sun that morrow see!
betrays strange feelings, my lord, and
Your face, my thane, is as a book where
people will be able to read it like a
men
book. In order to deceive them, you
55 May read strange matters. To beguile the
must appear the way they expect you to
time,
look. Greet the king with a welcoming
Look like the time. Bear welcome in your
expression in your eyes, your hands,
eye,
and your words. You should look like
Your hand, your tongue. Look like th'
an innocent flower, but be like the
innocent flower,
snake that hides underneath the flower.
But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s
The king is coming, and he’s got to be
coming
taken care of. Let me handle tonight’s
Must be provided for; and you shall put
preparations, because tonight will
This night’s great business into my
change every night and day for the rest
dispatch,
of our lives.
60
Which shall to all our nights and days to
come
Give solely sovereign sway and
masterdom.
65
MACBETH
MACBETH
We will speak further.
We will speak about this further.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Only look up clear.
You should project a peaceful mood,
To alter favor ever is to fear.
because if you look troubled, you will
Leave all the rest to me.
arouse suspicion. Leave all the rest to
me.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 1, Scene 6
Original Text
Modern Text
hautboys and torches. Enter KING
The stage is lit by torches. Hautboys play.
DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN,
DUNCAN enters, together with
BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF,
MALCOLM, DONALBAIN,
ROSS, ANGUS, and attendants
BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF,
ROSS, ANGUS, and their attendants.
5
10
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air
This castle is in a pleasant place. The air
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
is sweet and appeals to my refined
Unto our gentle senses.
senses.
BANQUO
BANQUO
This guest of summer,
The fact that this summer bird, the
The temple-haunting martlet, does
house martin, builds his nests here
approve,
proves how inviting the breezes are.
By his loved mansionry, that the heaven’s
There isn’t a single protrusion in the
breath
castle walls where these birds haven’t
Smells wooingly here. No jutty, frieze,
built their hanging nests to sleep and
Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this
breed. I’ve noticed that they always
bird
like to settle and mate where the air is
Hath made his pendant bed and procreant
the nicest.
cradle.
Where they most breed and haunt, I have
observed,
The air is delicate.
Enter LADY MACBETH
DUNCAN
See, see, our honored
LADY MACBETH enters.
DUNCAN
Look, here comes our honored hostess!
hostess!
Sometimes the love my subjects bring
The love that follows us sometime is our
me is inconvenient, but I still accept it
trouble,
as love. In doing so, I’m teaching you
Which still we thank as love. Herein I
to thank me for the incovenience I’m
teach you
causing you by being here, because it
How you shall bid God 'ild us for your
comes from my love to you.
pains,
And thank us for your trouble.
LADY MACBETH
All our service,
15 In every point twice done and then done
LADY MACBETH
Everything we’re doing for you, even if
it were doubled and then doubled
double,
again, is nothing compared to the
Were poor and single business to contend
honors you have brought to our family.
Against those honors deep and broad
We gladly welcome you as our guests,
wherewith
with gratitude for both the honors
20 Your majesty loads our house. For those
of old,
you’ve given us before and the new
honors you’ve just given us.
And the late dignities heaped up to them,
We rest your hermits.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Where’s the thane of
Where is Macbeth, the thane of
Cawdor?
Cawdor? We followed closely after
We coursed him at the heels and had a
him. I hoped to arrive here before him,
purpose
but he rides swiftly. And his great love,
To be his purveyor; but he rides well,
which is as sharp as his spur, helped
25 And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath
holp him
him beat us here. Fair and noble
hostess, we are your guests tonight.
To his home before us. Fair and noble
hostess,
We are your guest tonight.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Your servants ever
We are your servants, your highness,
Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs
and as always our house and everything
in compt,
in it is at your disposal, for after all, we
To make their audit at your highness'
keep it in your trust and we’re glad to
pleasure,
give you back what’s yours.
Still to return your own.
DUNCAN
DUNCAN
Give me your hand.
Give me your hand. Bring me to my
Conduct me to mine host. We love him
host, Macbeth. I love him dearly, and I
highly
shall continue to favor him. Whenever
And shall continue our graces towards
you’re ready, hostess.
30
him.
By your leave, hostess.
Exeunt
They all exit.
Act 1, Scene 7
Original Text
Modern Text
Hautboys. Torches. Enter a sewer and divers
Hautboys play. The stage is lit by torches. A
servants with dishes and service over the stage.
butler enters, and various servants carry
Then enter MACBETH
utensils and dishes of food across the stage.
Then MACBETH enters.
MACBETH
MACBETH
5
10
If it were done when ’tis done, then
If this business would really be finished
’twere well
when I did the deed, then it would be
It were done quickly. If the assassination
best to get it over with quickly. If the
Could trammel up the consequence, and
assassination of the king could work
catch
like a net, sweeping up everything and
With his surcease success; that but this
preventing any consequences, then the
blow
murder would be the be-all and end-all
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
of the whole affair, and I would gladly
But here, upon this bank and shoal of
put my soul and the afterlife at risk to
time,
do it. But for crimes like these there
We’d jump the life to come. But in these
are still punishments in this world. By
cases
committing violent crimes we only
We still have judgment here, that we but
teach other people to commit violence,
teach
and the violence of our students will
15 Bloody instructions, which, being taught,
20
25
come back to plague us teachers.
return
Justice, being equal to everyone, forces
To plague th' inventor: this even-handed
us to drink from the poisoned cup that
justice
we serve to others. The king trusts me
Commends the ingredients of our
in two ways. First of all, I am his
poisoned chalice
kinsman and his subject, so I should
To our own lips. He’s here in double
always try to protect him. Second, I am
trust:
his host, so I should be closing the door
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
in his murderer’s face, not trying to
Strong both against the deed; then, as his
murder him myself. Besides, Duncan
host,
has been such a humble leader, so free
Who should against his murderer shut the
of corruption, that his virtuous legacy
door,
will speak for him when he dies, as if
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this
angels were playing trumpets against
Duncan
the injustice of his murder. Pity, like an
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath
innocent newborn baby, will ride the
been
wind with winged angels on invisible
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
horses through the air to spread news
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued,
of the horrible deed to everyone
against
everywhere. People will shed a flood of
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
tears that will drown the wind like a
And pity, like a naked newborn babe,
horrible downpour of rain. I can’t spur
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim,
myself to action. The only thing
horsed
motivating me is ambition, which
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
makes people rush ahead of themselves
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
toward disaster.
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no
spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on th' other.
Enter LADY MACBETH
How now! What news?
30
LADY MACBETH enters.
What news do you have?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
He has almost supped. Why have you left
He has almost finished dinner. Why did
the chamber?
you leave the dining room?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Hath he asked for me?
Has he asked for me?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Know you not he has?
Don’t you know he has?
MACBETH
MACBETH
We will proceed no further in this
We can’t go on with this plan. The king
business.
has just honored me, and I have earned
He hath honored me of late, and I have
the good opinion of all sorts of people.
bought
I want to enjoy these honors while the
35 Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their
feeling is fresh and not throw them
away so soon.
newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.
LADY MACBETH
Was the hope drunk
40
45
LADY MACBETH
Were you drunk when you seemed so
Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it
hopeful before? Have you gone to sleep
slept since?
and woken up green and pale in fear of
And wakes it now, to look so green and
this idea? From now on this is what I’ll
pale
think of your love. Are you afraid to act
At what it did so freely? From this time
the way you desire? Will you take the
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
crown you want so badly, or will you
To be the same in thine own act and valor
live as a coward, always saying “I can’t”
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have
after you say “I want to”? You’re like
that
the poor cat in the old story.
Which thou esteem’st the ornament of
life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, ”
Like the poor cat i' th' adage?
MACBETH
Prithee, peace:
55
Please, stop! I dare to do only what is
I dare do all that may become a man;
proper for a man to do. He who dares
Who dares do more is none.
to do more is not a man at all.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
What beast was ’t, then,
50
MACBETH
If you weren’t a man, then what kind of
That made you break this enterprise to
animal were you when you first told
me?
me you wanted to do this? When you
When you durst do it, then you were a
dared to do it, that’s when you were a
man;
man. And if you go one step further by
And to be more than what you were, you
doing what you dared to do before,
would
you’ll be that much more the man. The
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor
time and place weren’t right before,
place
but you would have gone ahead with
Did then adhere, and yet you would make
the murder anyhow. Now the time and
both.
place are just right, but they’re almost
They have made themselves, and that their
too good for you. I have suckled a
fitness now
baby, and I know how sweet it is to
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and
love the baby at my breast. But even as
know
the baby was smiling up at me, I would
How tender ’tis to love the babe that
have plucked my nipple out of its
milks me.
mouth and smashed its brains out
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
against a wall if I had sworn to do that
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless
the same way you have sworn to do
gums
this.
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn
as you
Have done to this.
MACBETH
If we should fail?
LADY MACBETH
We fail?
60
MACBETH
But if we fail—
LADY MACBETH
We, fail? If you get your courage up,
But screw your courage to the sticking-
we can’t fail. When Duncan is asleep—
place,
the day’s hard journey has definitely
And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is
made him tired—I’ll get his two
asleep—
servants so drunk that their memory
Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard
will go up in smoke through the
65
70
journey
chimneys of their brains. When they lie
Soundly invite him—his two chamberlains
asleep like pigs, so drunk they’ll be
Will I with wine and wassail so convince
dead to the world, what won’t you and
That memory, the warder of the brain,
I be able to do to the unguarded
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
Duncan? And whatever we do, we can
A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep
lay all the blame on the drunken
Their drenchèd natures lie as in a death,
servants.
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? What not put
upon
His spongy officers, who shall bear the
guilt
Of our great quell?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Bring forth men-children
75
May you only give birth to male
only,
children, because your fearless spirit
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
should create nothing that isn’t
Nothing but males. Will it not be
masculine. Once we have covered the
received,
two servants with blood, and used their
When we have marked with blood those
daggers to kill, won’t people believe
sleepy two
that they were the culprits?
Of his own chamber and used their very
daggers,
That they have done ’t?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Who dares receive it other,
Who could think it happened any other
As we shall make our griefs and clamor
way? We’ll be grieving loudly when we
roar
hear that Duncan has died.
Upon his death?
MACBETH
MACBETH
I am settled, and bend up
80
Now I’m decided, and I will exert
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
every muscle in my body to commit
Away, and mock the time with fairest
this crime. Go now, and pretend to be
show.
a friendly hostess. Hide with a false
False face must hide what the false heart
pleasant face what you know in your
doth know.
false, evil heart.
Exeunt
Act 2, Scene 1
They exit
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE, with a
BANQUO enters with FLEANCE, who
torch before him
lights the way with a torch.
BANQUO
BANQUO
How goes the night, boy?
How’s the night going, boy?
FLEANCE
FLEANCE
The moon is down. I have not heard the
The moon has set. The clock hasn’t
clock.
struck yet.
BANQUO
BANQUO
And she goes down at twelve.
The moon sets at twelve, right?
FLEANCE
FLEANCE
I take ’t ’tis later, sir.
5
I think it’s later than that, sir.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Hold, take my sword. There’s husbandry
Here, take my sword. The heavens are
in heaven;
being stingy with their light. Take this,
Their candles are all out. Take thee that
too. I’m tired and feeling heavy, but I
too.
can’t sleep. Merciful powers, keep
A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
away the nightmares that plague me
And yet I would not sleep. Merciful
when I rest!
powers,
Restrain in me the cursèd thoughts that
nature
Gives way to in repose.
Enter MACBETH and a SERVANT with a
MACBETH enters with a SERVANT,
torch
who carries a torch.
Give me my sword. Who’s
Give me my sword. Who’s there?
there?
10
MACBETH
MACBETH
A friend.
A friend.
BANQUO
BANQUO
What, sir, not yet at rest? The king’s a-
You’re not asleep yet, sir? The king’s in
bed.
bed. He’s been in an unusually good
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
mood and has granted many gifts to
Sent forth great largess to your offices.
your household and servants. This
15 This diamond he greets your wife withal,
diamond is a present from him to your
By the name of most kind hostess, and
wife for her boundless hospitality. (he
shut up
hands MACBETH a diamond)
In measureless content.
MACBETH
Being unprepared,
MACBETH
Because we were unprepared for the
Our will became the servant to defect,
king’s visit, we weren’t able to
Which else should free have wrought.
entertain him as well as we would have
wanted to.
BANQUO
All’s well.
20
BANQUO
Everything’s OK. I had a dream last
I dreamt last night of the three weird
night about the three witches. At least
sisters:
part of what they said about you was
To you they have showed some truth.
true.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I think not of them.
I don’t think about them now. But
Yet, when we can entreat an hour to
when we have an hour to spare we can
serve,
talk more about it, if you’re willing.
We would spend it in some words upon
that business,
If you would grant the time.
BANQUO
At your kind’st leisure.
25
BANQUO
Whenever you like.
MACBETH
MACBETH
If you shall cleave to my consent, when
If you stick with me, when the time
’tis,
comes, there will be something in it for
It shall make honor for you.
you.
BANQUO
BANQUO
So I lose none
In seeking to augment it, but still keep
I’ll do whatever you say, as long as I
can do it with a clear conscience.
My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,
I shall be counselled.
30
MACBETH
MACBETH
Good repose the while!
Rest easy in the meantime.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Thanks, sir: the like to you!
Thank you, sir. You do the same.
Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE
BANQUO and FLEANCE exit.
MACBETH
MACBETH
(to the SERVANT) Go bid thy mistress,
(to the SERVANT) Go and tell your
when my drink is ready,
mistress to strike the bell when my
She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed.
Exit SERVANT
35
50
55
60
The SERVANT exits.
Is this a dagger which I see before me,
Is this a dagger I see in front of me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let
with its handle pointing toward my
me clutch thee.
hand? (to the dagger) Come, let me hold
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
you. (he grabs at the air in front of him
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
without touching anything) I don’t have
To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but
you but I can still see you. Fateful
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
apparition, isn’t it possible to touch you
40 Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?
45
drink is ready. Get yourself to bed.
as well as see you? Or are you nothing
I see thee yet, in form as palpable
more than a dagger created by the
As this which now I draw.
mind, a hallucination from my fevered
Thou marshall’st me the way that I was
brain? I can still see you, and you look
going,
as real as this other dagger that I’m
And such an instrument I was to use.
pulling out now. (he draws a dagger)
Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' other
You’re leading me toward the place I
senses,
was going already, and I was planning
Or else worth all the rest. I see thee still,
to use a weapon just like you. My
And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of
eyesight must either be the one sense
blood,
that’s not working, or else it’s the only
Which was not so before. There’s no such
one that’s working right. I can still see
thing.
you, and I see blood splotches on your
It is the bloody business which informs
blade and handle that weren’t there
Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half-
before. (to himself) There’s no dagger
world
here. It’s the murder I’m about to do
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams
that’s making me think I see one. Now
abuse
half the world is asleep and being
The curtained sleep. Witchcraft celebrates
deceived by evil nightmares. Witches
Pale Hecate’s offerings, and withered
are offering sacrifices to their goddess
murder,
Hecate. Old man murder, having been
Alarumed by his sentinel, the wolf,
roused by the howls of his wolf, walks
Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his
silently to his destination, moving like
stealthy pace,
Tarquin, as quiet as a ghost. (speaking to
With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards
the ground) Hard ground, don’t listen to
his design
the direction of my steps. I don’t want
Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set
you to echo back where I am and break
earth,
the terrible stillness of this moment, a
Hear not my steps, which way they walk,
silence that is so appropriate for what
for fear
I’m about to do. While I stay here
Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
talking, Duncan lives. The more I talk,
And take the present horror from the
the more my courage cools.
time,
Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat,
he lives.
Words to the heat of deeds too cold
breath gives.
A bell rings
A bell rings.
I go, and it is done. The bell invites me.
I’m going now. The murder is as good
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
as done. The bell is telling me to do it.
That summons thee to heaven or to hell.
Don’t listen to the bell, Duncan,
because it summons you either to
heaven or to hell.
Exit
MACBETH exits.
Act 2, Scene 2
Original Text
Enter LADY MACBETH
Modern Text
LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
That which hath made them drunk hath
The alcohol that got the servants drunk
made me bold.
has made me bold. The same liquor
What hath quenched them hath given me
that quenched their thirst has fired me
fire.
up. Listen! Quiet! That was the owl
5 Hark! Peace! It was the owl that shrieked,
that shrieked, with a scary “good night”
the fatal bellman,
like the bells they ring before they
Which gives the stern’st good-night. He is
execute people. Macbeth must be
about it.
killing the king right now. The doors to
The doors are open, and the surfeited
Duncan’s chamber are open, and the
grooms
drunk servants make a mockery of their
Do mock their charge with snores. I have
jobs by snoring instead of protecting
drugged their possets,
the king. I put so many drugs in their
That death and nature do contend about
drinks that you can’t tell if they’re alive
them,
or dead.
Whether they live or die.
MACBETH
(within)
Who’s there? What,
ho!
MACBETH
(from offstage) Who’s there? What is it?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,
Oh no, I’m afraid the servants woke
10 And ’tis not done. Th' attempt and not the
up, and the murder didn’t happen. For
deed
us to attempt murder and not succeed
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers
would ruin us. (She hears a noise.) Listen
ready;
to that! I put the servants' daggers
He could not miss 'em. Had he not
where Macbeth would find them. He
resembled
couldn’t have missed them. If Duncan
My father as he slept, I had done ’t.
hadn’t reminded me of my father when
I saw him sleeping, I would have killed
him myself.
Enter MACBETH, with bloody daggers
MACBETH enters carrying bloody
daggers.
My husband!
15
My husband!
MACBETH
MACBETH
I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear
I have done the deed. Did you hear a
a noise?
noise?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
I heard the owl scream and the crickets
I heard the owl scream and the crickets
cry.
cry. Didn’t you say something?
Did not you speak?
MACBETH
MACBETH
When?
When?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Now.
MACBETH
As I descended?
Just now.
MACBETH
As I came down?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Ay.
Yes.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Hark! Who lies i' th' second
Listen! Who’s sleeping in the second
chamber?
chamber?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Donalbain.
Donalbain.
MACBETH
MACBETH
20 (looking at his hands) This is a sorry sight.
(looking at his bloody hands) This is a
sorry sight.
25
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.
That’s a stupid thing to say.
MACBETH
MACBETH
There’s one did laugh in ’s sleep, and one
One of the servants laughed in his
cried. “Murder!”
sleep, and one cried, “Murder!” and
That they did wake each other. I stood and
they woke each other up. I stood and
heard them.
listened to them, but then they said
But they did say their prayers, and
their prayers and went back to sleep.
addressed them
Again to sleep.
LADY MACBETH
There are two lodged
LADY MACBETH
Malcolm and Donalbain are asleep in
together.
the same room.
MACBETH
MACBETH
One cried, “God bless us!” and “Amen”
One servant cried, “God bless us!” and
the other,
the other replied, “Amen,” as if they
As they had seen me with these hangman’s
had seen my bloody hands. Listening to
hands.
their frightened voices, I couldn’t reply
List'ning their fear I could not say “Amen,”
“Amen” when they said “God bless us!”
When they did say “God bless us!”
30
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Consider it not so deeply.
Don’t think about it so much.
MACBETH
MACBETH
But wherefore could not I pronounce
But why couldn’t I say “Amen”? I
“Amen”?
desperately needed God’s blessing, but
I had most need of blessing, and “Amen”
the word “Amen” stuck in my throat.
Stuck in my throat.
LADY MACBETH
These deeds must not be
thought
LADY MACBETH
We can’t think that way about what we
did. If we do, it’ll drive us crazy.
After these ways. So, it will make us mad.
MACBETH
35 Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no
40
MACBETH
I thought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no
more!
more! Macbeth is murdering sleep.”
Macbeth does murder sleep”—the
Innocent sleep. Sleep that soothes away
innocent sleep,
all our worries. Sleep that puts each
Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of
day to rest. Sleep that relieves the
care,
weary laborer and heals hurt minds.
