Macbeth - Book Summary

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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.

[@BallyBoy95]

This play bored me to death during primary school, but as a grown adult, this is one of the best stories ever!

[@kipling1957]

If someone promotes you, why would you immediately plan to kill them and usurp their title? I don’t understand the motivation.

[@adribautista3593]

The witched basically told him he would be king, and he wanted to be king, so he made it happen. His wife also had a heavy influence on him.

[@BlueProphet7]

Honor. He suspected his superior of usurping the throne with ignoble intent.

[@anun5282]

Greed

[@chungfella]

It’s a tale about greed completely consuming someone who was once seen as worthy and Nobel man

[@dorseyromano5812]

POWER... brutally gotten

[@amanarsalan7779]

Thank god. Shakespeare litterally speaks in Minecraft enchantment table text and it's so annoying. You've made things much easier.

[@sukhilraj2322]

Bro that’s so fucking true

[@wyattmemes]

Fr man

[@justforrow]

This garbage, shit, filthy story took up a YEAR. A YEAR of my life. NEVER AGAIN.

[@ProxyX02]

I read macbeth in 4th grade I had nightmares for so long I don’t even know why it was so scary 😭

[@aniceguy6065]

You had macbeth in 4th standard? Sheessh

[@shariquesyed3611]

We had it in 4th too, but our teacher made it skip, and just do the QNA, on request of parents😂

[@soumyai8579]

Wow! I wanna experience too🤩🤩

[@giannakarakosta7557]

Pov:You have a test tommorow about Macbeths story so instead of reading you watch this video

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Elps school?

[@Babyjohn8170]

Your explanation was extremely clear.Thank you!😊👍

[@amateur_football9751]

What do you mean, its tells the story every other video narrates, there is nothing more clear or less clear

[@honeybaby6123]

Thanks you soo much had a essay due for weeks, this helped so much

[@victoriamiller6748]

Thank you very much. I soooo needed this.

[@krissaberhagen]

the animated show Gargoyles was my first encounter with somewhat of the Macbeth tale. pretty cool stuff, i got to read alot of Shakespeare.

[@carolynmccomas1571]

Thank you so much for this summary. Know nothing about Opera. Would you please do this to all the most famous Operas enriching all of us who are not in the know.

[@luisbalmaceda03]

Ty just finished the tragedy of Macbeth and it was great but didn’t fully understand

[@TheRealZ9000]

By far best and most accurate animation

[@edra2005]

How do Banquo's descendants become king if Malcolm is king at the end

[@TeerthShah-pz9ps]

It helps me a lot in my test

[@jonpaul3868]

Nice animations

[@Toothless1174descenders]

Thank you i needed this for my exam tomorrow

[@AnuVinodsharma]

Same

[@theofficialrogel]

I had a nightmare about it.. in my dream I didn't know about Macbeth and so in my reallife.

[@almaahmadnaya5628]

It really helped me

[@ruchikagupta5625]

Excellent explanation

[@Zaioncasabuena]

Hi I watched this because of school

[@nazmulgani3776]

Excellent analysis......

[@hhzmaung]

Bro, I like how the witches are more women like. In the original play, the witches are skinny and have masculine features such as beards.

[@adarshpradeep7505]

Thank you🙏

[@GradeSaver]

🙏

[@jamieblake2823]

That was awesome. Great video.

[@aleciamarie2952]

Well Done! Love This!!!😃👍🏽

[@daveevans2127]

i love this video

[@Antikoneverythink]

Why my teacher choose this shi🤦‍♂️

[@wobblertv8083]

Ironically the real Macbeth was a pretty good king .

[@durugesha3623]

Super

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Brothers and Sisters, God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ for us, who, bled and died on a cross for us to redeem us from death, to gain life everlasting, for those who put their trust in him. And what's more, he has risen, and is willing to call you to repentance (correction) and as his witness, by his grace indeed. "For it is by grace you have been saved". Jesus loves you, God cares for you!

[@revathirevathi4746]

I. Love. This. Vedeo

[@lebowize3444]

Lady Macbeth is like Eren Yeager

[@Devil8theapp]

💀💀

[@maraheimgartner292]

Love you

[@kaiumeda3690]

Now summarize Huckleberry Finn & The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

[@patrickwantstodie4894]

Inshallah I pass my leaving cert

[@rogeh1865]

Am i the only one here that has gcse tmmrw

[@Devil8theapp]

💀 F

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So entertaining with miss kalitzidou yanited yanited

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SHOOOOGWAY

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❤❤❤❤

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[@marijoadibacsa6211]

Oooohh

[@mr_mcsexy]

Thanks, just in time. First