Act 1 Scene 5
The scene begins and is dominated by Lady Macbeth, who reads a long letter from Macbeth, on the prophecies and predictions of the witches. After reading this she takes the decision into her own hands (this is the first sign of weakness in Macbeth’s characters as she believes he isn’t capable of killing King Duncan in order to become King so she decides to manipulate him and usher him into the murder).
This is followed by a messenger, who tells her Duncan is on his way, this becomes her opportunity to get Macbeth to murder Duncan , as well as a chance to replace her femininity with pure evil ( a sin), truly showing her greed for power. The scene ends with the arrival of Macbeth.
Plot Summary
After a battle in Scotland, Macbeth and his friend Banquo meet three witches, who make three prophecies? Macbeth will be a Thane?, Macbeth will be king and Banquo’s sons will be kings. The witches’ first prophecy comes true, and King Duncan makes Macbeth Thane of Cawdor? When King Duncan visits Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to murder King Duncan in his sleep to make the second prophecy come true.
With Lady Macbeth’s help, Macbeth frames King Duncan’s dead servants as the murderers. Duncan’s children, Malcolm and Donalbain, leave Scotland for their own safety. Now king, Macbeth worries about the witches’ third prophecy and sends murderers to kill Banquo and his son.
At a banquet, Macbeth is haunted by visions of Banquo’s ghost in front of all his guests. Macbeth visits the witches, and they tell him – the only person he needs to beware of is Macduff, no one a woman has given birth to can harm him and he won’t be defeated until Birnam Wood moves. He thinks he’s unbeatable.
While Macduff is in England convincing Duncan’s son Malcolm to fight against Macbeth, Macbeth has Macduff’s family murdered. Macduff and Malcolm arrive in Scotland with an army. On their way to attack Macbeth’s castle they cut down branches from the trees in Birnam Wood to use as camouflage. When the wood moves, one of the witches’ prophecies come true. Macduff later reveals that he was born by a caesarean birth? and kills Macbeth, fulfilling the final prophecy.