ACT 1, SCENE 1

CHARACTERS : The 3 witches

Thunder and lightning. Three WITCHES enter.

FIRST WITCH: When will we three meet again? In a thunderstorm, or in a lightning storm, or
when it's raining?

SECOND WITCH : When the mayhem’s finished, when the battle’s been lost by one side and
won by the other.

THIRD WITCH : That will happen before the sun sets.

FIRST WITCH : At what place?

SECOND WITCH : Out in the field.

THIRD WITCH : We’ll meet Macbeth there.

FIRST WITCH : [Calling to her familiar, a cat] Coming, Graymalkin!

SECOND WITCH : [Calling to her familiar, a toad] Paddock calls me.

THIRD WITCH : [Calling to her familiar] I'll be there soon.

ALL : What's fair is foul, and what's foul is fair. We’ll fly off through the fog and filthy air.

They exit.

ACT 1, SCENE 2
CHARACTERS : King Duncan, Malcolm, Captain, Ross & Lennox

A trumpet and the sounds of fighting offstage. KING DUNCAN enters with his sons MALCOLM
and DONALBAIN, along with the Duke of LENNOX and a number of attendants. They meet a
wounded CAPTAIN

DUNCAN : Who’s this bloody man? From the looks of him, it seems likely he can give us the
latest news about the revolt.

MALCOLM : This is the sergeant, a good and tough soldier who fought to stop me from getting
captured.

[To CAPTAIN]

Greetings, brave friend! Tell the king about your knowledge of the battle from how you left it.

CAPTAIN : The outcome hung in balance as two exhausted armies clashed. Macdonwald's
forces, bolstered by Irish and Hebridean warriors, seemed favored by luck. But brave Macbeth,
his sword smoking with blood, fought on, defying fate. With a swift strike, he split Macdonwald
from belly to jaw and claimed victory, impaling his head on the castle walls.

DUNCAN : Oh, heroic cousin! A worthy gentleman!

CAPTAIN : New trouble emerged from our triumph, like storms at sunrise. Hear this, King of
Scotland: the Norwegian king seized the opportunity, launching a fresh assault with reinforced
troops and sharpened arms.

DUNCAN : Didn’t this trouble our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?

CAPTAIN : About as much as sparrows trouble eagles, or rabbits scare a lion. To be honest,
they were like cannons loaded with double charges of gunpowder. They fought this new
opponent with double their earlier ferocity. Perhaps they wanted to bathe in the blood of their
enemies’ wounds, or make that battlefield as infamous as Golgotha...But I feel weak. My
wounds are crying out for a doctor.

DUNCAN : Your words speak to your honor—as do your wounds. Get him to a doctor.

[Attendants help the CAPTAIN to exit]

[ROSS and ANGUS enter ]

DUNCAN : Who’s just arrived?

MALCOLM : The worthy Thane of Ross.

LENNOX : His eyes are wild! He looks like a man with an incredible story to tell.

ROSS : God save the king.

DUNCAN : Where have you come from, heroic thane?

ROSS : Great King, I bring news from Fife, where Norway's flag flies. Macbeth defeated the
treacherous Thane of Cawdor and Norway's king, turning near-defeat into victory.

DUNCAN : Great happiness!

ROSS : Now Sweno, the Norwegian king, begs for a peace treaty. We refused to let him bury his
men until he retreated to Saint Colme’s Inch and gave us ten thousand dollars.

DUNCAN : The Thane of Cawdor will never again deceive me. Go proclaim that he will be
executed, and tell Macbeth that he will receive Cawdor’s title.

ROSS :I’ll do that.

DUNCAN : Noble Macbeth has won what the Thane of Cawdor has lost.

They all exit

ACT 1, SCENE 3
CHARACTERS : 3 witches, Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus

The sound of thunder. The three WITCHES enter.

FIRST WITCH : Where have you been, sister?

SECOND WITCH : Killing pigs.

THIRD WITCH : Where were you, sister?

FIRST WITCH : A sailor's wife munched chestnuts, refusing me one. 'Get out, witch!' she spat.
Her captain husband sailed to Aleppo on The Tiger. I'll follow, seeking revenge.

SECOND WITCH : I’ll make a wind for you to sail there

FIRST WITCH : That’s very kind.

