Macbeth Revision Guide

Macbeth - Plot summaryWilliam Shakespeare (1564-1616)Macbeth has remained one of William Shakespeare's most intense and often performed plays. The play follows the progress of the title character as he becomes increasingly powerful, using any means to get what he wants - even murder! He is encouraged by the ruthless and bloodthirsty ambition of his wife, Lady Macbeth. However, power comes at a price and by the end of the play, Macbeth's world falls apart around him, he is defeated and a new king, Malcolm, is declared.

Social and historical contextMacbeth was written by Shakespeare in approximately 1606. The early 17th century was a time of political upheaval, suspicion and superstition. A new king had just come to power and the future of the country seemed quite uncertain. Shakespeare's play reflects these changes.

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Macbeth - Character overviewThe cast of characters in Macbeth is not particularly large but each has an important part to play in the unfolding drama. Many of the characters are from the Scottish ruling class. Other characters are servants or soldiers and even supernatural beings. The central characters, the Macbeths, have a strong influence over the lives of the other characters. And they in their turn, are influenced by the words and actions of others.

Main characters Macbeth Lady Macbeth

Secondary characters Banquo Macduff The Witches

Minor characters Duncan Malcolm Donalbain Fleance Seyton Lady Macduff The porter Hecate

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Macbeth

How is Macbeth like this?

Evidence Analysis

Ambitious At the start of the play, Macbeth is Thane of Glamis. He quickly becomes the more powerful Thane of Cawdor and then murders his way to become and remain King of Scotland. The Witches' predictions seem to waken the ambition already in him and he is spurred on by his wife.

The prince of Cumberland: That is a step / On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap, / For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires, / The eye wink at the hand. Yet let that be, / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (Act 1 Scene 4)

Macbeth is clearly worried by the strength of his own ambition which he refers to as black and deep desires. He knows there will be obstacles in his way but is determined to get round them. He just hopes that nobody will see what he is up to which is why he wants the stars to stop shining.

Brave At the start of the play, Macbeth shows that he is a mighty warrior when he leads the Scottish

For brave Macbeth-- well he deserves that name -- / Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which

The Captain describes Macbeth's actions on the battlefield particularly when he seeks out and

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troops to victory over an invading force. Duncan, the King, rewards him by making him Thane of Cawdor. At the end of the play, when he knows he is about to die, Macbeth regains some of his old bravery, as he faces Macduff in single combat.

smoked with bloody execution, / Like Valour'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'chaps, / And fixed his head upon our battlements. (Act 1 Scene 2)

kills the traitor Macdonwald. The Captain uses a number of strong verbs and adjectives to show how brave Macbeth has been: 'brandished', 'smoked', 'carved', 'unseamed', 'fixed'.

Changeable

Macbeth keeps changing his mind about whether to murder Duncan or not. This is particularily so in the early part of hte play. His ambition conflicts with his sense of loyalty and morality. Lady Macbeth is key to persuading him and keeping him determined.

We will proceed no further in this business. / He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / Not cast aside so soon. I am settled and bend up / Each corporeal agent to this terrible feat. (Act 1 Scene 7)

Macbeth has just spent a difficult time convincing himself that killing the King is wrong. He tells Lady Macbeth that he will not carry out the deed. Within the space of a couple of minutes she argues the case for Duncan’s death and Macbeth is, once again, set on murder.

Guilty Conscience

Throughout the play, Macbeth is tormented by thoughts of the evil things he has done. However, he is caught in a spiral of evil and does not seem able to stop himself.

(seeing the GHOST) Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! / Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; / Thou hast no speculation in those eyes / Which thou dost glare with.(Act 3 Scene 4)

Banquo's ghost appears to Macbeth alone, showing his overactive imagination triggered by a guilty conscience. Although he is now a king, Macbeth cannot command his own emotions and feels irrevocably set on this course of action. The court thinks he is going

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mad.

Social and historical contextA king in Shakespeare's time was thought to rule by 'divine right'. This meant that God had chosen that person directly to rule over others. The killing of a king (known as regicide) was therefore considered to be just about the worst crime that anyone could commit. That is why Macbeth's decision to murder Duncan seemed so horrific to an audience of the time and why the murderer has such a guilty conscience. The new King on the throne of England, James I (also known as James VI of Scotland), was paranoid about assassination attempts. This was unsurprising, since the infamous Gunpowder Plot to blow up the King and Parliament had taken place just months before Macbeth was first performed.

