When King Duncan reigned over Scotland, his armies were led by two brave generals, Macbeth and Banquo. The
generals were returning in the evening to meet the King. They had defeated the army of Norwegian invaders. On their way, they saw three ugly witches.
“Hail Macbeth! Chieftain of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor! Future King of Scotland!” said one of the witches. “And what about me?” asked Banquo. “You shall be the father of Kings!” said the witches, before they vanished. Macbeth and Banquo looked at each other, wondering and amused, for Duncan was the King. Macbeth had inherited Glamis from his father but there was a chieftain of Cawdor. So, the two generals moved on.
Just then, two noblemen came up to them carrying a message from King Duncan. They thanked Macbeth and Banquo on behalf of the King for their services. “He told me to call you, the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth,” said one of the noblemen. The Thane had been punished for being a traitor, they explained, and Macbeth was given the title and lands.
The noblemen told Macbeth that King Duncan would be visiting Macbeth’s castle at Inverness that night. Macbeth was surprised that one of the prophecies came true so quickly. He discussed it with Banquo, “If this came true, do you think your sons will be Kings of Scotland too?” In his heart, he wondered if he would himself become the King.
Macbeth sent a letter to his wife immediately informing her about everything that had taken place. Banquo was worried because Duncan had two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain. He thought, ‘It will be disloyal to imagine that my son’ Fleance will become the King!’
Lady Macbeth was fiercely ambitious. When she learnt about the predictions and King Duncan’s visit, she decided to do something about making Macbeth, the King! She and Macbeth welcomed the King and his courtiers. At night, she told Macbeth her plan to kill the King. Macbeth was horrified, for Duncan was a good King and also his guest.
Lady Macbeth provoked her husband, calling him a coward. That night, while Duncan slept, Macbeth stabbed him to death. He came and told Lady Macbeth that he had done the foul deed. A voice said to him, “Sleep no more! For Macbeth has destroyed sleep!” Lady Macbeth told him to wash off the blood on his hands. He then ran to smear the blood on the two guards outside Duncan’s room.
Just then, Macduff, the chieftain of Fife, came to Macbeth’s house as Duncan had called him. Macbeth took him to Duncan’s room. Macduff was shocked at the horror he saw. Macbeth blamed the guards outside the door for the murder; he then immediately took the daggers of the guards and killed both of them before they could say that they were innocent.
Macduff doubted Macbeth’s actions. Then, fearing their lives to be in danger, one of Duncan’s sons, Malcolm, went to England and the other to Ireland. Now, Macbeth was crowned the King of Scotland. Two of the witches’ prophecies having come true, Macbeth was worried about Banquo. He invited Banquo and his son, Fleance, to a banquet and sent assassins to kill them on the way. Banquo was killed, but Fleance escaped!
All the noblemen except Macduff attended the banquet. Banquo’s ghost came and sat in Macbeth’s chair. Only Macbeth could see it! His behaviour was strange as he kept telling Banquo’s ghost to go away! The Queen, his wife, understood and asked the guests to leave as her husband was ill.
The next day, though it was stormy, Macbeth went to look for the witches. He found them chanting around a cauldron in which they were making some horrid potion. They called their master to answer Macbeth’s questions. A head with a visor, from which eyes were visible, came out of the cauldron and said, “Beware of Macduff!”
Then, the head vanished and a child’s head wearing a crown came up and said, “Macbeth shall be unconquerable till the Wood of Birnam climbs Dunsinane Hill!” Macbeth asked about Banquo’s son becoming King. A ghostly procession of Scottish Kings passed before him. In that, he saw eight Kings who were Banquo’s descendants! Then, the images and the witches vanished!
Macbeth then sent killers to the house of Macduff and when they didn’t find him there, they killed his wife and his small children. Macduff was with Malcolm in England when he received the news of his family being killed. He decided to take revenge on Macbeth.
In Macbeth’s castle on Dunsinane Hill, Lady Macbeth had gone mad. She walked in her sleep, washing her hands to remove the imaginary bloodstains from them. She cried out that all the perfumes of Arabia could not make her hands fragrant. Even doctors couldn’t cure her and finally one day, Macbeth learnt that she killed herself.
A messenger came to tell Macbeth that Birnam Wood was moving up Dunsinane Hill! Macbeth saw this from the top of a turret in his castle. Each English soldier was carrying a leafy branch and marching towards the castle. Macbeth went out bravely in his armour to face the army.
Macduff challenged him and killed Macbeth. Macduff then told Malcolm about Macbeth’s death. Malcolm was crowned King. But it was Banquo’s sons who later became Kings and inherited the throne of Scotland.
