macbeth essay study guide

William Shakespeare

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Shakespeare's Macbeth . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Macbeth: Introduction

Macbeth: plot summary, macbeth: detailed summary & analysis, macbeth: themes, macbeth: quotes, macbeth: characters, macbeth: symbols, macbeth: literary devices, macbeth: quizzes, macbeth: theme wheel, brief biography of william shakespeare.

Historical Context of Macbeth

Other books related to macbeth.

• Full Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
• When Written: 1606
• Where Written: England
• When Published: 1623
• Literary Period: The Renaissance (1500 - 1660)
• Genre: Tragic drama
• Setting: Scotland and, briefly, England during the eleventh century
• Climax: Some argue that the murder of Banquo is the play's climax, based on the logic that it is at this point that Macbeth reaches the height of his power and things begin to fall apart from there. However, it is probably more accurate to say that the climax of the play is Macbeth's fight with Macduff, as it is at this moment that the threads of the play come together, the secret behind the prophecy becomes evident, and Macbeth's doom is sealed.

Extra Credit for Macbeth

Shakespeare or Not? There are some who believe Shakespeare wasn't educated enough to write the plays attributed to him. The most common anti-Shakespeare theory is that Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, wrote the plays and used Shakespeare as a front man because aristocrats were not supposed to write plays. Yet the evidence supporting Shakespeare's authorship far outweighs any evidence against. So until further notice, Shakespeare is still the most influential writer in the English language.

William Shakespeare

• Literature Notes
• Macbeth at a Glance
• Play Summary
• About Macbeth
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Scene 1
• Act I: Scene 2
• Act I: Scene 3
• Act I: Scene 4
• Act I: Scene 5
• Act I: Scene 6
• Act I: Scene 7
• Act II: Scene 1
• Act II: Scene 2
• Act II: Scene 3
• Act II: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 1
• Act III: Scene 2
• Act III: Scene 3
• Act III: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 5
• Act III: Scene 6
• Act IV: Scene 1
• Act IV: Scene 2
• Act IV: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 1
• Act V: Scene 2
• Act V: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 4
• Act V: Scene 5
• Act V: Scene 6
• Act V: Scene 7
• Act V: Scene 8
• Act V: Scene 9
• Character Analysis
• Lady Macbeth
• Character Map
• William Shakespeare Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Themes
• Major Symbols and Motifs
• Macbeth on the Stage
• Famous Quotes
• Film Versions
• Full Glossary
• Essay Questions
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

In Macbeth , William Shakespeare 's tragedy about power, ambition, deceit, and murder, the Three Witches foretell Macbeth 's rise to King of Scotland but also prophesy that future kings will descend from Banquo , a fellow army captain. Prodded by his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth , he murders King Duncan , becomes king, and sends mercenaries to kill Banquo and his sons. His attempts to defy the prophesy fail, however;  Macduff kills Macbeth, and Duncan's son Malcolm becomes king.

Written by: William Shakespeare

Type of Work: play

Genres: drama; tragedy

First Published: probably around 1605-1606

Setting: Scotland

Main Characters : Macbeth ; Lady Macbeth ; Duncan ; Macduff ; Banquo ; Malcolm

Major Thematic Topics : fall of man; gender roles ; fortune; fate; free will; kingship/natural order; ambition; love of self

Motifs : revenge; sanity; prophecy

Major Symbols: hands; the Three Witches; ghosts

Movie Versions: Macbeth (1948); A Performance of Macbeth (1979); Scotland,Pa . (2001)

The three most important aspects of Macbeth:

• Lady Macbeth is one of the most famous female characters in all of literature. Macbeth's wife is smart, ambitious, and brave. She is undone, however, by her ambition, and by her utter ruthlessness.
• The most famous speech in this play full of famous lines and speeches is Macbeth's soliloquy that begins " Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow/Creeps in this petty pace from day to day/To the last syllable of recorded time . . . . " These lines express Macbeth's utter hopelessness near the tragedy's end about not only his life, but life in general.
• It is a widely held superstition in the world of theater that saying the play's name aloud brings bad luck. Instead, actors, directors, and other theater people refer to Macbeth as " the Scottish play. "

Next Play Summary

Master Shakespeare's Macbeth using Absolute Shakespeare's Macbeth essay, plot summary, quotes and characters study guides.

Plot Summary : A quick review of the plot of Macbeth including every important action in the play. An ideal introduction before reading the original text.

Commentary : Detailed description of each act with translations and explanations for all important quotes. The next best thing to an modern English translation.