Lady Macbeth

How is Lady Macbeth like

this?

Evidence Analysis

Cunning Lady Macbeth is, perhaps, even more determined than her husband. She can only be Queen if he becomes King

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be / What thou art promised; yet do I fear thy nature, / It is too full o'th'milk of

Lady Macbeth's determination to succeed is clear here. She is insistent that Macbeth will become King ('shalt be what thou

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so when he hesitates she displays enough ambition for both of them. Once she has worked out a plan, nothing will turn her from that course until her ambition is fulfilled.

human kindness / To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, / Art not without ambition, but without / The illness should attend it. (Act 1 Scene 5)

art promised') However, she recognises that he is 'too full o'th'milk of human kindness' and that this could stand in their way. It is interesting that she describes the necessary ruthless streak as an 'illness'. This suggests that even at this stage she knows what she is doing is wrong.

Ambitious To the outside world, Lady Macbeth seems like the ideal supportive wife but this is part of her ability to be deceptive. When Macbeth expresses doubts, she uses every trick she can think of to make sure he carries out their plan to murder Duncan. When he hesitates, she is there to urge Macbeth on.

All our service, / In every point twice done and then done double, / Were poor and single business to contend / Against those honours deep and broad wherewith / Your majesty loads our house. (Act 1 Scene 6)

Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan to her home and flatters him so that he will not suspect a thing. She almost overdoes it when she exaggerates 'In every point twice done and then done double'. The word 'double' also links Lady Macbeth to the evil of the witches - they use the word repeatedly in one of their spells.

Conscience-stricken

Lady Macbeth seems to go from being someone with no conscience at all to someone who is overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. She cannot bear to think of what she has done and eventually dies alone and unmourned even by her husband.

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One, two. Why then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear? Who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? (Act 5

As the guilt-stricken Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, she remembers all the evil things she and her husband have done and tries to wash imaginary blood from her hands (Out, damned spot: out, I say!). In particular, she recalls the night of Duncan's murder and the part she played in

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Scene 1) persuading her husband to act. She is also aware that she will be going to hell for her sins.

Social and historical contextIn both Shakespeare's time and in the time when the play takes place, women had a much lower status than would be the case today. Wives were little more than the property of their husbands and had no legal rights. Their main purpose was to have children and support their menfolk. Lady Macbeth appears to be a much more feisty character with ambitions and desires of her own; these are characteristics that could imply a lack of femininity. It is worth remembering that in the original performances of the play the part of Lady Macbeth would have been played by a man and this would have helped to emphasise the character's masculine qualities.

BanquoBanquo is another general in King Duncan’s army, like Macbeth. He is also Macbeth’s best friend. Banquo is more cautious than Macbeth and does not resort to murder. He is aware that the Witches’ predictions may be tricking Macbeth into evil actions.

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How is Banquo like this?

Evidence Analysis

Noble Banquo is in many ways Macbeth's opposite. He is kind and caring, loyal and trustworthy. Like Macbeth he fights bravely for King Duncan but does not involve himself with the murder plot. When he and Fleance are attacked his first thought is to keep his son safe. Banquo displays all the character traits that go to make up someone who would be regarded as a truly noble person.

Our fears in Banquo / Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature / Reigns that which would be feared. 'Tis much he dares, / And to that dauntless temper of his mind, / He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour / To act in safety. There is none but he / Whose being I do fear. (Act 3 Scene 1)

Macbeth considers what it is about Banquo that gives him cause for concern. He states that Banquo has a 'royalty of nature' or nobility about him which actually makes Macbeth afraid of him. He also acknowledges that Banquo has 'valour' (bravery) and 'wisdom' without feeling the need to take unnecessary risks.

Questioning

Banquo seems far less ready to believe the Witches than Macbeth and is suspicious of their motives. He realises that the things they predict/suggest may cause his friend to come to harm. Although, like Macbeth, he is ambitious, he thinks more carefully about the consequences of any action.

That, trusted home, / Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, / Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange, / And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths; / Win us with honest trifles, to betray's / In deepest

Having listened to the Witches' predictions, Banquo recognises that Macbeth has been given the spark that will have lit up his ambitious streak ('enkindle'). He also realises that the predictions are temptations which only reveal part of the truth ('honest trifles'). This is in order to set a trap for something of greater

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consequence. (Act 1 Scene 3)

significance ('to betray's in deepest consequence').

