Macbeth

by
William Shakespeare

Abridged for the Shakespeare Schools Festival

by

Martin Lamb & Penelope Middelboe

30 MINUTE VERSION

Shakespeare Schools Festival (SSF)

We are such stuff as dreams are made on.
Copyright of the abridged scripts rest with Shakespeare Schools Festival charity. Your
registration fee only allows you to perform the abridgement during the current
Festival. You may not share the script with other schools, or download all the scripts
for personal use. A public performance of the SSF abridged script must be premiered
at the professional SSF theatre.

Duncan

KING OF SCOTLAND

Malcolm
Donalbain

/HIS SONS

Macbeth

A GENERAL IN THE KINGS ARMY, LATER KING

Banquo

A GENERAL

Macduff
Lennox
Ross

/NOBLEMEN OF SCOTLAND

Angus
Mentieth
Fleance

BANQUOS SON

Siward

EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, AN ENGLISHMAN

A Porter
Seton

MACBETHS MANSERVANT

Three Murderers
Lady Macbeth
Three Witches
Apparitions
Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Attendants and Messengers

Scene 1

A deserted place1. Thunder and

lightning.
Three WITCHES
1ST WITCH

When shall we three meet again

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

2ND WITCH

When the hurlyburlys done,

When the battles lost and won.

3RD WITCH

That will be ere the set of sun.

1ST WITCH

Where the place?

2ND WITCH

Upon the heath.

3RD WITCH

There to meet with Macbeth

ALL

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:

Hover through the fog and filthy air.
They vanish
Scene 2
A camp near the Royal Palace at Forres2.
A trumpet sounds.
KING DUNCAN, MALCOLM,
DONALBAIN and LENNOX
Enter ROSS, fresh from fighting

ROSS

God save King Duncan!

DUNCAN

Whence camst thou, worthy thane?

In Scotland
Unless otherwise indicated, all locations are in Scotland. Forres is not a great distance east from
Inverness. Macbeths castle at Dunsinane and Macduffs castle are traditionally a bit further south.
2

ROSS

From Fife3, great king,

Where that most disloyal traitor
The thane4 of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict,
Till brave Macbeth well he deserves that name
Confronted him with brandished steel,5
Point against point, rebellious arm gainst arm,
Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude,
The victory fell on us.

DUNCAN

Great happiness!
No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.

ROSS

Ill see it done.

DUNCAN

What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.

Exeunt

Scene 3
A heath. Thunder.
Three WITCHES
Drum within
3RD WITCH

A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO

MACBETH

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

BANQUO

What are these,

So withered, and so wild in their attire,
That look not like thinhabitants othe earth,
And yet are ont? Live you? Or are you aught
That man may question?

MACBETH

Speak, if you can: what are you?

1ST WITCH

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!6

A bit further east

Thane is a Scottish term for Earl
5
Macbeth brought the King of Norway to his knees in hand to hand fighting and forced his surrender.
Interesting to note that he did not kill him.
6
This is Macbeths current title.
4

2ND WITCH

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

3RD WITCH

All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter.

MACBETH stands apart to consider his good fortune.

BANQUO

(aside to the WITCHES)

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 favours nor your hate.
As the WITCHES speak, MACBETH returns to listen.

1ST WITCH

Hail!

2ND WITCH

Hail!

3RD WITCH

Hail!

1ST WITCH

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

2ND WITCH

Not so happy yet much happier.

3RD WITCH

Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:

So all hail Macbeth and Banquo!

MACBETH

I know I am thane of Glamis;

But how of Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives;
And to be king
Stands not within the prospect belief,
No more than Cawdor.
Speak I charge you
The WITCHES vanish.

BANQUO

Whither are they vanished?

MACBETH

Your children shall be kings.

BANQUO

You shall be king.

MACBETH

And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?

Enter ROSS and ANGUS

ROSS

The king hath happily received, Macbeth,

The news of thy success7.
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor.

BANQUO

(Aside) What, can the devil speak true?

MACBETH

The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me

In borrowed robes?

