Macbeth Act 1 Summary

Act 1 Scene 1 The witches are seen meeting. They ask where they shall meet again. They say upon the heath after the battle. The witches are called by their familiars so they start to get up and leave. (demons, supernatural?) They chant “Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” In Act 1 Scene 1 the witches get introduced into the play. They talk about when they will meet next. They say after the battle on the battlefield. They then are called by their familiars and they say the famous line. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” (Shakespeare pg 3, line 12)

Act 1 Scene 2 The bloody beat up captain reports to Duncan about a battle. The battle was Macbeth and Banquo against Macdonald and the Norwegians. Ross and Angus then appear and report to Duncan about a second battle that was Macbeth and Banquo against the Thane of Cawdor and the Norwegians. Macbeth was the cause of victory for both battles. Duncan tells Ross and Angus to find Macbeth and name him the Thane of Cawdor. In act 1 scene 2 the a beat up, bloody captain reports to King Duncan about a battle that happened against Macdonald and the Norwegians on the western Isles. On the Scottish side was Macbeth and Banquo who defeated Macdonald and the Norwegians. Macbeth “unseamed him from the nave to th’chaps and fixed his head upon our battlements”. (Shakespeare pg 5, line 22) Ross and Angus then report to Duncan that another battle occurred that was Macbeth and Banqou against the Thane of Cawdor and more Norwegians. The Scottish were losing then Macbeth came and won the battle, they called him Bellona’s Bridegroom. (Shakespeare pg 7, line 54) Duncan then sends Ross and Angus to greet Macbeth with his new title of Thane of Cawdor since the other had been defeated.

Act 1 scene 3 At the beginning the witches put a spell on Macbeth to toss his emotions around and just change Macbeth. Macbeth and Banquo show up. The witches tell Macbeth of his future, how he is Thane of Glamis, and will be Thane of Cawdor and then King! Banquo then asks the witches to tell him his future, they say “lesser than Macbeth, and greater, not so happy but much happier”. and that his children will be king. The witches then vanish. Banquo asks Macbeth if what they just saw was witches “ or have we eaten on the insane root, which take the reason prisoner?”. Ross and Angus tell Macbeth he is the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth ponders this, is it good or bad? Does he have to do anything? Macbeth then tells Banquo they will talk later. In this scene the witches put a spell on Macbeth that won’t let him sleep, toss his emotions around and just change Macbeth. Macbeth and Banquo show up and talk to the witches. The witches tell Macbeth that he is Thane Glamis, will be Thane of Cawdor and then King. They tell Banquo his children will be kings. They tell Banquo that he will be “lesser than Macbeth, and greater, not so happy but much happier”. (Shakespeare pg 13, line 63) The witches disappear without saying anymore. Banquo and Macbeth then ponder what they have just seen and Banquo says “ or have we eaten on the insane root, which take the reason prisoner?”. (Shakespeare pg 13 line 81) Ross and Angus appear and tell Macebeth that he is now the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth wonders if this is good or bad and if he doesn’t have to do anything to be King. He tells Banquo they shall talk later.

Act 1 scene 4 Duncan asks if the Thane of Cawdor was executed and says “He was a gentlemen of whom I built an absolute trust”. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus walk in. Duncan tells them that Malcom (his son) will be the Prince of Cumberland (next in line for the King) Macbeth tells himself “The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap”. Duncan invites himself over to Macbeths for dinner. Duncan asks if the execution of the Thane of Cawdor happened yet and he says “He was a gentlemen of whom I built an absolute trust”. (Shakespeare pg 19, line 13) Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus arrive at Duncan’s palace right after he says that. Duncan then tells them that he will be making Malcom (his son) Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth says to himself “The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step On which I must fall down, o’erleap”. (Shakespeare, pg 21, line 48) He has to either go through or around Malcom to get to Duncan and become King. Duncan then tells Macbeth he’s coming over for dinner.

