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    The Macbeth Breakdown

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    ZACK
    Act I introduces the Weird Sisters and their prophecy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor as predicted, fueling his ambition. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into murdering King Duncan when he stays at their castle, and Macbeth agrees to the plan. Act II details Macbeth murdering King Duncan and framing the guards. Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth's involvement. Act III sees Macbeth arranging for Banquo and his son to be murdered due to Banquo's suspicions. Macbeth is driven mad by guilt at the banquet, while

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    The Macbeth Breakdown

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    ZACK
    243 views2 pages
    Act I introduces the Weird Sisters and their prophecy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor as predicted, fueling his ambition. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into murdering King Duncan when he stays at their castle, and Macbeth agrees to the plan. Act II details Macbeth murdering King Duncan and framing the guards. Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth's involvement. Act III sees Macbeth arranging for Banquo and his son to be murdered due to Banquo's suspicions. Macbeth is driven mad by guilt at the banquet, while

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    Act I introduces the Weird Sisters and their prophecy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor as predicted, fueling his ambition. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into murdering King Duncan when he stays at their castle, and Macbeth agrees to the plan. Act II details Macbeth murdering King Duncan and framing the guards. Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth's involvement. Act III sees Macbeth arranging for Banquo and his son to be murdered due to Banquo's suspicions. Macbeth is driven mad by guilt at the banquet, while

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    243 views2 pages

    The Macbeth Breakdown

    Uploaded by

    ZACK
    Act I introduces the Weird Sisters and their prophecy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor as predicted, fueling his ambition. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into murdering King Duncan when he stays at their castle, and Macbeth agrees to the plan. Act II details Macbeth murdering King Duncan and framing the guards. Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth's involvement. Act III sees Macbeth arranging for Banquo and his son to be murdered due to Banquo's suspicions. Macbeth is driven mad by guilt at the banquet, while

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    The Macbeth Breakdown

    Act I:

    This Act opens with the three Weird Sisters setting up the entire theme of the play: Fair is foul
    and foul is fair. A war is taking place against Scotland (the setting of this play) and Norway.
    Scotland is victorious due to the valiant efforts of Macbeth. The traitorous Thane of Cawdor is
    captured and executed. King Duncan decides to reward Macbeth with the title of Thane of
    Cawdor to show his gratitude.

    The scene shifts to the battleground where the three Weird Sisters confront Macbeth and
    Banquo, telling Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually king. Macbeth
    soon learns of his new title, fulfilling the first part of the prophesy, and sends word to his wife.
    King Duncan plans on staying the night at Macbeth's home.

    Lady Macbeth receives the news and immediately plots the death of King Duncan so her
    husband will be king. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into following her plans, and he
    reluctantly agrees to murder Duncan. By the end of Act I, Macbeth is determined to follow
    through with the plan.

    Act II:

    Macbeth again has some doubts (and visions), but he soon talks himself into following through
    with the murder. Macbeth freaks out so Lady Macbeth finishes the rest of the plan by wiping
    blood on the drunk guards.

    The next morning, Macduff and Lennox arrive at Macbeth's, and Macduff discovers the dead
    body of King Duncan. All are shocked and Macbeth plays his role to perfection. The guards are
    immediately suspect and Macbeth kills them "in a fit of sorrow and rage." Malcolm and
    Donalbain, the King's sons, flee the castle because they are afraid that they will be blamed for the
    murder of their father. The king is soon buried.

    Act III:

    Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth for the murder of King Duncan and Macbeth in turn feels that
    Banquo will reveal that it was he that killed the King. Therefore, Macbeth sends out some thugs
    to murder Banquo and his son, Fleance. Banquo is murdered, but Fleance escapes.

    Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Lennox, Ross, and other lords attend a banquet. The ghost of Banquo
    presents itself to Macbeth. Macbeth begins to rant and rave, making the other guests uneasy.
    Lady Macbeth tries to cover up the situation by saying Macbeth is prone to fits. By the end of
    this Act, we learn that Macduff has not attended the banquet because he has gone to England,
    looking for aid because he is suspicious of Macbeth.
    Act IV:

    Macbeth confronts the three Weird Sisters and they show him more visions. The visions lead
    Macbeth to believe that he cannot be killed by any man, giving him a false sense of security. He
    then plans to send murderers to the castle of Macduff (who is in England ) in order to kill his
    family.

    Meanwhile, Macduff is in England begging Malcolm to return to Scotland and seize the throne
    from Macbeth who has become a tyrant. Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty to Scotland and
    himself, and after being satisfied with Macduff's responses, he agrees to wage war against
    Macbeth. Malcolm's uncle will also aid in the attack.

    Act IV:

    Lady Macbeth has finally gone mad with guilt over the murders. The once strong and ruthless
    woman is now a scared child. Doctors are unable to help her.

    Some of the Scottish lords are discussing Macbeth's state of mind and have come to the
    conclusion that they will help Malcolm and Macduff fight against Macbeth. Of course, Macbeth
    isn't really concerned because the prophecy, he believes, insures that he cannot be killed by any
    man born of woman. Macbeth soon confronts Macduff and learns that Macduff was ripped from
    his mother's side and not born naturally. Thus, Macbeth is killed by Macduff, just as Macbeth
    had conquered the other Thane of Cawdor. Malcolm then becomes the rightful King of Scotland

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