Characters : Review of each character's role in the play including defining quotes and character motivations for all major characters.

Characters Analysis : Critical essay by influential Shakespeare scholar and commentator William Hazlitt, discussing all you need to know on the characters of Macbeth.

Macbeth Essay : Samuel Taylor Coleridge's famous essay on Macbeth based on his legendary and influential lectures and notes on Shakespeare.

73 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Act Summaries & Analyses

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays. Classified as a tragedy and thought to be performed for the first time in 1606, it tells the story of a Scottish nobleman who becomes obsessed with power and is driven mad by guilt.

Plot Summary

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The play opens with three witches, who make plans to meet again. In a military camp, King Duncan of Scotland hears the news of his generals’ success. Macbeth and Banquo have defeated two invading armies (one from Ireland, one from Norway). After their battle, Macbeth and Banquo stumble upon the witches, who prophesize that Macbeth will one day become a thane and King of Scotland, while Banquo will father a dynasty of Scottish kings (without ever being king himself). When the witches vanish, the two men are skeptical. But when Duncan’s men arrive to tell Macbeth that his success has led to the king granting him the title of Thane, Macbeth is intrigued and writes ahead to Lady Macbeth to let her know what has taken place and that King Duncan plans to dine at Macbeth’s castle the following night.

Back in their castle, Lady Macbeth lacks her husband’s skepticism. She hopes that he will kill Duncan and take the throne. When Macbeth returns, she persuades him that he needs to assassinate Duncan, overcoming Macbeth’s hesitation. Following their plan, Lady Macbeth drugs the King’s chamberlains, and then, while Duncan sleeps, Macbeth breaks the laws of guest right and stabs the king. When the body is discovered the next day, Macbeth quickly blames the King’s passed out chamberlains, pretends to be in a blind rage, and kills them. Suspicious, Duncan’s sons flee the country, allowing Macbeth to declare himself king in their absence.

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Macbeth, remembering the witches’ words about Banquo and his heirs, hires assassins to kill his fellow general. These men ambush Banquo and his son Fleance but only succeed in killing Banquo. Fleance escapes, which worries Macbeth—and fulfills the witches’ prophecy, since his children will eventually rule Scotland. That night, the ghost of Banquo appears at a feast held in Macbeth’s honor, but Macbeth can see it. The specter terrifies Macbeth, whose crazed ramblings perturb his fellow guests. Though Lady Macbeth tries her best to address the court’s concerns, many question Macbeth’s legitimacy as King. Now scared, Macbeth seeks out the witches. They deliver a series of additional prophecies . One prophecy warns Macbeth to be wary of Macduff (a nobleman dubious of Macbeth’s kingship). Two others reassure Macbeth: No man born of a woman can harm him, and he will remain safe until the moment when Birnam Wood (a forest) comes to Dunsinane Castle. The witches’ words ease Macbeth’s fears, as the latter two parts of the prophecy seem impossible. He discovers that Macduff has fled the country, and orders the seizure of all of Macduff’s possessions and property. Furthermore, he orders Macduff’s wife and children executed.

In England, Macduff hears that his family is dead. He is distraught and swears revenge against Macbeth. He joins one of Duncan’s sons, who has raised an army, and they ride north together, ready to challenge Macbeth. The Scottish court, appalled by Macbeth, is ready to ally with them as well.

In the meantime, bouts of guilt-ridden sleepwalking plague Lady Macbeth, who has visions of indelible bloodstains on her hands.

As he prepares to meet his enemies behind his castle walls, Macbeth learns that his wife has killed herself. This sends Macbeth into an even deeper despair. But he remains focused and fortifies his castle, still convinced that the witches’ prophecy means that he is practically invincible. But the double talk of the prophecies soon comes to light: The opposing army are carrying camouflage from Birnam Wood trees to hide their numbers.

Though Macbeth and his forces fight valiantly, the other side eventually overwhelms them. Macduff finds Macbeth on the battlefield; Macduff tells Macbeth that he was not born of a woman in the traditional sense but was instead born via cesarean section. Even though he realizes that he is doomed, Macbeth fights on. Macduff eventually vanquishes Macbeth and, in a rage, cuts off his head. After the battle, Duncan’s son Malcolm is crowned King of Scotland. He announces that he will govern in a benevolent fashion and invites everyone to his coronation.

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• Macbeth Video

Watch the illustrated video summary of the classic play, Macbeth, by Shakespeare.