MacduffMacduff, the Thane of Fife, is Macbeth’s deadly enemy. He discovers Duncan’s body and becomes Malcolm’s (King Duncan’s eldest son) chief supporter, following him to England to support him in raising an army against Macbeth. According to the Witches’ prediction, Macduff is the only one who can stop Macbeth.

How is Banquo like this?

Evidence Analysis

Loyal Macduff's first loyalty is to his king and country. It is he who discovers Duncan's body and reveals the full horror of the murder. He follows Malcolm (the rightful king) to England and becomes his right-hand man supporting him in his bid to regain the throne.

Macduff, this noble passion, / Child of >integrity, hath from my soul / Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts / To thy good truth and honour. Devilish Macbeth / By many of these trains hath sought to win me / Into his power, and modest wisdom plucks me / From over-credulous haste; but God above / Deal between thee and me, for even now / I put myself to thy direction (Act 4 Scene 3)

Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty by pretending to be a worse human being than Macbeth himself. Macduff refuses to give up his loyalty to the Scottish royal family. Malcolm reveals his deception and contrasts the 'integrity' and 'good truth and honour' of Macduff with that of 'Devilish Macbeth'. He finishes by saying that he completely trusts Macduff - 'I put myself to thy direction'.

Revengeful

Macduff wants to rid his country of the tyrant Macbeth and vows to help Malcolm achieve this. When he learns of the murder of his family he

O, I could play the woman with mine eyes / And braggart with my tongue! But gentle heavens, / Cut short all intermission. Front to front / Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and

Macduff is actually a man of few words preferring to get on with things. He could sit around crying about his loss ('I could play the woman with mine eyes') or

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becomes even more determined to take revenge. He and Macbeth come face-to-face on the battlefield and Macduff is victorious.

myself; / Within my sword's length set him; if he scape, / Heaven forgive him too. (Act 4 Scene 3)

making great speeches about his intentions ('braggart with my tongue'). Instead he cannot wait for the moment ('cut short all intermission') when he and Macbeth come face-to-face and he can be avenged.

The WitchesAlthough there is clearly more than one of them, the Witches may be seen as a single character; they are often referred to as “The Weird Sisters”. Their predictions drive matters forward though they never actually suggest direct action. Rather, they plant ideas in Macbeth’s mind and let his ambition do the rest. Many of their predictions are ambiguous.

How is Banquo like this?

Evidence Analysis

Supernatural

The Witches are clearly unlike any other characters in the play. Their physical appearance, their style of speech, their actions and their apparent ability to predict the future sets them apart from the humans they seek to control.

Round about the cauldron go; / In, the poisoned entrails throw. / Toad, that under cold stone / Days and nights hast thirty-one / Sweltered venom sleeping got, / Boil thou first i'th'charmèd pot. / Double, double, toil and trouble; / Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. (Act 4 Scene 1)

The Witches meet around one of the most well-known symbols of witchcraft - a cauldron. Into this they throw all manner of foul and evil objects ('poisoned entrails') and cast a spell. Although it is not clear what the spell is for, it is obvious they are up to no good. The Witches' chant is in a different rhythm to the way the other characters speak - this also suggests their supernatural

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nature.Ambiguous When the

Witches make their predictions, they only say what will happen and not how it will happen. Macbeth falls into their trap and believes that he is safer than he actually is.

THIRD APPARITION: Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care / Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. / Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come against him.MACBETH: That will never be. (Act 4 Scene 1)

The Witches have conjured up three ghostly visions that make ambiguous predictions. Macbeth is told that he need not fear anything ('take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are') until a forest of trees uproots itself and moves. As this seems to be a physical impossibility Macbeth instantly dismisses it ever happening ('That will never be'). The prediction will come true - but not quite in the way Macbeth expects.

Macbeth - Themes overviewThemes are ideas that run all the way through a literary text. These could be the basis of an exam question.

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Ambition and powerIn Macbeth, William Shakespeare examines the good and bad aspects of ambition and power. Some of the key aspects are:

How does Shakespeare show this?

Evidence Analysis

The fatal flaw

In a tragic play, the fatal flaw refers to the basic mistake in the central character's personality which drives their actions. Macbeth is basically a good man who goes wrong. He is driven by a need for power which eventually sets him on a path to his own destruction. His wife shares this fatal flaw with him.

