macbeth act summaries

Act 1

Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches

Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth's letter

quotes

“Fair is foul and foul is fair” - by the witches not everything is as it apears (macbeth not being loyal to duncan)

Act 2

macbeth kills duncan

“Come you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts. Unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty” - ladt macbeth wants to be filled with mascinilty scared of macbeth

quoats

"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?" - macbeth going to kill duncan

Act 3

The murderers kill Banquo, who dies urging his son to flee and to avenge his death. One of the murderers extinguishes the torch, and in the darkness Fleance escapes.

The murderers leave with Banquo's body to find Macbeth and tell him what has happened.

quotes

...and I fear thou play'dst most folly for it. - banquo admits to being suspicious of macbeth for killing duncan

Act 4

quotes

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth" - macbeth can be killed by anyone born by a woman

Act 5

lady macbeth dies

quoats

"Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. Look not so pale.—I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he cannot come out on 's grave.

Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to murder Duncan

Macbeth lies at Duncan's feet

macbeth fears mucduffs loyalty

macduff goes to england so macbeth kills his family