Macbeth is a tragedy written by Shakespeare in 1605 or 1606 for King James I and his brother-in-law, King Christian of Denmark. The play tells the story of Macbeth, a power-hungry Scottish general who, spurred on by his ambitious wife, will do anything to become king. Macbeth remains one of Shakespeare’s most read and adapted plays, and is widely acknowledged as one of the great tragedies of the English literary canon.

At the start of the play, King Duncan of Scotland meets a captain returning from the war with Norway. The captain informs Duncan of the bravery demonstrated by two Scottish generals, Macbeth and Banquo. Duncan is impressed and decides to give Macbeth a more noble title: Thane of Cawdor. At the same time, three witches called the Weird Sisters appear to Macbeth and Banquo on their way home from battle. They hail Macbeth as "Thane of Glamis" (his current title), "Thane of Cawdor,” and "king hereafter.” Disturbed by their prophecies, Macbeth asks the witches to say more, but they disappear. Soon after, two noblemen arrive with news of the king’s decision to make Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, just as the witches predicted. This news frightens Macbeth, who immediately feels a desire to kill Duncan and seize the kingship for himself, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy.

Meanwhile, Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, receives a letter from her husband describing these events, then learns that the king plans to visit them at their home. She immediately devises a plan to kill the king so that Macbeth can ascend to the throne, but she worries that he won’t have the courage to actually commit the murder. Macbeth soon arrives, followed by King Duncan, and Lady Macbeth tells her husband exactly how they will murder the king that night. Macbeth is astonished by her cruelty but resigns to follow through with her plan.

That evening, Macbeth drugs the king’s guards, creeps into his chamber, and stabs Duncan. Before and after the murder, Macbeth hallucinates and hears voices saying, “Macbeth shall sleep no more.” Lady Macbeth is upset to learn that her husband was too frightened to follow through with their plan to frame the king’s guards, so she returns to Duncan’s chamber to do it herself. While Macbeth is wracked with guilt over his actions, his wife claims to feel no shame, literally washing her hands of the incident.

In the morning, another nobleman called Macduff arrives with Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, to find the king dead. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth feign shock, and Macbeth slays the king’s bodyguards, blaming them for the incident. Fearing for their lives, Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland for England and Ireland, paving the way for Macbeth to take the throne.

Macbeth is made king, but his friend Banquo worries that Macbeth may have killed Duncan to steal the throne. Macbeth, in turn, worries that Banquo may try to steal the throne for himself, or for his son, Fleance. Macbeth decides to hire mercenaries to kill them both. But that night, at a banquet, the mercenaries inform him that while they managed to kill Banquo, Fleance got away. Later, Macbeth is alarmed to see Banquo’s ghost sitting in Macbeth’s seat at the banquet table. Since Macbeth is the only one who can see his former friend’s ghost, he worries he's going mad and vows to return to the Weird Sisters.

Macbeth asks the sisters what will happen in the future. The witches answer him by summoning three apparitions: one that warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff, another that tells him "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth,” and another that says Macbeth will not be vanquished until the forest around his castle rises against him. Macbeth is relieved, since he figures that nothing can move a forest. Relieved, that is, until he asks the witches if Banquo’s sons will ever rule Scotland, and they show him a procession of kings that indeed includes descendants of Banquo. Disturbed by the witches’ first prediction, Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and his family in case they pose a threat.

Meanwhile, a lady in waiting summons a doctor to observe Lady Macbeth, who has begun to sleepwalk and hallucinate. Apparently driven mad by her part in Duncan’s murder, she imagines a spot of blood on her hand that will not come out no matter how much she scrubs it.

Macduff learns that his family has been murdered by Macbeth and together with Malcolm and the English army makes plans to seize the throne. Disguised, Macduff, Malcolm, and his army charge the castle.

Macbeth learns of the approaching army but remains sure that the witches’ prophecies will protect him. In fact, Macbeth is so mad with power that, even when he is told Lady Macbeth has died, he barely reacts, obsessed with defending his throne. Soon, a servant tells Macbeth that he saw the forest moving towards the castle. Shocked, but finally accepting the threat as real, Macbeth prepares for a fight.

Finding Macbeth, Macduff engages him in a duel, but Macbeth is sure he cannot lose since he can only fall to one not born of woman. His confidence is shaken, however, when Macduff informs him that he was “from his mother's womb untimely ripped.” Ultimately, the witches’ prophecies are fulfilled when Macduff slays Macbeth and seizes control of the country. Malcolm vows to take the throne and restore order to Scotland.

Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

What news took the wind out of Macbeth's invincibility?

Macbeth rethinks his invincibility when MacDuff tells him that he was torn from his mother's womb.

