Macbeth Act 1

Scene 1 The witches want to meet with Macbeth Heath: wide open hill Graymalkin – 1st witch helper – gray cat Paddock – 2nd witch helper – toad Killed Macdonwald by slicing him in half

Scene 2 Thane: Scottish title of nobility Duncan wants to make Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor

Scene 3 Witches talking about things they have done Themes in the play: murder, sleeplessness, supernatural Witches look like men 3 predictions: 1. Thane of Glamis 2. Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth is unaware of the previous Thane’s death) 3. Macbeth will be king Banquo wants to know his predictions. Will not be king but lead a happier life. His children will be kings. Banquo thinks they must have hallucinated Ross tells Macbeth that he is the new Thane

Scene 4 Aside: character speaking to the audience Macbeth shares that he has thought about murdering Duncan, hopes fate will make him king.

Scene 5 Macbeth’s castle: Inverness Macbeth and Lady Macbeth – mutual respect, open with each other, she is also ambitious Lady’s reaction to the letter 1. thinks Macbeth is to kind 2. he is not as ambitious as her. “Yet I do fear thy nature: it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” Also has murderous thoughts She is going to tell Macbeth what to do “unsex me here…” lose feminine characteristics gentleness/kindness (men have an easier time being cruel) Lady Macbeth wants to kill Duncan tonight but Macbeth is unsure

Scene 6 King Duncan comments on the castle’s beauty Ironic because he will die there

Scene 7 Macbeth’s soliloquy: should I kill him or not? Reasons why he shouldn’t 1. great king 2. loyal subject 3. worries about being caught 4. he is the host and supposed to protect him (these reasons convince him not to kill him) Lady Macbeth calls him a coward attacking his manhood “Then you were a man you said you would do it. You promised me. You are not a man.” Devise a plan to get the guards drunk and then kill Duncan so that the guards will be blamed Macbeth is dreading the crime “terrible feat”