ANGUS

Treasons capital, confessed, and proved;

Have overthrown him.

MACBETH

(Aside) Glamis, and thane of Cawdor:

The greatest is behind.

BANQUO

(To MACBETH)
Oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betrays
In deepest consequence.8
Exeunt
Scene 4
Forres. The Palace.
KING DUNCAN, MALCOLM,
DONALBAIN, LENNOX and
ATTENDANTS.
Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS

DUNCAN

O worthiest cousin! Noble Banquo!

We will establish our estate9 upon
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
The prince of Cumberland.
(to MACBETH) My worthy Cawdor10!
From hence to Inverness.11

King Duncan has heard of Macbeths victory against the King of Norway amongst other fighting
successes.
8
Banquo warns Macbeth that the devil lulls people into a false sense of security. This is what happens
to Macbeth who ultimately believes he is invincible but discovers hes been tricked (in Act 5)
9
His son Malcolm is to be his successor.
10
Duncan is using Macbeths new title.
11
Shakespeare staged the murder of Duncan at Macbeths castle of Dunsinane, which is not at
Inverness. Nonetheless, by tradition, Duncan was murdered at Inverness. (See Macbeth man and
myth by Nick Aitchison, Sutton Publishing)

MACBETH

Ill make joyful the hearing of my wife with your

approach; so humbly take my leave.

MACBETH

(Aside) The Prince of Cumberland!12 That is a step

On which I must fall down, or else oer-leap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires.
Exeunt
Scene 5
Macbeths castle, Dunsinane.
Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter

LADY MACBETH

This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner

of greatness. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be
What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full oth milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way13: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it.
Enter a MESSENGER
What is your tiding?

MESSENGER

The king comes here to-night.

LADY MACBETH

The raven14 himself is hoarse

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty! Come to my womans breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers.
Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
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
Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor!
Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!15

12

Macbeth has begun to believe he might succeed Duncan as King when Duncan dies, but realises he
cant wait for the young son Malcolm to die as well.
13
Too tender-hearted to make things happen
14
Lady Macbeth does not plan to let the king leave her castle alive. The raven is the traditional
messenger of death.
15
According to the weird sisters

MACBETH

My dearest love,
Duncan comes here to-night.

LADY MACBETH

And when goes hence?

MACBETH

To-morrow, as he purposes.

LADY MACBETH

O, never
Shall sun that morrow see!
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent undert.
Exeunt
Scene 6
Same.
KING DUNCAN, MALCOLM,
DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENNOX,
MACDUFF, ROSS, ANGUS, and
ATTENDANTS

DUNCAN

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
Unto our gentle senses.
Enter LADY MACBETH who curtseys
Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly,
And shall continue our graces towards him.
Exeunt
Scene 7
Same.
Enter MACBETH

MACBETH

16

If it were done when tis done, then twere well

It were done quickly.16
(Pausing to doubt) Hes here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed: then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself.
Enter LADY MACBETH

Itll be better to get Duncans murder over and done with.

How now! what news?

LADY MACBETH

He has almost supped: why have you left the chamber?

MACBETH
LADY MACBETH

We will proceed no further in this business.

Art thou afeard
To be the same in thine own act and valour
As thou art in desire?

MACBETH

I dare do all that may become a man;

Who dares do more is none.

LADY MACBETH

When you durst do it, then you were a man;

And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man.
I have given suck, and know
How tender tis to love the babe that milks meI would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this.

MACBETH

If we should fail?

LADY MACBETH

We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking place,
And well not fail.
What cannot you and I perform upon
Thunguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spongy17 officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?

MACBETH

Bring forth men-children only!

For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males.
Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
False face must hide what the false heart doth know
Exeunt
Scene 8
Same, a few hours later.

MACBETH

17

Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,

They plan to frame his drunken guards for the murder

MACBETH

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

(becoming excited)
Thou marshallst me the way that I was going,
And such an instrument I was to use!
(he closes his eyes and opens them again)
I see thee still;
It is the bloody business which informs
Thus to mine eyes.
A bell rings
I go, and it is done: the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.
EXIT
Scene 9
Enter LADY MACBETH with goblet

LADY MACBETH

(pauses to listen) Hark! Peace!

