Macbeth Play Fact Sheet
Macbeth, Tragedy, Written between 1599 and 1606
Characters:
Duncan – King of Scotland
Malcolm – Duncan’s elder son
Donalbain – Duncan’s younger son
Macbeth – a general in the army of King Duncan,
originally Thane of Glamis, then Thane of Cawdor
and later King of Scotland
Lady Macbeth – Macbeth’s wife and later Queen of Scotland
Banquo – Macbeth’s friend and a general in the army of King Duncan
Fleance – Banquo’s son
Macduff – Thane of Fife. Lady Macduff
Macduff’s wife. Macduff’s son. Ross, Lennox, Angus, Menteith,
Caithness – Scottish Thanes
Siward – general of the English forces
Young Siward – Siward’s son
Seyton – Macbeth’s armourer
Hecate – Queen of the witches
Three witches
Synopsis:
Three witches decide to confront the great Scottish general
Macbeth on his victorious return from a war between Scotland
and Norway. The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will
confer the title of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth.
Macbeth, and another General called Banquo, happen upon the
three witches. The witches predict that he will one day become
king. He decides that he will murder Duncan. Macbeth's wife
agrees to his plan. He then murders Duncan assisted by his wife
who smears the blood of Duncan on the daggers of the sleeping
guards. A nobleman called Macduff discovers the body.
Macbeth kills the guards insisting that their daggers
smeared with Duncan's blood are proof that they committed
the murder. The crown passes to Macbeth. More murders
ensue and the bloodied ghost of Banquo appears to
Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's conscience now begins to torture
her and she imagines that she can see her hands covered
with blood. She commits suicide. Macduff kills Macbeth and
becomes king.
Fun fact:
Macbeth is referred to as the Scottish play in the theatre. If
you say “Macbeth” outside of a performance you are meant
to walk three times in a circle anti-clockwise then say a rude
word or spit.
Quotes:
“By the pricking of my thumbs,Something wicked this way
comes.”
“Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!”
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
“Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward
my hand?”
In Film:
Macbeth 1978, starring Ian McKellen, directed by Trevor Nunn,
Macbeth 1971, starring Jon Finch, directed by Roman Polanski.
Macbeth 2011, starring Patrick Stewart.