Macbeth Act I Scene I and II
Here
is one of Shakespeare’s great plays, The Tragedy of Macbeth.
This play
shows Willie’s true brilliance. It’s a complex and violent play about a
good
man driven to tyranny and guilt by ambition and a lust for power. But
let’s
take a closer look into it by acts and scenes shall we?
We
begin our tale of corruption in Act I Scene with three witches in an
open
battlefield in a storm. They are the very sparks to Macbeth’s
destruction. Ah,
crafty agynous creatures indeed! Traditionally, one will think that
witches are
evil and cause harm to humans all alike. The Tragedy of Macbeth
is no
acceptation to the rule. The witches converse among themselves and
leave the
audience with this line in our heads: “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”
Inside
scene II, we all see a military camp. The kind old man, King Duncan,
seeks news
from a wounded soldier about the battle. The soldier says the generals,
Macbeth
and Banquo, have fought brave and hard, almost like wild beasts to a
peaceful
deer. He then describes how the future tyrant, Macbeth, killed the
traitor,
Macdonald. How ironic that Macbeth would be so victorious and receive
high
praise on the battlefield that he would…. (well I won’t spoil that
yet!) As the
scene goes on, the army of Norway is crushed. Overjoyed, Duncan makes
Macbeth
the new thane of Cawdor, which sadly turns out to be a huge
mistake on
everyone’s part. Even worse, Ross, one of the noblemen in the play,
goes to
tell the future fiend.
As
of now, the play seems a little dull with just dialogue and no real
action. But
it gets better with the play.
Macbeth Act I Scene III, IV, and V
Previously
in Macbeth, the Scots were at war with the Irish and Macbeth
was made
thane of Cawdor. So far, Shakespeare makes Macbeth seems like a great
man. But
he’s just gotten started with the corruption of ambition.
Scene
III opens with those sly witches again. This time, they are plotting
revenge
against a nice woman for not sharing her chestnuts with one of the
weird
sisters by making her husband’s ship sail off course. That gets
abandoned for
the time being when good old Macbeth arrives. He’s just the guy they
wanted.
Macbeth and Banquo scream when they see the old hags. Banquo, the wise
man,
asks if the witches are human and if they’re women for they have
beards. This
whole bloodbath reign of terror begins when the crafty ladies hail
Macbeth as
thane of Cawdor and then king of Scotland. The witches then turn to
Banquo and
tell him that even though he won’t be king, he will form a line of
kings. When
Macbeth tries to press the witches for more information, they
disappear.
Macbeth and Banquo don’t believe any word of it at but then Ross tells
Macbeth
the good news. Unfortunately, this leads to Macbeth’s downfall as a
human
being.
Scene
IV is not much. All it is, is just Malcolm telling his daddy that the
former
thane of Cawdor has been executed but not before apologizing for the
wrong he
has caused. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus arrive to the palace.
Duncan tells
the news about Macbeth promotion to everyone. The fiend-to-be accepts
but sees
Malcolm as an obstacle in his path. Everyone decides to have dinner at
Macbeth’s castle and the soon-to-be devil goes to inform his
manipulative wife.
In
scene V, we meet Lady Macbeth. She is reading a letter from her husband
about
his new title and the witches’ prophecy. She too wants her husband to
have the
crown and decides to help him achieve his goal. Now, Lady Macbeth is
not the
common sweetheart-loving wife known everywhere in Shakespeare’s time.
Oh no!
Lady Macbeth is cold-hearted and more ruthless than her husband will
ever be.
In other words, Lady Macbeth is more like a modern woman. In fact, the
woman
wishes that she was a man so the woman can get the goals that her
husband
wants. Then Macbeth enters in and they talk about the dinner party they
will
throw tonight. The soldier says that Duncan is leaving the next day.
But his
wife replies that the king will never see tomorrow again. Lady Macbeth
observably has some plans of her own.
Ah! Now we’re starting to see some action. Well, I just have to read to see what happens next.
Macbeth Act I Scene VI and VII
The action is starting arise at last. Lady Macbeth speeds things up some and start Macbeth’s end of innocence. Let’s read on!
In
scene VI, Duncan the Scottish
lords, and their attendants all arrive at the Macbeth
castle. Little does they know that this would be where Duncan gives up
the
ghost. He praises on how lovely the castle is. Again, how ironic the
castle
turns out to be a death trap! The doomed king thanks the future
villaness for
her hospitality. Lady Macbeth says that she and her husband are in
their debt
for the promotion. Duncan asks to see Macbeth. Oh, the sweet irony!
Act I wraps itself up with scene vii. While everyone eats, drinks, and is merry, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to carry out the assassination of poor old King Duncan. As of right now, Macbeth still has his morals. But it conflicts with his ambitions to become king. It is basically like the angel and the devil talking to him on his shoulder. Then the devil takes its full form of Lady Macbeth as talk about the plot even more. Macbeth doesn’t really want to go through it. But his wife taunts him by calling him a coward and asks if he is a man or not. Finally, Macbeth gives in and decides to commit murder.