The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s
Sleep, the main course in life’s feast,
bath,
and the most nourishing.
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second
course,
Chief nourisher in life’s feast.
LADY MACBETH
What do you mean?
LADY MACBETH
What are you talking about?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the
The voice kept crying, “Sleep no
house.
more!” to everyone in the house.
“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and
“Macbeth has murdered sleep, and
therefore Cawdor
therefore Macbeth will sleep no more.”
Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep
no more.”
45
50
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy
Who said that? Why, my worthy lord,
thane,
you let yourself become weak when
You do unbend your noble strength to
you think about things in this cowardly
think
way. Go get some water and wash this
So brainsickly of things. Go get some
bloody evidence from your hands. Why
water,
did you carry these daggers out of the
And wash this filthy witness from your
room? They have to stay there. Go take
hand.
them back and smear the sleeping
Why did you bring these daggers from the
guards with the blood.
place?
They must lie there. Go carry them and
smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.
MACBETH
I’ll go no more:
I can’t go back. I’m afraid even to think
I am afraid to think what I have done;
about what I’ve done. I can’t stand to
Look on ’t again I dare not.
look at it again.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Infirm of purpose!
55
MACBETH
Coward! Give me the daggers. Dead
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the
and sleeping people can’t hurt you any
dead
more than pictures can. Only children
Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of
are afraid of scary pictures. If Duncan
childhood
bleeds I’ll paint the servants' faces with
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
his blood. We must make it seem like
I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal,
they’re guilty.
For it must seem their guilt.
Exit
LADY MACBETH exits.
Knock within
A sound of knocking from offstage.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Whence is that knocking?
Where is that knocking coming from?
How is ’t with me when every noise
What’s happening to me, that I’m
appals me?
frightened of every noise? (looking at his
60 What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out
hands) Whose hands are these? Ha!
mine eyes.
They’re plucking out my eyes. Will all
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this
the water in the ocean wash this blood
blood
from my hands? No, instead my hands
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand
will stain the seas scarlet, turning the
will rather
green waters red.
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.
Enter LADY MACBETH
65
LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
My hands are of your color, but I shame
My hands are as red as yours, but I
To wear a heart so white.
would be ashamed if my heart were as
pale and weak.
Knock within
I hear a knocking
A sound of knocking from offstage.
I hear someone knocking at the south
At the south entry. Retire we to our
entry. Let’s go back to our bedroom. A
chamber.
little water will wash away the
A little water clears us of this deed.
evidence of our guilt. It’s so simple!
How easy is it, then! Your constancy
You’ve lost your resolve.
Hath left you unattended.
Knock within
70
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Hark! More knocking.
Listen! There’s more knocking. Put on
Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call
your nightgown, in case someone
us
comes and sees that we’re awake. Snap
And show us to be watchers. Be not lost
out of your daze.
So poorly in your thoughts.
MACBETH
MACBETH
To know my deed, ’twere best not know
Rather than have to think about my
myself.
crime, I’d prefer to be completely
unconscious.
Knock within
75 Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would
thou couldst.
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Wake Duncan with your knocking. I
wish you could!
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 2, Scene 3
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter a PORTER. Knocking within
A sound of knocking from offstage. A
PORTER , who is obviously drunk, enters.
PORTER
PORTER
Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were
This is a lot of knocking! Come to think
porter of hell-gate, he should have old
of it, if a man were in charge of opening
turning the key.
the gates of hell to let people in, he
would have to turn the key a lot.
Knock within
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i' th'
Knock, knock, knock! (pretending he’s the
name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that
gatekeeper in hell) Who’s there, in the
hanged himself on the expectation of
devil’s name? Maybe it’s a farmer who
plenty. Come in time, have napkins
killed himself because grain was cheap.
enough about you, here you’ll sweat for ’t.
(talking to the imaginary farmer) You’re
here just in time! I hope you brought
some handkerchiefs; you’re going to
sweat a lot here.
Knock within
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock! Who’s there, in th' other
Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the
devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator
other devil’s name? Maybe it’s some
that could swear in both the scales against
slick, two-faced con man who lied under
either scale, who committed treason
oath. But he found out that you can’t lie
enough for God’s sake, yet could not
to God, and now he’s going to hell for
equivocate to heaven. O, come in,
perjury. Come on in, con man.
equivocator.
Knock within
5 Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith,
here’s an English tailor come hither for
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there?
Maybe it’s an English tailor who liked to
stealing out of a French hose. Come in,
skimp on the fabric for people’s clothes.
tailor. Here you may roast your goose.
But now that tight pants are in fashion
he can’t get away with it. Come on in,
tailor. You can heat your iron up in
here.
Knock within
Knock, knock! Never at quiet. What are
Knock, knock! Never a moment of
you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll
peace! Who are you? Ah, this place is
devil-porter it no further. I had thought to
too cold to be hell. I won’t pretend to
have let in some of all professions that go
be the devil’s porter anymore. I was
the primrose way to the everlasting
going to let someone from every
bonfire.
profession into hell.
Knock within
10
A sound of knocking from offstage.
A sound of knocking from offstage.
Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the
I’m coming, I’m coming! Please, don’t
porter.
forget to leave me a tip.
Opens the gate
The PORTER opens the gate.
Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX
MACDUFF and LENNOX enter.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Was it so late, friend, ere you went to
Did you go to bed so late, my friend,
bed,
that you’re having a hard time getting
That you do lie so late?
up now?
PORTER
PORTER
'Faith sir, we were carousing till the
That’s right sir, we were drinking until
second cock. And drink, sir, is a great
3 A.M., and drink, sir, makes a man do
provoker of three things.
three things.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
What three things does drink especially
What three things does drink make a
provoke?
man do?
PORTER
PORTER
Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and
Drinking turns your nose red, it puts
urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and
you to sleep, and it makes you urinate.
unprovokes. It provokes the desire, but it
Lust it turns on but also turns off. What
takes away the performance. Therefore,
I mean is, drinking stimulates desire but
much drink may be said to be an
hinders performance. Therefore, too
equivocator with lechery. It makes him,
much drink is like a con artist when it
and it mars him; it sets him on, and it
comes to your sex drive. It sets you up
takes him off; it persuades him, and
for a fall. It gets you up but it keeps you
disheartens him; makes him stand to and
from getting off. It persuades you and
not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates
discourages you. It gives you an
him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie,
erection but doesn’t let you keep it, if
leaves him.
you see what I’m saying. It makes you
dream about erotic experiences, but
then it leaves you asleep and needing to
pee.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.
I believe drink did all of this to you last
night.
PORTER
PORTER
That it did, sir, i' th' very throat on me;
It did, sir. It got me right in the throat.
but I requited him for his lie, and, I think,
But I got even with drink. I was too
being too strong for him, though he took
strong for it. Although it weakened my
up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to
legs and made me unsteady, I managed
cast him.
to vomit it out and laid it flat on the
ground.
15
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Is thy master stirring?
Is your master awake?
Enter MACBETH
Our knocking has awaked him. Here he
Our knocking woke him up. Here he
comes.
comes.
LENNOX
LENNOX
Good morrow, noble sir.
Good morning, noble sir.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Good morrow, both.
Good morning to both of you.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Is the king stirring, worthy thane?
Is the king awake, worthy thane?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Not yet.
20
MACBETH enters.
Not yet.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
He did command me to call timely on
He commanded me to wake him up
him.
early. I’ve almost missed the time he
I have almost slipped the hour.
requested.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I’ll bring you to him.
MACDUFF
I’ll bring you to him.
MACDUFF
I know this is a joyful trouble to you,
I know the burden of hosting him is
But yet ’tis one.
both an honor and a trouble, but that
doesn’t mean it’s not a trouble just the
same.
25
MACBETH
MACBETH
The labor we delight in physics pain.
The work we enjoy is not really work.
This is the door.
This is the door.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
I’ll make so bold to call,
I’ll wake him, because that’s my job.
For ’tis my limited service.
Exit MACDUFF
LENNOX
LENNOX
Goes the king hence today?
Is the king leaving here today?
MACBETH
MACBETH
He does. He did appoint so.
30
35
MACDUFF exits.
He is. He told us to arrange it.
LENNOX
LENNOX
The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
The night has been chaotic. The wind
Our chimneys were blown down and, as
blew down through the chimneys
they say,
where we were sleeping. People are
Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange
saying they heard cries of grief in the
screams of death,
air, strange screams of death, and
And prophesying with accents terrible
terrible voices predicting catastrophes
Of dire combustion and confused events
that will usher in a woeful new age.
New hatched to the woeful time. The
The owl made noise all night. Some
obscure bird
people say that the earth shook as if it
Clamored the livelong night. Some say the
had a fever.
Earth
Was feverous and did shake.
MACBETH
'Twas a rough night.
MACBETH
It was a rough night.
LENNOX
LENNOX
My young remembrance cannot parallel
I’m too young to remember anything
A fellow to it.
like it.
Enter MACDUFF
MACDUFF
O horror, horror, horror!
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor
MACDUFF enters, upset.
MACDUFF
Oh, horror, horror, horror! This is
beyond words and beyond belief!
name thee!
40
MACBETH & LENNOX
MACBETH & LENNOX
What’s the matter?
What’s the matter?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Confusion now hath made his
The worst thing imaginable has
masterpiece.
happened. A murderer has broken into
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
God’s temple and stolen the life out of
The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole
it.
thence
The life o' th' building!
MACBETH
What is ’t you say? “The
MACBETH
What are you talking about? “The life”?
life”?
LENNOX
LENNOX
Mean you his majesty?
Do you mean the king?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
45 Approach the chamber, and destroy your
Go into the bedroom and see for
sight
yourself. What’s in there will make you
With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me
freeze with horror. Don’t ask me to
speak.
talk about it. Go look and then do the
See, and then speak yourselves.
talking yourselves.
Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX
MACBETH and LENNOX exit.
Awake, awake!
Wake up, wake up! Ring the alarm
Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason!
bell. Murder and treason! Banquo and
50 Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! Awake!
Donalbain, Malcolm! Wake up! Shake
55
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s
off sleep, which looks like death, and
counterfeit,
look at death itself! Get up, get up, and
And look on death itself! Up, up, and see
look at this image of doomsday!
The great doom’s image! Malcolm!
Malcolm! Banquo! Get up from your
Banquo!
beds as if you were rising out of your
As from your graves rise up, and walk like
own graves, and walk like ghosts to
sprites,
come witness this horror. Ring the bell.
To countenance this horror! Ring the bell
Bell rings. Enter LADY MACBETH
A bell rings. LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
What’s the business,
What’s going on? Why is that terrifying
That such a hideous trumpet calls to
trumpet calling together everyone
parley
who’s sleeping in the house? Speak up
The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak!
and tell me!
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
O gentle lady,
60
Oh gentle lady, my news isn’t fit for
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
your ears. If I repeated it to you, it
The repetition, in a woman’s ear,
would kill you as soon as you heard it.
Would murder as it fell.
Enter BANQUO
O Banquo, Banquo,
Oh Banquo, Banquo, the king has been
Our royal master’s murdered!
murdered!
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Woe, alas!
65
BANQUO enters.
How horrible! What, in our own
What, in our house?
house?
BANQUO
BANQUO
Too cruel any where.
It would be a terrible event no matter
Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
where it happened. Dear Macduff, I
And say it is not so.
beg you, tell us you were lying and say
it isn’t so.
Enter MACBETH, LENNOX, and ROSS
MACBETH and LENNOX reenter, with
ROSS.
70
MACBETH
MACBETH
Had I but died an hour before this chance,
If I had only died an hour before this
I had lived a blessèd time, for from this
event I could say I had lived a blessed
instant
life. Because from this moment on,
There’s nothing serious in mortality.
there is nothing worth living for.
All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead.
Everything is a sick joke. The graceful
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere
and renowned king is dead. The wine
lees
of life has been poured out, and only
Is left this vault to brag of.
the dregs remain.
Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN
75
MALCOLM and DONALBAIN enter.
DONALBAIN
DONALBAIN
What is amiss?
What’s wrong?
MACBETH
MACBETH
You are, and do not know ’t.
You are, but you don’t know it yet.
The spring, the head, the fountain of your
The source from which your royal
blood
blood comes has been stopped.
Is stopped; the very source of it is
stopped.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Your royal father’s murdered.
Your royal father is murdered.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Oh, by whom?
80
Who did it?
LENNOX
LENNOX
Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had
It seems that the guards who were
done ’t.
supposed to be protecting his chamber
Their hands and faces were all badged
did it. Their hands and faces were all
with blood.
covered with blood. So were their
So were their daggers, which unwiped we
daggers, which we found on their
found
pillows, unwiped. They stared at us in
Upon their pillows. They stared, and were
confusion. No one’s life should have
distracted.
been entrusted to them.
No man’s life was to be trusted with
them.
85
90
MACBETH
MACBETH
Oh, yet I do repent me of my fury,
And yet I still regret the anger that
That I did kill them.
drove me to kill them.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Wherefore did you so?
What did you do that for?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Who can be wise, amazed, temp'rate, and
Is it possible to be wise, bewildered,
furious,
calm, furious, loyal, and neutral all at
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man.
once? Nobody can do that. The violent
Th' expedition of my violent love
rage inspired by my love for Duncan
Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay
caused me to act before I could think
Duncan,
rationally and tell myself to pause.
His silver skin laced with his golden
There was Duncan, his white skin all
blood,
splattered with his precious blood. The
95 And his gashed stabs looked like a breach
gashes where the knives had cut him
in nature
looked like wounds to nature itself.
For ruin’s wasteful entrance; there, the
Then right next to him I saw the
murderers,
murderers, dripping with blood, their
Steeped in the colors of their trade, their
daggers rudely covered in gore. Who
daggers
could have restrained himself, who
Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who
loved Duncan and had the courage to
could refrain,
act on it?
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make ’s love known?
LADY MACBETH
Help me hence, ho!
100
LADY MACBETH
Help me out of here, quickly!
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Look to the lady.
Take care of the lady.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
(aside to DONALBAIN ) Why do we hold
(speaking so that only DONALBAIN can
our tongues,
hear) Why are we keeping quiet? The
That most may claim this argument for
two of us have the most to say in this
ours?
matter.
DONALBAIN
DONALBAIN
(aside to MALCOLM) What should be
(speaking so that only MALCOLM can
spoken here, where our fate,
hear) What are we going to say here,
Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize
where danger may be waiting to strike
us?
at us from anywhere? Let’s get out of
Let’s away. Our tears are not yet brewed.
here. We haven’t even begun to weep
yet—but there will be time for that
later.
105
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
(aside to DONALBAIN) Nor our strong
(speaking so that only DONALBAIN can
sorrow
hear) And the time hasn’t come yet for
Upon the foot of motion.
us to turn our deep grief into action.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Look to the lady.
Exit LADY MACBETH, attended
110
Take care of the lady.
LADY MACBETH is carried out.
And when we have our naked frailties
When we’re properly dressed for the
hid,
cold, let’s meet and discuss this bloody
That suffer in exposure, let us meet
crime to see if we can figure anything
And question this most bloody piece of
out. Right now we’re shaken up by
work,
fears and doubts. I’m putting myself in
To know it further. Fears and scruples
God’s hands, and with his help I plan
shake us.
to fight against the secret plot that
In the great hand of God I stand, and
caused this treasonous murder.
thence
Against the undivulged pretense I fight
Of treasonous malice.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
And so do I.
So will I.
ALL
ALL
So all.
115
So will we all.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Let’s briefly put on manly readiness,
Let’s get dressed quickly and then
And meet i' th' hall together.
meet in the hall.
ALL
ALL
Well contented.
120
Agreed.
Exeunt all but MALCOLM and
Everyone exits except MALCOLM and
DONALBAIN
DONALBAIN.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
What will you do? Let’s not consort with
What are you going to do? Let’s not
them.
stay here with them. It’s easy for a liar
To show an unfelt sorrow is an office
to pretend to feel sorrow when he
Which the false man does easy. I’ll to
actually feels none. I’m going to
England.
England.
DONALBAIN
DONALBAIN
To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune
I’ll go to Ireland. We’ll both be safer if
Shall keep us both the safer. Where we
we go separate ways. Wherever we
are,
go, men will smile at us while hiding
There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The
daggers. Our closest relatives are the
near in blood,
ones most likely to murder us.
The nearer bloody.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
This murderous shaft that’s shot
We haven’t yet encountered that
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
danger, and the best thing to do is
125 Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse,
avoid it entirely. With that in mind,
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
let’s get on our horses. We’d better
But shift away. There’s warrant in that
not worry about saying polite good-
theft
byes; we should just get away quickly.
Which steals itself when there’s no mercy
There’s good reason to escape when
left.
there’s no mercy to be found
anymore.
Exeunt
They exit
Act 2, Scene 4
Original Text
Enter ROSS with an OLD MAN
Modern Text
ROSS and an OLD MAN enter.
OLD MAN
OLD MAN
Threescore and ten I can remember well,
I can remember the past seventy years
Within the volume of which time I have
pretty well, and in all that time I have
seen
seen dreadful hours and strange things.
Hours dreadful and things strange, but this
But last night’s horrors make
sore night
everything that came before seem like a
Hath trifled former knowings.
joke.
ROSS
ROSS
Ha, good father,
5
10
Ah yes, old man. You can see the skies.
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with
They look like they’re upset about
man’s act,
what mankind has been doing, and
Threatens his bloody stage. By th' clock
they’re threatening the Earth with
’tis day,
storms. The clock says it’s daytime, but
And yet dark night strangles the travelling
dark night is strangling the sun. Is it
lamp.
because night is so strong, or because
Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s
day is so weak, that darkness covers the
shame
earth when it’s supposed to be light?
That darkness does the face of Earth
entomb
When living light should kiss it?
OLD MAN
'Tis unnatural,
OLD MAN
It’s unnatural, just like the murder that
Even like the deed that’s done. On
has been committed. Last Tuesday a
Tuesday last,
falcon was circling high in the sky, and
A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place,
it was caught and killed by an ordinary
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and
owl that usually goes after mice.
killed.
15
ROSS
ROSS
And Duncan’s horses—a thing most
And something else strange happened.
strange and certain—
Duncan’s horses, which are beautiful
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their
and swift and the best of their breed,
race,
suddenly turned wild and broke out of
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls,
their stalls. Refusing to be obedient as
flung out,
usual, they acted like they were at war
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they
with mankind.
would
Make war with mankind.
OLD MAN
'Tis said they eat each other.
OLD MAN
They say the horses ate each other.
20
ROSS
ROSS
They did so, to th' amazement of mine
I saw it with my own eyes. It was an
eyes
amazing sight. Here comes the good
That looked upon ’t. Here comes the good
Macduff.
Macduff.
Enter MACDUFF
MACDUFF enters.
How goes the world, sir, now?
How are things going now?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Why, see you not?
Can’t you see for yourself?
ROSS
ROSS
Is ’t known who did this more than bloody
Does anyone know who committed
deed?
this horrible crime?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Those that Macbeth hath slain.
The servants Macbeth killed.
ROSS
ROSS
Alas, the day!
What good could they pretend?
It’s too bad he killed them. What good
would it have done those men to kill
Duncan?
MACDUFF
They were suborned.
25
MACDUFF
They were paid to betray their master.
Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two
Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two
sons,
sons, have run away and fled, which
Are stol'n away and fled, which puts upon
makes them the prime suspects.
them
Suspicion of the deed.
30
ROSS
ROSS
'Gainst nature still!
Everything about this is unnatural!
Thriftless ambition, that will raven up
What a stupid ambition, causing a son
Thine own lives' means! Then ’tis most
to kill the father who supports him.
like
Then it looks like Macbeth will become
The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.
king.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
He is already named and gone to Scone
He has already been named king and
To be invested.
has left for Scone to be crowned.
ROSS
ROSS
Where is Duncan’s body?
Where is Duncan’s body?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
35
Carried to Colmekill,
It was carried to Colmekill to be placed
The sacred storehouse of his predecessors,
in the tomb of his ancestors, where
And guardian of their bones.
their bones are kept safe.
