Summary Act 1

Scene 1
Creepy witches are introduced. They vow to meet Macbeth after battle. This scene sets up the setting of the play: Dark, dreary, frightening.

Scene 2
Malcom, Donaldbain, Lennox and a bleeding captain meet with King Duncan.
Duncan is excited to hear how the battle went. They sum of the battle by essentially saying that Macbeth personally won the battle against the Norwegians.
Duncan strips the Thane of Cawdor of his title, and declares that he is going to give it to Macbeth. (Although at this point Macbeth is unaware of what is going on because he is not in the scene.)

Scene 3
The three witches await Macbeth. They deliver prophecies to Macbeth and Banquo.
PROPHECIES:
Macbeth---- He will be Thane of Cawdor and he will be KING.

Banquo-----He will never be king. But his children will be kings.

Line 125…etc…---Macbeth discusses his fears of these prophecies. This is a moment where his character is truly revealed. [Note: remember that this is his character at the start of the play…pay attention to how he changes throughout the rest of the play]

Scene 4
Malcolm reports that the Thane of Cawdor is dead. He was a traitor and it is declared that no one can trust a book by it’s cover.
Lines 10-13—Image versus reality- “There is not art/ to find the mind’s construction in the face.’
Macbeth declares he is loyal to King Duncan. Duncan acknowledges this, and then turns around and says that his son, Malcom, will be his heir to the crown—NOT MACBETH.
Macbeth is really upset and storms out of the room.---This moment also signifies the moment that he realizes in order to become king he must kill Duncan.

Scene 5
This scene starts with Macbeth’s letter to Lady Macbeth. He tells her what happened with the battle, and that he has become Thane of Cawdor. He also tells her that the witches predicted this fact, as well as the fact that he would be king.
Her response is that she is very excited but that he simply does not have the nerve to do it: “yet I do fear thy nature/ is too full o’th’milk of human kindness/to catch the nearest way”
Lady Macbeth asks evil spirits to help her with the murder.
In the same scene Macbeth arrives and Lady Macbeth greets him with her thoughts of greatness and murderous plans. Lady Macbeth tells him that in order to get away with their evil plan they will have to pretend like everything is alright.
Lines 63-64- “look like th’innocent flower/ but be the serpent under’t”.

Scene 6

Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan with over the top courtesy. She tells him she is loyal and obedient.

Scene 7

Macbeth struggles with his conscience. He is worried about killing Duncan and tries to figure out how to avoid the murder. He comes up with a number of excuses including the fact that Duncan trusts him.

Line 12-13 “he’s here in double trust:/First, as I am his kinsman and his subject.”

[Note: Once again this is a great example of who Macbeth is at the start of the play}