Macbeth Act summary (+key quotes and themes)
ACT 1 SUMMARY KEY QUOTES KEY THEMES
Scene 1 The witches plan to ‘We three’ ‘Lost and -Supernatural
meet with Macbeth won’ -Opposites
‘There to meet with -Appearance vs
Macbeth’ reality
‘Fair is foul and foul is -Doctrine of
fair…. Voluntary assent
Scene 2 Duncan hears news ‘As two spent -Masculinity and
about how Macbeth swimmers…’ battle
and Banquo fought in ‘Merciless macdonald-
battle from the Worthy to be a rebel’
captain and rewards ‘Unseamed him from the
Macbeth with a new nave to th’chaps’
title. ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’
‘What he hath lost,
Noble Macbeth hath
won’
Scene 3 Witches give ‘Though his bark cannot -Women
prophecies to be lost,/yet it shall be -Supernatural
Macbeth and Banquo tempest-toss’d’ -Kingship
‘So foul and fair a day I
have not seen’
‘All hail’
‘You should be women
yet your beards forbid
me to interpret that you
are so..’
‘The instruments of
darkness…’
‘Chance may crown me
without my stir’
Scene 4 Duncan shows ‘There’s no art to find -Appearance vs
Macbeth and Banquo the mind's construction reality
gratitude and in the face’’ -nobility
announces Malcolm ‘If i grow, the harvest is -deception
as successor your own’
‘Stars,hide your fires, let
not light see my black
and deep desires’
‘True,worthy Banquo’
Scene 5 Lady Macbeth reads ‘My dearest partner of -Femininity
her husband's letter greatness’ -Supernatural
before welcoming him ‘Too full o’th’milk of -Appearance vs
, home and preparing human kindness to Reality
for the king catch the nearest way’ -Deception
‘Unsex me here’
‘Look like th’innocent
flower,but be the
serpent under’t’
Scene 6 King Duncan comes ‘This castle hath a
to the castle pleasant seat’
Scene 7 Macbeth leaves the ‘He is here in double -Masculinity
dinner worried about trust’ -Kingship
what he is going to ‘We’d jump the life to -Ambtion
do but LM come’ -Deception
manipulates him ‘Vaulting ambition’ -Women
‘We will proceed no
further in this business’
‘From this time, such I
account thy love’
‘I dare do all that may
become a man’
‘I know how tender ‘tis to
love the babe that milks
me’
‘Screw your courage to
the sticking-place and
we’ll not fail’
‘False face must hide
what the false heart
doth know’
ACT 2 SUMMARY KEY QUOTES KEY THEMES
Scene 1 Banquo and Fleance ‘I dream’d last night of the -Nobility and
are going to bed and three weid sisters’ loyalty
they see Macbeth ‘If you shall cleave to my -Guilt
consent, when ‘tis,/it shall
make honour for you’
‘My bosom franchis’d and
allegiance clear’
‘Is this a dagger which i
see before me’
‘With Targuin’s ravishing
strides’
Scene 2 Duncan has been ‘Had he not resembled my -Guilt
murdered. Macbeth father as he slept, I had -Femininity
regrets it and LM done’t’ -Kingship
takes the daggers ‘The owl scream and the
ACT 1 SUMMARY KEY QUOTES KEY THEMES
Scene 1 The witches plan to ‘We three’ ‘Lost and -Supernatural
meet with Macbeth won’ -Opposites
‘There to meet with -Appearance vs
Macbeth’ reality
‘Fair is foul and foul is -Doctrine of
fair…. Voluntary assent
Scene 2 Duncan hears news ‘As two spent -Masculinity and
about how Macbeth swimmers…’ battle
and Banquo fought in ‘Merciless macdonald-
battle from the Worthy to be a rebel’
captain and rewards ‘Unseamed him from the
Macbeth with a new nave to th’chaps’
title. ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’
‘What he hath lost,
Noble Macbeth hath
won’
Scene 3 Witches give ‘Though his bark cannot -Women
prophecies to be lost,/yet it shall be -Supernatural
Macbeth and Banquo tempest-toss’d’ -Kingship
‘So foul and fair a day I
have not seen’
‘All hail’
‘You should be women
yet your beards forbid
me to interpret that you
are so..’
‘The instruments of
darkness…’
‘Chance may crown me
without my stir’
Scene 4 Duncan shows ‘There’s no art to find -Appearance vs
Macbeth and Banquo the mind's construction reality
gratitude and in the face’’ -nobility
announces Malcolm ‘If i grow, the harvest is -deception
as successor your own’
‘Stars,hide your fires, let
not light see my black
and deep desires’
‘True,worthy Banquo’
Scene 5 Lady Macbeth reads ‘My dearest partner of -Femininity
her husband's letter greatness’ -Supernatural
before welcoming him ‘Too full o’th’milk of -Appearance vs
, home and preparing human kindness to Reality
for the king catch the nearest way’ -Deception
‘Unsex me here’
‘Look like th’innocent
flower,but be the
serpent under’t’
Scene 6 King Duncan comes ‘This castle hath a
to the castle pleasant seat’
Scene 7 Macbeth leaves the ‘He is here in double -Masculinity
dinner worried about trust’ -Kingship
what he is going to ‘We’d jump the life to -Ambtion
do but LM come’ -Deception
manipulates him ‘Vaulting ambition’ -Women
‘We will proceed no
further in this business’
‘From this time, such I
account thy love’
‘I dare do all that may
become a man’
‘I know how tender ‘tis to
love the babe that milks
me’
‘Screw your courage to
the sticking-place and
we’ll not fail’
‘False face must hide
what the false heart
doth know’
ACT 2 SUMMARY KEY QUOTES KEY THEMES
Scene 1 Banquo and Fleance ‘I dream’d last night of the -Nobility and
are going to bed and three weid sisters’ loyalty
they see Macbeth ‘If you shall cleave to my -Guilt
consent, when ‘tis,/it shall
make honour for you’
‘My bosom franchis’d and
allegiance clear’
‘Is this a dagger which i
see before me’
‘With Targuin’s ravishing
strides’
Scene 2 Duncan has been ‘Had he not resembled my -Guilt
murdered. Macbeth father as he slept, I had -Femininity
regrets it and LM done’t’ -Kingship
takes the daggers ‘The owl scream and the