ROSS
ROSS
Will you to Scone?
Are you going to Scone?
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
No, cousin, I’ll to Fife.
No, cousin, I’m going to Fife.
ROSS
ROSS
Well, I will thither.
Well, I’ll go to Scone.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
40 Well, may you see things well done there.
Adieu,
I hope things go well there. Good-bye!
And let’s hope things don’t get worse.
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!
ROSS
ROSS
Farewell, father.
Farewell, old man.
OLD MAN
OLD MAN
God’s benison go with you and with those
May God’s blessing go with you and
That would make good of bad and friends
with all who turn bad into good, and
of foes.
enemies into friends!
Exeunt
They all exit.
Act 3, Scene 1
Original Text
Enter BANQUO
5
10
Modern Text
BANQUO enters.
BANQUO
BANQUO
Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis,
Now you have it all: you’re the king,
all,
the thane of Cawdor, and the thane of
As the weird women promised, and I fear
Glamis, just like the weird women
Thou played’st most foully for ’t. Yet it
promised you. And I suspect you
was said
cheated to win these titles. But it was
It should not stand in thy posterity,
also prophesied that the crown would
But that myself should be the root and
not go to your descendants, and that
father
my sons and grandsons would be kings
Of many kings. If there come truth from
instead. If the witches tell the truth—
them—
which they did about you—maybe
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches
what they said about me will come true
shine—
too. But shhh! I’ll shut up now.
Why, by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my oracles as well,
And set me up in hope? But hush, no
more.
Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as king,
A trumpet plays. MACBETH enters dressed
LADY MACBETH, as queen, LENNOX,
as king, and LADY MACBETH enters
ROSS, LORDS, LADIES, and attendants
dressed as queen, together with LENNOX,
ROSS, LORDS, LADIES, and their
attendants
MACBETH
MACBETH
Here’s our chief guest.
(indicating BANQUO) Here’s our most
important guest.
15
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
If he had been forgotten,
If we forgot him, our big celebration
It had been as a gap in our great feast,
wouldn’t be complete, and that
And all-thing unbecoming.
wouldn’t be any good.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir,
(to BANQUO) Tonight we’re having a
And I’ll request your presence.
ceremonial banquet, and I want you to
be there.
BANQUO
Let your highness
Command upon me, to the which my
BANQUO
Whatever your highness commands me
to do, it is always my duty to do it.
duties
Are with a most indissoluble tie
Forever knit.
20
25
MACBETH
MACBETH
Ride you this afternoon?
Are you going riding this afternoon?
BANQUO
BANQUO
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, my good lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
We should have else desired your good
We would have liked to have heard
advice—
your good advice, which has always
Which still hath been both grave and
been serious and helpful, at the council
prosperous—
today, but we’ll wait until tomorrow.
In this day’s council, but we’ll take
Are you riding far?
tomorrow.
Is ’t far you ride?
BANQUO
BANQUO
As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
I’m going far enough that I’ll be riding
'Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse
from now until dinner. Unless my
the better,
horse goes faster than expected, I will
I must become a borrower of the night
be back an hour or two after sunset.
For a dark hour or twain.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Fail not our feast.
30
35
Don’t miss our feast.
BANQUO
BANQUO
My lord, I will not.
My lord, I won’t miss it.
MACBETH
MACBETH
We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed
We hear that the princes, those
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
murderers, have hidden in England and
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
Ireland. They haven’t confessed to
With strange invention. But of that
cruelly murdering their own father,
tomorrow,
and they’ve been making up strange lies
When therewithal we shall have cause of
to tell their hosts. But we can talk more
state
about that tomorrow, when we’ll
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse.
discuss matters of state that concern us
Adieu,
both. Hurry up and get to your horse.
Till your return at night. Goes Fleance
Good-bye, until you return tonight. Is
with you?
Fleance going with you?
BANQUO
BANQUO
Ay, my good lord. Our time does call
Yes, my good lord. It’s time we hit the
upon ’s.
road.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I wish your horses swift and sure of foot,
I hope your horses are fast and
40 And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewell.
surefooted. And with that, I send you
to them. Farewell.
Exit BANQUO
45
BANQUO exits.
Let every man be master of his time
Everybody may do as they please until
Till seven at night. To make society
seven o'clock tonight. In order to make
The sweeter welcome, we will keep
your company even more enjoyable,
ourself
I’m going to keep to myself until
Till suppertime alone. While then, God
suppertime. Until then, God be with
be with you!
you!
Exeunt all except MACBETH and a
Everyone exits except MACBETH and a
SERVANT
SERVANT
Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those
(to the SERVANT) You there, let me
men
have a word with you. Are those men
Our pleasure?
waiting for me?
SERVANT
SERVANT
They are, my lord, without the palace
They’re waiting outside the palace gate,
gate.
my lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Bring them before us.
Bring them to me.
Exit SERVANT
50
To be thus is nothing,
To be the king is nothing if I’m not safe
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
as the king. I’m very afraid of Banquo.
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
There’s something noble about him
Reigns that which would be feared. 'Tis
that makes me fear him. He’s willing to
much he dares,
take risks, and his mind never stops
55 And to that dauntless temper of his mind
working. He has the wisdom to act
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor
bravely but also safely. I’m not afraid of
To act in safety. There is none but he
anyone but him. Around him, my
Whose being I do fear, and under him
guardian angel is frightened, just as
My genius is rebuked, as it is said
Mark Antony’s angel supposedly feared
60 Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the
65
The SERVANT exits.
Octavius Caesar. Banquo chided the
sisters
witches when they first called me king,
When first they put the name of king upon
asking them to tell him his own future.
me
Then, like prophets, they named him
And bade them speak to him. Then,
the father to a line of kings. They gave
prophetlike,
me a crown and a scepter that I can’t
They hailed him father to a line of kings.
pass on. Someone outside my family
Upon my head they placed a fruitless
will take these things away from me,
crown
since no son of mine will take my place
And put a barren scepter in my grip,
as king. If this is true, then I’ve
70 Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal
tortured my conscience and murdered
hand,
the gracious Duncan for Banquo’s sons.
No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so,
I’ve ruined my own peace for their
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind;
benefit. I’ve handed over my
For them the gracious Duncan have I
everlasting soul to the devil so that they
murdered;
could be kings. Banquo’s sons, kings!
Put rancors in the vessel of my peace
Instead of watching that happen, I will
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
challenge fate to battle and fight to the
Given to the common enemy of man,
death. Who’s there!
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo
kings!
Rather than so, come fate into the list,
And champion me to th' utterance. Who’s
there?
Enter SERVANT and two MURDERERS
The SERVANT comes back in with two
MURDERERS
75 Now go to the door and stay there till we
call.
Now go to the door and stay there
until I call for you.
Exit SERVANT
The SERVANT exits.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
Wasn’t it just yesterday that we spoke
to each other?
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
It was, so please your highness.
It was yesterday, your highness.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Well then, now
80
85
Well, did you think about what I said?
Have you considered of my speeches?
You should know that it was Banquo
Know
who made your lives hell for so long,
That it was he, in the times past, which
which you always thought was my
held you
fault. But I was innocent. I showed
So under fortune, which you thought had
you the proof at our last meeting. I
been
explained how you were deceived,
Our innocent self. This I made good to
how you were thwarted, the things
you
that were used against you, who was
In our last conference, passed in
working against you, and a lot of other
probation with you,
things that would convince even a half-
How you were borne in hand, how
wit or a crazy person to say, “Banquo
crossed, the instruments,
did it!”
Who wrought with them, and all things
else that might
To half a soul and to a notion crazed
Say, “Thus did Banquo.”
FIRST MURDERER
You made it known to us.
90
FIRST MURDERER
You explained it all.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I did so, and went further, which is now
I did that and more, which brings me
Our point of second meeting. Do you
to the point of this second meeting.
find
Are you so patient and forgiving that
Your patience so predominant in your
you’re going to let him off the hook?
nature
Are you so pious that you would pray
That you can let this go? Are you so
for this man and his children, a man
gospeled
who has pushed you toward an early
To pray for this good man and for his
grave and put your family in poverty
issue,
forever?
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the
grave
And beggared yours forever?
FIRST MURDERER
We are men, my liege.
95
100
105
110
FIRST MURDERER
We are men, my lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
Yes, you’re part of the species called
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels,
men. Just as hounds and greyhounds,
spaniels, curs,
mongrels, spaniels, mutts, shaggy
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves
lapdogs, swimming dogs, and wolf-
are clept
dog crossbreeds are all dogs. But if you
All by the name of dogs. The valued file
list the different kinds of dogs
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the
according to their qualities, you can
subtle,
distinguish which breeds are fast or
The housekeeper, the hunter, every one
slow, which ones are clever, which
According to the gift which bounteous
ones are watchdogs, and which ones
nature
hunters. You can classify each dog
Hath in him closed, whereby he does
according to the natural gifts that
receive
separate it from all other dogs. It’s the
Particular addition, from the bill
same with men. Now, if you occupy
That writes them all alike. And so of
some place in the list of men that isn’t
men.
down at the very bottom, tell me.
Now, if you have a station in the file,
Because if that’s the case, I will tell
Not i' th' worst rank of manhood, say ’t,
you a plan that will get rid of your
And I will put that business in your
enemy and bring you closer to me. As
bosoms,
long as Banquo lives, I am sick. I’ll be
Whose execution takes your enemy off,
healthy when he is dead.
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.
SECOND MURDERER
I am one, my liege,
SECOND MURDERER
My lord, I’ve been so kicked around
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the
by the world, and I’m so angry, that I
world
don’t even care what I do.
Have so incensed that I am reckless what
I do to spite the world.
115
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
And I another
I’m the same. I’m so sick of bad luck
So weary with disasters, tugged with
and trouble that I’d risk my life on any
fortune,
bet, as long as it would either fix my
That I would set my life on any chance,
life or end it once and for all.
To mend it or be rid on ’t.
MACBETH
Both of you
125
You both know Banquo was your
Know Banquo was your enemy.
enemy.
BOTH MURDERERS
BOTH MURDERERS
True, my lord.
120
MACBETH
It’s true, my lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
So is he mine; and in such bloody distance
He’s my enemy too, and I hate him so
That every minute of his being thrusts
much that every minute he’s alive it
Against my near’st of life. And though I
eats away at my heart. Since I’m king,
could
I could simply use my power to get rid
With barefaced power sweep him from
of him. But I can’t do that, because he
my sight
and I have friends in common whom I
And bid my will avouch it, yet I must
need, so I have to be able to moan and
not,
cry over his death in public even
For certain friends that are both his and
though I’ll be the one who had him
mine,
killed. That’s why I need your help
Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his
right now. I have to hide my real plans
fall
from the public eye for many
Who I myself struck down. And thence it
important reasons
is,
That I to your assistance do make love,
Masking the business from the common
eye
For sundry weighty reasons.
130
SECOND MURDERER
SECOND MURDERER
We shall, my lord,
We’ll do what you want us to, my
Perform what you command us.
lord.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Though our lives—
MACBETH
Though our lives—
MACBETH
Your spirits shine through you. Within
(interrupts him) I can see the
this hour at most
determination in your eyes. Within
I will advise you where to plant
the next hour I’ll tell you where to go
yourselves,
and exactly when to strike. It must be
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' th'
done tonight, away from the palace.
time,
Always remember that I must be free
The moment on ’t; for ’t must be done
from suspicion. For the plan to work
tonight,
perfectly, you must kill both Banquo
And something from the palace; always
and his son, Fleance, who keeps him
thought
company. Getting rid of Fleance is as
That I require a clearness. And with
important to me as knocking off
him—
Banquo. Each of you should make up
To leave no rubs nor botches in the
your own mind about whether you’re
work—
going to do this. I’ll come to you soon.
135
140
Fleance, his son, that keeps him
company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father’s, must embrace the
fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves
apart.
I’ll come to you anon.
BOTH MURDERERS
BOTH MURDERERS
We are resolved, my lord.
We have decided, my lord. We’re in.
MACBETH
MACBETH
145 I’ll call upon you straight. Abide within.
Exeunt MURDERERS
I’ll call for you soon. Stay inside.
The MURDERERS exit.
It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
The deal is closed. Banquo, if your
If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.
soul is going to make it to heaven,
tonight’s the night.
Exit
He exits.
Act 3, Scene 2
Original Text
Enter LADY MACBETH and a SERVANT
Modern Text
LADY MACBETH and a SERVANT
enter.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
5
Is Banquo gone from court?
Has Banquo left the court?
SERVANT
SERVANT
Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.
Yes, madam, but he’ll be back tonight.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Say to the king I would attend his leisure
Go tell the king I want to talk to him
For a few words.
for a few minutes.
SERVANT
SERVANT
Madam, I will.
No problem, madam.
Exit SERVANT
The SERVANT exits.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Naught’s had, all’s spent,
If you get what you want and you’re
Where our desire is got without content.
still not happy, you’ve spent everything
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
and gained nothing. It’s better to be the
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
person who gets murdered than to be
the killer and be tormented with
anxiety.
Enter MACBETH
10
MACBETH enters.
How now, my lord! Why do you keep
What’s going on, my lord? Why are
alone,
you keeping to yourself, with only your
Of sorriest fancies your companions
sad thoughts to keep you company?
making,
Those thoughts should have died when
Using those thoughts which should indeed
you killed the men you’re thinking
have died
about. If you can’t fix it, you shouldn’t
With them they think on? Things without
give it a second thought. What’s done
all remedy
is done.
Should be without regard. What’s done is
done.
MACBETH
15 We have scorched the snake, not killed it.
20
MACBETH
We have slashed the snake but not
She’ll close and be herself whilst our poor
killed it. It will heal and be as good as
malice
new, and we’ll be threatened by its
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
fangs once again. But the universe can
But let the frame of things disjoint, both
fall apart, and heaven and earth
the worlds suffer,
crumble, before I’ll eat my meals in
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
fear and spend my nights tossing and
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
turning with these nightmares I’ve been
That shake us nightly. Better be with the
having. I’d rather be dead than endure
dead,
this endless mental torture and
25 Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to
harrowing sleep deprivation. We killed
peace,
those men and sent them to rest in
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
peace so that we could gain our own
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave.
peace. Duncan lies in his grave,
After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.
through with life’s troubles, and he’s
Treason has done his worst; nor steel nor
sleeping well. We have already done
poison,
the worst we can do to him with our
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing
treason. After that, nothing can hurt
Can touch him further.
him further—not weapons, poison,
rebellion, invasion, or anything else.
30
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Come on, gentle my lord,
Come on, relax, dear. Put on a happy
Sleek o'er your rugged looks. Be bright
face and look cheerful and agreeable for
and jovial
your guests tonight.
Among your guests tonight.
MACBETH
So shall I, love,
35
MACBETH
That’s exactly what I’ll do, my love,
And so, I pray, be you. Let your
and I hope you’ll do the same. Give
remembrance
Banquo your special attention. Talk to
Apply to Banquo; present him eminence,
him and look at him in a way that will
Both with eye and tongue: unsafe the
make him feel important. We’re in a
while that we
dangerous situation, where we have to
Must lave our honors in these flattering
flatter him and hide our true feelings.
streams,
And make our faces vizards to our hearts,
Disguising what they are.
LADY MACBETH
You must leave this.
40
LADY MACBETH
You have to stop talking like this.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear
Argh! I feel like my mind is full of
wife!
scorpions, my dear wife. You know
Thou know’st that Banquo, and his
that Banquo and his son Fleance are still
Fleance, lives.
alive.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
But in them nature’s copy’s not eterne.
But they can’t live forever.
MACBETH
MACBETH
There’s comfort yet; they are assailable.
That’s comforting. They can be killed,
Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath
it’s true. So be cheerful. Before the bat
flown
flies through the castle, and before the
His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate’s
dung beetle makes his little humming
summons
noise to tell us it’s nighttime, a
The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy
dreadful deed will be done.
45
hums
Hath rung night’s yawning peal, there
shall be done
A deed of dreadful note.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
What’s to be done?
What are you going to do?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest
It’s better you don’t know about it
chuck,
until after it’s done, when you can
Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling
applaud it. (to the night) Come, night,
night,
and blindfold the kindhearted day. Use
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day
your bloody and invisible hand to tear
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
up Banquo’s lease on life, which keeps
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
me in fear. (to himself) The sky’s getting
Which keeps me pale. Light thickens, and
dark, and the crow is returning home
the crow
to the woods. The gentle creatures of
Makes wing to th' rooky wood.
the day are falling asleep, while night’s
Good things of day begin to droop and
predators are waking up to look for
drowse;
their prey. (to LADY MACBETH) You
Whiles night’s black agents to their preys
seem surprised at my words, but don’t
do rouse.
question me yet. Bad deeds force you
Thou marvel’st at my words: but hold
to commit more bad deeds. So please,
thee still.
come with me.
50
55
Things bad begun make strong themselves
by ill.
So, prithee, go with me.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 3, Scene 3
Original Text
Enter three MURDERERS
Modern Text
The two MURDERERS enter with a third
MURDERER.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
But who did bid thee join with us?
But who told you to come here and join
us?
5
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
Macbeth.
Macbeth.
SECOND MURDERER
SECOND MURDERER
He needs not our mistrust, since he
We can trust this guy. He was given
delivers
exactly the same orders we were.
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
10
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Then stand with us.
Then stay with us. There’s still a bit of
The west yet glimmers with some streaks
daylight in the sky. Now all the late
of day.
travellers are hurrying to reach their
Now spurs the lated traveler apace
inns. Banquo is almost here.
To gain the timely inn, and near
approaches
The subject of our watch.
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
Hark, I hear horses.
Listen! I hear horses.
BANQUO
BANQUO
(within) Give us a light there, ho!
(from offstage) Hey, give us some light
here!
SECOND MURDERER
SECOND MURDERER
Then ’tis he: the rest
That are within the note of expectation
That must be him. The rest of the
king’s guests are already inside.
Already are i' th' court.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
His horses go about.
You can hear his horses moving around
as the servants take them to the stables.
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
Almost a mile; but he does usually—
It’s almost a mile to the palace gate, but
15 So all men do—from hence to the palace
gate
Banquo, like everybody else, usually
walks from here to the palace.
Make it their walk.
Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE with a
BANQUO and FLEANCE enter with a
torch
torch.
Act 3, Scene 3, Page 2
Original Text
Modern Text
SECOND MURDERER
SECOND MURDERER
A light, a light!
Here comes a light! Here comes a light!
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
'Tis he.
That’s him.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Stand to ’t.
Prepare yourselves.
BANQUO
BANQUO
It will be rain tonight.
It will rain tonight.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Let it come down.
The MURDERERS attack BANQUO
Then let the rain come down.
The MURDERERS attack BANQUO.
BANQUO
BANQUO
O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly,
Oh, this is treachery! Get out of here,
fly!
good Fleance, run, run, run! Someday
Thou may ’st revenge —O slave!
you can get revenge.—Oh, you
20
bastard!
BANQUO dies. Exit FLEANCE
BANQUO dies. FLEANCE escapes.
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
Who did strike out the light?
Who put out the light?
FIRSTMURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Was ’t not the way?
Wasn’t that the best thing to do?
THIRD MURDERER
THIRD MURDERER
There’s but one down. The son is fled.
There’s only one body here. The son
ran away.
SECOND MURDERER
SECOND MURDERER
We have lost best half of our affair.
We failed in half of our mission.
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Well, let’s away and say how much is
Well, let’s get out of here and tell
done.
Macbeth what we did accomplish.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 3, Scene 4
Original Text
Modern Text
Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY
The stage is set for a banquet. MACBETH
MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, LORDS,
enters with LADY MACBETH, ROSS,
and attendants.
LENNOX, LORDS, and their
attendants.
MACBETH
MACBETH
You know your own degrees; sit down. At
You know your own ranks, so you
first
know where to sit. Sit down. From the
And last, the hearty welcome.
highest to the lowest of you, I bid you a
hearty welcome.
