A Beginner's Guide to Macbeth

Witches, prophecies, ghosts, power, and fate, few plays grip the imagination quite like Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Written between 1606 and 1607, the play was written for the court of King James I, who was also King James VI of Scotland, and had a notable fascination with witchcraft. Coincidence? We think not.

At just 17,121 words, it’s one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays, but also his most intense. The play crackles with supernatural energy and psychological depth, gripping audiences from its very first performance in 1606-ish.

Over four centuries later, it remains one of Shakespeare’s most studied and adapted works, making a frequent appearance on GCSE exams in the UK and AP English classes in the U.S. This quick guide to Macbeth will give you everything you need to know to understand and appreciate Shakespeare’s dark play.

Macbeth: Plot in a Nutshell

This is a tale of blind ambition and fate that asks, “How far will you go to get what you want?”

The play begins on a wild Scottish heath, where three witches appear to the victorious general Macbeth with three prophecies:

1. That he will become Thane of Cawdor (meaning the King will give him a noble title, land, and jurisdiction over the area of Cawdor).
2. That he will then become King of Scotland.
3. That his close friend Banquo will father a line of kings threatening his throne.

When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, he begins to wonder if the prophecies are true or if he can make them come true. Encouraged by his wife, Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan in his sleep, framing the palace guards. With Duncan out of the way, Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland, but his joy is short-lived. Tormented by paranoia and guilt, Macbeth becomes tyrannical, ordering the death of his friend Banquo to secure his position. Lady Macbeth, consumed by remorse and unsettling visions of the dead King Duncan, unravels into madness.

Eventually, a rebellion begins to form against Macbeth, led by his former ally, Macduff, and Duncan’s son, Malcom. A battle ensues. Increasingly disturbed by her guilt, Lady Macbeth dies by suicide, forcing Macbeth to pause and reflect on the true cost of his ambition (“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow”). In a final battle, Macbeth is killed by Macduff, and Malcom takes the throne.

Key Characters in Macbeth

• Macbeth: The protagonist of the story, Macbeth, is a Scottish nobleman whose ambition leads him from heroism to corruption. He begins the play as a brave and loyal soldier who is celebrated for his courage in defending Scotland. By the end, Macbeth is unrecognizable from the hero we first met. His tragic flaw is his ambition and his willingness to do anything to pursue it.
• Lady Macbeth: Macbeth’s ambitious wife who later collapses under guilt. Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most complex and fascinating characters. At first, she appears fearless and ruthless. She manipulates Macbeth into killing Duncan by questioning his masculinity and devotion to her. However, beneath her strength is a soft fragility; as guilt and madness take hold, she begins to show the devastating psychological toll of her ambition.
• The Three Witches: Mysterious, otherworldly figures who set the entire tragedy in motion. Their prophecies tempt Macbeth to act against his better judgment, blurring the line between destiny and choice. They speak only riddles and contradictions, adding a sense of confusion and ambiguity to their prophecies that drives chaos.
• Banquo: Macbeth’s friend and fellow soldier, whose moral integrity remains strong while Macbeth descends into corruption. He, too, hears the witches’ prophecies. However, unlike Macbeth, he remains cautious and skeptical, choosing to stick to his morals and reason rather than blindly chasing a prophecy.
• King Duncan: The good and noble King who is admired for his fairness and generosity. His murder is not only a political crime but a moral one, and it represents the moment where order and justice give way to chaos and corruption.
• Macduff: The nobleman who ultimately defeats Macbeth and restores order. As a character, he serves as the antagonist to Macbeth’s moral and political views. When Macbeth kills Macduff’s family, he uses his grief to fuel his determination to bring the tyrant down. This character embodies one of the play’s central themes of good triumphing over evil.
• Malcom: King Duncan’s eldest son, who returns from exile to claim the throne and rebuild a shattered kingdom. Calm, cautious, and intelligent, Malcolm’s rise to the throne is the opposite of Macbeth’s cruel and bloody path to power, reinforcing Shakespeare’s themes of morality and justice triumphing over corruption.
• The Porter: The play’s darkly comic relief, who offers moments of uneasy laughter amid the bloodshed. His drunken ramblings about the “hell-gate” serve as a grim metaphor for Macbeth’s Scotland, and a reminder that even in tragedy, Shakespeare knew the power of a well-timed joke.

Key Scenes in Macbeth

Act 1, Scene 3 – The Witches’ Prophecy

On a misty heath after battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches, who greet Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and “King hereafter.” When messengers arrive to confirm Macbeth’s promotion to Thane of Cawdor, the prophecy suddenly feels real, and he sets his sights on becoming king, at any cost.

This scene plants the central conflict of the play: is Macbeth destined for greatness, or does he choose his own downfall? The witches never tell him to commit murder; Macbeth makes that choice. Their riddles and eerie presence embody the play’s themes of fate, free will, and the supernatural.

Famous quotes from this scene:

• “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”
• “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”

Act 2, Scene 1 – “Is this a dagger which I see before me?”

As King Duncan sleeps, Macbeth prepares to murder him. Alone, he sees a ghostly vision, a dagger floating in the air, its handle pointed toward his hand, its blade pointing to Duncan’s room. The vision symbolizes Macbeth’s moral conflict. He knows what he is doing is wrong, but his ambition drives him forward.

This soliloquy is one of Shakespeare’s most powerful reflections of a mind in turmoil. Through vivid imagery and a hypnotic rhythm, we watch as Macbeth wrestles with guilt, temptation, and fear. When he says, “I go, and it is done,” the audience knows Macbeth’s sinister choice has been made.

Famous quotes from this scene:

• “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?”
• “There’s no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes.”

Act 3, Scene 4 – Banquo’s Ghost at the Banquet

Now officially King, Macbeth hosts a royal banquet to celebrate his coronation and show off his confidence and power to the noblemen. But his attempt to impress quickly collapses when he sees the ghost of Banquo, the friend he had secretly murdered. The ghost sits in Macbeth’s place at the table, invisible to the other guests.

Panicking, Macbeth begins to shout at the ghost, revealing to his guests the first signs of his unraveling mind. Lady Macbeth desperately tries to save face, but the damage is done. This scene marks a turning point in the story. Macbeth’s path to the throne, built on lies and bloodshed, begins to crumble.

Famous quotes from this scene:

• • “Thou canst not say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me.”
  • “O, full of scorpions in my mind, dear wife!”
  • “Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!”
    

Ready to see Macbeth for yourself? Read about four productions that will keep you on the edge of your seat.