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? (Act 1 Scene 7)

Macbeth has been thinking about whether or not he should murder Duncan. He reaches the conclusion that the only thing that is motivating him (his 'spur') is ambition which he compares to a horse leaping over an obstacle ('vaulting ambition'). As for the horse and rider, what is on the other side of the obstacle is unknown - it could, of course, be disaster. However, before Macbeth can complete the thought and turn away from the crime, he is interrupted by Lady Macbeth entering. Had she not appeared at this point, the outcome might have been different.

Leadership

In Macbeth, Shakespeare shows us three very different leaders. Duncan is not a good king as although he is kind and generous, he is weak. Macbeth is strong but becomes a bullying dictator. Malcolm seems to strike a healthy balance and combines the good

The king-becoming graces - / As justice, verity, temp'rance, stableness, / Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, / Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude - / I have no relish of them, but abound / In the division of each several crime, /

Malcolm lists the qualities of a good king or leader when he is testing Macduff's loyalty. As part of the test Malcolm pretends that he has none of these qualities either. It is clear is that Macbeth does not have any of these virtues; if anything he displays the absolute opposites. Even his courage, clearly reported at the start of the play, has deserted him as he terrorises and murders those around

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qualities of both men.

Acting it many ways. (Act 4 Scene 3)

him.

Greed As part of Macbeth's ambition he becomes greedy and selfish. He cannot accept that Banquo's descendants will become kings after him and sets out to alter the prediction by having Banquo and Fleance murdered. He is even unprepared to share power with his wife as he puts her to one side, making secretive decisions and apparently not even caring when she dies.

For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind; / For them, the gracious Duncan have I murdered, / Put rancours in the vessel of my peace, / Only for them, and mine eternal jewel / Given to the common enemy of man, / To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings. / Rather than so, come Fate into the list, / And champion me to th'utterance. (Act 3 Scene 1)

As Macbeth completely believes the Witches' predictions he must also believe that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne after him ('the seed of Banquo kings'). He thinks that everything he has done has ultimately been for their benefit ('For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind'); he has even put his soul ('mine eternal jewel') in danger. His greed means that he wishes to keep power for himself and his own family. So he concludes that the only way forward is to try to alter the prediction by murdering Banquo and Fleance.

Evil and the supernaturalIn Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses evil and the supernatural as a background to all the events which take place. Some of the key aspects are:

How does Shakespeare show

this?

Evidence Analysis

Wicked thoughts and actions

The Witches' predictions encourage Macbeth to think wicked thoughts and carry out evil deeds. As well as murder, Macbeth is also guilty of lying, deception,

Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings. / My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smothered in surmise, and

Before the first murder of the play takes place there is a slow build up as Macbeth wrestles with his conscience. The wicked thoughts he has are almost worse than the actual deeds ('Present fears / Are less than horrible

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cowardice, seeking out further contact with evil forces, behaving brutally with both physical and verbal violence and showing a lack of love and concern for others.

nothing is, / But what is not. (Act 1 Scene 3)

imaginings'). He becomes more concerned with what might happen rather than reality ('nothing is, but what is not') and uses evil methods to achieve his desires. Once Duncan's murder has taken place, a line has been crossed and further acts of wickedness keep on coming.

The activities of the Witches

The Witches' appearance at the start of the play in the middle of a thunderstorm (apparently of their own creation) sets the tone for what is to follow. As well as predicting the future, controlling the weather and casting evil spells, they also discuss the wicked acts they carry out against ordinary men and women. In a couple of scenes they interact with Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft.

Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o'th'Tiger: / But in a sieve I'll thither sail, / And like a rat without a tail, / I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do........ I'll drain him dry as hay: / Sleep shall neither night nor day / Hang upon his penthouse lid; / He shall live a man forbid. / Weary sennights nine times nine, / Shall he dwindle, peak and pine.(Act 1 Scene 3)

One of the Witches describes how a sailor's wife has insulted her and how she plans to take her revenge ('I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do'). She plans to follow his ship (The Tiger) and drain the life out of him by not allowing him to sleep. She is going to keep this up for 567 days ('sennights nine times nine' or 7 × 9 × 9). As both Macbeth and, particularly, his wife discover, sleep deprivation is an awful punishment.