The LORDS sit
LORDS
Thanks to your majesty.
5
The LORDS sit down.
LORDS
Thanks to your majesty.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society
I will walk around and mingle with all
And play the humble host.
of you, playing the humble host. My
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best
wife will stay in her royal chair, but at
time
the appropriate time I will have her
We will require her welcome.
welcome you all.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our
Say welcome to all of our friends for
friends,
me, sir, for in my heart they are all
For my heart speaks they are welcome.
welcome.
Enter FIRST MURDERER at the door
The FIRST MURDERER appears at the
door.
10
MACBETH
MACBETH
See, they encounter thee with their hearts'
And they respond to you with their
thanks.
hearts as well. The table is full on both
Both sides are even. Here I’ll sit i' th'
sides. I will sit here in the middle. Be
midst.
free and happy. Soon we will toast
Be large in mirth. Anon we’ll drink a
around the table.
measure
The table round.
(aside to FIRST MURDERER) There’s
(approaching the door and speaking to the
blood upon thy face.
MURDERER) There’s blood on your
face.
15
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
'Tis Banquo’s then.
Then it must be Banquo’s.
MACBETH
MACBETH
'Tis better thee without than he within.
I’d rather see his blood splattered on
Is he dispatched?
your face than flowing through his
veins. Did you finish him off?
20
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
My lord, his throat is cut. That I did for
My lord, his throat is cut. I did that to
him.
him.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Thou art the best o' th' cutthroats:
You are the best of the cutthroats. But
Yet he’s good that did the like for Fleance.
whoever did the same to Fleance must
If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil.
also be good. If you cut both their
throats, then you are the absolute best.
25
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Most royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped.
Most royal sir, Fleance has escaped.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Then comes my fit again. I had else been
Now I’m scared again. Otherwise I
perfect,
would have been perfect, as solid as a
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
piece of marble, as firm as a rock, as
As broad and general as the casing air.
free as the air itself. But now I’m all
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined,
tangled up with doubts and fears. But
bound in
Banquo’s been taken care of?
To saucy doubts and fears.—But Banquo’s
safe?
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides,
Yes, my good lord. He’s lying dead in a
With twenty trenchèd gashes on his head,
ditch, with twenty deep gashes in his
The least a death to nature.
head, any one of which would have
been enough to kill him.
MACBETH
Thanks for that.
30 There the grown serpent lies. The worm
MACBETH
Thanks for that. The adult snake lies in
the ditch. The young snake that escaped
that’s fled
will in time become poisonous and
Hath nature that in time will venom
threatening, but for now he has no
breed;
fangs. Get out of here. I’ll talk to you
No teeth for th' present. Get thee gone.
again tomorrow.
Tomorrow
We’ll hear ourselves again.
Exit FIRST MURDERER
LADY MACBETH
My royal lord,
The FIRST MURDERER exits.
LADY MACBETH
My royal lord, you’re not entertaining
35
You do not give the cheer. The feast is
the guests. If you don’t make your
sold
guests know they’re welcome, they’ll
That is not often vouched, while ’tis a-
feel like they’re paying for their meal.
making,
When you just want to eat, it’s better
'Tis given with welcome. To feed were
to do that at home. When you’re eating
best at home;
out with people, you need to have a
From thence, the sauce to meat is
little more ceremony. Otherwise
ceremony;
dinner parties would be boring.
Meeting were bare without it.
MACBETH
Sweet remembrancer!
40
MACBETH
It’s nice of you to remind me. (raising a
Now, good digestion wait on appetite,
glass to toast his guests) Since good
And health on both!
digestion requires a good appetite, and
good health requires both of those,
here’s to good appetites, good
digestion, and good health!
LENNOX
LENNOX
May ’t please your highness sit.
Why don’t you have a seat, your
highness?
45
Enter the GHOST OF BANQUO, and sits
The GHOST OF BANQUO enters and
in MACBETH’s place
sits in MACBETH’s place.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Here had we now our country’s honor
We would have all the nobility of
roofed,
Scotland gathered under one roof, if
Were the graced person of our Banquo
only Banquo were here. I hope it turns
present,
out that he’s late out of rudeness, and
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness
not because something bad has
Than pity for mischance.
happened to him.
ROSS
ROSS
His absence, sir,
His absence means he’s broken his
Lays blame upon his promise. Please ’t
promise, sir. If it pleases you, your
your highness
highness, why don’t you sit with us and
To grace us with your royal company?
grace us with your royal company?
MACBETH
MACBETH
The table’s full.
The table’s full.
LENNOX
LENNOX
Here is a place reserved, sir.
Here’s an empty seat, sir.
MACBETH
MACBETH
50
Where?
Where?
LENNOX
LENNOX
Here, my good lord. What is ’t that moves
(pointing to where the GHOST sits) Here,
your highness?
my good lord. What’s wrong, your
highness?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Which of you have done this?
(seeing the GHOST) Which one of you
did this?
LORDS
What, my good lord?
LORDS
What, my good lord?
MACBETH
MACBETH
(to GHOST) Thou canst not say I did it.
(to the GHOST) You can’t say I did it.
Never shake
Don’t shake your bloody head at me.
Thy gory locks at me.
ROSS
55 Gentlemen, rise. His highness is not well.
ROSS
Gentlemen, stand up. His highness is
not well.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus
Sit down, worthy friends. My husband
And hath been from his youth. Pray you,
is often like this, and he has been since
keep seat.
he was a child. Please stay seated. This
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
is just a brief fit. In a moment he’ll be
60 He will again be well. If much you note
well again. If you pay too much
him,
attention to him you’ll make him angry,
You shall offend him and extend his
and that will make his convulsions go on
passion.
longer. Eat your dinner and pay no
Feed and regard him not. (aside to
attention to him. (speaking so that only
MACBETH) Are you a man?
MACBETH can hear) Are you a man?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that
Yes, and a brave one, who dares to look
Which might appall the devil.
at something that would frighten the
devil.
LADY MACBETH
O proper stuff!
65
LADY MACBETH
Oh, that’s nonsense! This is just another
This is the very painting of your fear.
one of the hallucinations you always get
This is the air-drawn dagger which you
when you’re afraid. This is like that
said
floating dagger you said was leading you
Led you to Duncan. Oh, these flaws and
toward Duncan. These outbursts of
70
75
starts,
yours don’t even look like real fear.
Impostors to true fear, would well
They’re more like how you would act if
become
you were a woman telling a scary story
A woman’s story at a winter’s fire,
by the fireside in front of her
Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!
grandmother. Shame on you! Why are
Why do you make such faces? When all’s
you making these faces? When the
done,
vision passes, you’ll see that you’re just
You look but on a stool.
looking at a stool.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo!
Please, just look over there. Look!
How say you?
Look! See! (to the GHOST) What do
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod,
you have to say? What do I care? If you
speak too.
can nod, then speak too. If the dead are
If charnel houses and our graves must
going to return from their graves, then
send
there’s nothing to stop the birds from
Those that we bury back, our monuments
eating the bodies. So there’s no point in
Shall be the maws of kites.
our burying people.
Exit GHOST
LADY MACBETH
What, quite unmanned in
85
LADY MACBETH
What, has your foolishness paralyzed
folly?
you completely?
MACBETH
MACBETH
If I stand here, I saw him.
As sure as I’m standing here, I saw him.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Fie, for shame!
80
The GHOST vanishes.
Nonsense!
MACBETH
MACBETH
Blood hath been shed ere now, i' th' olden
In ancient times, before there were laws
time,
to make the land safe and peaceful, a lot
Ere humane statute purged the gentle
of blood was spilled. Yes, and since
weal;
then murders have been committed that
Ay, and since too, murders have been
are too awful to talk about. It used to be
performed
that when you knocked a man’s brains
Too terrible for the ear. The time has
out he would just die, and that would
been
be it. But now they rise from the dead
That, when the brains were out, the man
with twenty fatal head wounds and push
would die,
us off our stools. This haunting business
And there an end. But now they rise again
is even stranger than murder.
With twenty mortal murders on their
crowns
And push us from our stools. This is more
strange
Than such a murder is.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
My worthy lord,
My worthy lord, your noble friends
Your noble friends do lack you.
miss your company.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I do forget.
90
I forgot about them. (to the guests) Don’t
Do not muse at me, my most worthy
be alarmed on my account, my most
friends.
worthy friends. I have a strange
I have a strange infirmity, which is
disorder, which no longer shocks those
nothing
who know me well. (raising his glass to
To those that know me. Come, love and
toast the company) Come, let’s drink a
health to all.
toast: love and health to you all. Now
Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine.
I’ll sit down. Give me some wine. Fill
Fill full.
up my cup.
Enter the GHOST OF BANQUO
The GHOST OF BANQUO reappears in
MACBETH’s seat.
I drink to the general joy o' th' whole
I drink to the happiness of everyone at
table,
the table, and to our dear friend
95 And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we
Banquo, whom we miss. I wish he were
miss;
here! Let’s drink to everyone here, and
Would he were here! To all and him we
to Banquo. Now, everybody, drink
thirst,
And all to all.
LORDS
LORDS
Our duties, and the pledge.
Hear, hear.
They drink
100
They drink
MACBETH
MACBETH
(seeing the GHOST) Avaunt, and quit my
(to the GHOST) Go! And get out of
sight! Let the earth hide thee.
my sight! Stay in your grave. There’s
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is
no marrow in your bones, and your
cold.
blood is cold. You’re staring at me
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
with eyes that have no power to see.
Which thou dost glare with!
LADY MACBETH
Think of this, good peers,
LADY MACBETH
Good friends, think of this as nothing
But as a thing of custom. 'Tis no other;
more than a strange habit. It’s nothing
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
else. Too bad it’s spoiling our pleasure
tonight.
105
110
MACBETH
MACBETH
What man dare, I dare.
I am as brave as any other man. Come
Approach thou like the rugged Russian
at me in the form of a rugged Russian
bear,
bear, an armor-plated rhinoceros, or a
The armed rhinoceros, or th' Hyrcan
tiger from Iran. Take any shape other
tiger;
than the one you have now and I will
Take any shape but that, and my firm
never tremble in fear. Or come back
nerves
to life again and challenge me to a duel
Shall never tremble. Or be alive again,
in some deserted place. If I tremble
And dare me to the desert with thy
then, you can call me a little girl. Get
sword.
out of here, you horrible ghost, you
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me
hallucination. Get out!
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible
shadow!
Unreal mockery, hence!
Exit GHOST
The GHOST vanishes.
Why so, being gone,
I am a man again. Pray you sit still.
Why so, being gone,
Look, now that it’s gone, I’m a man
I am a man again. Pray you sit still.
again. Please, remain seated.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
You have displaced the mirth, broke the
You have ruined our good cheer and
good meeting,
disrupted the gathering by making a
With most admired disorder.
spectacle of yourself.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Can such things be,
(to the guests) Can things like this
115 And overcome us like a summer’s cloud,
happen so suddenly without making us
Without our special wonder? You make
all astonished? You make me feel like I
me strange
don’t know myself, when I see you
Even to the disposition that I owe,
looking at these terrible things and
When now I think you can behold such
keeping a straight face, while my face
sights,
has gone white with fear.
120
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine is blanched with fear.
ROSS
What sights, my lord?
ROSS
What things, my lord?
125
130
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
I pray you, speak not. He grows worse
Please, don’t speak to him. He’s
and worse.
getting worse and worse. Talk makes
Question enrages him. At once, good
him crazy. Everybody, please leave
night.
right now. Don’t bother exiting in the
Stand not upon the order of your going,
order of your rank, but just leave right
But go at once.
away.
LENNOX
LENNOX
Good night, and better health
Good night. I hope the king recovers
Attend his majesty!
soon!
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
A kind good night to all!
A kind good night to all!
Exeunt all but MACBETH and LADY
Everyone leaves except MACBETH and
MACBETH
LADY MACBETH.
MACBETH
MACBETH
It will have blood, they say. Blood will
There’s an old saying: the dead will
have blood.
have their revenge. Gravestones have
Stones have been known to move, and
been known to move, and trees to
trees to speak.
speak, to bring guilty men to justice.
Augurs and understood relations have
The craftiest murderers have been
By magot pies and choughs and rooks
exposed by the mystical signs made by
brought forth
crows and magpies. How late at night
The secret’st man of blood.—What is the
is it?
night?
135
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Almost at odds with morning, which is
It’s almost morning. You can’t tell
which.
whether it’s day or night.
MACBETH
MACBETH
How say’st thou that Macduff denies his
What do you think about the fact that
person
Macduff refuses to come to me when I
At our great bidding?
command him?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Did you send to him, sir?
Did you send for him, sir?
MACBETH
MACBETH
I hear it by the way; but I will send.
I’ve heard about this indirectly, but I
There’s not a one of them but in his house
will send for him. In every one of the
I keep a servant fee’d. I will tomorrow—
lords' households I have a servant paid
And betimes I will—to the weird sisters.
to spy for me. Tomorrow, while it’s
140 More shall they speak, for now I am bent
145
still early, I will go see the witches.
to know,
They will tell me more, because I’m
By the worst means, the worst. For mine
determined to know the worst about
own good,
what’s going to happen. My own
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
safety is the only important thing now.
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no
I have walked so far into this river of
more,
blood that even if I stopped now, it
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
would be as hard to go back to being
Strange things I have in head, that will to
good as it is to keep killing people. I
hand,
have some schemes in my head that
Which must be acted ere they may be
I’m planning to put into action. I have
scanned.
to do these things before I have a
chance to think about them.
150
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
You lack the season of all natures, sleep.
You haven’t slept.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and
Yes, let’s go to sleep. My strange self-
self-abuse
delusions just come from
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.
inexperience. We’re still just
We are yet but young in deed.
beginners when it comes to crime.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 3, Scene 5
Original Text
5
Modern Text
Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES meeting
Thunder. The three WITCHES enter,
HECATE
meeting HECATE.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Why, how now, Hecate! You look
What’s wrong, Hecate? You look
angerly.
angry.
HECATE
HECATE
Have I not reason, beldams as you are?
Don’t I have a reason to be angry, you
Saucy and overbold, how did you dare
disobedient hags? How dare you give
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
Macbeth riddles and prophecies about
In riddles and affairs of death,
his future without telling me? I am your
And I, the mistress of your charms,
boss and the source of your powers. I
The close contriver of all harms,
am the one who secretly decides what
Was never called to bear my part,
evil things happen, but you never called
Or show the glory of our art?
me to join in and show off my own
10
15
20
25
And, which is worse, all you have done
powers. And what’s worse, you’ve
Hath been but for a wayward son,
done all this for a man who behaves like
Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do,
a spoiled brat, angry and hateful. Like
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
all spoiled sons, he chases after what he
But make amends now. Get you gone,
wants and doesn’t care about you. But
And at the pit of Acheron
you can make it up to me. Go away
Meet me i' th' morning. Thither he
now and in the morning meet me in the
Will come to know his destiny.
pit by the river in hell. Macbeth will go
Your vessels and your spells provide,
there to learn his destiny. You bring
Your charms and everything beside.
your cauldrons, your spells, your
I am for the air. This night I’ll spend
charms, and everything else. I’m about
Unto a dismal and a fatal end.
to fly away. I’ll spend tonight working
Great business must be wrought ere noon.
to make something horrible happen. I
Upon the corner of the moon
have a lot to do before noon. An
There hangs a vap'rous drop profound.
important droplet is hanging from the
I’ll catch it ere it come to ground.
corner of the moon. I’ll catch it before
And that distilled by magic sleights
it falls to the ground. When I work it
Shall raise such artificial sprites
over with magic spells, the drop will
As by the strength of their illusion
produce magical spirits that will trick
Shall draw him on to his confusion.
Macbeth with illusions.
30 He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
He will be fooled into thinking he is
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear.
greater than fate, he will mock death,
And you all know, security
and he will think he is above wisdom,
Is mortals' chiefest enemy.
grace, and fear. As you all know,
overconfidence is man’s greatest
enemy.
35
Music and a song within: 'Come away, come
Music plays offstage, and voices sing a song
away,' &c
with the words “Come away, come away.”
Hark! I am called. My little spirit, see,
Listen! I’m being called. Look, my
Sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me.
little spirit is sitting in a foggy cloud
waiting for me.
Exit
HECATE exits.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Come, let’s make haste; she’ll soon be
Come on, let’s hurry. She’ll be back
back again.
again soon.
Exeunt
Act 3, Scene 6
They all exit.
Original Text
Enter LENNOX and another LORD
5
10
15
20
Modern Text
LENNOX and another LORD enter.
LENNOX
LENNOX
My former speeches have but hit your
What I’ve already said shows you we
thoughts,
think alike, so you can draw your own
Which can interpret farther. Only I say
conclusions. All I’m saying is that
Things have been strangely borne. The
strange things have been going on.
gracious Duncan
Macbeth pitied Duncan—after Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth. Marry, he was
was dead. And Banquo went out
dead.
walking too late at night. If you like,
And the right-valiant Banquo walked too
we can say that Fleance must have
late,
killed him, because Fleance fled the
Whom, you may say, if ’t please you,
scene of the crime. Clearly, men
Fleance killed,
should not go out walking too late! And
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too
who can help thinking how monstrous
late.
it was for Malcolm and Donalbain to
Who cannot want the thought how
kill their gracious father? Such a
monstrous
heinous crime—how it saddened
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
Macbeth! Wasn’t it loyal of him to kill
To kill their gracious father? Damnèd fact!
those two servants right away, while
How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not
they were still drunk and asleep? That
straight
was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?
In pious rage the two delinquents tear
Yes, and it was the wise thing, too,
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of
because we all would have been
sleep?
outraged to hear those two deny their
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely
crime. Considering all this, I think
too,
Macbeth has handled things well. If he
For ’twould have angered any heart alive
had Duncan’s sons in prison—which I
To hear the men deny ’t. So that, I say,
hope won’t happen—they would find
He has borne all things well. And I do
out how awful the punishment is for
think
those who kill their fathers, and so
That had he Duncan’s sons under his
would Fleance. But enough of that. I
key—
hear that Macduff is out of favor with
As, an’t please heaven, he shall not—they
the king because he speaks his mind too
should find
plainly, and because he failed to show
What ’twere to kill a father. So should
up at Macbeth’s feast. Can you tell me
Fleance.
where he’s hiding himself?
But, peace! For from broad words, and
'cause he failed
His presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
LORD
The son of Duncan—
25
30
35
LORD
Duncan’s son Malcolm, whose
From whom this tyrant holds the due of
birthright and throne Macbeth has
birth—
stolen, lives in the English court.
Lives in the English court and is received
There, the saintly King Edward treats
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
Malcolm so well that despite Malcolm’s
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
misfortunes, he’s not deprived of
Takes from his high respect. Thither
respect. Macduff went there to ask
Macduff
King Edward for help. He wants
Is gone to pray the holy king upon his aid
Edward to help him form an alliance
To wake Northumberland and warlike
with the people of Northumberland
Siward,
and their lord, Siward. Macduff hopes
That by the help of these—with Him
that with their help—and with the help
above
of God above—he may once again put
To ratify the work—we may again
food on our tables, bring peace back to
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our
our nights, free our feasts and banquets
nights,
from violent murders, allow us to pay
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody
proper homage to our king, and receive
knives,
honors freely. Those are the things we
Do faithful homage and receive free
pine for now. Macbeth has heard this
honors.
news and he is so angry that he’s
All which we pine for now. And this
preparing for war.
report
Hath so exasperated the king that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
40
LENNOX
LENNOX
Sent he to Macduff?
Did he tell Macduff to return to
Scotland?
LORD
LORD
He did, and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
He did, but Macduff told the
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
messenger, “No way.” The messenger
And hums, as who should say “You’ll rue
scowled and rudely turned his back on
the time
Macduff, as if to say, “You’ll regret the
That clogs me with this answer.”
day you gave me this answer.”
