Macbeth

By Tom Fischer, 7th grade

Assignment: Write a summary of the story line of Macbeth. Give your own commentary on whether you think Macbeth’s decisions were good or bad and how you would have acted in his place.

Macbeth was a play written by William Shakespeare in 1606 A.D. It tells the tale of lord Macbeth, whose life changes forever after he murders the current king to become the new king.

The play starts with Macbeth and his fellow general, Banquo, in King Duncan’s castle. They are greeted by three witches, and they are yelling for all to hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor. However, Macbeth is Thane of Glamis, but not Thane of Cawdor, for the Thane of Cawdor is alive. Macbeth asks to hear more, and the witches tell him that he will become king, and that Banquo’s children and grandchildren will become king, though he will never be king himself. I think that Macbeth probably should have stopped listening, but he did not. The witches disappear, leaving Macbeth and Banquo confused but also interested. While talking about the weird sighting, Macbeth receives word that the Thane of Cawdor has been killed for treason. King Duncan then appoints Macbeth to the position. Duncan arranges for them to have dinner at Inverness, Macbeth’s castle, that night.

When Macbeth arrives at his castle, he tells his wife, Lady Macbeth, all that has happened. She actually advises him to kill the king that very night so that he will become king. Macbeth, giving in to greed, goes along with the plan, and he arranges a way for King Duncan to be killed that night. If I had been Macbeth, I probably would have told Lady Macbeth that she was crazy and that I would never do such a thing. Macbeth manages to make both of the king’s guards drunk so that they pass out in the middle of the night. Macbeth then stabs King Duncan with a dagger, not thinking about what consequences might come with this. The next morning, when King Duncan is found dead, the blame is put on his guards. Out of “rage” Macbeth kills the guards, “furious” at what has happened. Malcolm flees to England and Donalbain flees to Ireland after this, fearing that they are wanted dead as well.

Since Malcolm and Donalbain are gone, Macbeth becomes the next king. He then remembers the witches’ other prediction, that Banquo will start a line of kings. Overwhelmed with a desire to control the throne, Macbeth comes up with a plan to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. On their way to a feast, Macbeth attacks Banquo and Fleance. He manages to kill Banquo, but Fleance manages to escape. At this point I think Macbeth has become obsessed with making the witches’ predictions come true. After Macbeth is visited by Banquo’s ghost that night, he is very scared. The next day, Macbeth visits the three witches in their cave. They tell him that he cannot be harmed by any man born to a woman, and that he is safe until Birnam Wood (the name of a forest) comes to Dunsinane Castle, which is Macbeth’s castle. They also tell him that Macduff, a nobleman who didn’t want Macbeth to be king, is someone he must watch out for. Macbeth feels safe after this, because he knows all men are born to women and forests cannot move.

When Macbeth hears that Macduff has joined Malcolm in England, Macbeth seizes this opportunity and has Macduff’s entire family murdered. I don’t quite understand why Macbeth did this, because if he was invincible to Macduff, he would have had nothing to worry about. When Macduff hears of this, he vows revenge upon Macbeth. Malcolm has made an army while in England, and him and Macduff join forces. Lady Macbeth actually kills herself after having dreams of bloodstains on her hands. Macbeth, devastated at this news, still prepares to fight the advancing army. He has few worries, believing that he is invincible, according to the witches. However, when he hears that the advancing army has made themselves shields made of wood from Birnam Wood, he begins to worry. Just like the witches said, Birnam Wood is coming to Dunisane Castle.

When the two armies finally meet, Macbeth’s forces eventually become overwhelmed. Macbeth encounters the angry Macduff on the battlefield telling him that it is pointless to fight because he is invincible to any man born to woman. Macduff tells him that he was not born but ripped from his mother, and Macbeth, though realizing he is doomed, continues to fight until he is beheaded by Macduff. Macduff and Malcolm inhabit the castle, and Malcolm becomes the new king.

I think Macbeth could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had stopped listening to the witches. He also could have not given in to temptation so easily.