The disruption of nature

The opening of the play takes place in the middle of a thunderstorm. A further storm rages on the night of Duncan's murder and many highly unnatural occurrences are reported in Act 2 Scene 4. In the final scenes of the play, it seems that the trees have

The night has been unruly: where we lay, / Our chimneys were blown down, and, as they say, / Lamentings heard i'th'air, strange screams of death / And prophesying with accents terrible / Of dire combustion and confused events, New hatched to th'woeful time. The obscure

Moments before Macduff announces the discovery of Duncan's dead body, Lennox talks about events that were occurring while the murder was taking place. These include strong winds, strange ghostly cries in the night, an owl screeching (thought to be a bad omen) and even an earthquake. The

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come to life as Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane and Macbeth is defeated by Macduff who was not naturally born.

bird / Clamoured the livelong night. Some say, the Earth / Was feverous and did shake. (Act 2 Scene 3)

natural world has been disturbed and disrupted following the unnatural killing of a king.

Appearances and realityIn Macbeth, Shakespeare examines how appearances can be deceptive and that the reality behind them is often unpleasant. Some of the key aspects are:

How does Shakespeare show

this?

Evidence Analysis

Seeing things

The play is full of spirits, ghosts, optical illusions and visions. While some of these are conjured up by the Witches, others are as a result of a guilty conscience following acts of wickedness. This is why Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are particularly affected. It is difficult for them to admit to others (or even each other) what is happening - this might mean they would be suspected of madness.

Mine eyes are made the fools o'th'other senses, / Or else worth all the rest. I see thee still, / And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, / Which was not so before. There's no such thing: / It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes. (Act 2 Scene 1)

In one of the most famous scenes in the play, Macbeth sees a vision of a dagger just like the one he is about to use to kill king Duncan. Blood is covering the blade and the dudgeon (handle). Lady Macbeth thinks her hands are covered in blood. Even though Macbeth cannot believe his eyes ('Mine eyes are made the fools o'th'other senses') and in reality realises he is having an hallucination ('There's no such thing') he is still fascinated by the dagger's appearance.

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Sleep and dreams

After the murder of Duncan has taken place, both Macbeth and his wife have trouble sleeping and are tormented by guilty dreams. Lady Macbeth regularly sleepwalks and replays events in her mind as she tries to wipe away the memory of what she has done. Eventually she goes mad and she dies, probably by committing suicide.

LADY MACBETH: The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No more o'that, my lord, no more o'that. You mar all with this starting. DOCTOR: Go to, go to; You have known what you should not.GENTLEWOMAN: She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that. Heaven knows what she has known.(Act 5 Scene 1)

The Doctor and one of the ladies-in waiting observe Lady Macbeth as she sleepwalks and goes over events in her mind. She is thinking about the murders of Macduff's wife and of King Duncan and how Macbeth reacted when he saw Banquo's ghost. These events all become muddled together in one continuous speech which suggests that Lady Macbeth is losing her reason. The blood on her hands is, of course, not real but in her highly charged emotional state she imagines that it is ('What, will these hands ne'er be clean?'). Her unconscious words and actions give her away to the people watching.

Fake hospitality

King Duncan is a guest in the Macbeth's home when they decide to murder him. Rather than look after him as good hosts should do they send him to his grave. Later in the play the Macbeths host a banquet for the other Thanes. They are not just being generous - their hidden agenda is

MACBETH: You know your own degrees, sit down; at first and last, the hearty welcome.[The LORDS sit] LORDS: Thanks to your majesty.MACBETH: Our self will mingle with society and play the humble host; our hostess keeps her state, but in best time we will require her welcome.LADY MACBETH: Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends for

Macbeth subtly reminds his guests that they all have a particular rank ('you know your own degrees') and that he is at the top as King. Cleverly he pretends to 'play the humble host' to make them less suspicious of his motives. The Macbeths appear to be putting on a show of solidarity for the Thanes. In fact Macbeth has just ordered the murder of one of them (Banquo) and has refused to tell his wife what he has been doing. Their

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to get the other nobles to support them.

my heart speaks, they are welcome. (Act 3 Scene 4)

words are very polite and apparently warm. The word 'welcome' appears three times which is almost overdoing it!

Use of form in MacbethThe form of a text is the type of text you are reading or watching. The

form of Macbeth is a dramatic play. More specifically, it is a tragedy. The simplest definition of a tragedy would be "a play with an unhappy ending". While this is true, it is probably just a bit too simple.