LENNOX
LENNOX
And that well might
That might well keep Macduff away
45
Advise him to a caution, t' hold what
from Scotland. Some holy angel should
distance
go to the court of England and give
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Macduff a message. He should return
Fly to the court of England and unfold
quickly to free our country, which is
His message ere he come, that a swift
suffering under a tyrant!
50
blessing
May soon return to this our suffering
country
Under a hand accursed!
LORD
LORD
I’ll send my prayers with him.
I’ll send my prayers with him.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 4, Scene 1
Original Text
Modern Text
A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
A cavern. In the middle, a boiling
Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES.
cauldron. Thunder. The three WITCHES
enter.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.
The tawny cat has meowed three
times.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined.
Three times. And the hedgehog has
whined once.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Harpier cries, “'Tis time, ’tis time.”
My spirit friend, Harpier, is yelling,
“It’s time, it’s time!”
5
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Round about the cauldron go,
Dance around the cauldron and throw
In the poisoned entrails throw.
in the poisoned entrails. (holding up a
Toad, that under cold stone
toad) You’ll go in first—a toad that sat
Days and nights has thirty-one
under a cold rock for a month, oozing
Sweltered venom sleeping got,
poison from its pores.
Boil thou first i' th' charmèd pot.
10
ALL
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
15
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Fillet of a fenny snake,
(holding something up) We’ll boil you in
In the cauldron boil and bake.
the cauldron next—a slice of swamp
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
snake. All the rest of you in too: a
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
newt’s eye, a frog’s tongue, fur from a
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
bat, a dog’s tongue, the forked tongue
Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing,
of an adder, the stinger of a burrowing
For a charm of powerful trouble,
worm, a lizard’s leg, an owl’s wing.
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
(speaking to the ingredients) Make a
charm to cause powerful trouble, and
boil and bubble like a broth of hell.
20
25
30
ALL
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Here come some more ingredients:
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
the scale of a dragon, a wolf’s tooth, a
Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
witch’s mummified flesh, the gullet
Root of hemlock digged i' th' dark,
and stomach of a ravenous shark, a
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
root of hemlock that was dug up in the
Gall of goat and slips of yew
dark, a Jew’s liver, a goat’s bile, some
Slivered in the moon’s eclipse,
twigs of yew that were broken off
Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips,
during a lunar eclipse, a Turk’s nose, a
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Tartar’s lips, the finger of a baby that
Ditch-delivered by a drab,
was strangled as a prostitute gave birth
Make the gruel thick and slab.
to it in a ditch. (to the ingredients) Make
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
this potion thick and gluey. (to the other
For the ingredients of our cauldron.
WITCHES) Now let’s add a tiger’s
entrails to the mix.
35
ALL
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
We’ll cool the mixture with baboon
Then the charm is firm and good.
blood. After that the charm is finished.
Enter HECATE and the other three
HECATE enters with three other
WITCHES
WITCHES.
HECATE
HECATE
40
Oh well done! I commend your pains,
Well done! I admire your efforts, and
And every one shall share i' th' gains.
all of you will share the rewards. Now
And now about the cauldron sing,
come sing around the cauldron like a
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
ring of elves and fairies, enchanting
Enchanting all that you put in.
everything you put in.
Music and a song: “Black spirits,” &c.
Music plays and the six WITCHES sing a
HECATE retires
song called “Black Spirits.” HECATE
leaves.
45
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
By the pricking of my thumbs,
I can tell that something wicked is
Something wicked this way comes.
coming by the tingling in my thumbs.
Open, locks,
Doors, open up for whoever is
Whoever knocks.
knocking!
Enter MACBETH
MACBETH
MACBETH
How now, you secret, black, and
What’s going on here, you secret,
midnight hags?
evil, midnight hags? What are you
What is ’t you do?
doing?
ALL
ALL
A deed without a name.
50
55
60
MACBETH enters.
Something there isn’t a word for.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I conjure you by that which you
I don’t know how you know the
profess—
things you do, but I insist that you
Howe'er you come to know it—answer
answer my questions. I command you
me.
in the name of whatever dark powers
Though you untie the winds and let
you serve. I don’t care if you unleash
them fight
violent winds that tear down
Against the churches, though the yeasty
churches, make the foamy waves
waves
overwhelm ships and send sailors to
Confound and swallow navigation up,
their deaths, flatten crops and trees,
Though bladed corn be lodged and trees
make castles fall down on their
blown down,
inhabitants' heads, make palaces and
Though castles topple on their warders'
pyramids collapse, and mix up
heads,
everything in nature. Tell me what I
Though palaces and pyramids do slope
want to know.
Their heads to their foundations, though
the treasure
Of nature’s germens tumble all
together,
Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Speak.
Speak.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Demand.
Demand.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
We’ll answer.
We’ll answer.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Say, if th' hadst rather hear it from our
Would you rather hear these things
mouths,
from our mouths or from our
Or from our masters'.
master’s?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Call 'em. Let me see 'em.
65
Call them. Let me see them.
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten
Pour in the blood of a sow who has
Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten
eaten her nine offspring. Take the
From the murderer’s gibbet throw
sweat of a murderer on the gallows
Into the flame.
and throw it into the flame.
ALL
ALL
Come, high or low;
Come, high or low spirits.
Thyself and office deftly
Show yourself and what you
show!
do.
Thunder. FIRST
Thunder. The FIRST
APPARITION : an armed
APPARITION appears,
head
looking like a head with an
armored helmet.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Tell me, thou unknown
Tell me, you unknown
power—
power—
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
He knows thy
thought.
He can read your thoughts.
Listen, but don’t speak.
Hear his speech but say thou
nought.
FIRST APPARITION
FIRST APPARITION
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth! Macbeth!
Beware Macduff.
Macbeth! Beware Macduff.
Beware the thane of Fife.
Beware the thane of Fife.
Dismiss me. Enough.
Let me go. Enough.
Descends
The FIRST APPARITION
descends.
75
MACBETH
MACBETH
Whate'er thou art, for thy
Whatever you are, thanks
good caution, thanks.
for your advice. You have
Thou hast harped my fear
guessed exactly what I
aright. But one word more—
feared. But one word
more—
80
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
He will not be commanded.
He will not be commanded
Here’s another
by you. Here’s another,
More potent than the first.
stronger than the first.
Thunder. SECOND
Thunder. The SECOND
APPARITION : a bloody
APPARITION appears,
child
looking like a bloody child.
SECOND APPARITION
SECOND APPARITION
Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth!—
Macbeth!
MACBETH
MACBETH
Had I three ears, I’d hear
If I had three ears I’d listen
thee.
with all three.
SECOND APPARITION
SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and
Be violent, bold, and firm.
resolute. Laugh to scorn
Laugh at the power of other
The power of man, for none
men, because nobody born
of woman born
from a woman will ever
Shall harm Macbeth.
harm Macbeth.
Descends
The SECOND
APPARITION descends.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Then live, Macduff. What
Then I don’t need to kill
need I fear of thee?
Macduff. I have no reason to
But yet I’ll make
fear him. But even so, I’ll
assurance double sure,
make doubly sure. I’ll
And take a bond of fate.
guarantee my own fate by
Thou shalt not live,
having you killed, Macduff.
That I may tell pale-
That way I can conquer my
hearted fear it lies,
own fear and sleep easy at
And sleep in spite of
night.
thunder.
Thunder. THIRD
Thunder. The THIRD
APPARITION : a child
APPARITION appears, in
crowned, with a tree in his hand
the form of a child with a
crown on his head and a tree
in his hand.
90
What is this
What is this spirit that
That rises like the issue of a
looks like the son of a king
king,
and wears a crown on his
And wears upon his baby-
young head?
brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
ALL
ALL
Listen but
95
Listen but don’t speak to
speak not to ’t.
it.
THIRD APPARITION
THIRD APPARITION
Be lion-mettled, proud, and
Be brave like the lion and
take no care
proud. Don’t even worry
Who chafes, who frets, or
about who hates you, who
where conspirers are.
resents you, and who
Macbeth shall never
conspires against you.
vanquished be until
Macbeth will never be
Great Birnam Wood to high
defeated until Birnam
Dunsinane Hill
Wood marches to fight you
Shall come against him.
at Dunsinane Hill.
Descends
The THIRD
APPARITION descends.
MACBETH
That will
100
MACBETH
That will never happen.
never be.
Who can command the
Who can impress the forest,
forest and make the trees
bid the tree
pull their roots out of the
Unfix his earthbound root?
earth? These were sweet
105
Sweet bodements! Good!
omens! Good! My murders
Rebellious dead, rise never
will never come back to
till the wood
threaten me until the forest
Of Birnam rise, and our
of Birnam gets up and
high-placed Macbeth
moves, and I will be king
Shall live the lease of nature,
for my entire natural life.
pay his breath
But my heart is still
To time and mortal custom.
throbbing to know one
Yet my heart
thing. Tell me, if your dark
Throbs to know one thing.
powers can see this far:
Tell me, if your art
will Banquo’s sons ever
Can tell so much: shall
reign in this kingdom?
Banquo’s issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?
ALL
ALL
Seek to know no more.
Don’t try to find out more.
110
MACBETH
MACBETH
I will be satisfied. Deny me
I demand to be satisfied. If
this,
you refuse, let an eternal
And an eternal curse fall on
curse fall on you. Let me
you! Let me know.
know. Why is that cauldron
Why sinks that cauldron?
sinking? And what is that
And what noise is this?
music?
Hautboys
Hautboys play music for a
ceremonial procession.
115
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Show.
Show.
SECOND WITCH
SECOND WITCH
Show.
Show.
THIRD WITCH
THIRD WITCH
Show.
Show.
ALL
ALL
Show his eyes and grieve his
Show him and make him
heart.
grieve. Come like shadows
Come like shadows; so
and depart in the same way!
depart!
A show of eight kings, the last
Eight kings march across the
with a glass in his hand,
stage, the last one with a mirror
followed by BANQUO
in his hand, followed by the
GHOST OF BANQUO.
120
125
MACBETH
MACBETH
Thou art too like the spirit
You look too much like the
of Banquo. Down!
ghost of Banquo. Go away!
Thy crown does sear mine
(to the first) Your crown hurts
eyeballs. And thy hair,
my eyes. (to the second) Your
Thou other gold-bound
blond hair, which looks like
brow, is like the first.
another crown underneath
A third is like the former.—
the one you’re wearing,
Filthy hags!
looks just like the first king’s
Why do you show me this?
hair. Now I see a third king
A fourth? Start, eyes!
who looks just like the
What, will the line stretch
second. Filthy hags! Why are
out to th' crack of doom?
you showing me this? A
Another yet? A seventh? I’ll
fourth! My eyes are bulging
see no more.
out of their sockets! Will this
And yet the eighth appears,
line stretch on forever?
who bears a glass
Another one! And a seventh!
Which shows me many
I don’t want to see any more.
more, and some I see
And yet an eighth appears,
That twofold balls and
holding a mirror in which I
treble scepters carry.
see many more men. And
Horrible sight! Now I see
some are carrying double
’tis true;
balls and triple scepters,
For the blood-boltered
meaning they’re kings of
Banquo smiles upon me
more than one country!
And points at them for his.
Horrible sight! Now I see it
is true, they are Banquo’s
descendants. Banquo, with
his blood-clotted hair, is
smiling at me and pointing to
them as his.
Apparitions vanish
The spirits of the kings and
the GHOST OF
BANQUO vanish.
What, is this
so?
What? Is this true?
130
135
FIRST WITCH
FIRST WITCH
Ay, sir, all this is so. But
Yes, this is true, but why do
why
you stand there so
Stands Macbeth thus
dumbfounded? Come,
amazedly?
sisters, let’s cheer him up
Come, sisters, cheer we
and show him our talents. I
up his sprites,
will charm the air to
And show the best of our
produce music while you all
delights.
dance around like crazy, so
I’ll charm th' air to give a
this king will say we did our
sound,
duty and entertained him.
While you perform your
antic round.
That this great king may
kindly say,
Our duties did his
welcome pay.
140
Music. The WITCHES
Music plays. The WITCHES
dance and then vanish
dance and then vanish.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Where are they? Gone?
Where are they? Gone? Let
Let this pernicious hour
this evil hour be marked
Stand aye accursèd in the
forever in the calendar as
calendar!
cursed. (calls to someone
Come in, without there.
offstage) You outside, come
in!
Enter LENNOX
LENNOX
What’s your
LENNOX enters.
LENNOX
What does your grace want?
grace’s will?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Saw you the weird sisters?
Did you see the weird
sisters?
LENNOX
No, my
LENNOX
No, my lord.
lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Came they not by you?
Didn’t they pass by you?
LENNOX
No, indeed,
LENNOX
No, indeed, my lord.
my lord.
145
MACBETH
MACBETH
Infected be the air
The air on which they ride is
whereon they ride,
infected. Damn all those
And damned all those that
who trust them! I heard the
trust them! I did hear
galloping of horses. Who
The galloping of horse.
was it that came here?
Who was ’t came by?
LENNOX
LENNOX
'Tis two or three, my
Two or three men, my lord,
lord, that bring you word
who brought the message
Macduff is fled to
that Macduff has fled to
England.
England.
150
155
160
MACBETH
MACBETH
Fled to England?
Fled to England?
LENNOX
LENNOX
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, my good lord.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Time, thou anticipat’st my
Time, you thwart my
dread exploits.
dreadful plans. Unless a
The flighty purpose never is
person does something the
o'ertook
second he thinks of it, he’ll
Unless the deed go with it.
never get a chance to do it.
From this moment
From now on, as soon as I
The very firstlings of my
decide to do something I’m
heart shall be
going to act immediately. In
The firstlings of my hand.
fact, I’ll start following up
And even now,
my thoughts with actions
To crown my thoughts with
right now. I’ll raid
acts, be it thought and done:
Macduff’s castle, seize the
The castle of Macduff I will
town of Fife, and kill his
surprise,
wife, his children, and
Seize upon Fife, give to th'
anyone else unfortunate
edge o' th' sword
enough to stand in line for
His wife, his babes, and all
his inheritance. No more
unfortunate souls
foolish talk. I will do this
That trace him in his line.
deed before I lose my sense
No boasting like a fool.
of purpose. But no more
This deed I’ll do before this
spooky visions!—Where
purpose cool.
are the messengers? Come,
But no more sights!—
bring me to them.
Where are these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they
are.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 4, Scene 2
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter LADY MACDUFF, her SON, and
LADY MACDUFF, her SON, and
ROSS
ROSS enter.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
What had he done to make him fly the
What did he do that made him flee this
land?
land?
ROSS
ROSS
You must have patience, madam.
You have to be patient, madam.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
He had none.
His flight was madness. When our
run away. Even if you’re not a traitor,
actions do not,
you’re going to look like one if you
Our fears do make us traitors.
run away.
ROSS
ROSS
You know not
5
10
He had no patience. He was crazy to
You don’t know whether it was
Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
wisdom or fear that made him flee.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Wisdom! To leave his wife, to leave his
How could it be wisdom! To leave his
babes,
wife, his children, his house, and his
His mansion and his titles in a place
titles in a place so unsafe that he
From whence himself does fly? He loves
himself flees it! He doesn’t love us. He
us not;
lacks the natural instinct to protect his
He wants the natural touch. For the poor
family. Even the fragile wren, the
wren,
smallest of birds, will fight against the
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
owl when it threatens her young ones
Her young ones in her nest, against the
in the nest. His running away has
owl.
everything to do with fear and nothing
All is the fear and nothing is the love,
to do with love. And since it’s so
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
unreasonable for him to run away, it
So runs against all reason.
has nothing to do with wisdom either.
ROSS
ROSS
My dearest coz,
My dearest relative, I’m begging you,
15 I pray you school yourself. But for your
pull yourself together. As for your
husband,
husband, he is noble, wise, and
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best
judicious, and he understands what the
knows
times require. It’s not safe for me to
The fits o' th' season. I dare not speak
say much more than this, but times are
much further;
bad when people get denounced as
But cruel are the times when we are
traitors and don’t even know why. In
traitors
times like these, we believe frightening
And do not know ourselves; when we
rumors but we don’t even know what
hold rumor
we’re afraid of. It’s like being tossed
20
25 From what we fear, yet know not what
around on the ocean in every
we fear,
direction, and finally getting nowhere.
But float upon a wild and violent sea
I’ll say good-bye now. It won’t be long
Each way and none. I take my leave of
before I’m back. When things are at
you.
their worst they have to stop, or else
Shall not be long but I’ll be here again.
improve to the way things were
Things at the worst will cease, or else
before. My young cousin, I put my
climb upward
blessing upon you.
To what they were before.—My pretty
cousin,
Blessing upon you.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Fathered he is, and yet he’s
He has a father, and yet he
fatherless.
is fatherless.
30
ROSS
ROSS
I am so much a fool, should
I have to go. If I stay
I stay longer
longer, I’ll embarrass you
It would be my disgrace and
and disgrace myself by
your discomfort.
crying. I’m leaving now.
I take my leave at once.
Exit
LADY MACDUFF
Sirrah, your
ROSS exits.
LADY MACDUFF
Young man, your father’s
father’s dead.
dead. What are you going
And what will you do now?
to do now? How are you
How will you live?
going to live?
SON
SON
As birds do, Mother.
I will live the way birds
do, Mother.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
What, with worms and
What? Are you going to
flies?
start eating worms and
flies?
SON
SON
With what I get, I mean,
I mean I will live on
and so do they.
whatever I get, like birds
do.
35
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Poor bird! Thou ’dst never
You’d be a pitiful bird.
fear the net nor lime,
You wouldn’t know
The pitfall nor the gin.
enough to be afraid of
traps.
SON
SON
Why should I, mother?
Why should I be afraid of
Poor birds they are not set
them, Mother? If I’m a
for.
pitiful bird, like you say,
My father is not dead, for
hunters won’t want me.
all your saying.
No matter what you say,
my father is not dead.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Yes, he is dead. How wilt
Yes, he is dead. What are
thou do for a father?
you going to do for a
father?
40
SON
SON
Nay, how will you do for a
Maybe you should ask,
husband?
what will you do for a
husband?
SON
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Why, I can buy me twenty
Oh, I can buy twenty
at any market.
husbands at any market.
SON
Then you’ll buy 'em to
If so, you’d be buying them
sell again.
to sell again.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Thou speak’st with all thy
You talk like a child, but
wit; and yet, i' faith,
you’re very smart anyway.
With wit enough for thee.
45
50
SON
SON
Was my father a traitor,
Was my father a traitor,
Mother?
Mother?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Ay, that he was.
Yes, he was.
SON
SON
What is a traitor?
What is a traitor?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Why, one that swears and
Someone who makes a
lies.
promise and breaks it.
SON
SON
And be all traitors that do
And is everyone who
so?
swears and lies a traitor?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Every one that does so is a
Everyone who does so is a
traitor and must be hanged.
traitor and should be
hanged.
SON
SON
And must they all be hanged
And should everyone who
that swear and lie?
makes promises and breaks
them be hanged?
55
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Every one.
Everyone.
SON
SON
Who must hang them?
Who should hang them?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Why, the honest men.
The honest men.
SON
SON
Then the liars and swearers
Then the liars are fools, for
are fools, for there are liars
there are enough liars in the
and swearers enough to beat
world to beat up the honest
the honest men and hang up
men and hang them.
them.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Now, God help thee, poor
(laughing) Heaven help you
monkey! But how wilt thou
for saying that, boy! (sad
do for a father?
again) But what will you do
without a father?
SON
SON
If he were dead, you’d weep
If he were dead, you’d be
for him. If you would not, it
weeping for him. If you
were a good sign that I
aren’t weeping, it’s a good
should quickly have a new
sign that I’ll soon have a
father.
new father.
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
Poor prattler, how thou
Silly babbler, how you talk!
talk’st!
Enter a MESSENGER
60
65
A MESSENGER enters.
