Exposition | Setting: 11th century Scotland Mood: suspicious, sinister, foreboding, , Characters: three witches, Macbeth, Banquo, King Duncan, Lady Macbeth Characterization: Genre: tragedy, classic, drama |
Inciting Incident | Macbeth, the war hero of Scotland, meets three witches on a heath and receives a prophecy that he will become Thane of Cawdor and king. After the first part of the prophecy is fulfilled, the new Thane of Cawdor is certain that he will be king. This causes a series of events that make up t he plot of Macbeth. |
Macbeth, the war hero of Scotland, meets three witches on a heath and receives a prophecy that he will become Thane of Cawdor, then king. After the first part of the prophecy is fulfilled, the new Thane of Cawdor is certain that he will be king. Fighting his conscience, he devises an evil plot to seize the position. This causes a series of events that make up the plot of Macbeth. | Macbeth, the war hero of Scotland, meets three witches on a heath and receives a prophecy that he will become Thane of Cawdor, then king. After the first part of the prophecy is fulfilled, the new Thane of Cawdor is certain that he will be king. Fighting his conscience, he devises an evil plot to seize the position. This causes a series of events that make up the plot of Macbeth. |
Rising Action | In the rising action, Macbeth, fighting against his conscience, kills King Duncan to seize the crown. Macbeth orders an assassination of Banquo and his son Fleance to prevent Fleance from becoming king and jeopardizing his claim on the throne. Banquo is murdered, but Fleance escapes. After hearing the news, Macbeth starts to experience guilt-induced hallucinations and visits the witches for help. They warn him to beware the thane Macduff and prophesize that none of woman born shall harm Macbeth” and he will not be conquered until Birnam Wood, a forest, moves to Dunsinane, his castle. Upon hearing this, Macbeth sends assassins to murder Macduff and his family. Soon after, Lady Macbeth dies of guilt and the English Army, joined by the vengeful Macduff, storm Macbeth’s castle. |
Climax | Malcolm’s army approaching the castle and the battle (when Dunsinane is sieged) is the climax of the story. |
Falling Action | The falling action consists of the fight between Macbeth and Macduff, both bitter rivals, and Macbeth being beheaded by Macduff. |
Resolution/Denouement | In the resolution, Malcolm is crowned the King of Scotland and peace is restored. |
Macbeth Plot Chart
July 22, 2019