Tragic plays can be traced back all the way to the beginnings of drama in Ancient Greece. In Poetics, one of the first books of literary criticism, Aristotle set out the key features of tragedy. He stated that tragic plays would involve a protagonist (the leading central figure) who is usually of royal or noble birth. In the course of the play, the protagonist reveals a fatal flaw (a character defect) which causes him or her to go from success and happiness to failure, misery and, often, death at the hands of an antagonist (his opposite). Tragedy set out to stir up feelings of fear and pity in the audience – this is known as catharsis.

All of these things can be seen at work in Macbeth. The protagonist is clearly Macbeth himself, a thane of the Scottish nobility. His fatal flaw is his

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ambition and this drives the action forward. Macbeth is basically a good man who goes wrong. He is driven by a need for power which eventually sets him on a path to his own destruction. His wife shares this fatal flaw with him.

While Macbeth clearly achieves his ambition to become king, it is at the expense of his happiness. He feels he needs to murder, lie and behave brutally to others in order to keep his power. Eventually he goes too far when he slaughters Macduff's family. This causes Macduff to take up a position as the play's antagonist – Macbeth's opposite. Eventually Macduff kills Macbeth in face-to-face combat. While exciting to watch, all of this should cause feelings of horror and regret in the audience.

Use of structure in MacbethThe structure of a text refers to the way in which events are organised

inside the play as a whole. In the case of Macbeth, the structure is strictly chronological. This is where events are revealed to the audience/reader in the order in which they have happened. Sometimes events are described rather than shown (eg Macbeth becoming king). Others happen offstage (out of sight of the audience) for example, Duncan's murder.

The events of this play are organised into five acts, each containing a number of scenes. However, it is important to note that Shakespeare himself almost certainly did not organise the play in this way and that this structure would have been added later during the editing process when the plays were turned into published text after being performed that way.

The idea of the five-act structure is a useful one, though, as it follows the model designed by Gustav Freytag, a German author from the 19th-century. Having carefully studied classical drama, he suggested there were five stages in a tragic dramatic structure.

He named these stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and catastrophe.

Freytag's pyramid shows how a drama is divided into five actsHow this applies to Macbeth is shown in the table:

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Stages What? When?

ExpositionIntroduces the characters, setting, events and key ideas.

Act 1: Main characters are introduced; the Witches make their predictions; thoughts of murder start to form.

Rising action

A series of related events occur leading up to the key moment in the plot.

Act 2: Macbeth keeps changing his mind; Lady Macbeth takes control; King Duncan’s murder (key moment).

Climax

Marks the turning point of the play. Up to this point things have gone well for the main character – now things will go rapidly downhill.

Act 3: Macbeth becomes King; Banquo is murdered and Fleance escapes; Macduff joins Malcolm in England.

Falling action

The main conflict between the protagonist (the central character – Macbeth) and the antagonist (his opposite – Macduff) is established.

Act 4: Macbeth returns to the Witches; Macduff’s family is slaughtered; Malcolm and Macduff plan their invasion.

Catastrophe

The protagonist is defeated by the antagonist and events return to a state of normality.

Act 5: The invasion is carried out and Malcolm becomes King; the Witches' predictions come true in unexpected ways; both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth die.

Use of language in MacbethHere are some examples of language choices which Shakespeare makes: key words and literary devices such as animal imagery.

1. Key words

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There are a number of key words in Macbeth which are used over and over again. This repetition reinforces their importance in the mind of the audience or reader and adds strongly to the overall atmosphere of the play. Three of the most important key words in the play are blood, night and time.

Blood What relevance does the word 'blood' have in the play?The word 'blood' appears numerous times in the playBlood appears as a real substance all through the play. In one of the first scenes a blood-stained Captain reports on the battle to Duncan. Blood is evident when

Duncan, Banquo and Lady Macduff are murdered and the Witches use animal blood as part of their potions. The play also finishes with real blood as Macbeth's severed head is displayed for all to see.The word 'blood' also appears a number of times as a symbol of the guilt that runs through the play. For instance, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloodstained dagger before he kills Duncan and Lady Macbeth tries to wash away imaginary bloodstains during her guilt-ridden sleepwalking.The table shows some examples of the use of the key word blood:

How? Who? Where?

'What bloody man is that?'