MESSENGER
MESSENGER
Bless you, fair dame! I am
Bless you, fair lady! You
not to you known,
don’t know me, but I
Though in your state of
know you’re an important
honor I am perfect.
person. I’m afraid
I doubt some danger does
something dangerous is
approach you nearly.
coming toward you. If
If you will take a homely
you’ll take a simple man’s
man’s advice,
advice, don’t be here
Be not found here. Hence
when it arrives. Go away
with your little ones.
and take your children. I
To fright you thus methinks
feel bad for scaring you
I am too savage;
like this, but it would be
To do worse to you were
much worse for me to let
fell cruelty,
you come to harm. And
Which is too nigh your
harm is getting close!
person. Heaven preserve
Heaven keep you safe!
you!
I dare abide no longer.
Exit
LADY MACDUFF
The MESSENGER exits.
LADY MACDUFF
70
Whither should I fly?
Where should I go? I
I have done no harm. But I
haven’t done anything
remember now
wrong. But I have to
I am in this earthly world,
remember that I’m here
where to do harm
on Earth, where doing evil
Is often laudable, to do
is often praised, and doing
good sometime
good is sometimes a stupid
Accounted dangerous folly.
and dangerous mistake. So
Why then, alas,
then why should I offer
Do I put up that womanly
this womanish defense that
defense,
I’m innocent?
To say I have done no harm?
Enter MURDERERS
What are
The MURDERERS enter.
Who are these men?
these faces?
75
FIRST MURDERER
FIRST MURDERER
Where is your husband?
Where is your husband?
LADY MACDUFF
LADY MACDUFF
I hope, in no place so
I hope he’s not anywhere
unsanctified
so disreputable that thugs
Where such as thou mayst
like you can find him.
find him.
FIRST MURDERER
He’s a traitor.
FIRST MURDERER
(Stabbing him)
He’s a traitor.
SON
SON
Thou liest, thou shag-haired
You’re lying, you shaggy-
villain!
haired villain!
FIRST MURDERER
What’s that, you runt?
What, you egg?
(stabbing him) Young son of a
Young fry of treachery!
traitor!
80
FIRST MURDERER
SON
SON
He has killed me, mother.
He has killed me, Mother.
Run away, I pray you!
Run away, I beg you!
He dies. Exit LADY
The SON dies. LADY
MACDUFF, crying “Murder!”
MACDUFF exits, crying
followed by MURDERERS
“Murder!” The
MURDERERS exit,
following her.
Act 4, Scene 3
Original Text
Enter MALCOLM and MACDUFF
MALCOLM and MACDUFF enter.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Let us seek out some desolate shade
Let’s seek out some shady place
and there
where we can sit down alone and cry
Weep our sad bosoms empty.
our hearts out.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Let us rather
5
Modern Text
Instead of crying, let’s keep hold of
Hold fast the mortal sword and, like
our swords and defend our fallen
good men,
homeland like honorable men. Each
Bestride our downfall'n birthdom.
day new widows howl, new orphans
Each new morn
cry, and new sorrows slap heaven in
New widows howl, new orphans cry,
the face, until it sounds like heaven
new sorrows
itself feels Scotland’s anguish and
Strike heaven on the face, that it
screams in pain.
resounds
As if it felt with Scotland and yelled
out
Like syllable of dolor.
MALCOLM
What I believe I’ll wail;
10
MALCOLM
I will avenge whatever I believe is
What know believe, and what I can
wrong. And I’ll believe whatever I’m
redress,
sure is true. And I’ll put right
As I shall find the time to friend, I
whatever I can when the time comes.
will.
What you just said may perhaps be
What you have spoke, it may be so
true. This tyrant, whose mere name
perchance.
is so awful it hurts us to say it, was
15 This tyrant, whose sole name blisters
once considered an honest man. You
our tongues,
were one of his favorites. He hasn’t
Was once thought honest. You have
done anything to harm you yet. I’m
loved him well.
inexperienced, but maybe you’re
He hath not touched you yet. I am
planning to win Macbeth’s favor by
young, but something
betraying me to him. It would be
You may deserve of him through me,
smart to offer someone poor and
and wisdom
innocent like me as a sacrificial lamb
To offer up a weak, poor, innocent
to satisfy an angry god like Macbeth.
lamb
T' appease an angry god.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
I am not treacherous.
I am not treacherous.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
But Macbeth is.
But Macbeth is. Even someone with a
20 A good and virtuous nature may recoil
good and virtuous nature might give
In an imperial charge. But I shall crave
way to a royal command. But I beg
your pardon.
your pardon. My fears can’t actually
That which you are, my thoughts
make you evil. Angels are still bright
cannot transpose.
even though Lucifer, the brightest
Angels are bright still, though the
angel, fell from heaven. Even though
brightest fell.
everything evil wants to look good,
Though all things foul would wear the
good still has to look good too.
25
brows of grace,
Yet grace must still look so.
MACDUFF
I have lost
my hopes.
MACDUFF
I have lost my hope of
convincing you to fight
against Macbeth.
30
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Perchance even there
Maybe you lost your
where I did find my doubts.
hopes about me where I
Why in that rawness left
found my doubts about
you wife and child,
you. Why did you leave
Those precious motives,
your wife and child
those strong knots of love,
vulnerable—the most
Without leave-taking? I
precious things in your
pray you,
life, those strong bonds of
Let not my jealousies be
love? How could you
your dishonors,
leave them behind? But I
But mine own safeties. You
beg you, don’t interpret
may be rightly just,
my suspicions as slander
Whatever I shall think.
against you. You must
understand that I want to
protect myself. You may
really be honest, no
matter what I think.
MACDUFF
Bleed, bleed,
35
45
50
Bleed, bleed, poor
poor country!
country! Great tyrant, go
Great tyranny, lay thou thy
ahead and build yourself
basis sure,
up, because good people
For goodness dare not
are afraid to stand up to
check thee. Wear thou thy
you. Enjoy everything
wrongs;
you stole, because your
The title is affeered.—Fare
title is safe! Farewell,
thee well, lord.
lord. I wouldn’t be the
I would not be the villain
villain you think I am
that thou think’st
even if I were offered all
For the whole space that’s
of Macbeth’s kingdom
in the tyrant’s grasp,
and the riches of the East
And the rich East to boot.
too.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Be not
40
MACDUFF
Don’t be offended. I
offended.
don’t completely distrust
I speak not as in absolute
you. I do think Scotland is
fear of you.
sinking under Macbeth’s
I think our country sinks
oppression. Our country
beneath the yoke.
weeps, it bleeds, and each
It weeps, it bleeds, and
day a fresh cut is added to
each new day a gash
her wounds. I also think
Is added to her wounds. I
there would be many
think withal
people willing to fight for
There would be hands
me. The English have
uplifted in my right;
promised me thousands of
And here from gracious
troops. But even so,
England have I offer
when I have Macbeth’s
Of goodly thousands. But,
head under my foot, or
for all this,
stuck on the end of my
When I shall tread upon the
sword, then my poor
tyrant’s head,
country will be plagued
Or wear it on my sword,
by worse evil than it was
yet my poor country
before. It will suffer
Shall have more vices than
worse and in more ways
it had before,
than ever under the reign
More suffer, and more
of the king who follows
sundry ways than ever,
Macbeth.
By him that shall succeed.
MACDUFF
What should
he be?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
It is myself I mean, in
I’m talking about myself. I
whom I know
know I have so many vices
All the particulars of vice
that when people see all of
so grafted
them exposed, evil Macbeth
That, when they shall be
will seem as pure as snow in
opened, black Macbeth
comparison, and poor
Will seem as pure as
Scotland will call him a
snow, and the poor state
sweet lamb when they
Esteem him as a lamb,
compare him to me and my
being compared
infinite evils.
MACDUFF
Who are you talking
about?
With my confineless
harms.
MACDUFF
Not in the
MACDUFF
Even in hell you couldn’t
legions
find a devil worse than
Of horrid hell can come a
Macbeth.
devil more damned
In evils to top Macbeth.
MALCOLM
I grant him
60
65
MALCOLM
I admit that he’s
bloody,
murderous, lecherous,
Luxurious, avaricious, false,
greedy, lying, deceitful,
deceitful,
violent, malicious, and
Sudden, malicious, smacking
guilty of every sin that
of every sin
has a name. But there is
That has a name. But there’s
no end, absolutely none,
no bottom, none,
to my sexual desires.
In my voluptuousness. Your
Your wives, your
wives, your daughters,
daughters, your old
Your matrons, and your
women, and your young
maids could not fill up
maids together could not
The cistern of my lust, and
satisfy my lust. My
my desire
desire would overpower
All continent impediments
all restraints and anyone
would o'erbear
who stood in my way. It
That did oppose my will.
would be better for
Better Macbeth
Macbeth to rule than
Than such an one to reign.
someone like me.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Boundless
70
75
Endless greed and lust in
intemperance
a man’s nature is a kind
In nature is a tyranny. It hath
of tyranny. It has caused
been
the downfall of many
The untimely emptying of
kings. But don’t be
the happy throne
afraid to take the crown
And fall of many kings. But
that belongs to you. You
fear not yet
can find a way to satisfy
To take upon you what is
your desires in secret,
yours. You may
while still appearing
Convey your pleasures in a
virtuous. You can
spacious plenty
deceive everyone. There
And yet seem cold; the time
are more than enough
you may so hoodwink.
willing women around.
We have willing dames
Your lust can’t possibly
enough. There cannot be
be so strong that you’d
That vulture in you to
use up all the women
devour so many
willing to give
As will to greatness dedicate
themselves to the king
themselves,
once they find out he
Finding it so inclined.
wants them.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
With this there grows
Along with being full of
In my most ill-composed
lust, I’m also incredibly
affection such
greedy. If I became king, I
A stanchless avarice that,
would steal the nobles'
were I king,
lands, taking jewels from
I should cut off the
one guy and houses from
nobles for their lands,
another. The more I had,
Desire his jewels and
the greedier I would grow,
this other’s house.
until I’d invent false
And my more-having
quarrels with my good and
would be as a sauce
loyal subjects, destroying
To make me hunger
them so I could get my
more, that I should
hands on their wealth.
forge
Quarrels unjust against
the good and loyal,
Destroying them for
wealth.
MACDUFF
90
MACDUFF
This avarice
The greed you’re talking
Sticks deeper, grows with
about is worse than lust
more pernicious root
because you won’t outgrow
Than summer-seeming
it. Greed has been the
lust, and it hath been
downfall of many kings. But
The sword of our slain
don’t be afraid. Scotland has
kings. Yet do not fear;
enough treasures to satisfy
Scotland hath foisons to fill
you out of your own royal
up your will,
coffers. These bad qualities
Of your mere own. All
are bearable when balanced
these are portable,
against your good sides.
With other graces
weighed.
95
100
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
But I have none. The king-
But I don’t have any good
becoming graces,
sides. I don’t have a trace of
As justice, verity,
the qualities a king needs,
temperance, stableness,
such as justice, truth,
Bounty, perseverance,
moderation, stability,
mercy, lowliness,
generosity, perseverance,
Devotion, patience,
mercy, humility, devotion,
courage, fortitude,
patience, courage, and
I have no relish of them but
bravery. Instead, I overflow
abound
with every variation of all
In the division of each
the different vices. No, if I
several crime,
had power I would take
Acting it many ways. Nay,
world peace and throw it
had I power, I should
down to hell.
Pour the sweet milk of
concord into hell,
Uproar the universal
peace, confound
All unity on earth.
MACDUFF
O Scotland,
MACDUFF
Oh Scotland, Scotland!
Scotland!
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
If such a one be fit to
If someone like me is fit to
govern, speak.
be king, let me know. I
I am as I have spoken.
really am exactly as I have
described myself to you.
MACDUFF
Fit to
MACDUFF
(to MALCOLM) Fit to be
govern?
king? You’re not fit to
No, not to live.—O
live!—Oh miserable nation,
nation miserable,
ruled by a usurping,
With an untitled tyrant
murderous tyrant, when will
bloody-sceptered,
you see peaceful days again?
When shalt thou see thy
The man who has a legal
wholesome days again,
right to the throne is, by his
Since that the truest issue
own admission, a cursed
of thy throne
man and a disgrace to the
By his own interdiction
royal family.—Your royal
stands accursed,
father Duncan was a virtuous
And does blaspheme his
king. Your mother spent
breed?—Thy royal father
more time on her knees in
Was a most sainted king.
prayer than she did standing
The queen that bore thee,
up, and she lived a life of
Oftener upon her knees
absolute piety. Good-bye.
than on her feet,
The evils you have described
Died every day she lived.
inside yourself have driven
Fare thee well!
me out of Scotland forever.
These evils thou repeat’st
Oh my heart, your hope is
upon thyself
dead!
Have banished me from
Scotland.—O my breast,
Thy hope ends here!
MALCOLM
Macduff, this
noble passion,
MALCOLM
Macduff, this passionate
outburst, which proves
120
125
130
Child of integrity, hath from
your integrity, has
my soul
removed my doubts
Wiped the black scruples,
about you and made me
reconciled my thoughts
realize that you really are
To thy good truth and
trustworthy and
honor. Devilish Macbeth
honorable. That devil
By many of these trains hath
Macbeth has tried many
sought to win me
times to trick me and
Into his power, and modest
lure me into his power,
wisdom plucks me
and prudence prevents
From overcredulous haste.
me from believing people
But God above
too quickly. But with
Deal between thee and me,
God as my witness, I will
for even now
let myself be guided by
I put myself to thy direction
you, and I take back my
and
confession. I take back all
Unspeak mine own
the bad things I said
detraction, here abjure
about myself, because
The taints and blames I laid
none of those flaws are
upon myself,
really part of my
For strangers to my nature. I
character. I’m still a
am yet
virgin. I have never told a
Unknown to woman, never
lie. I barely care about
was forsworn,
what I already own, let
Scarcely have coveted what
alone feel jealous of
was mine own,
another’s possessions. I
At no time broke my faith,
have never broken a
would not betray
promise. I wouldn’t
The devil to his fellow, and
betray the devil himself. I
delight
love truth as much as I
No less in truth than life. My
love life. The lies I told
first false speaking
about my character are
Was this upon myself. What
actually the first false
I am truly,
words I have ever
Is thine and my poor
spoken. The person who
country’s to command.
I really am is ready to
serve you and our poor
country.
Whither indeed, before
Indeed, before you arrived
thy here-approach,
here, old Siward, with ten
Old Siward, with ten
thousand soldiers already
thousand warlike men,
prepared for battle, was
Already at a point, was
making his way here. Now
setting forth.
we will fight Macbeth
Now we’ll together, and
together, and may the
the chance of goodness
chances of our success be as
Be like our warranted
great as the justice of our
quarrel! Why are you
cause! Why are you silent?
silent?
140
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Such welcome and
It’s hard to make sense of
unwelcome things at once
such different stories.
'Tis hard to reconcile.
Enter a DOCTOR
A DOCTOR enters.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Well, more anon.—Comes
Well, we’ll speak more
the king forth, I pray you?
soon. (to the DOCTOR) Is
King Edward coming out?
145
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Ay, sir; there are a crew of
Yes, sir. A crowd of sick
wretched souls
people is waiting for him
That stay his cure. Their
to heal them. Their illness
malady convinces
confounds the most
The great assay of art, but
advanced techniques of
at his touch—
modern medicine, but
Such sanctity hath heaven
when he touches them,
given his hand—
they heal immediately
They presently amend.
because of the power
granted to him by heaven.
MALCOLM
I thank you,
MALCOLM
Thank you, doctor.
doctor.
Exit DOCTOR
The DOCTOR exits.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
What’s the disease he
What disease is he talking
means?
about?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
'Tis called the
150
155
It’s called the evil.
evil.
Edward’s healing touch is a
A most miraculous work in
miracle that I have seen
this good king,
him perform many times
Which often since my here-
during my stay in England.
remain in England
How he receives these
I have seen him do. How he
gifts from heaven, only he
solicits heaven,
can say. But he cures
Himself best knows, but
people with strange
strangely visited people,
conditions—all swollen,
All swoll'n and ulcerous,
plagued by ulcers, and
pitiful to the eye,
pitiful to look at, patients
The mere despair of
who are beyond the help
surgery, he cures,
of surgery—by placing a
Hanging a golden stamp
gold coin around their
about their necks,
necks and saying holy
Put on with holy prayers.
prayers over them.
And, ’tis spoken,
To the succeeding royalty
They say that he bequeaths
he leaves
this ability to heal to his
The healing benediction.
royal descendants. Along
With this strange virtue,
with this strange power, he
He hath a heavenly gift of
also has the gift of
prophecy,
prophecy and various other
And sundry blessings hang
abilities. All of these signs
about his throne,
mark him as a man graced
That speak him full of
by God.
grace.
Enter ROSS
MACDUFF
See, who
ROSS enters.
MACDUFF
Who’s that coming over
comes here?
here?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
My countryman, but yet I
By his dress I can tell he’s
know him not.
my countryman, but I
don’t recognize him.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
My ever-gentle cousin,
My noble kinsman,
165
welcome hither.
welcome.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
I know him now.—Good
I recognize him now. May
God, betimes remove
God alter the
The means that makes us
circumstances that keep us
strangers!
apart!
ROSS
ROSS
Sir, amen.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Stands Scotland where it
Is Scotland the same as
did?
when I left it?
ROSS
ROSS
Alas, poor
170
175
Hello, sir.
Alas, our poor country! It’s
country!
too frightened to look at
Almost afraid to know
itself. Scotland is no longer
itself. It cannot
the land where we were
Be called our mother, but
born; it’s the land where
our grave, where nothing,
we’ll die. Where no one
But who knows nothing, is
ever smiles except for the
once seen to smile;
fool who knows nothing.
Where sighs and groans and
Where sighs, groans, and
shrieks that rend the air
shrieks rip through the air
Are made, not marked;
but no one notices. Where
where violent sorrow
violent sorrow is a
seems
common emotion. When
A modern ecstasy. The
the funeral bells ring,
dead man’s knell
people no longer ask who
Is there scarce asked for
died. Good men die before
who, and good men’s lives
the flowers in their caps
Expire before the flowers
wilt. They die before they
in their caps,
even fall sick.
Dying or ere they sicken.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Oh, relation
Oh, your report is too
Too nice and yet too true!
poetic, but it sounds so
true!
MALCOLM
What’s the
MALCOLM
What is the most recent
newest grief?
news?
ROSS
ROSS
That of an hour’s age doth
Even news an hour old is
hiss the speaker.
old news. Every minute
Each minute teems a new
another awful thing
one.
happens.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
How does my
How is my wife?
wife?
ROSS
ROSS
Why, well.
She’s well.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
And all my
And all my children?
children?
ROSS
Well too.
180
185
190
ROSS
They’re well too.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
The tyrant has not battered
Macbeth hasn’t attacked
at their peace?
them?
ROSS
ROSS
No, they were well at peace
They were at peace when
when I did leave 'em.
I left them.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Be not a niggard of your
Don’t be stingy with your
speech. How goes ’t?
words. What’s the news?
ROSS
ROSS
When I came hither to
While I was coming here
transport the tidings,
to tell you my sad news, I
Which I have heavily borne,
heard rumors that many
there ran a rumor
good men are arming
Of many worthy fellows
themselves to rebel
that were out;
against Macbeth. When I
Which was to my belief
saw Macbeth’s army on
witnessed the rather
the move, I knew the
For that I saw the tyrant’s
rumors must be true.
power afoot.
Now is the time when we
Now is the time of help.
need your help. Your
Your eye in Scotland
presence in Scotland
Would create soldiers, make
would inspire people to
our women fight,
fight. Even the women
To doff their dire distresses.
would fight to rid
themselves of Macbeth’s
oppression.
MALCOLM
Be ’t their
ROSS
Would I
MALCOLM
Let them be comforted—
comfort
I’m returning to Scotland.
We are coming thither.
Gracious King Edward has
Gracious England hath
sent us noble Siward and
Lent us good Siward and ten
ten thousand soldiers.
thousand men;
There is no soldier more
An older and a better soldier
experienced or successful
none
than Siward in the entire
That Christendom gives out.
Christian world.