THIRD WITCH : And I’ll give you another wind.

FIRST WITCH : I’m already master of all the other winds, the locations from which they originate,
and every direction on the compass that they can blow. I’ll drain him until he’s dry as hay, and
won’t let him sleep during night or day. He’ll live as a cursed man. For eighty-one wearying
weeks he’ll slowly become sickly, and waste away from grief. Although I can’t destroy his ship, I
can still buffet it with storms by controlling the winds. Look what I’ve got

SECOND WITCH : Show me, show me.

FIRST WITCH : Here I hold the thumb of a captain who was shipwrecked while returning home.

[A drum sounds offstage.]

ALL : [Dancing together in a circle]

The weird sisters, hand in hand, swift travelers over the sea and land, dance around and around!
Three times your way, then three times mine, and three times again, to add up to nine. Quiet!
The spell is ready.

[MACBETH and BANQUO enter.]

MACBETH : I’ve never seen a day that was so good—because of our great victory—and yet with
such bad weather.

BANQUO : How far is it to Forres, King Duncan’s palace? [He sees the WITCHES] What are these
creatures? They’re so wrinkled and wildly dressed. They don’t look like residents of the earth,
and yet here they are on it.

[To the WITCHES] Are you alive? Are you something that a man can question? You seem to
understand me, since each of you has placed a chapped finger to her skinny lips. You look like
women, but your beards won’t let me believe that you actually are.

MACBETH : Speak, if you can. What are you?

FIRST WITCH : All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, Thane of Glamis!

THIRD WITCH : All hail, Macbeth, who will be king in the future!

BANQUO : [To MACBETH] Good sir, why do you flinch and seem afraid of these words that
predict such good things for you?

[To the WITCHES]

Be truthful, are you some kind of illusion—or are you, in fact, what you appear to be? You’ve
greeted my noble friend by his current title, and predict a future of additional noble titles and the
promise of becoming king—all of which has left him astonished. Yet you don’t speak at all to me.
If you can look into the future and say what will happen, then speak to me. I neither want your
favors nor fear your hatred.

FIRST WITCH : Hail!

SECOND WITCH : Hail!

THIRD WITCH : Hail

FIRST WITCH : You are lesser than Macbeth but also greater.

SECOND WITCH : You will not be so fortunate as Macbeth, and yet much more fortunate.

THIRD WITCH : Your descendants will be kings, though you will not be king. So all hail, Macbeth
and Banquo!

FIRST WITCH : Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

MACBETH : Wait! You have not told me everything. Tell me more. I know I am the Thane of
Glamis, because the title became mine when my father Sinel died. But how can I be the Thane of
Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor is alive—and he is a rich, strong man too. And for me to become
king is beyond belief—just as it’s crazy for me to be Thane of Cawdor. Tell me where you got
this unnatural information. And why did you come to us on this bleak and empty field with such
a prophecy? I command you to speak.

[The WITCHES vanish.]

BANQUO : The earth has bubbles, just like as water does. These beings must come from such a
bubble. Where did they vanish?

MACBETH :Into the air. They seemed solid, but then just melted like breath into the wind. I wish
that they would have stayed!

BANQUO : Were these creatures that we're discussing ever even here? Or have we both eaten
some root that's given us hallucinations?

MACBETH : Your children will be kings.

BANQUO : You shall be king.

MACBETH : And Thane of Cawdor too. Is that what they said?

BANQUO : Those were their exact words. Who’s coming here?

[ROSS and ANGUS enter.]

ROSS : The king praises your bravery, Macbeth. He's amazed by your heroism against rebels
and Norway's army, and messengers hail your defense of his land.

ANGUS : We’ve been sent to give you the king’s thanks and to escort you to him, although we
don’t have your reward.

ROSS : But— to give you a hint of the honors coming your way—the king told me to call you the
Thane of Cawdor. Hail, most worthy thane, for that title is now yours.

BANQUO : What? Can the devil speak the truth?

MACBETH : The Thane of Cawdor is still alive. How can you pretend that his title is now mine?

ANGUS : The former Thane of Cawdor is still alive, but he’s held under a death sentence—and he
deserves to die. I don’t know whether he fought alongside the Norwegians or if he secretly
helped the rebels, or if he worked with both of our enemies to destroy or country. But his capital
treason has been proven, and he has confessed to it, so he has lost his former title.