After the first battle, the blood-stained Captain reports to King Duncan.

Act 1 Scene 2

'Make thick my blood'

Lady Macbeth calls on spirits to take away any feelings of pity she may have.

Act 1 Scene 5

'And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood'

Macbeth sees a vision of a blood-stained dagger before he murders Duncan.

Act 2 Scene 1

'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?'

Macbeth feels great guilt about murdering Duncan and realises he is never going to get rid of these feelings.

Act 2 Scene 2

'There's blood upon thy face.'

Macbeth alerts one of Banquo's murderers to the fact that he has his victim's blood on his face.

Act 3 Scene 4

'It will Macbeth recalls an old saying that blood shed Act 3

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How? Who? Where?

have blood they say: blood will have blood.'

through violence seeks more blood in revenge, creating a cycle of bloodshed; he feels trapped in the inevitability of this violence. Scene 4

'I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er'

Macbeth realises that he has been responsible for so many acts of violence already that it's impossible to undo them and he may as well keep killing.

Act 3 Scene 4

'Cool it with a baboon's blood, / Then the charm is firm and good.'

The Witches use blood as part of one of their spells.

Act 4 Scene 1

'Here's the smell of the blood still'

Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and imagines she has blood on her hands.

Act 5 Scene 1

Why does Shakespeare use the word 'blood' so often in the play?The word 'blood' appears over 40 times in Macbeth – not to mention appearances by related words such as 'bloody', 'bleeding' and so on. Shakespeare's constant repetition of the word 'blood' stresses to his audience or readers the full horror of what is happening. This was especially true for the play's original audiences. For them the shedding of a king's blood would have been just about the worst crime that could be committed. It was not only a crime but also a deadly sin. The references to actual blood are a constant reminder of the direct consequences of the Macbeth's actions. This is further reinforced by the images of blood which are used throughout the character's speeches and makes what they are saying all the more frightening or horrific.

Night What relevance does the word 'night' have in the play?Repetition of the word 'night' also features heavily in the playNight time is traditionally associated with evil and so it is in Macbeth. Many of the most horrifying scenes of the play take place at night and under the cover of darkness. Even when it is daylight sometimes it seems more like night. The image of night time is also used by the characters

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to show the darkness of their feelings and the evil of what they are doing.The table shows some examples of the use of the key word night:

How? Who? Where?

'Come, thick night, / And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell'

Lady Macbeth calls on spirits to bring on night time in order to 'cover up' the murder she is planning.

Act 1 Scene 5

'By th'clock 'tis day' / And yet dark nightstrangles the travelling lamp. / Is't night'spredominance, or the day's shame, / That darkness does the face of earth entomb / When living light should kiss it?'

Ross talks to an old man about unnatural events following Duncan's murder. Although it is daytime in this scene there is a mysterious darkness covering the land as though it is night.

Act 2 Scene 4

'I must become a borrower of the night / For a dark hour, or twain.'

Banquo tells Macbeth that he will return at night time an hour or two after sunset. This will give Macbeth the perfect cover to have Banquo murdered.

Act 3 Scene 1

'Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day'

Macbeth calls on night time to come quickly in order to cover up Banquo's murder. It echoes Lady Macbeth's earlier speech.

Act 3 Scene 2

Why   does Shakespeare use the word ' night ' so often in the play? The constant repetition of the word 'night' highlights the sense of darkness in the play and at the heart of some of the characters. It had another particularly practical use in Shakespeare's day. Plays were regularly performed out of doors and during daylight. Therefore it was important to keep reminding the audience that some of the play's most important scenes were actually meant to be taking place in the dark.

Time What relevance does the word 'time' have in the play?

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References to 'time' often crop up in MacbethReferences to time are an important aspect of Macbeth and as time passes in the play, events become more intense and consequences more significant. Being able to see into the future, as Macbeth believes the Witches are able to do, gives a sense of power to his actions. Both he and his wife seem in a hurry to realise their ambitions before time catches up with them.The table shows some examples of the use of the key word time:

How? Who? Where?

'If you can look into the seeds of time / And say which grain will grow and which will not, / Speak then to me'

Banquo asks the Witches to look into the future to see what predictions they can make for him.

Act 1 Scene 3

'To beguile the time, / Look like the time'

Lady Macbeth advises her husband how to behave when he greets King Duncan as a guest.

