Macbeth by William Shakespeare

" Macbeth " or " The Tragedy of Macbeth " is a tragic play of Jacobean Era by William Shakespeare. It may have been first performed in 1606 and published in the Folio of 1623 from a prompt book. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is a five act play. 

About Author

 Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He is known as the greatest dramatist of both of the Era, "Elizabethan" and "Jacobean". He was born on 23 April, 1564 and died on 23 April, 1616. He is often called "England's National Poet" and "The Bard of Avon". His extant works including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses. He was a writer of "English Renaissance" movement. Some of his famous plays are Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, Henry 5, Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, King Lear etc.

Plot Summary

The story of Macbeth starts with a war between Scotland and Norway. Some Scottish rebels help Norwegians in the war, still Scotland wins the war and the Scots successfully defend their country and their king, Duncan. Macbeth and his friend Banquo both have a major role in the war.

After the war, both Macbeth and Banquo meet three witches who prophesy that Macbeth will become "Thane of Cowdor" and after that become king of Scotland. Again they prophesy that Banquo's son will become king of Scotland after Macbeth. At first they don't believe it but when King Duncan, makes Macbeth " Thane of Cowdor " because of his bravery in the war then Macbeth begins to think that he could be King of Scotland if he kills King Dunkan.

 
One day when King Duncan visits Macbeth's palace and spends his night there, Macbeth takes advantage of this opportunity and kills King Duncan with his wife's support, Lady Macbeth and blames guardsmen to kill King Duncan. To see this murder, Macduff, another Scottish thane, and other court members come there. After Duncan's death his two son flee from the country because they think, the murderer will kill them also for kingdom and since they flee so now Macbeth becomes King.

Now, Macbeth's next target is Banquo because the witches' third prophesy is Banquo's son will become the next King of Scotland so he tries to kill both Banquo and his son but his son escapes and only Banquo dies. One day, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and because of his behavior Macduff believes that Macbeth is the murderer of King Duncan.

Macduff and Duncan's son Malcolm, prepares their own army to attack on Macbeth. Once again, Macbeth goes to meet the three witches to ask about his death, they tell him that Macbeth need to careful from Macduff and about his death, they tell that he can't be killed by a woman born man and will still rule Scotland until Birnam's Wood itself marches to Macbeth's castle. Now, Macbeth becomes satisfied that he would be alive forever.

English and Scottish army under Malcolm, march towards Macbeth's castle and in Birnam forest, they make a plan that to hide their numbers they will use branches of trees to hold them in their hand and then march, it was looking like Birnam's forest is itself marching as witches said. Lady Macbeth becomes mad and suicides because she thinks, we are the murderer of King Duncan. Here, Malcolm's army capture Macbeth but still he fights and says that he can't be killed by a woman born man then Macduff comes and says, he will kill Macbeth because he was untimely ripped from his mother's womb ( by operation). Macduff kills Macbeth and at the end of the play Malcolm is crowned as King of Scotland.