Macbeth

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Macbeth
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Introduction

• William Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth. It
  is one of his most famous stories and is known
  all around the world.
• Macbeth is a story that is based around ambition
  and power.
• The play Macbeth is so famous that it is
  actually has its own myth. It is seen to be very
  unlucky to say the word Macbeth.

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Characters

• Macbeth
• Lady Macbeth Macbeths wife
• Banquo Macbeths friend
• Fleance Banquos son

• King Duncan the King of Scotland / Macbeths
  cousin
• Malcolm King Duncans oldest son
• Donalbain King Duncans youngest son
• The three witches

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The Plot (what happens in the story)

• King Duncan is the King of Scotland. Macbeth and
  Banquo are two generals in his army.
• Macbeth is a great solider and had already been
  rewarded by the king by being given the title of
  Thane of Glamis.
• The story starts with Macbeth and Banquo
  celebrating another successful victory and were
  on their way home to Inverness after a battle.

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• Suddenly three witches appear. The first greets
  Macbeth as Thane of Glamis. The second greets
  Macbeth as Thane of Cawdor. The third greets
  Macbeth as the King of Scotland.
• The witches disappear as a messenger arrives with
  the news that the king has made Macbeth the Thane
  of Cawdor in honour of his victory.
• When Macbeth returns home, he tells his wife of
  these events. The first prophecy has already come
  true and so Lady Macbeth starts to plot King
  Duncans death. She is very ambitious and wants
  her husband to be king.

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• Macbeth receives news that King Duncan and his
  two sons (Malcolm and Donalbain) are on their way
  to Macbeths home. The king wants to thank
  Macbeth in person for his help in the battle.
• Lady Macbeth orders her husband to use this time
  to kill King Duncan.
• After a feast, Macbeth drugs the kings guards.
  However, he starts to have second thoughts about
  killing his cousin. Lady Macbeth gets angry and
  goes to kill Duncan while he sleeps but she cant
  do it.

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• Lady Macbeth comes back out and tells her husband
  he has to kill King Duncan now. He does. He also
  kills the guards and then shouts for help saying
  that the guards killed King Duncan, he saw them,
  and then he killed them.
• King Duncans sons are very worried and leave
  immediately for England.
• Macbeth is now next in line to the throne and he
  is made King of Scotland fulfilling the three
  witches prophecies.

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• Macbeth was worried that Banquos family will
  overthrow him from the throne so he hires men to
  attack Banquo and Fleance. Banquo is killed but
  Fleance escapes.
• Macbeth was holding a feast when Banquos ghost
  appears. Nobody else can see him apart from
  Macbeth so they all think he is crazy. His wife
  tells all their guests to leave.
• Macbeth and his wife have nightmares so Macbeth
  goes to find the three witches to reassure him
  that he will stay King of Scotland.

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• The witches told him three pieces of information
  1) Macbeth should beware of Macduff, the Thane of
  Fife 2) that no man born of woman could harm him
  (for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth)
  and 3) Macbeth will never be defeated until Great
  Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill (where
  Macbeth lives).
• Macbeth was paranoid Macduff had joined forces
  with Malcolm. He ordered his men to kill
  Macduffs wife and children.

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• Lady Macbeth felt so guilty about all the people
  who had died so she killed herself.
• Macbeth heard news that Great Birnam Wood was
  moving. He didnt believe it but saw that
  Macduffs army was moving towards his castle and
  carrying tree branches to hide behind. This meant
  that the witches prophecy had come true.
• Macbeth fought Macduff and still felt invincible.
  However, Macduff told Macbeth that when he was
  born, there had been complications which meant he
  was cut from his mother by Caesarean section
  rather than being born naturally.
• Macduff killed Macbeth. King Duncans son,
  Malcolm became King of Scotland.