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Macbeth
• Macbeth Summary
• Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• Macbeth's Evolution
• Jumping the Life to Come
• Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Macbeth
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Persons Represented
• Act I, Scene I
• Act I, Scene II
• Act I, Scene III
• Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

• Introduction
• Sources for the play
• Date and text

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Macbeth - Essay Planning - Study Guide

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

9 April 2024

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Here is a list of practice plans and notes that students have completed for a range of essays on “Macbeth”. Some are focused on ideas, and others on structuring. To get the best out of your plans, you should try to keep a balance between both of these from this document.

Suitable for GCSE, iGCSE, and A Level students!

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All hail to thee! This bundle contains everything you need to teach or study Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the form of digital and printable PDF documents. It’s perfect for students aged 14+. **Preview two of our documents for free, to check whether it’s right for you!** [Macbeth Complete Character Analysis](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-macbeth-character-analysis-12766603) [Introduction to Macbeth - Comprehensive Study Guide](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/introduction-to-macbeth-comprehensive-study-guide-12766594) [Watch Youtube videos of this bundle content here!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC90hpWr8so&list=PLeLnxAMVPTM8UG0zuvt4dVEe7me7mmp19) **There are two levels to this bundle:** Core material for students aged 14-16 (GCSE and iGCSE) Extension material for students aged 16-18 (AS, A Level + IB) **With this bundle, students will be able to:** * Understand the structural elements and key moments of plot * Deepen their knowledge of characters, including understanding the deeper messages behind each one * Integrate the significance of the setting into their analyses and interpretations of the play as a whole * Gain confidence with understanding the dramatic form, with a focus on Shakespearean drama * Memorise a range of carefully chosen key quotations for use in essays and analysis * Develop their language, structure and form analysis skills, with guided support and examples * Identify and analyse the thematic and contextual details * Learn approaches to a range of essay question types: discursive, argumentative, close reading * Become confident with extract interpretation and analysis * Develop their knowledge of tragic conventions and apply them to the play * Expand their critical aptitude via exposure to key critical frameworks and critics’ quotations (for higher level students) * Write their own essays on Macbeth, after support with planning help and example A* / top grade model answers **Reasons to love this bundle:** * Downloadable pdfs documents, graphically designed to a high level * Visual aids (photographs and drawings) to support learning * Clearly organised categories that simplify the text for students * Print and digital versions - perfect for any learning environment * The unit has everything you need to start teaching or learning - starting with the basic story summary, going right up to deep contextual and critical wider readings. * Lots of tasks and opportunities to practice literary analysis skills - students will be guided through writing a literary analysis response to the play. **This is what you'll get with this digital and printable resource:** THE COMPLETE MACBETH COURSE * Introduction to Macbeth - Comprehensive Study Guide * Macbeth - Plot Summary + Structural Breakdown * Setting in Macbeth * Macbeth - Character Study Guide * Macbeth - Key Quotations * Macbeth - Complete Context Revision * Macbeth Key Themes Study Guide * Macbeth and Tragedy * Macbeth - Critical Interpretations + Critics' Quotations WORKSHEETS + LESSONS * Macbeth Text and Study Questions - ACT 1.1 * Macbeth Text and Study Questions - ACT 1.6 * Full Lesson: Religion in Macbeth ESSAY WRITING, QUESTIONS + EXAMPLE ANSWERS * Macbeth - How to Write Higher Level Essays * Macbeth - How to Plan Essays * Macbeth - GCSE + iGCSE Essay Questions * Example A-Level Essays, A*-C Grades * Macbeth - GCSE + iGCSE Model Essays, A*-C Grades (L9-L5) **Ready to print and teach, or start studying straight away! Please be sure to take a look at the preview images to see all the documents in this resource! Looking for other texts? Here are two more: [An Inspector Calls](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-inspector-calls-revision-bundle-12611113) [AQA GCSE Power and Conflict Poetry](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/aqa-power-and-conflict-poetry-bundle-12462323) You might also be interested in: [AQA GCSE English Paper 1 Complete Bundle](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/aqa-english-language-paper-1-complete-bundle-12542887) [Cambridge IGCSE Poetry Anthology 2023-2025, Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 4](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/caie-cambridge-igcse-poetry-anthology-2023-2025-songs-of-ourselves-volume-2-part-4-12722377) [Cambridge A Level Poetry for 2023](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/cie-cambridge-a-level-poetry-for-2023-bundle-part-1-12735444) **Please review our content! We always value feedback and are looking for ways to improve our resources, so all reviews are more than welcome. Check out our full [shop](https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/ntabani) here

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