Plot and Action
Plot summary: What happens in Macbeth?
Act I: Prophecies and plots, Act II: Murder most foul, Act III: Brutality and betrayal, Act IV: Revenge, Act V: Downfall of the Macbeths, Revision focus: Make sure you know the plotAct I Scene 1: Three witches
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key setting: Mood and atmosphere, Key characters: The witches, Key context: WitchcraftAct I Scene 2: Brave Macbeth
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key character: Macbeth, Key theme: Bravery, Aiming high: Understanding dramatic ironyAct I Scene 3: All hail, Macbeth!
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key characters: Macbeth and Banquo, Top tip: Writing about imageryAct I Scene 4: Malcolm to be king
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key language: Contrast, Aiming high: Character developmentAct I Scene 5: Lady Macbeth’s letter
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key characters: Lady Macbeth, Key theme: Gender, Exam focus: Writing about motifs, Key quotation: Kind and nurturingAct I Scene 6: Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key theme: Appearance and reality, Top tip: Writing about King DuncanAct I Scene 7: Vaulting ambition
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key theme: Courage and manlinessAct II Scene 1: A dagger of the mind
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key character: Banquo, Key setting: DarknessAct II Scene 2: Macbeth murders King Duncan
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key character: Lady Macbeth, Key quotation: Oceans of guiltAct II Scene 3: Duncan is discovered
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key structure: Comic relief, Key language: Hell, Exam focus: Writing about historical contextAct II Scene 4: Macbeth becomes king
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key structure: Narrative pace, Key quotation: Mousing owlAct III Scene 3: Banquo is murdered
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key character: Macbeth, Aiming high: Light and darkAct III Scene 4: Banquo’s ghost
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key characters: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Top tip: Writing about witchcraft and psychologyAct III Scene 5: The witches, Hecat and Macbeth
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key theme: Evil, Aiming high: Language changeAct III Scene 6: Lennox and a lord
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key character: Macduff, Key quotation: Macbeth is unpopularAct IV Scene 1: The witches’ prophecies
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key setting: Thunder, Key character: Macbeth, Exam focus: Writing about ironyAct IV Scene 2: Murder of Macduff’s son
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Exam focus: Writing about stagecraftAct IV Scene 3: Malcolm and Macduff
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key characters: Malcolm and Macduff, Key language: ContrastAct V Scene 1: Lady Macbeth’s sleep walking
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key form: Prose and blank verse, Key quotation: Guilt, Key language: Water and washingAct V Scene 2: The rebels
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key context: Playing to the crown, Key quotation: Imagery of clothingAct V Scene 3: Fearless Macbeth
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Exam focus: Writing about healthAct V Scene 4: Great Birnan Wood rises
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Key structure: Tragedy, Aiming high: Writing about Shakespeare’s stagecraftAct V Scene 5: The queen is dead
Summary, Why is this scene important?, Aiming high: Lady Macbeth’s deathCharacters
King Duncan
Duncan’s role in the play, Exam focus: Writing about Duncan, Top tip: Writing about leadershipMacbeth
Macbeth’s role in the play, Macbeth’s importance to the play as a whole, Exam focus: Writing about Macbeth, Top tip: Writing about tragedy, Key quotation: A fatal flaw, Key theme: Security, Revision focus: Macbeth’s transformation, Top tip: Making connectionsLady Macbeth
Lady Macbeth’s role in the play, Lady Macbeth’s importance to the play as a whole, Exam focus: Writing about Lady Macbeth, Aiming high: Agent of the supernatural?, Top tip: Writing about Lady Macbeth, Aiming high: Appearance and reality, Key quotation: Lady Macbeth’s use of proseMacduff
Macduff’s role in the play, Exam focus: Writing about Macduff, Aiming high: Writing about MacduffThe Witches
The Witches’ role in the play, Exam focus: Writing about the witches, Top tip: Writing about the witchesThemes, Contexts and Settings
Themes
Ambition, Top tip: Writing about contrasting ambitions, Aiming high: The role of fate, The supernatural, Top tip: Writing about the supernatural, Aiming high: Casting spells, Top tip: Natural versus supernatural, Revenge, Top tip: Writing about patterns of revenge, KingshipForm, Structure and Language
Structure
Overview, A single plot, Rise and fall: A twofold structure, Blank verse, Top tip: Writing about blank verse, Prose, RhymeProgress Booster
Planning your answer
Plan quickly and efficiently, Stage 1: Generate ideas quickly, Stage 2: Jot down useful quotations (or key events), Stage 3: Plan for paragraphs