It was the owl that shrieked. He is about it18:

MACBETH

(O.S.) Whos there? what, ho!

LADY MACBETH

Alack! I am afraid they have awaked,

And tis not done.
Enter MACBETH
My husband!

MACBETH

I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?

LADY MACBETH

I heard the owl scream.

MACBETH

Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more!...

LADY MACBETH

What do you mean?

MACBETH

Glamis19 hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more!

LADY MACBETH

(noticing the daggers)

Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there: go carry them, and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.

MACBETH

Ill go no more:
I am afraid to think what I have done.

18
19

She refers to Macbeth committing the murder

Pronounced Glarms.

10

LADY MACBETH

Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. If he do bleed,
Ill gild the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must seem their guilt.
She exits. Knocking within.

MACBETH

(startled) Whence is that knocking?

How ist with me, when every noise appals me?
Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine20,
Making the green one red.
LADY MACBETH returns

LADY MACBETH

MACBETH

My hands are of your colour21; but I shame

To wear a heart so white.
Knocking.
A little water clears us of this deed.
Knocking.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!
Exeunt
Scene 10
Same.
Knocking within. Enter a PORTER

PORTER

Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.

(Opens the gate)
Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX

MACDUFF

Is thy master stirring?

Enter MACBETH
Our knocking has awaked him; here he comes.

LENNOX

Good-morrow, noble sir.

MACBETH

Good-morrow, both.

20
21

Turn red
Her hands are covered in blood

11

MACDUFF

Is the king stirring, worthy thane?

MACBETH

Not yet.

MACDUFF

He did command me to call timely on him;

I have almost slipped the hour.

MACBETH

Ill bring you to him.

MACBETH shows MACDUFF into the kings chamber.
He backs out at speed.

MACDUFF

O horror! horror! horror!

MACBETH, LENNOX

Whats the matter?

MACBETH

What ist you say?

LENNOX

Mean you his majesty?

MACDUFF

Approach the chamber.

MACBETH and LENNOX enter the chamber
Awake! Awake!
Ring the alarum bell! Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!
Bell rings.
LENNOX returns.
Enter LADY MACBETH

LADY MACBETH

Whats the business? speak, speak!

MACDUFF

O, gentle lady,
Tis not for you to hear what I can speak.
Enter BANQUO
O Banquo! Banquo!
Our royal masters murdered!

LADY MACBETH

Woe, alas!
What, in our house?
MACBETH returns.
Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.

DONALBAIN

What is amiss?

MACDUFF

Your royal fathers murdered.

12

MALCOLM

O, by whom?

LENNOX

Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had donet.

MACBETH

O, yet I do repent me of my fury,22

That I did kill them.

MACDUFF

Wherefore did you so?23

MACBETH

Who could refrain,

That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to makes love known?

LADY MACBETH

(Seeming to faint)24
Help me hence, ho!

MACDUFF

Look to the lady.

Exuent all but MALCOLM and DONALBAIN

MALCOLM

Ill to England.

DONALBAIN

To Ireland, I. Where we are

Theres daggers in mens smiles: the near in blood
The nearer bloody.
Exeunt.
Scene 11
The royal palace at Forres.
MACBETH and LADY MACBETH wear crowns.
Enter BANQUO, observing from a distance.

BANQUO

Thou has it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,

As the weird women promised, and I fear
Thou playdst most foully fort: yet it was said
It should not stand in thy posterity25,
But that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. But hush no more.
MACBETH, as King, LADY MACBETH, as Queen, LENNOX,

22

When Macbeth entered Duncans chamber with Lennox he killed the drugged grooms so that they
couldnt protest their innocence
23
This is news to everyone and they are all shocked by Macbeths unilateral action.
24
Lady Macbeth conveniently distracts attention from Macbeths actions
25
The Weird Sisters said Macbeths children would not be kings, but Banquos

13

ROSS, LORDS, LADIES and ATTENDANTS approach

MACBETH

(to BANQUO) Heres our chief guest.

