What Happens in Macbeth
After helping quash a rebellion, two Scottish noblemen, Macbeth and Banquo, are
returning from the battle when they encounter three “weird sisters”. These witches hail
Macbeth, first by his current title, then by a more prestigious one, “Thane of Cawdor,”
and finally as the future king. When Banquo asks them about his destiny, they say that
his descendants will be kings. They vanish, and the Thane of Ross arrives with news
that Duncan, the King of Scotland, has rewarded Macbeth’s valour by giving him the title,
“Thane of Cawdor,” fulfilling the witches’ prophecy.
Macbeth shares this experience in a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, then arrives home
with the news that Duncan is about to arrive as a guest at their castle. At his wife’s
urging, Macbeth resolves to murder Duncan. Later that evening, after much celebration,
Lady Macbeth drugs Duncan’s guards so that Macbeth can stab and kill the sleeping
king. Lady Macbeth then plants the daggers on the guards and smears them with blood,
in order to place suspicion upon them.
Early the next morning, Macduff, the Thane of Fife, arrives at the castle to call on the
King. He discovers the murdered Duncan, and raises the alarm. Macbeth kills the king’s
attendants, claiming an uncontrollable fit of rage. While the Thanes prepare to meet to
determine the way forward, the king’s two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, decide to flee
the country. With Duncan’s named heir, Malcolm, now absent, Macbeth is crowned king.
Shortly thereafter, King Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.
Banquo is killed, but the son escapes, thereby making it possible for Banquo’s
descendants to become kings. Later that evening, at a banquet, Macbeth sees Banquo’s
ghost and reacts so strongly that he completely disrupts the gathering.
Macbeth visits the weird sisters again and they provide him with three new prophecies:
1) to beware Macduff, 2) never to fear until Birnam Wood should come to high
Dunsinane (Macbeth’s castle) and 3) that ‘none of woman born’ shall harm him. Macbeth
hears that Macduff has fled to England, presumably to persuade Malcolm to return.
Macbeth then decides to attack his castle and kill his wife and children.
In England, Malcolm tests Macduff, first by pretending to be a coward, and then by
pretending to be a thoroughly despicable person. Macduff remains true to his virtues
clearly, thereby passing Malcolm’s test. With the help of the English king and that of
Siward, Earl of Northumberland, Malcolm and Macduff return to Scotland with an army to
fight Macbeth. Malcolm orders each soldier to cut down a tree branch and carry it before
him, to hide their army’s size from the enemy. This fulfills the first of the witches’
prophesies, as the wood appears to move toward Dunsinane.
As Macbeth prepares for battle, he receives word that his wife, who has been walking in
her sleep and talking of the murders, is now dead. He does not have ‘time for such a
word.” He then hears a report that Birnam Wood is moving towards Dunsinane, and
prepares to fight. How will the weird sisters’ prophecies and Macbeth’s own choices play
out in the end?
Copyright Mary Hartman and Bard on the Beach, 2012.