Lady Macbeth example essay topic

Macbeth - A Summary As Macbeth and Banquo return from a battle, they come across three witches. They greet Macbeth first by the title he already has - Thane of Glam is - and then by the title - Thane of Cawdor. Finally they suggest to the astonished Macbeth he will "be King hereafter". To Banquo they give the startling news that although he will never be King himself, his descendents will rule Scotland.

The witches vanish into the mist. Macbeth is brought the news that the Thane of Cawdor has been killed and he has been given the title. The witches' first prophecy has now come true. Macbeth wonders about the second prophecy. Macbeth sends a letter home to his wife telling her, what the witches have said. Lady Macbeth also learns that King Duncan is to pay them a visit.

She realises that this could be the perfect opportunity to murder Duncan and have her husband crowned King. Lady Macbeth is more determined than her husband and persuades him to carry out the murder. Despite several changes of mind, Macbeth at last agrees and, while the King sleeps, stabs him to death. Macbeth is appalled at what he has done and loses his nerve. Lady Macbeth takes Macbeth's dagger and smears the sleeping guards with the King's blood. Not long afterwards the King's butchered body is discovered by Macduff.

Macbeth, apparently overcome with grief, kills the guards. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fear for their lives and flee: Malcolm goes to England and Donalbain to Ireland, leaving Macbeth to be crowned King. Although at first the guards had been thought to be responsible for Duncan's death, suspicion gradually begins to fall on Macbeth. It is Banquo who eventually becomes the most suspicious. Macbeth remembers the witches' prophecy about Banquo and decides that he also must die.

At a banquet at the castle, Macbeth learns that his men have murdered Banquo, but that Banquo's son, Flea nce, has escaped. Macbeth is horrified when Banquo's ghost, invisible to everyone else, takes his place at the banqueting table. Macbeth is very disturbed and visibly shaken, so much so that his courtiers think that he is ill. Deeply frightened, Macbeth returns to the witches.

They show him ghostly apparitions, which warn him against Macduff, who has now joined forces with Malcolm in England. They also tell him that "no man of woman born shall harm Macbeth". From the third apparition, he learns that he can never be defeated until "Greet Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill, shall come against him" knowing that trees cannot move themselves Macbeth feels safe. However, the final apparition shows Banquo with a row of kings and once more Macbeth recalls the witches' prophecy. This time Macbeth cannot turn to his wife for help. Her conscience is troubling her and she is going mad.

Macbeth decides to have Lady Macduff and her children murdered. In England, Macduff vows vengeance. Macbeth still believes that nobody can defeat him. He does not know that English soldiers are already in Birnam Wood, preparing to attack him. They cut down branches, to use as camouflage and as they approach the castle, the woods appear to move. Lady Macbeth, whose mind has now completely gone, commits suicide.

The castle surrenders to the army but Macbeth fights on. He comes face to face with Macduff, and tells him that his life is safe against anyone "of woman born". Macduff's chilling answer is that, he did not have a normal birth but was taken prematurely from his mother's womb. Macbeth now realises that he must fight for his life. He draws his sword, but in vain. Macduff kills him, cuts off his head and takes it to Malcolm to prove that Macbeth is dead.

As the play ends Malcolm is hailed the King of Scotland.