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!