The Tragedy of Macbeth
1606; simple title, complex play; shortest tragedy (shortest of all Comedy of Errors) setting: 11th
century Scotland and England (The scenes in Scotland are set at or near King Duncan’s castle at Forres, at Macbeth’s
castle on Dunsinane Hill in the county of Inverness, at Macduff's castle in the county of Fife); no sub plot; 1597: James I
published a treatise on witchcraft called Daemonologie; (Last soliloquy of Macbeth shows
meaninglessness; superstition: saying Macbeth aloud brings bad luck); source: The Chronicles of
England, Scotland and Ireland (Holinshed’s Chronicles) by Raphael Holinshed (other possible sources:
Declaration of Egregious Popishe Impostures (1603), by Samuel Harsnett; Rerum Scoticarum Historia (1582), by George
Buchanan; the Gunpowder Plot of 1605); Influence of Seneca (also in Titus Andronicus);
Characters:
Macbeth: protagonist, thane of Glamis, husband of Lady Macbeth (the ambitious accomplice; most
smart & sharp lady in literature)
Duncan: King of Scotland, Father of Malcolm (rightful heir)
Banquo: Friend of Macbeth; Macduff: Thane of Fife, Husband of Lady Macduff;
3 witches (weird [Wyrd: fate] sisters: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos ): prophecy; Hecate: fourth witch (queen)
Minor characters: Son of Macduff; Scottish noblemen: Lennox, Ross, Menteith, Angus, Caithness; Fleance: Son of Banquo;
Siward: general of the English forces; Young Siward: Son of Siward; Seyton: Officer attending Macbeth; Sweno: King of Norway;
English Doctor; Scottish Doctor; Soldier; Porter; Old Man; Gentle-woman: Lady Macbeth's attendant; Birnam Wood, marches
against him. Sinel: Macbeth's deceased father
PLOT DEVELOPMNET
Act 1
Thundering & lightening; 3 witches appear; converse to meet Macbeth after battle; says: "fair is
foul, and foul is fair"; Graymalkin and Paddock call them & they disappear
Irish Lord, Macdonwald, joins King of Norway against Duncan; officer comes & tells Macbeth has
killed Macdonwald (King is pleased) & Norwegian reinforcement has come & Macbeth & Banquo
are combating; thanes Ross and Angus inform: Thane of Cawdor rebelled but Fife has been re-
taken by Macbeth; King: Mabeth will be new Thane & execute Cawdor.
3 witches encounter Macbeth & Banquo (confused: women with beard); welcome Macbeth: Thane of
Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and "King hereafter."; To Banquo: lesser and greater, less happy and
happier than Macbeth & descendant will be king; Macbeth asks the source & they disappear; jokes
about predictions; Thanes congratulate: he is thane of Cawdor; Both think about other prophecies.
1606; simple title, complex play; shortest tragedy (shortest of all Comedy of Errors) setting: 11th
century Scotland and England (The scenes in Scotland are set at or near King Duncan’s castle at Forres, at Macbeth’s
castle on Dunsinane Hill in the county of Inverness, at Macduff's castle in the county of Fife); no sub plot; 1597: James I
published a treatise on witchcraft called Daemonologie; (Last soliloquy of Macbeth shows
meaninglessness; superstition: saying Macbeth aloud brings bad luck); source: The Chronicles of
England, Scotland and Ireland (Holinshed’s Chronicles) by Raphael Holinshed (other possible sources:
Declaration of Egregious Popishe Impostures (1603), by Samuel Harsnett; Rerum Scoticarum Historia (1582), by George
Buchanan; the Gunpowder Plot of 1605); Influence of Seneca (also in Titus Andronicus);
Characters:
Macbeth: protagonist, thane of Glamis, husband of Lady Macbeth (the ambitious accomplice; most
smart & sharp lady in literature)
Duncan: King of Scotland, Father of Malcolm (rightful heir)
Banquo: Friend of Macbeth; Macduff: Thane of Fife, Husband of Lady Macduff;
3 witches (weird [Wyrd: fate] sisters: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos ): prophecy; Hecate: fourth witch (queen)
Minor characters: Son of Macduff; Scottish noblemen: Lennox, Ross, Menteith, Angus, Caithness; Fleance: Son of Banquo;
Siward: general of the English forces; Young Siward: Son of Siward; Seyton: Officer attending Macbeth; Sweno: King of Norway;
English Doctor; Scottish Doctor; Soldier; Porter; Old Man; Gentle-woman: Lady Macbeth's attendant; Birnam Wood, marches
against him. Sinel: Macbeth's deceased father
PLOT DEVELOPMNET
Act 1
Thundering & lightening; 3 witches appear; converse to meet Macbeth after battle; says: "fair is
foul, and foul is fair"; Graymalkin and Paddock call them & they disappear
Irish Lord, Macdonwald, joins King of Norway against Duncan; officer comes & tells Macbeth has
killed Macdonwald (King is pleased) & Norwegian reinforcement has come & Macbeth & Banquo
are combating; thanes Ross and Angus inform: Thane of Cawdor rebelled but Fife has been re-
taken by Macbeth; King: Mabeth will be new Thane & execute Cawdor.
3 witches encounter Macbeth & Banquo (confused: women with beard); welcome Macbeth: Thane of
Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and "King hereafter."; To Banquo: lesser and greater, less happy and
happier than Macbeth & descendant will be king; Macbeth asks the source & they disappear; jokes
about predictions; Thanes congratulate: he is thane of Cawdor; Both think about other prophecies.