Act 1 Scene 5 Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth. Tells herself Macbeth can’t kill Duncan, he’s too kind. She is alerted that Duncan is coming for dinner. She wants to lose all female feelings, “unsex me here” (make me have the courage of a man) to be pure evil and wants her womanly reserves taken away to act with manly bravery. Macbeth appears and she tells him that they need to kill Duncan, but Macbeth is too easy to be read, she says “Your face my thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters”. "Your hand, your tongue; look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”. They need to put on an act, be deceiving, be nice, then strike like a snake. Macbeth leaves and is pondering the murder. Lady Macbeth gets a letter from Macbeth telling her of his encounter with the witches. Lady Macbeth then says that Macbeth can’t kill Duncan he’s “too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness” (Shakespeare, pg 23, line 15). She starts a work of the devil. Then her attendant appears and tells her a messenger has come saying Duncan is coming over for dinner. She then wonders where Macbeth is and dismisses the attendant. She then continues her transformation to a work of a devil saying things along the lines of “unsex me here” (Shakespeare, pg 25, line 39) and “come to my women’s breasts and take my milk for gall”. (Shakespeare, pg 25, line 45). Macbeth enters and Lady Macbeth greets him, and tells him, we must kill Duncan. She tells Macbeth that is face is like a book, and should leave everything to her. She then mentions that "Your hand, your tongue; look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”. (Shakespeare, pg 27, line 63) She wants to put on an act, let Duncan trust them, then kill him. Macbeth is still pondering the murder.

Act 1 Scene 6 Lady Macbeth greets Duncan and his kinsman at the door, acting like a flower. Duncan asks where Macbeth is and Lady Macbeth ignores the question, ushering the king and noblemen inside the castle. Lady Macbeth greets Duncan and his kinsman at the door, acting like a flower. Duncan asks where Macbeth is and Lady Macbeth ignores the question, ushering the Noblemen inside the castle.

Act 1 scene 7 Macbeth is thinking about assassinating but he looks up to Duncan, he thinks Duncan to be a great King. " Besides, this Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead the angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking-off He says there is no spur in my side telling me to do this, “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’ other” Lady Macbeth walks in and tells Macbeth how he could break his word about killing Duncan, thinking about it. Lady Macbeth says she would kill her own baby if she swore to, “I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed his brains out, had I sworn” Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth of her plan, and he agrees. They walk off to attend the guests. Macbeth ponders in he should assassinate Duncan, if he could get off scot free. Macbeth though sees Duncan as a hero." Besides, this Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead the angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking-off” (Shakespeare, pg 31, line 16) Macbeth says to himself I have no pressure, nothing is poking me to do this, “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’ other” (Shakespeare, pg 31, line 25) Lady Macbeth enters, ironic? Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth how could he go back on his word, when he said he would kill Duncan. She said she would kill her own baby if she swore to. “I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed his brains out, had I sworn” (Shakespeare, pg 33, line 56) Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that they will get the guards drunk, kill Duncan, and blame the guards. Macbeth finally agrees to kill Duncan and he goes with Lady Macbeth to see the guests.

Works Cited Page Théodore, Chassériau. "Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches on the heath“. 29th Feb 2008 http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/MacbethAndBanquo-Witches.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:MacbethAndBanquo-witches.jpg&h=597&w=800&sz=88&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=skKQRFq47lCX7M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMacbeth%2Band%2Bthe%2Bwitches%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2004-36,GGLD:en Colin, Alexandre-Marie. The Three Witches from "Macbeth," 29th Feb 2008 http://www.emory.edu/ENGLISH/classes/ Shakespeare_Illustrated/Colin.Witches.html Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 2. BBC News. 29th Feb 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6648199.stm Cawdor Castle. Undiscovered Scotland. 29th 2008 http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/monarchs/macbeth.html Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Cambridge University Press, 2005. Spek, Edward. “Macbeth , Banquo and a soldier”. 29th Feb 2008 http://www.geocities.com/mmphotoalbum/macbeth-photos.html Towle, Ben. Macbeth Sample Panel. 29th Feb 2008. http://www.benzilla.com/?m=200512 McCall, Kathleen. Tour of Duty. 29th Feb 2008 http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/Feb05/macbeth2.cfm