Summary Writing

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

This is an extract from the Shakespearian tragedy "Macbeth".

This story was situated in Scotland in the eleventh century; Macbeth was a Lord that was loyal to his King, Duncan, and to his country.

But one day when the battle against the Thane of Cawdor had been defeated, Macbeth met three evils witches. The three witches said to Macbeth and a Scottish Thane that was with him, Banquo, some predictions about their future. The witches told Macbeth that he would have become the new Thane of Cawdor and then the future King of Scotland. They told Banquo that he would be less as Macbeth but greater, he would not be lucky as Macbeth but luckier and finally that he would not be king but his children would be kings. After these predictions the three witches vanished in the air.

Macbeth and Banquo were confused and they didn't believe to the three witches' words, until a messenger didn't bring the news to Macbeth. He was the new Thane of Cawdor. Immediately Macbeth wrote a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, where he told her what was happened that day and what she thought about the prophecy to become King and her Queen.

The Lady was ambitious and naturally wanted to become Queen of Scotland but she knew that her husband was too loyal to the King, too kind and too honest to pretend to become King, so she strove a plan to kill King Duncan.

That evening would King Duncan have gone to their castle. That was the right night to kill him. After the banquet all were tired so they went to bed and slept heavily.

So Macbeth took a dagger from the servants' belts, went quickly into Duncan's room and killed him. After that he put again the dagger in the room where the servants were sleeping and went into his room.

When Macduff, Thane of Scotland, acknowledged the murder, there was a lot of noise. Duncan's sons escaped. Donalbain moved to Ireland and Malcolm, the heir to the throne and new Prince of Cumberland, moved to England.

Therefore all those that evening were present thought that Donalbain and Malcolm had killed their father, so Macbeth was crowned King of Scotland.

Macbeth knew that Duncan was not the only obstacle to his power so he decided to kill also Banquo and his son, Fleance. In this way he would have been the only King of Scotland and he would have had all the power.

So one evening he organized a banquet and Banquo and his son were invited.

They were out for a ride with their horses so Macbeth sent some servants to kill them but they didn't perform completely the order, indeed they killed only Banquo but Fleance succeeded in escaping.

The servants told Macbeth what happened, and he began to be afraid, indeed at the banquet he had some visions like Banquo's ghost that was in front of him or sat to his place. Lady Macbeth tried to reassure her husband but he was really terrorized, so she decided to conclude the banquet and send away the guests.

The following days Macbeth decided to meet again the three witches, but meanwhile there was creating an army against him and his tyranny.

Hecate, the Goddess of the three witches, was very angry with them for the trap done to Macbeth so he decided what would have been the next deception for Macbeth. When Macbeth arrived the three witches told him other predictions. The first was to be afraid of Macduff, the second was that no man of woman born could harm him, and the last one was that he would have been only defeated when Birnam Wood would have moved.

Temporarily in the castle the Queen felt not well, she was somnambulant and she spoke at night about the murder, now everyone knew about the homicides. The Queen could not tolerate anymore what she had done so she committed suicide. The servants told Macbeth about his wife, he was desperate and in add his castle was surrounded by the Birnam Wood, indeed the soldiers commanded from Malcolm and Macduff had put branches and leaves of the woods to seem the same forest.

Macbeth knew that was the end so he went out the castle and fought against Malcolm and Macduff.

Macduff was born when his mother had already died so how the three witches said before he was the only one that could kill Macbeth.

Macbeth was exactly killed by Macduff, so he could vindicate his family that was killed by the violent and tyrant Macbeth.

Finally Malcolm, the right heir to the throne, was crowned King of Scotland.