Act 1 Scene 5

'The worm that's fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed, / No teeth for th'present.'

Macbeth has just been told that Banquo has been murdered but that his son, Fleance, has escaped. Macbeth realises that in the future Fleance will come to be as big a threat as his dead father.

Act 3 Scene 4

'There would have been a time for such a word. / Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day / To the last syllable of recorded time'

The news of his wife's death makes Macbeth think about the whole concept of time and how it moves every person on earth towards the moment of their death.

Act 5 Scene 5

'Behold where stands / Th'usurper's cursèd head. The time is free.'

Macduff presents Malcolm with Macbeth's severed head and declares that his tyranny is over.

Act 5 Scene 9

Why   does Shakespeare use the word ' time ' so often in the play? As with the other key words, the main effect of repetition is to make sure that the audience or reader knows that this aspect is important. Time seems to pass more quickly as the play progresses and this adds to the tension as the play moves towards its final climax.

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Some other key words which feature repeatedly in the play are: sleep, fear and nature.

2. Literary devices – animal imagesBirds

What   is the significance of bird imagery in the play? An owl - the bird of prey most associated with the character of MacbethIn Shakespeare's day there were many myths and folk tales surrounding birdlife. Different species of bird were thought to have specific

characteristics - some, for instance, were specifically thought to bring bad luck. Shakespeare uses this to link birds and their habits to the human characters and how they behave.The table shows some examples of the many references to birds in the play:

How? Who? Where?

'It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman / Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it.'

At the moment of Duncan's death, Lady Macbeth hears an owl shrieking. Macbeth himself is most often associated with an owl - a bird of prey.

Act 2 Scene 2

On Tuesday last, / A falcon tow'ring in her pride of place / Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.'

An old man tells Ross that an owl (unusually) has flown upwards then attacked and killed a falcon. This exactly mirrors what has happened with Macbeth and Duncan. A falcon is generally regarded as a royal bird.

Act 2 Scene 4

'Light thickens, / And the crow makes wing to th'rooky wood'

Macbeth hints to his wife that something evil is about to happen. He has, in fact, just ordered Banquo's murder.

Act 3 Scene 2

'Augures, and understood relations, have / By maggot-pies, and choughs, and rooksbrought forth / The secret'st

It was thought that magpies (maggot-pies), jackdaws (choughs) and rooks could be taught to speak a few words. Macbeth is concerned that nature will turn against him and

Act 3 Scene 4

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How? Who? Where?

man of blood.' reveal his secrets.

'He wants the natural touch, for the poor wren, / The most diminutive of birds, will fight, / Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.'

Lady Macduff complains that her husband has left her defenceless. Even a tiny wren will fight an owl if its young are threatened.

Act 4 Scene 2

Why   does Shakespeare use bird imagery in the play? Shakespeare would have known that his audience would make the necessary connections between the birds he mentions and the actions and thoughts of his characters. They are used to highlight things that have happened, that are happening or that will happen and therefore create both expectation and tension.

Wild animals What is the significance of wild animal imagery in the play?Nature has often been described as 'red in tooth and claw' and it is this idea that Shakespeare uses in his references to wild animals. They are savage and untameable and share certain characteristics with people in the play.The table shows some examples of the many references to wild animals in the play:

How? Who? Where?

'O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!'

Macbeth uses a metaphor to explain that his guilty conscience is attacking and stinging him.

Act 3 Scene 2

'Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, / The armed rhinoceros, or th'Hyrcan tiger'

Macbeth uses a simile to say that he would rather deal with wild animals than Banquo's ghost which he has just seen.

Act 3 Scene 4

'Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care'

One of the Witches' apparitions uses a simple metaphor to advise Macbeth about being brave.

Act 4 Scene 1

Why   does Shakespeare use wild animal imagery in the play?

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Most of Shakespeare's original audience would never actually have seen these creatures (possibly not even pictures of them) but their characteristics would have been understood. The references help to create mental pictures in the audience's mind of the way the characters in the play are and how they behave.

In addition to the above, the famous scene (Act 4 Scene 1) where the Witches create their magic potion features virtually a whole zoo of animals. The following are listed: cat, hedge-pig (hedgehog), toad, snake, newt, frog, bat, dog, adder, blind worm, lizard, howlet (young owl), dragon, wolf, shark, goat, baboon and sow. All of these had associations with evil and/or witchcraft.

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