To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir,
And Ill request your presence.

BANQUO

Let you highness command upon me.

MACBETH

Ride you this afternoon?

BANQUO

Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH

Ist far you ride?

BANQUO

As far, my lord, as will fill up the time

Twixt this and supper.

MACBETH

Fail not our feast.

BANQUO

My lord, I will not.

MACBETH

Goes Fleance with you?

BANQUO

Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH

I wish your horses swift and sure of foot. Farewell.

Exit BANQUO
(to LORDS) Let every man be master of his time
Till seven at night; God be with you!
All depart but MACBETH and a SERVANT
Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men
Our pleasure? Bring them before us.
The SERVANT goes.
To be thus is nothing,
But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo
Stick deep.
The Sisters hailed him father to a line of kings.
Ift be so,
For Banquos issue have I filed26 my mind,
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered,
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!
Whos there?

2ND MURDERER

26

Enter TWO MURDERERS to whom MACBETH hands over

money.
We shall, my lord,
Perform what you command us.

corrupted

14

MACBETH

Exit MURDERERS
It is concluded: Banquo, thy souls flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.
Exit
Scene 12
Same.
Enter LADY MACBETH and a SERVANT

LADY MACBETH

Is Banquo gone from court?

SERVANT

Ay, madam, but returns again to-night.

LADY MACBETH

Say to the king, I would attend his leisure

For a few words.

SERVANT

Madam, I will.
He goes

LADY MACBETH

MACBETH

Noughts had, alls spent,

Where our desire is got without content27:
Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
Enter MACBETH
We have scotched the snake, not killed it.

LADY MACBETH

Come on;
Gentle my lord, sleek oer your rugged looks.
Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

MACBETH

So shall I, love, and so I pray be you.

Let your remembrance apply to Banquo.
Ere the bat hath flown his cloistered flight,
There shall be done a deed of dreadful note.

LADY MACBETH

Whats to be done?

MACBETH

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,

Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling28 night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond

27
28

The anxiety she feels about Banquo is ruining their happiness

Night that closes up eyes. A term from falconry, when a hawks eyes are sewn shut.

15

Which keeps me paled!

Scene 13
Some way from the palace at Forres.
Enter THREE MURDERERS
1ST MURDERER

(to 3RD MURDERER) But who bid thee join us?

3RD MURDERER

Macbeth.
Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE with a torch

BANQUO

It will be rain tonight.

1ST MURDERER

Let it come down.

They set upon BANQUO

BANQUO

O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

He dies; FLEANCE escapes
Exeunt
Scene 14
The palace at Forres. A banquet
prepared.
MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS,
LENNOX, LORDS, and ATTENDANTS

MACBETH

You know your own degrees, sit down: at first

And last the hearty welcome.

LORDS

Thanks to your majesty.

The 1ST MURDERER appears at the door

MACBETH

Theres blood upon thy face.

1ST MURDERER

Tis Banquos then.

MACBETH

Is he dispatched29?

1ST MURDERER

My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

29

killed

16

MACBETH

Thou art the best oth cut-throats. Yet hes good

That did the like for Fleance.

1ST MURDERER

Most royal sir, Fleance is scaped.

MACBETH

Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect.

But Banquos safe?

1ST MURDERER

Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,

With twenty trenched gashes on his head.

MACBETH

Get thee gone; to-morrow well hear ourselves again.

Exit MURDERER

LADY MACBETH

My royal lord, you do not give the cheer.

The ghost of BANQUO enters and sits in
MACBETHs place.

LENNOX

Mayt please your highness sit?

MACBETH

(pointing at the GHOST) Which of you have done this?

LORDS

What, my good lord?

MACBETH

(to the GHOST) Thou canst not say I did it: never
shake thy gory locks at me

ROSS

Gentlemen, rise, his highness is not well.

LADY MACBETH

Pray you, keep seat,

The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well: (aside) Are you a man?

MACBETH

Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that

Which might appal the devil.