ROSS
I wish I could repay this
could answer
happy news with good news
This comfort with the
of my own. But I have some
like. But I have words
news that should be howled
That would be howled
in a barren desert where
out in the desert air,
nobody can hear it.
Where hearing should
not latch them.
MACDUFF
What concern
MACDUFF
What is this news about?
they?
Does it affect all of us? Or
The general cause, or is it a
just one of us?
fee-grief
Due to some single breast?
ROSS
No mind that’s
200
ROSS
No decent man can keep
honest
from sharing in the sorrow,
But in it shares some woe,
but my news affects you
though the main part
alone.
Pertains to you alone.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
If it be mine,
If it’s for me, don’t keep it
Keep it not from me.
from me. Let me have it
205
Quickly let me have it.
now.
ROSS
ROSS
Let not your ears despise my
I hope you won’t hate me
tongue forever,
forever after I say these
Which shall possess them
things, because I will soon
with the heaviest sound
fill your ears with the most
That ever yet they heard.
dreadful news you have
ever heard.
MACDUFF
Hum! I guess at
210
MACDUFF
I think I can guess what
it.
you’re about to say.
ROSS
ROSS
Your castle is surprised, your
Your castle was attacked.
wife and babes
Your wife and children
Savagely slaughtered. To
were savagely slaughtered.
relate the manner,
If I told you how they were
Were, on the quarry of these
killed, it would cause you
murdered deer
so much pain that it would
To add the death of you.
kill you too, and add your
body to the pile of
murdered corpses.
MALCOLM
Merciful
MALCOLM
Merciful heaven! (to
heaven!
MACDUFF) Come on,
What, man! Ne'er pull your
man, don’t keep your grief
hat upon your brows.
hidden. Put your sorrow
Give sorrow words. The
into words. The grief you
grief that does not speak
keep inside you will
Whispers the o'erfraught
whisper in your heart until
heart and bids it break.
it breaks.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
My children too?
They killed my children
too?
215
ROSS
ROSS
Wife, children, servants, all
They killed your wife, your
that could be found.
children, your servants,
anyone they could find.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
And I must be from
And I had to be away! My
thence!
wife was killed too?
My wife killed too?
220
ROSS
ROSS
I have said.
I said she was.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Be comforted.
Take comfort. Let’s cure
Let’s make us med'cines of
this awful grief by taking
our great revenge,
revenge on Macbeth.
To cure this deadly grief.
225
230
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
He has no children. All my
He doesn’t have children.
pretty ones?
All my pretty little
Did you say all? O hell-kite!
children? Did you say all?
All?
Oh, that bird from hell! All
What, all my pretty
of them? What, all my
chickens and their dam
children and their mother
At one fell swoop?
dead in one fell swoop?
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Dispute it like a man.
Fight it like a man.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
I shall do so,
I will. But I also have to
But I must also feel it as a
feel it like a man. I can’t
man.
help remembering the
I cannot but remember such
things that were most
things were
precious to me. Did heaven
That were most precious to
watch the slaughter and not
me. Did heaven look on,
send down any help? Sinful
And would not take their
Macduff, they were killed
part? Sinful Macduff,
because of you! As wicked
They were all struck for
as I am, they were
thee! Naught that I am,
slaughtered because of me,
Not for their own demerits,
not because of anything
but for mine,
they did. May God give
Fell slaughter on their souls.
their souls rest.
Heaven rest them now.
235
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Be this the whetstone of
Let this anger sharpen your
your sword. Let grief
sword. Transform your
Convert to anger. Blunt not
grief into anger. Don’t
the heart, enrage it.
block the feelings in your
heart; let them loose as
rage.
240
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Oh, I could play the woman
I could go on weeping like
with mine eyes
a woman and bragging
And braggart with my
about how I will avenge
tongue! But, gentle heavens,
them! But gentle heavens,
Cut short all intermission.
don’t keep me waiting.
Front to front
Bring me face to face with
Bring thou this fiend of
Macbeth, that devil of
Scotland and myself.
Scotland. Put him within
Within my sword’s length
the reach of my sword, and
set him; if he ’scape,
if he escapes, may heaven
Heaven forgive him too.
forgive him as well!
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
This tune goes
Now you sound like a man.
manly.
Come on, let’s go see King
Come, go we to the king.
Edward. The army is ready.
Our power is ready;
All we have to do now is say
Our lack is nothing but our
goodbye to the king.
leave. Macbeth
Macbeth is ripe for the
Is ripe for shaking, and the
picking. We’ll be acting as
powers above
God’s agents. Cheer up as
Put on their instruments.
much as you can. A new day
Receive what cheer you may.
will come at last.
The night is long that never
finds the day.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 5, Scene 1
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter a DOCTOR of physic and a waiting-
A DOCTOR and a waiting-
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN enter.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
I have two nights watched with you but
I’ve stayed up with you for two nights
can perceive no truth in your report.
now, and I haven’t seen any evidence
When was it she last walked?
of what you were talking about. When
was the last time you saw her
sleepwalking?
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Since his majesty went into the field, I
Since Macbeth went to war, I have
have seen her rise from her bed, throw
seen her rise from her bed, put on her
her nightgown upon her, unlock her
nightgown, unlock her closet, take out
closet, take forth paper, fold it, write
some paper, fold it, write on it, read
upon ’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and
it, seal it up, and then return to bed,
again return to bed; yet all this while in a
remaining asleep the entire time.
most fast sleep.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
A great perturbation in nature, to receive
It’s unnatural to be asleep and act as if
at once the benefit of sleep, and do the
you’re awake. When she is like this,
line>effects of watching. In this slumbery
besides walking and performing
agitation, besides her walking and other
various activities, have you heard her
actual performances, what, at any time,
say anything?
have you heard her say?
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
That, sir, which I will not report after
She says something, sir, but I will not
her.
repeat it to you.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
You may to me, and ’tis most meet you
You can tell me. You really should.
should.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Neither to you nor any one, having no
I will not confess it to you nor to
witness to confirm my speech.
anyone else, because there was no one
else to witness her speech.
Enter LADY MACBETH with a taper
LADY MACBETH enters, holding a
candle.
Lo you, here she comes. This is her very
Look, here she comes! This is exactly
guise; and, upon my life, fast asleep.
how she always looks, and—I swear
Observe her, stand close.
it—she is fast asleep. Watch her. Keep
hidden.
15
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
How came she by that light?
How did she get that candle?
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Why, it stood by her. She
It stands by her bedside.
has light by her continually.
She always has to have a
'Tis her command.
light next to her. Those are
her orders.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
You see her eyes are open.
You see, her eyes are
open.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Ay, but their sense is shut.
Yes, but they don’t see
anything.
20
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
What is it she does now?
What’s she doing now?
Look, how she rubs her
Look how she rubs her
hands.
hands.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
It is an accustomed action
She often does that. She
with her to seem thus
looks like she’s washing
washing her hands. I have
her hands. I’ve seen her do
known her continue in this
that before for as long as
a quarter of an hour.
fifteen minutes.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Yet here’s a spot.
There’s still a spot here.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Hark! She speaks. I will set
Listen! She’s talking. I’ll
down what comes from
write down what she says,
her, to satisfy my
so I’ll remember it better.
remembrance the more
strongly.
25
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Out, damned spot! Out, I
(rubbing her hands) Come
say!—One, two. Why,
out, damned spot! Out, I
then, ’tis time to do ’t.
command you! One, two.
Hell is murky!—Fie, my
OK, it’s time to do it
lord, fie! A soldier, and
now.—Hell is murky!—
afeard? What need we fear
Nonsense, my lord,
who knows it, when none
nonsense! You are a
can call our power to
soldier, and yet you are
account?—Yet who would
afraid? Why should we be
have thought the old man
scared, when no one can
to have had so much blood
lay the guilt upon us?—
in him.
But who would have
thought the old man would
have had so much blood in
him?
30
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Do you mark that?
Did you hear that?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
The thane of Fife had a
The thane of Fife had a
wife. Where is she now?—
wife. Where is she now?—
What, will these hands
What, will my hands never
ne'er be clean?—No more
be clean?—No more of
o' that, my lord, no more
that, my lord, no more of
o' that. You mar all with
that. You’ll ruin
this starting.
everything by acting
startled like this.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Go to, go to. You have
Now look what you’ve
known what you should
done. You’ve heard
not.
something you shouldn’t
have.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
She has spoke what she
She said something she
should not, I am sure of
shouldn’t have said, I’m
that. Heaven knows what
sure of that. Heaven knows
she has known.
what secrets she’s keeping.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Here’s the smell of the
I still have the smell of
blood still. All the perfumes
blood on my hand. All the
of Arabia will not sweeten
perfumes of Arabia
this little hand. Oh, Oh,
couldn’t make my little
Oh!
hand smell better. Oh, oh,
oh!
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
What a sigh is there! The
What a heavy sigh! Her
heart is sorely charged.
heart is carrying a heavy
weight.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
I would not have such a
I wouldn’t want a heart
heart in my bosom for the
like hers even if you made
dignity of the whole body.
me queen.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Pray God it be, sir.
I hope what she’s saying is
well, sir!
40
45
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
This disease is beyond my
This disease is beyond my
practice. Yet I have known
medical skills. But I have
those which have walked in
known people who
their sleep who have died
sleepwalked and weren’t
holily in their beds.
guilty of anything.
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
Wash your hands. Put on
Wash your hands. Put on
your nightgown. Look not
your nightgown. Don’t
so pale.—I tell you yet
look so frightened. I tell
again, Banquo’s buried; he
you again, Banquo is
cannot come out on ’s
buried. He cannot come
grave.
out of his grave.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Even so?
Is this true?
LADY MACBETH
LADY MACBETH
To bed, to bed. There’s
To bed, to bed! There’s a
knocking at the gate. Come,
knocking at the gate.
come, come, come. Give
Come, come, come,
me your hand. What’s done
come, give me your hand.
cannot be undone.—To
What’s done cannot be
bed, to bed, to bed!
undone. To bed, to bed, to
bed!
Exit
LADY MACBETH exits.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Will she go now to bed?
Will she go to bed now?
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Directly.
Yes, right away.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Foul whisp'rings are
Evil rumors are going
abroad. Unnatural deeds
around. Unnatural acts will
Do breed unnatural
cause supernatural things to
troubles. Infected minds
happen. People with guilty
To their deaf pillows will
and deranged minds will
discharge their secrets.
confess their secrets to their
More needs she the divine
pillows as they sleep. This
than the physician.
woman needs a priest more
God, God forgive us all!
than a doctor. God forgive
Look after her,
us all! (to the waiting-
Remove from her the
GENTLEWOMAN) Look
means of all annoyance,
after her. Remove anything
And still keep eyes upon
she might hurt herself with.
her. So, good night.
Watch her constantly. And
My mind she has mated,
now, good-night. She has
and amazed my sight.
bewildered my mind and
I think, but dare not speak.
amazed my eyes. I have an
50
55
opinion, but I don’t dare to
say it out loud.
GENTLEWOMAN
GENTLEWOMAN
Good night,
Good night, good doctor.
good doctor.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 5, Scene 2
Original Text
5
Modern Text
Drum and colors. Enter MENTEITH,
MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS,
CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, and
LENNOX, and soldiers enter with a
soldiers
drummer and flag.
MENTEITH
MENTEITH
The English power is near, led on by
The English army is near, led by
Malcolm,
Malcolm, his uncle Siward, and the
His uncle Siward and the good Macduff.
good Macduff. They burn for revenge.
Revenges burn in them, for their dear
The wrongs they have suffered would
causes
make dead men rise up and fight.
Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm
Excite the mortified man.
ANGUS
ANGUS
Near Birnam Wood
We’ll meet them near Birnam Wood.
Shall we well meet them; that way are
They are coming that way.
they coming.
CAITHNESS
CAITHNESS
Who knows if Donalbain be with his
Does anyone know if Donalbain is with
brother?
his brother?
LENNOX
LENNOX
For certain, sir, he is not. I have a file
He is definitely not there, sir. I have a
Of all the gentry. There is Siward’s son,
list of all the important men. Siward’s
10 And many unrough youths that even now
son is there, as well as many boys too
Protest their first of manhood.
young to have beards who will become
men by joining in this battle.
MENTEITH
MENTEITH
What does the tyrant?
15
What is the tyrant Macbeth doing?
CAITHNESS
CAITHNESS
Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies.
He is fortifying his castle at Dunsinane
Some say he’s mad, others that lesser hate
with heavy defenses. Some say he’s
him
insane. Those who hate him less call it
Do call it valiant fury. But, for certain,
brave anger. One thing is certain: he’s
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
out of control.
Within the belt of rule.
ANGUS
ANGUS
Now does he feel
20
Now Macbeth feels the blood of his
His secret murders sticking on his hands.
murdered enemies sticking to his
Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-
hands. Now, rebel armies punish him
breach.
every minute for his treachery. The
Those he commands move only in
soldiers he commands are only
command,
following orders. They don’t fight
Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title
because they love Macbeth. Now he
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe
seems too small to be a great king, like
Upon a dwarfish thief.
a midget trying to wear the robes of a
giant.
MENTEITH
Who then
MENTEITH
Who can blame him for
shall blame
acting crazy, when inside he
His pestered senses to
condemns himself for
recoil and start,
everything he’s done?
When all that is within him
does condemn
Itself for being there?
CAITHNESS
CAITHNESS
Well, march
Well, let’s keep marching
we on,
and give our loyalty to
To give obedience where
someone who truly
’tis truly owed.
deserves it. We’re going to
Meet we the medicine of the
meet Malcolm, the doctor
sickly weal,
who will cure our sick
And with him pour we in
country. We’ll pour out
our country’s purge
our own blood to help
Each drop of us.
him.
LENNOX
LENNOX
Or so much as
30
However much blood we
it needs,
need to give to water the
To dew the sovereign flower
royal flower and drown the
and drown the weeds.
weeds—to make Malcolm
Make we our march towards
king and get rid of
Birnam.
Macbeth. Let’s proceed on
our march to Birnam.
Exeunt, marching
They exit, marching.
Act 5, Scene 3
Original Text
5
Modern Text
Enter MACBETH, DOCTOR, and
MACBETH, a DOCTOR, and
attendants
attendants enter.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Bring me no more reports. Let them fly
Don’t bring me any more reports. I
all.
don’t care if all the thanes desert me.
Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane
Until Birnam Wood gets up and moves
I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy
to Dunsinane, I won’t be affected by
Malcolm?
fear. What’s the boy Malcolm? Wasn’t
Was he not born of woman? The spirits
he born from a woman? The spirits that
that know
know the future have told me this:
All mortal consequences have pronounced
“Don’t be afraid, Macbeth. No man
me thus:
born from a woman will ever defeat
10 “Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born
of woman
you.” So get out of here, disloyal
thanes, and join the weak and decadent
Shall e'er have power upon thee.” Then
English! My mind and courage will
fly, false thanes,
never falter with doubt or shake with
And mingle with the English epicures.
fear.
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear
Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with
fear.
Enter a SERVANT
A SERVANT enters.
The devil damn thee black, thou cream-
May the devil turn you black, you
faced loon!
white-faced fool! Why do you look like
Where got’st thou that goose look?
a frightened goose?
SERVANT
SERVANT
There is ten thousand—
There are ten thousand—
MACBETH
MACBETH
Geese, villain?
Geese, you idiot?
SERVANT
SERVANT
Soldiers, sir.
Soldiers, sir.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Go, prick thy face and over-red thy fear,
Go pinch your cheeks and bring some
Thou lily-livered boy. What soldiers,
color back into your face, you
patch?
cowardly boy. What soldiers, fool?
Death of thy soul! Those linen cheeks of
Curse you! That pale face of yours will
thine
frighten the others as well. What
Are counselors to fear. What soldiers,
soldiers, milk-face?
15
whey-face?
20
SERVANT
SERVANT
The English force, so please you.
The English army, sir.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Take thy face hence.
Get out of my sight.
Exit SERVANT
Seyton!—I am sick at
Seyton!—I’m sick at heart
heart,
when I see—Seyton, come
When I behold—Seyton, I
here!—This battle will
say!—This push
either secure my reign
Will cheer me ever, or
forever or else topple me
disseat me now.
from the throne. I have
I have lived long enough.
lived long enough. The
My way of life
course of my life is
The SERVANT exits.
Is fall'n into the sere, the
beginning to wither and fall
yellow leaf,
away, like a yellowing leaf
And that which should
in autumn. The things that
accompany old age,
should go along with old
As honor, love, obedience,
age, like honor, love,
troops of friends,
obedience, and loyal
I must not look to have,
friends, I cannot hope to
but, in their stead,
have. Instead, I have
Curses, not loud but deep,
passionate but quietly
mouth-honor, breath
whispered curses, people
Which the poor heart
who honor me with their
would fain deny and dare
words but not in their
not.
hearts, and lingering life,
Seyton!
which my heart would
gladly end, though I can’t
bring myself to do it.
Seyton!
Enter SEYTON
SEYTON
What’s your
SEYTON enters.
SEYTON
What do you want?
gracious pleasure?
MACBETH
What news
MACBETH
Is there more news?
more?
35
SEYTON
SEYTON
All is confirmed, my lord,
All the rumors have been
which was reported.
confirmed.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I’ll fight till from my bones
I’ll fight until they hack
my flesh be hacked.
the flesh off my bones.
Give me my armor.
Give me my armor.
SEYTON
SEYTON
'Tis not needed yet.
You don’t need it yet.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I’ll put it on.
I’ll put it on anyway. Send
Send out more horses. Skirr
out more cavalry. Scour
the country round.
the whole country and
Hang those that talk of fear.
hang anyone spreading
Give me mine armor.
fear. Give me my armor.
How does your patient,
(to the DOCTOR) How is
doctor?
my wife, doctor?
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Not so sick,
40
She is not sick, my lord,
my lord,
but she is troubled with
As she is troubled with
endless visions that keep
thick-coming fancies
her from sleeping.
That keep her from her
rest.
MACBETH
Cure her of
MACBETH
Cure her of that. Can’t you
that.
treat a diseased mind? Take
Canst thou not minister to a
away her memory of
mind diseased,
sorrow? Use some drug to
Pluck from the memory a
erase the troubling thoughts
rooted sorrow,
from her brain and ease her
Raze out the written
heart?
troubles of the brain
And with some sweet
oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom
of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the
heart?
DOCTOR
Therein the
patient
DOCTOR
For that kind of relief, the
patient must heal herself.
Must minister to himself.
50
55
MACBETH
MACBETH
Throw physic to the dogs;
Medicine is for the dogs. I
I’ll none of it.
won’t have anything to do
Come, put mine armor on.
with it. (to SEYTON)
Give me my staff.
Come, put my armor on
Seyton, send out.—Doctor,
me. Give me my lance.
the thanes fly from me.
Seyton, send out the
Come, sir, dispatch.—If
soldiers. (to the DOCTOR)
thou couldst, doctor, cast
Doctor, the thanes are
The water of my land, find
running away from me. (to
her disease,
SEYTON) Come on, sir,
And purge it to a sound and
hurry. (to the DOCTOR)
pristine health,
Can you figure out what’s
I would applaud thee to the
wrong with my country? If
very echo,
you can diagnose its
That should applaud
disease by examining its
again.—Pull ’t off, I say.—
urine, and bring it back to
What rhubarb, senna, or
health, I will praise you to
what purgative drug,
the ends of the Earth,
Would scour these English
where the sound will echo
hence? Hear’st thou of
back so you can hear the
them?
applause again.—(to
SEYTON) Pull it off, I tell
you. (to the DOCTOR)
What drug would purge
the English from this
country? Have you heard
of any?
60
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
Ay, my good lord. Your
Yes, my good lord. Your
royal preparation
preparation for war sounds
Makes us hear something.
like something.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Bring it after
(to SEYTON) Bring the
me.
armor and follow me. I
I will not be afraid of death
will not be afraid of death
and bane,
and destruction until
Till Birnam Forest come to
Birnam forest picks itself
Dunsinane.
up and moves to
Dunsinane.
