ACT I
A war between Scotland and Norway, assisted by Scottish Rebels, breaks out. Three witches anticipate a meeting with Macbeth.
King Duncan receives a report from a wounded sergeant that his generals Macbeth and Banquo defeated the Norwegians and the Scottish rebels. Duncan declares that he will take the title of Thane of Cawdor from a rebellious Macdonwald and give it to Macbeth.
The witches gather on the heath and meet the generals. They foretell that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually become king. They also foretell that while Banquo will never be king, his descendents will. Macbeth is then intrigued when he is greeted by Ross and Angus who tell him the king has made him Thane of Cawdor.
King Duncan greets Macbeth, announces that the title of King will go to his son Malcolm, and tells Macbeth the King will pay a visit to Macbeth’s home. Macbeth realizes he must overcome Malcolm if he is to become king himself.
Macbeth writes a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her what has happened. When he arrives home, she convinces Macbeth they must murder King Duncan while he is in their home. Macbeth is not convinced, but eventually is persuaded by Lady Macbeth to carry out the bloody deed.
Macbeth murders Duncan, making it look like the king’s servants did it. He tells Lady Macbeth about what happened, and she finds herself having to return the bloody daggers to the crime scene, making her hands covered in blood like Macbeth’s hands. They head for their bedroom when they hear a repeated knocking at the gate.
A porter lets Macduff and Lennox in. Macduff discovers the dead king and wakes up everyone in the castle. Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s children, decide to flee the country, fearing they will be blamed for their father’s death.
Soon after, Macduff and Ross reflect on all that has been happening, and Macduff reports that Macbeth is going to become king. They go their separate ways.
After being crowned king, Macbeth is worried about keeping his new position, especially since the witches proclaimed that Banquo’s sons would be kings. He arranges with some murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. While the boy escapes, Banquo is killed.
At dinner that night, Macbeth is haunted by Banquo’s ghost, and he decides to return to the witches to find out his fate.
---INTERMISSION---
ACT II
The witches tell Macbeth that he should fear Macduff, that no man born of woman can harm Macbeth, and he will never be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane castle. They then show a line of 8 kings, all descendents of Banquo. Macbeth learns that Macduff has fled to England, so he arranges for the murder of all of Macduff’s family.
Macduff meets with Malcolm in England, and they agree to fight together against Macbeth with the help of English forces lead by Siward. During the meeting, Ross brings news of the murder of Macduff’s family.
Back in Scotland, a doctor and a gentlewoman observe Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking, imagining she cannot wash Duncan’s blood off her hands.
The Scottish thanes come together with the English forces. Malcolm tells them to use branches from Birnam Wood to camouflage themselves as they attach Macbeth’s castle.
Macbeth learns that his wife has died and he contemplates the futility of life. When his few remaining forces surrender or are killed, Macbeth fights on, killing Young Siward. He refuses to fight Macduff, at first, but then refuses to yield to detrimental results.