LADY MACBETH

Why do you make such faces? When alls done,

You look but on a stool.
The GHOST vanishes

MACBETH

If I stand here, I saw him.

LADY MACBETH

Fie, for shame!

MACBETH

(summoning courage) Give me some wine, fill full.

17

MACBETH

MACBETH

The GHOST returns

I drink to thgeneral joy othwhole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss;
Would he were here!
(seeing the GHOST) Avaunt! and quit my sight!
The GHOST goes

LADY MACBETH

Stand not upon the order of your going,

But go at once.

LENNOX

Good night, and better health

Attend his majesty!

LADY MACBETH

A kind good night to all!

They leave

MACBETH

It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood.

I will to-morrow, to the Weird Sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. I am in blood
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go oer.
Exeunt
Scene 15
The Palace at Forres.
A LORD reports to LENNOX

LORD

The son of Duncan lives in the English court.

Thither Macduff is gone to pray the holy king,
That by the help of him,
We may again sleep to our nights.

Exeunt

18

Scene 16
A cavern and in the middle a fiery
cauldron. Thunder.
THREE WITCHES
1ST WITCH

Round about the cauldron go:

In the poisoned entrails throw.

ALL

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

2ND WITCH

By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes.
Enter MACBETH

MACBETH

How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

What ist you do?

1ST WITCH

Speak.

2ND WITCH

Demand.

3RD WITCH

Well answer.

1ST WITCH

Say if thoudst rather hear it from our mouths,

Or from our masters.

MACBETH

Call em, let me see em!30

Thunder. FIRST APPARITION: an armed head31

1ST APPARITION

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware

Macduff,
Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
Descends
Thunder. SECOND APPARITION: a bloody child32

2ND APPARITION

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn
The power of man; for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

30

Macbeth is prepared to make direct contact with the powers of darkness

Symbolically Macbeths head cut off and brought to Malcolm by Macduff
32
Macduff, untimely torn from his mothers body rather than born
31

19

Descends
MACBETH

Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?

Thunder. THIRD APPARITION: a child crowned,
with a tree in his hand33

3RD APPARITION

Macbeth shall never vanquished be until

Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.
Descends

MACBETH

That will never be; sweet bodements! Good.

Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: shall Banquos issue34 ever
Reign in this kingdom?

ALL

Seek to know no more.

MACBETH

Deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you!
The WITCHES dance, and vanish

MACBETH

(calls) Come in, without there!

Enter LENNOX

LENNOX

Whats your graces will?

LENNOX

Macduff is fled to England.

MACBETH

Fled to England!

LENNOX

Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH

(to himself) Time, thou anticipatst my dread exploits.

The castle of Macduff I will surprise,
Seize upon Fife, give to the edge othsword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.
Exeunt

33
34

Royal Malcolm and the boughs of trees that march on Dunsinane

children

20

Scene 17
England. Before the Kings palace.
MALCOLM and MACDUFF
Enter ROSS
MACDUFF

My ever-gentle cousin, welcome hither.

ROSS

Sir, amen.

MACDUFF

Stands Scotland where it did?

ROSS

Alas, poor country,

Almost afraid to know itself. It cannot
Be called our mother, but our grave.

MALCOLM

Bet their comfort

We are coming thither: gracious England35 hath
Lent us good Siward and ten thousand men.

ROSS

Would I could answer

This comfort with the like! But I have words
That would be howled out in the desert air.

MACDUFF

What concern they?

ROSS

Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes

Savagely slaughtered.

MALCOLM

Merciful heaven!

MACDUFF

My children too?

ROSS

Wife, children, servants, all

That could be found.

MACDUFF

My wife killed too?

ROSS

I have said.

MACDUFF

All my pretty ones?

Did you say all? O, hell-kite36! All?
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam
At one fell swoop?
Sinful Macduff, they were all struck for thee!

35

Edward king of England

21

MALCOLM

Be this the whetstone of your sword: let grief

Convert to anger.

MACDUFF

Gentle heavens, front to front

Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself37;
Within my swords length set him.