MACBETH : [To himself] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor! With the biggest part of their prophecy
yet to come.

[To ROSS and ANGUS] Thanks for your efforts to bring this news

[To BANQUO so that only he can hear] Are you starting to believe your children might be kings,
since the witches who said I would be Thane of Cawdor promised they would be?

BANQUO : If you trust them, then it seems you might eventually become king, not just Thane of
Cawdor. But all of this is strange. Often, to lead us to harm, the agents of darkness will first tell
us some bit of truth. They win us over by telling us the truth about unimportant things, only to
betray us when the consequences will be most terrible.

[To ROSS and ANGUS] Gentlemen, speak with me a moment, please.

[ROSS, ANGUS, and BANQUO move off to one side.]

MACBETH : [To himself] Two of the prophecies have come true, making it seem like this will
end with my rise to the throne.

[To ROSS and ANGUS] Thank you, gentlemen.

This dark temptation puzzles me. Why does it bring true success, yet fill me with horrifying
thoughts? My imagination terrifies me more than reality. Paralyzed by dark fantasies, I'm lost in
thoughts that consume me.

BANQUO : Look how our friend is daydreaming.

MACBETH : [To himself] If fate wants me to be king, well, maybe fate will give me the throne
without me having to do anything at all.

BANQUO : Like brand new clothes, Macbeth’s new titles don’t fit well until they’ve been worn for
a while.

MACBETH : [To himself] No matter what happens, time continues on.

BANQUO : Good Macbeth, we’re waiting for you, whenever you’re ready to go.
MACBETH : Pardon me. I was occupied by forgotten thoughts. Kind gentlemen, I won’t forget
your efforts today, and will remember them every day. Let’s go to the king.

[To BANQUO so that only he can hear] Think about what just happened, and let’s discuss it
freely with one another when we’ve both had more time to consider its implications.

BANQUO : Gladly

MACBETH : Until then, we'll keep quiet about it.

[To ROSS and ANGUS] Let’s go, my friends.

They all exit.

ACT 1 SCENE 4
CHARACTERS : King Duncan, Malcolm, Macbeth, Ross, Banquo, Angus

Trumpets sound. KING DUNCAN, LENNOX, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, and their attendants enter.

DUNCAN: Has the Thane of Cawdor been executed? Have those in charge of the execution
returned?

MALCOLM: My lord, Cawdor's death was noble. He confessed his treason, begged pardon, and
showed deep remorse. His final act was his finest, casting away life like a trifle.

DUNCAN : It’s impossible to tell what’s in a man’s mind by looking at his face. Cawdor was a
gentleman whom I trusted completely.

[MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS enter.]

DUNCAN: [To MACBETH] My noble cousin! I’ve just been feeling guilty for not showing you
enough gratitude. You’ve accomplished so much that, no matter how fast I try to reward you, I
haven’t been able to give you enough. If you deserved less, then perhaps the balance between
what I can reward and what you deserve could be tipped in my favor. But all I have left to say is
that I owe you more than I can ever repay.

MACBETH: The loyalty I feel to you and the chance to serve you is its own reward. Your
Highness’s duty is to accept our loyalty and service, while our duty to your kingship and country
is similar to that owed by children to their father or servants to their master: we’re only doing
what we should when we do all we can to protect you.

DUNCAN: Be welcome here. The rewards I have given you are like newly planted seeds, and now
I will work to help you grow into a great future.

[To BANQUO] Noble Banquo, you are just as deserving as Macbeth, as everyone should and
must know. Let me bring you close and hold you to my heart.

BANQUO: Then, if I grow to greatness, it will be a benefit to you as well.

DUNCAN: I am so full of joy it brings tears to my eyes. My sons, relatives, thanes, and all those
who are most close to me: I hereby proclaim that the heir to my throne is my eldest son,
Malcolm, whom we will now call the Prince of Cumberland. He will not be alone in gaining new
titles—new titles of nobility, like stars, will shine on all who deserve them.

[To MACBETH] From here, let’s go to your castle at Inverness, where your hospitality will make
me even more indebted to you.

MACBETH: Any effort in your service does not feel like work at all. I’ll be the messenger and
delight my wife with the news that you’re coming. Now I will humbly be on my way.

