Macbeth Notes: 1st Read Through

Act One:
•There are 3 creepy/ugly witches and they plan to meet up with Macbeth.
***The witches= foreshadowing
•A “sneak peek” of Macbeth’s character and personality is given through others’ opinions. Macbeth is courageous and isn’t afraid to kill someone very gruesomely.
•Macbeth and Banquo have an encounter with the witches. They tell him that he will be king. (but of course they don’t believe them)
•Then Ross and Angus come and tell Macbeth that the king has made him thane of Cawdor, as the former thane is to be executed for treason.
•Conflicts arise (foreshadow). Duncan wants his son Malcolm to be the heir to the throne, but Macbeth stands in between Malcolm and the crown.
***Lady Macbeth comes into the story. 1st impression- she’s crazy and greedy! She wants to do WHATEVER it takes to get Macbeth that crown. (Foreshadows more deaths to come)
•Duncan arrives to Macbeth’s castle and Lady Macbeth is being fake.
•Macbeth has a moment to himself and questions himself on the murder of Duncan. He is somewhat reasonable because he knows there will be consequences.
•Once again we see Lady Macbeth’s crazy side. After Macbeth decides not to kill Duncan, she is cunning/sly and convinces him to murder Duncan. (She’s the master mind with the idea)
Act Two:
•We see Macbeth’s mind going crazy. He has weird hallucinations and continues worrying about his soon to come bloody work. (He ends up killing Duncan)
•Lady Macbeth continually calls Macbeth a coward and gets angry.
•Macduff comes (still late in the night) to see the king; from there everyone sees what happened to the king.
***Lady Macbeth- was scandalous in order to seem appalled by what happened under her roof.
•Macduff tells Ross that Macbeth has been made king by the other lords. Then suspicions fall on Malcolm and Donalbain because they fled the scene (which was only for their own safety).
Act Three:
•Banquo he ponders about the witches prophecies and questions if the second is going to come true. Also they fear that the brothers are plotting against him and Macbeth, who is now king. (a lot of self questioning is seen throughout the characters)
•After everyone leave, Macbeth begins a soliloquy. He also wonders if the prophecy of Banquo’s son will come true. So what does Macbeth do to solve his problem?? He hires murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. ***Killing streak has began!
•Their plan failed because the murders let Fleance escape. More foreshadowing when Banquo tells his son to get revenge.
***Macbeth’s conscious causes him to see Banquo’s ghost and he basically goes crazy and ruins the feast?
•Hecate The goddess of witchcraft scolds the witches for meddling. (she has different plans for Macbeth)
•Lennox and Macduff have an idea that Macbeth killed Banquo and Duncan!!
Act Four:
•Macbeth has a crazy encounter with the witches. This leads him to order Macduff’s capture and his family’s murder.
•The wife and son are killed after being told that Macduff fled. (they died thinking they were abandoned)
•We see Malcolm question Macduff’s loyalty, but then believes him. (smart kid?)
•After Ross tells Macduff the news of his children, Malcolm makes Macduff change his sadness to anger. With an army, they plan to go to war with Macbeth and kill him!! (Teams are building up)
Act Five:
•Lady Macbeth’s madness is seen once againillusions
•Macbeth prepares for the battle while trying to have his wife cured of her madness.
•After knowing his wife is dead, Macbeth remembers the prophecy and realizes he will die fighting.  this symbolizes his pride!
•Techniques are being discussed and Macbeth murders Lord Siward’s son!! Another murder!!
•Macduff is crazy looking for Macbeth to seek revenge! (all during the battle) The prophecy about Macduff was wrong so Macbeth freaks out?
•Macduff is found holding Macbeth’s head by Malcolm and Siward!!!
***So Malcolm didn’t kill Macbeth?!?!