MALCOLM

Macbeth is ripe for shaking.

Exeunt
Scene 18
Macbeths castle at Dunsinane.
Enter LADY MACBETH with a candle.

LADY MACBETH

Out, damned spot! (smelling her hand) Heres the smell of

the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten
this little hand. Oh! oh! Oh. (reassuring Macbeth) Wash
your hands38, look not so pale: I tell you yet again, Banquos
buried; he cannot come out ons grave. Give me your hand:
whats done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.
She exits
Scene 19
Countryside near Macbeths castle at
Dunsinane. Distant drumming.
MENTIETH, ANGUS, CAITHNESS,
LENNOX, and SOLDIERS39

MENTIETH

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,

His uncle Siward and the good Macduff.

ANGUS

Near Birnam wood

Shall we meet them, and that way are they coming.
Exeunt, marching

36

The Kite is traditionally thought of as a bird of prey even if it takes only dead animals.
He prays to God to let him fight Macbeth
38
she imagines shes speaking to Macbeth first, after Duncans murder, and second when he sees
Banquos ghost
39
Some of Macbeths nobles are defecting to the approaching English
37

22

Scene 20
Dunsinane.
MACBETH, SETON and
ATTENDANTS
MACBETH

Bring me no more reports, let them fly all:

Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane
I cannot taint with fear. Whats the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman.
(to SETON)
Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff;
I will not be afraid of death and bane
Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.
Exeunt
Scene 21
Near Birnam Wood. Drumming.
MALCOLM, SIWARD, MACDUFF,
MENTIETH, ANGUS, CAITHNESS,
LENNOX, ROSS, and SOLDIERS

SIWARD

What wood is this before us?

MENTIETH

The wood of Birnam.

MALCOLM

Let every soldier hew him down a bough,

And beart before him.
Exeunt, marching.
Scene 22
Dunsinane.
MACBETH, SETON, and SOLDIERS

MACBETH

Hang out our banners on the outward walls!

A cry of women within
(calmly) What is that noise?

SETON

It is the cry of women, my good lord.

Exit
23

MACBETH

The time has been, my senses would have cooled

To hear a night-shriek.
Re-enter SETON
Wherefore was that cry?

SETON

The queen, my lord, is dead.

MACBETH

Out, out, brief candle!

Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Enter a Messenger

MESSENGER

As I did stand my watch upon the hill,

I looked toward Birnam, and anon, methought
The wood began to move.

MACBETH

I begin
To doubt thequivocation of the fiend
That lies like truth40: Fear not, till Birnam wood
Do come to Dunsinane; and now a wood
Comes towards Dunsinane. Blow, wind! come,
wrack41!
At least well die with harness on our back42.
Exeunt
Scene 23
Same.
MACBETH, hot from fighting.
Enter MACDUFF

MACDUFF

Turn hell-hound, turn!

MACBETH

Of all men else I have avoided thee:

My soul is too charged with blood of thine already.43

40

He realises that the apparitions have given him ambiguous information

Wrack and ruin.
42
at least well die fighting
43
he refers to the murder of Macduffs wife and children
41

24

MACDUFF

Thou bloodier villain

Than terms can give thee out!
They fight and MACBETH appears to be winning.

MACBETH

I bear a charmed life, which must not yield

To one of woman born.

MACDUFF

Despair thy charm,

Macduff was from his mothers womb
Untimely ripped.

MACBETH

Lay on44, Macduff,

And damned be him that first cries Hold, enough.
Exeunt, fighting
Enter MALCOLM and SIWARD
Re-enter MACDUFF with MACBETHs head

MACDUFF

Hail, king! for so thou art. Behold where stands

Thusurpers cursed head. Hail, king of Scotland!

ALL

Hail, king of Scotland!

MALCOLM

Let us call home our exiled friends abroad

That fled the snares
Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen.
Who, as tis thought, by self and violent hands
Took off her life.
So thanks to all at once, and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone45.

44
45

Fight on
Malcolm, heir to Duncan, will be the next King.

25