Scene 1- Lady Macbeth's insanity caused by guilt
- is Lady Macbeth repeating conversations? or does she see Banquo's ghost?
- repetition of washing hands
Scene 2- informed that battle will begin soon
- short scene - increasing pace, building up to the battle. excitement.
Scene 3- opens with Macbeth preparing for battle
Scene 4- witches prophecy of the woods moving toward the castle is fulfilled.
- Macduff and the English army at Birnhamwood
Scene 5:- Lady Macbeth dies: Macbeth is unemotional, he comments on how pointless life.
- Macbeth has an epiphany - he thought all the bad things he had done were leading to something, but he realises that they were pointless
- "life's but a walking shadow... upon the stage." Life is brief and death is inevitable.
- Macbeth realises the witches didn't play a big a part as he thought
- Macbeth is a puppet for the witches
- His character is emotionally empty - sympathy from audience
- he knows he is facing death: this is his final admission of all his mistakes and regrets
Scene 6- English army approach castle.
- Short scene - anticipation for the battle
Scene 7 - 10- Macbeth is killed: his death is almost a relief for the audience
- Morals can be installed back into Scotland
Scene 1- Opens with witches and a boiling cauldron
- Hecat enters and compliments the witches on their work
- Use of rhyming language by the witches - child-like, harmless - antithesis of what they represent
- Macbeth enters, questioning the witches' powers
- another prophecy - "Great Birnam Wood advances against him"
- witches show Macbeth three apparitions representing the prophecies
Scene 2- Macduff has fled, leaving his wife and children
- Ross attempts to comfort Lady Macduff, and after he leaves, she tells her son his father is dead
- A messenger arrives warning Lady Macduff of danger, and that they should flee
- Lady Macduff, her children, and all the servants in the Macduff castle are killed
Scene 3- Malcom tries to test Macduff's loyalty
- Ross enters, and at first tells Macduff that his family are well
- Ross confesses that Macbeth has murdered his wife and children
- Malcom urges him to turn grief into anger
- Macduff swears revenge on Macbeth
Scene 1- opens with Banquo contemplating the witches prophecies.
- How can Macbeth be King but then Banquo's line also be in line for the throne?
- Macbeth soliloquy: cautious of Banquo.
- "fruitless crown" and "barren sceptre" macsuline imagery, phallic. Can Macbeth have children? If not, is that why Banguo's children are in line to be King?
- Macbeth meets with murderers, orders them to kill Banquo
Scene 2- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth appear distressed
- Macbeth still feels threatened
Scene 3- Murderers kill Banquo, however his son, Fleance, witnesses it and flees
Scene 4- Macbeth learns that Banquo is dead, but Fleance got away
- Banquo's ghost is sat in Macbeth's chair at the table, only seen by Macbeth.
- Macbeth plans to go see the witches
Scene 5
- opens on a heath, three witches and queen of the witches talk of Macbeth, and what has happened on previous meetings
Scene 6- Fleance is being accused of killing Banquo
- Lennox plans to warn Macduff to stay in England