DOCTOR
DOCTOR
(aside) Were I from
(to himself) I wish I were far
Dunsinane away and clear,
away from Dunsinane. You
Profit again should hardly
couldn’t pay me to come
draw me here.
back here.
Exeunt
Act 5, Scene 4
They exit.
Original Text
Modern Text
Drum and colors. Enter MALCOLM,
MALCOLM, old SIWARD and
SIWARD, MACDUFF, Siward’s
his SON, MACDUFF,
SON, MENTEITH,
MENTEITH, CAITHNESS,
CAITHNESS, ANGUS, ANGUS, LENNOX, ROSS, and
LENNOX, ROSS, and
SOLDIERS enter marching, with
SOLDIERS, marching
a drummer and flag.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Cousins, I hope the days are near
Kinsmen, I hope the time is
at hand
coming when people will be safe
That chambers will be safe.
in their own bedrooms.
MENTEITH
MENTEITH
We doubt it
We don’t doubt it.
nothing.
SIWARD
SIWARD
What wood is this before us?
What’s the name of this forest
behind us?
MENTEITH
The wood of
MENTEITH
Birnam Wood.
Birnam.
5
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Let every soldier hew him down a
Tell every soldier to break off a
bough
branch and hold it in front of
And bear ’t before him. Thereby
him. That way we can conceal
shall we shadow
how many of us there are, and
The numbers of our host and make
Macbeth’s spies will give him
discovery
inaccurate reports.
Err in report of us.
SOLDIERS
It shall be done.
SOLDIERS
We’ll do it.
SIWARD
SIWARD
We learn no other but the
We have no news except that
confident tyrant
the overconfident Macbeth is
10 Keeps still in Dunsinane and will
endure
still in Dunsinane and will allow
us to lay siege to the castle.
Our setting down before ’t.
MALCOLM
'Tis his main hope:
MALCOLM
He wants us to lay siege.
For, where there is advantage to
Wherever his soldiers have an
be given,
opportunity to leave him, they
Both more and less have given him
do, whatever rank they are. No
the revolt,
one fights with him except men
And none serve with him but
who are forced to, and their
constrainèd things
hearts aren’t in it.
Whose hearts are absent too.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Let our just censures
15 Attend the true event, and put we
We shouldn’t make any
judgments until we achieve our
on
goal. Let’s go fight like
Industrious soldiership.
hardworking soldiers.
SIWARD
SIWARD
The time
Soon we’ll find out what’s
approaches
really ours and what isn’t.
That will with due decision
It’s easy for us to get our
make us know
hopes up just sitting around
What we shall say we have
thinking about it, but the
and what we owe.
only way this is really going
Thoughts speculative their
to be settled is by violence.
unsure hopes relate,
So let’s move our armies
But certain issue strokes
forward.
must arbitrate.
Towards which, advance the
war.
Exeunt, marching
They exit, marching.
Act 5, Scene 5
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter MACBETH, SEYTON, and
MACBETH, SEYTON, and
SOLDIERS, with drum and colors
SOLDIERS enter with a drummer and
flag.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Hang out our banners on the outward
Hang our flags on the outer walls.
walls.
Everyone keeps yelling, “Here they
The cry is still “They come!” Our castle’s
come!” Our castle is strong enough to
strength
laugh off their seige. They can sit out
Will laugh a siege to scorn. Here let them
there until they die of hunger and
5
lie
disease. If it weren’t for the fact that so
Till famine and the ague eat them up.
many of our soldiers revolted and
Were they not forced with those that
joined them, we could have met them
should be ours,
out in front of the castle, man to man,
We might have met them dareful, beard to
and beaten them back to England.
beard,
And beat them backward home.
A cry within of women
A sound of women crying offstage.
What is that noise?
What’s that noise?
SEYTON
SEYTON
It is the cry of women, my good lord.
It’s women crying, my good lord.
Exit
SEYTON exits.
MACBETH
MACBETH
I have almost forgot the taste of fears.
I’ve almost forgotten what fear feels
10 The time has been my senses would have
like. There was a time when I would
cooled
have been terrified by a shriek in the
To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair
night, and the hair on my skin would
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
have stood up when I heard a ghost
As life were in ’t. I have supped full with
story. But now I’ve had my fill of real
horrors.
horrors. Horrible things are so familiar
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous
that they can’t startle me.
15
thoughts
Cannot once start me.
Enter SEYTON
SEYTON comes back in.
Wherefore was that cry?
What was that cry for?
SEYTON
SEYTON
The queen, my lord, is dead.
The queen is dead, my lord.
MACBETH
She should
MACBETH
She would have died later
have died hereafter.
anyway. That news was
There would have been a
bound to come someday.
time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Tomorrow, and
and tomorrow. The days
tomorrow, and
creep slowly along until the
tomorrow,
end of time. And every day
Creeps in this petty pace
that’s already happened has
from day to day
taken fools that much closer
To the last syllable of
to their deaths. Out, out,
recorded time,
brief candle. Life is nothing
And all our yesterdays
more than an illusion. It’s
have lighted fools
like a poor actor who struts
The way to dusty death.
and worries for his hour on
Out, out, brief candle!
the stage and then is never
Life’s but a walking
heard from again. Life is a
shadow, a poor player
story told by an idiot, full of
That struts and frets his
noise and emotional
hour upon the stage
disturbance but devoid of
And then is heard no
meaning.
more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of
sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Enter a MESSENGER
Thou comest
A MESSENGER enters.
You’ve come to tell me
to use
something. Tell me
Thy tongue; thy story
quickly.
quickly.
MESSENGER
Gracious my
30
MESSENGER
My gracious lord, I should
lord,
tell you what I saw, but I
I should report that which I
don’t know how to say it.
say I saw,
But know not how to do ’t.
MACBETH
Well, say, sir.
MACBETH
Just say it.
MESSENGER
MESSENGER
As I did stand my watch
As I was standing watch on
upon the hill,
the hill, I looked toward
I looked toward Birnam, and
Birnam, and I thought I saw
anon methought
the forest begin to move.
The wood began to move.
MACBETH
Liar and slave!
MESSENGER
MACBETH
Liar and slave!
MESSENGER
35
Let me endure your wrath, if
Punish me if it’s not true.
’t be not so.
Three miles from here you
Within this three mile may
can see it coming, a moving
you see it coming;
forest.
I say, a moving grove.
MACBETH
If thou speak’st
MACBETH
If you’re lying, I’ll hang you
false,
alive from the nearest tree
Upon the next tree shall thou
until you die of hunger. If
hang alive
what you say is true, you can
Till famine cling thee. If thy
do the same to me. (to
speech be sooth,
himself) My confidence is
I care not if thou dost for me
failing. I’m starting to doubt
as much.
the lies the devil told me,
I pull in resolution and begin
which sounded like truth.
To doubt th' equivocation of
“Don’t worry until Birnam
the fiend
Wood comes to Dunsinane.”
That lies like truth. “Fear not,
And now a wood is coming
till Birnam wood
to Dunsinane. Prepare for
Do come to Dunsinane”; and
battle, and go! If what this
now a wood
messenger says is true, it’s no
Comes toward Dunsinane.—
use running away or staying
Arm, arm, and out!—
here. I’m starting to grow
If this which he avouches does
tired of living, and I’d like to
appear,
see the world plunged into
There is nor flying hence nor
chaos. Ring the alarms!
tarrying here.
Blow, wind! Come, ruin! At
I 'gin to be aweary of the sun,
least we’ll die with our
And wish th' estate o' th'
armor on.
world were now undone.—
Ring the alarum-bell!—Blow,
wind! Come, wrack!
At least we’ll die with harness
on our back.
Exeunt
Act 5, Scene 6
Original Text
Modern Text
They exit.
5
Drum and colors. Enter MALCOLM,
MALCOLM, old SIWARD,
SIWARD, MACDUFF, and their army,
MACDUFF, and their army enter carrying
with boughs
branches, with a drummer and flag.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Now near enough. Your leafy screens
We’re close enough now. Throw down
throw down,
these branches and show them who you
And show like those you are.—You,
really are. Uncle Siward, you and your
worthy uncle,
son will lead the first battle. Brave
Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble
Macduff and I will do the rest,
son,
according to our battle plan.
Lead our first battle. Worthy Macduff and
we
Shall take upon ’s what else remains to do,
According to our order.
SIWARD
SIWARD
Fare you well.
Good luck. If we meet Macbeth’s army
Do we but find the tyrant’s power tonight,
tonight, let us be beaten if we cannot
Let us be beaten if we cannot fight.
fight.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
10 Make all our trumpets speak; give them all
breath,
Blow all the trumpets. They loudly
announce the news of blood and death.
Those clamorous harbingers of blood and
death.
Exeunt
They exit.
Act 5, Scene 7
Original Text
Alarums. Enter MACBETH
Modern Text
Trumpets and the noise of battle.
MACBETH enters.
MACBETH
MACBETH
They have tied me to a stake. I
They have me tied to a stake. I
cannot fly,
can’t run away. I have to stand
But, bearlike, I must fight the
and fight, like a bear.Where’s
course. What’s he
the man who wasn’t born from
That was not born of woman?
a woman? He’s the only one I’m
Such a one
afraid of, nobody else.
Am I to fear, or none.
Enter YOUNG SIWARD
5
YOUNG SIWARD enters.
YOUNG SIWARD
YOUNG SIWARD
What is thy name?
What’s your name?
MACBETH
MACBETH
Thou 'lt be afraid to hear it.
You’ll be afraid to hear it.
YOUNG SIWARD
YOUNG SIWARD
No, though thou call’st thyself a
No I won’t, even if you were
hotter name
one of the worst demons in hell.
Than any is in hell.
10
MACBETH
MACBETH
My name’s Macbeth.
My name’s Macbeth.
YOUNG SIWARD
YOUNG SIWARD
The devil himself could not
The devil himself couldn’t say a
pronounce a title
name I hate more.
More hateful to mine ear.
MACBETH
MACBETH
No, nor more
No, nor could the devil’s name
fearful.
be more frightening.
YOUNG SIWARD
YOUNG SIWARD
Thou liest, abhorrèd tyrant. With
You lie, you disgusting tyrant.
my sword
I’ll prove with my sword that
I’ll prove the lie thou speak’st.
I’m not scared of you.
They fight and YOUNG SIWARD
They fight and YOUNG
is slain
SIWARD is killed.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Thou wast born of
15
You were born from a woman.
woman.
Swords don’t frighten me. I
But swords I smile at, weapons
laugh at any weapon used by a
laugh to scorn,
man who was born from a
Brandished by man that’s of a
woman.
woman born.
Exit
MACBETH exits.
Alarums. Enter MACDUFF
Trumpets and battle sounds.
MACDUFF enters.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
That way the noise is. Tyrant,
The noise is coming from
20
25
show thy face!
over there. Tyrant, show
If thou beest slain, and with
your face! If someone other
no stroke of mine,
than me kills you, the ghosts
My wife and children’s ghosts
of my wife and children will
will haunt me still.
haunt me forever. I can’t be
I cannot strike at wretched
bothered to fight these lame
kerns, whose arms
soldiers who only fight for
Are hired to bear their staves.
money. I’ll either fight you,
Either thou, Macbeth,
Macbeth, or else I’ll put
Or else my sword with an
down my sword unused.
unbattered edge
You must be over there. By
I sheathe again undeeded.
the great noise, it sounds
There thou shouldst be;
like one of the highest-
By this great clatter, one of
ranking men is being
the greatest note
announced. I hope I find
Seems bruited. Let me find
him! I ask for nothing more
him, Fortune,
than that.
And more I beg not.
Exit. Alarums
MACDUFF exits. More battle
noises.
30
Enter MALCOLM and
MALCOLM and old
SIWARD
SIWARD enter.
SIWARD
SIWARD
This way, my lord. The
Come this way, my lord.
castle’s gently rendered.
The castle has been
The tyrant’s people on both
surrendered without a fight.
sides do fight,
Macbeth’s soldiers are
The noble thanes do bravely
fighting on both sides. Our
in the war,
noblemen are battling
The day almost itself
bravely. The victory is
professes yours,
almost yours, and it seems
And little is to do.
like there’s not much left to
do.
MALCOLM
We have met
MALCOLM
Our enemies fight as if
with foes
they’re trying not to hurt
That strike beside us.
us.
SIWARD
SIWARD
Enter, sir, the castle.
Sir, enter the castle.
Exeunt. Alarums
They exit. Battle noises
continue.
Act 5, Scene 8
Original Text
Modern Text
Enter MACBETH
MACBETH enters.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Why should I play the Roman fool and die
Why should I commit suicide like one
On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives,
of the ancient Romans? As long as I see
the gashes
enemies of mine alive, I would rather
Do better upon them.
see my sword wound them than me.
Enter MACDUFF
MACDUFF
MACDUFF enters.
MACDUFF
Turn, hellhound, turn!
Turn around, you dog from hell, turn
around!
5
MACBETH
MACBETH
Of all men else I have avoided thee.
You are the only man I have avoided.
But get thee back. My soul is too much
But go away now. I’m already guilty of
charged
killing your whole family.
With blood of thine already.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
I have no words.
I have nothing to say to you. My sword
My voice is in my sword. Thou bloodier
will talk for me. You are too evil for
villain
words!
Than terms can give thee out!
They fight
MACBETH
Thou losest labor.
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air
10 With thy keen sword impress as make me
They fight.
MACBETH
You’re wasting your time trying to
wound me. You might as well try to
stab the air with your sword. Go fight
bleed.
someone who can be harmed. I lead a
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;
charmed life, which can’t be ended by
I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield
anyone born from a woman.
To one of woman born.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Despair thy charm,
You can forget about your charm. The
And let the angel whom thou still hast
evil spirit you serve can tell you that I
served
was not born. They cut me out of my
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s
mother’s womb before she could bear
womb
me naturally.
15
Untimely ripped.
MACBETH
MACBETH
Accursèd be that tongue
Curse you for telling me
that tells me so,
this. You’ve fightened away
For it hath cowed my better
my courage. I don’t believe
part of man!
those evil creatures
And be these juggling fiends
anymore. They tricked me
no more believed,
with their wordgames,
That palter with us in a
raising my hopes and then
double sense,
destroying them. I won’t
That keep the word of
fight you.
promise to our ear,
And break it to our hope.
I’ll not fight with thee.
25
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Then yield thee, coward,
Then surrender, coward,
And live to be the show and
and we’ll put you in a
gaze o' th' time.
freakshow, just like they
We’ll have thee, as our rarer
do with deformed animals.
monsters are,
We’ll put a picture of you
Painted on a pole, and
on a sign, right above the
underwrit,
words “Come see the
“Here may you see the
tyrant!”
tyrant.”
MACBETH
I will not
30
MACBETH
I’m not going to surrender
yield,
and have to kiss the ground
To kiss the ground before
in front of Malcolm, or be
young Malcolm’s feet,
taunted by the common
And to be baited with the
people. Even though
rabble’s curse.
Birnam Wood really did
Though Birnam Wood be
come to Dunsinane, and
come to Dunsinane,
I’m fighting a man not of
And thou opposed, being of
woman born, I’ll fight to
no woman born,
the end. I’ll put up my
Yet I will try the last. Before
shield and battle you.
my body
Come on, let’s go at it,
I throw my warlike shield.
Macduff, and damn the
Lay on, Macduff,
first man who cries, 'Stop!
And damned be him that
Enough!'
first cries, “Hold, enough!”
Exeunt, fighting. Alarums. They
They exit fighting. Trumpets
enter fighting, and
and battle noises. The trumpet
MACBETH slain. Retreat.
of one army sounds a call to
Flourish. Enter, with drum and
retreat. The other army’s
colors MALCOLM,
trumpet sounds a call of
SIWARD, ROSS,
victory. The victorious army
THANES, and SOLDIERS
enters, led by MALCOLM,
old SIWARD, ROSS, the
other THANES, and
soldiers, with a drummer and
flag.
35
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
I would the friends we miss
I wish all of our friends
were safe arrived.
could have survived this
battle.
SIWARD
SIWARD
Some must go off. And yet,
In every battle, some
by these I see,
people will always be
So great a day as this is
killed, but judging from
cheaply bought.
the men I see around us,
our great victory didn’t
cost us very much.
40
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
Macduff is missing, and your
Macduff is missing, and so
noble son.
is your noble son.
ROSS
ROSS
Your son, my lord, has paid
My lord, your son has paid
a soldier’s debt.
the soldier’s price: death.
He only lived but till he was
He only lived long enough
a man,
to become a man, and as
The which no sooner had his
soon as he proved that he
prowess confirmed
was a man by fighting like
In the unshrinking station
one, he died.
where he fought,
But like a man he died.
SIWARD
Then he is
SIWARD
So he’s dead?
dead?
45
ROSS
ROSS
Ay, and brought off the field.
Yes, and he’s been carried
Your cause of sorrow
off the field. Your grief
Must not be measured by his
should not be equal to his
worth, for then
worth, because then your
It hath no end.
sorrow would never end.
SIWARD
SIWARD
Had he his
hurts before?
front side?
ROSS
ROSS
Ay, on the front.
Yes, on his front.
SIWARD
SIWARD
Why then,
50
Were his wounds on his
Well then, he’s God’s
God’s soldier be he!
soldier now! If I had as
Had I as many sons as I have
many sons as I have hairs on
hairs,
my head, I couldn’t hope
I would not wish them to a
that any of them would die
fairer death.
more honorably than he
And so, his knell is knolled.
did. And that’s all there is
to it.
MALCOLM
He’s worth
MALCOLM
He is worth more
more sorrow,
mourning than that, and I
And that I’ll spend for him.
will mourn for him.
SIWARD
SIWARD
He’s worth no
He is worth no more than
more.
that. They tell me he died
They say he parted well and
well, and settled his scores.
paid his score.
With that, I hope God is
55
And so, God be with him!
with him! Here comes
Here comes newer comfort.
better news.
Enter MACDUFF with
MACDUFF enters, carrying
MACBETH’s head
MACBETH’s head.
MACDUFF
MACDUFF
Hail, king! For so thou art.
Hail, king! Because that’s
Behold where stands
what you are now. Look,
The usurper’s cursèd head.
here I have Macbeth’s
The time is free.
cursed head. We are free
I see thee compassed with
from his tyranny. I see that
thy kingdom’s pearl,
you have the kingdom’s
That speak my salutation in
noblemen around you, and
their minds,
they’re thinking the same
Whose voices I desire aloud
thing as me. I want them to
with mine.
join me in this loud cheer,
Hail, King of Scotland!
Hail, King of Scotland!
ALL
ALL
Hail, King of Scotland!
Hail, King of Scotland!
Flourish
65
70
75
Trumpets play.
MALCOLM
MALCOLM
We shall not spend a large
It won’t be long before I
expense of time
reward each of you as he
Before we reckon with your
deserves. My thanes and
several loves
kinsmen, I name you all
And make us even with you.
earls, the first earls that
My thanes and kinsmen,
Scotland has ever had. We
Henceforth be earls, the first
have a lot to do at the dawn
that ever Scotland
of this new era. We must
In such an honor named.
call home all of our exiled
What’s more to do,
friends who fled from the
Which would be planted
grip of Macbeth’s tyranny,
newly with the time,
and we must bring to
As calling home our exiled
justice all the evil ministers
friends abroad
of this dead butcher and his
That fled the snares of
demon-like queen, who,
watchful tyranny,
rumor has it, committed
Producing forth the cruel
suicide. This, and whatever
ministers
else we are called to do by
Of this dead butcher and his
God, we will do at the
fiendlike queen,
right time and in the right
Who, as ’tis thought, by self
place. So I thank you all,
and violent hands
and I invite each and every
Took off her life; this, and
one of you to come watch
what needful else
me be crowned king of
That calls upon us, by the
Scotland at Scone.
grace of Grace,
We will perform in
measure, time, and place.
So, thanks to all at once and
to each one,
Whom we invite to see us
crowned at Scone.
Flourish. Exeunt
Trumpets play. They all exit.