Act I is the appetizer to the meal of destruction. I really enjoy it so far. I have to keep on reading!
Macbeth Act II
Here
is Act II of Macbeth. So far Macbeth is a good man who has just
gave
into peer pressure and made a bad decision. This is all because of his
ambitions to become king.
Macbeth
and Banquo talk about the witches’ prophecy. Banquo points off that
there is
some truth to it but Macbeth just waves it off as hogwash. This play is
full of
irony. When Banquo and his son, Fleance, leave for the night, Macbeth is
alone.
Then out of the blue, he sees a bloody dragger floating in the air. It
is
pointing to the soon-to-be-dead-for Duncan. The future monster tries to
grab it
but all in vein. He wonders if his seeing things. The soldier follows
the
dragger to Duncan’s chamber. In there, the kindly old king is left
pushing up
the daises.
Afterwards, Macbeth rushes to his wife in guilty despair. He cries that his hands are stain with innocent blood. Lady Macbeth tries to put her husband at ease than notices that he didn’t place the dragger with the chamberlains. So she takes the daggers herself and talks about what a coward Macbeth is. Macbeth is so filled with guilt that he says that even the ocean can’t wash away the blood on his hands. Lady Macbeth shows that she has no shame by telling him that a little water will do fine. If she only knew…
Meanwhile news of Duncan’s death spreads like
wildfire. The princes Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland to England
and Ireland, respectively, as
fast as possible. All of this happens while nature goes berserk. Even
the
horses are fighting and eating each other.
The plot rises quickly in the play as we all see Macbeth’s moral decay. I am getting excited by this play and want to continue.
Macbeth Act IV
The excitement still goes on after Banquo is killed and Fleance runs like the wind for his life. Also Macbeth still seems to have some of conscience left in his soul at seeing Banquo’s ghost a the table at his banquet. Let’s go on.
First,
the witches appear again. This time, they are chanting spells around a
caldron
when Macbeth arrives. He wants to know more prophecies. To please him, they summon
three apparitions. First, a floating head warns him that
Macduff will over throw him.
Then a bloody child appears and tells him that none of woman born shall
harm
him. Next, a crowned child holding a tree tells him that he is safe
until
Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Finally, a procession of eight
crowned
kings walks by, the last carrying a mirror. Banquo’s ghost walks at the
end of
the line. When Macbeth tries to get a clear explanation, the witches
disappear.
When Lennox walks with news that Macduff has fled to England, the
tyrant sends
the murders to kill his wife and son.
Then,
the murders arrive at Macduff’s castle. Lady Macduff and her son are
alone.
Ross comes by and comforts her. Then, a messenger arrives warning her
that they
are in trouble. At first, Lady Macduff doesn’t believe it until the
murders
show up and kill her son. She flees in fear with the savage animals
chasing her
down for the kill.
Macduff
tries to get Malcolm to come back to Scotland to restore order from the
hands
of the wicked Macbeth. To test his loyalty, Malcolm pretends to make
the
situation seem as if Scotland would go out of the frying pan and into
the fire
if he is made king. When Macduff passes, Malcolm reveals his true
identity. At
that point, Ross tells Macduff that his family has been killed.
Macduff,
crushed by grieve, decides to help with over throwing Macbeth.
As
the violence increases, the action decreases as the play rounds up to
the end.
This will be good!
Macbeth Act V
And here it is, the final act! This is where it all dies down! Karma finally kicks in and justice is served!
Remember
when Lady Macbeth was this powerful and manipulative siren that drove
his
husband to his destruction? Now, guilt and what little of her
conscience is
left have caught up to her. She has been sleepwalking and the castle
and
“washing an invisible blood stain” out of her hands. She moans about
the
murders of Lady Macduff and Banquo. Meanwhile, Malcolm, Lennox, and the
others
prepare to take back Scotland.
The
end of the play basically goes like this:
While
Macbeth plots to battle, he receives news that his devilish wife has
put
herself out of her misery. Heartbroken, the beast decides to fight on.
Malcolm
commands the soldiers to lay down their weapons. The big fight
breaks
out and Macbeth, who has his head in the clouds, fights like a madman.
Macduff
and Macbeth finally battle it out man to man. But unlike most tragic
heroes,
Macbeth doesn’t decide to make himself expire to go meet his maker. In
the end
however, Macbeth kicks the bucket and is beheaded. Malcolm is crowned
king and
everyone lives peacefully.
Like I said before, how ironic that Macbeth would be so victorious and receive high praise on the battlefield that he would become the very tyrant he is and die on the same battlefield he was so dearly loved on. That’s Shakespeare for you!