DUNCAN: My noble Cawdor!

MACBETH: [To himself] Malcolm is the Prince of Cumberland! Because he is between me and
the throne, I’m either going to have to move above him, or give up my hopes of kingship. Stars,
hide your brightness so that my evil desires are hidden from the light. May my eye be blind to
the actions of my hand. Yet if I do the thing that my eyes fear to see, I will be forced to see it
once it’s been done.

[MACBETH exits.]

DUNCAN: True, Banquo. Macbeth is incredibly heroic, and by praising him I myself benefit. Let’s
follow him, since he’s gone ahead of us to prepare for our arrival. He is unequaled as a lord or
kinsman.

[Trumpets sound.]

They exit.

ACT 1, SCENE 5
CHARACTER : Lady Macbeth, Servant, and Macbeth
LADY MACBETH enters, reading a letter.

LADY MACBETH : What’s your news?

SERVANT :The king coming here tonight.

LADY MACBETH : You’re crazy to think that. Isn’t my lord Macbeth with the king? If what you
say is true, Macbeth would have sent word so I could prepare?

SERVANT : I beg your pardon, but it’s true: our lord is coming. One of my fellow servants raced
ahead of him, and was so out of breath that he almost couldn’t tell me his message.

LADY MACBETH : Take care him. He brings great news.

[The SERVANT exits.]

LADY MACBETH : The messenger croaks the announcement of Duncan’s fatal arrival to my
castle, just like a raven would croak out a warning. Come on, you spirits that aid thoughts of
murder: remove my womanhood and fill me up from head to toe with terrible cruelty! Thicken
my blood. Block my veins from all feelings of regret, so that no natural feelings of guilt or doubt
can sway me from my dark desires, or prevent me from accomplishing them! Demons of
murder, come to me from wherever you hide yourselves as you wait to aid and abet corrupt and
evil feelings, and turn my mother’s milk into bitter acid. Come, thick night—wrapped in the
darkest smoke of hell—so that my sharp knife can’t see the wound it makes, and heaven can’t
peek through the darkness and cry: “Stop! Stop!”

[MACBETH enters.]

LADY MACBETH : Great Thane of Glamis and noble Thane of Cawdor, you’ll be greater than
both when you become king. Your letter has transported me beyond the present moment and all
its ignorance of what will come, so that I now feel like the future is here now.

MACBETH : My dearest love, Duncan will be here tonight.

LADY MACBETH : And when does he leave?

MACBETH : Tomorrow, according to his plans.

LADY MACBETH : That will never happen. My thane, your face betrays your troubled thoughts,
so that others can read it like a book. To deceive all others, you have to look exactly as they do.
When you greet the king, do so completely: with your eyes, hands, and words. Look like an
innocent flower, but be the snake that hides beneath it. The king must be taken care of. Allow
me to manage everything tonight, because the events of this night will bring us sole mastery
and power for all our nights and days to come.
MACBETH : We’ll speak about this further.

LADY MACBETH : Keep your head up and look calm. If your expression changes it will arouse
suspicion. Leave all the rest to me

they exit.

ACT 1, SCENE 6
CHARACTERS : Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macbeth

Torches light the stage. The sound of oboes playing. DUNCAN enters, along with MALCOLM,
DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF, ROSS, ANGUS, and their attendants

DUNCAN : This castle sits in a pleasant place. The fresh, sweet air delights my noble senses.

BANQUO : That the martin—a summer bird that builds its nest in the steeples of
churches—builds its nest here proves how sweet and blessed the breeze is. These birds have
built nests on every projection, carving, buttress, and corner of this castle. I've noticed that
martins prefer to live and mate in places where the air is most fine.

[LADY MACBETH enters.]

DUNCAN: Look, it’s our honored hostess! I am troubled sometimes by the lengths that my
subjects go to out of love for me, but I still thank you for your love. In saying this, I’m suggesting
that you thank me for the trouble my presence is causing you, since I’m here out of my love for
you.

LADY MACBETH : All our efforts—even if they were doubled and then doubled again—are poor
and small acts when compared to the profound honor you’ve brought to our home. In gratitude
for the honors you’ve given us in the past, and those you’ve added just recently, we will always
pray for and support you.

DUNCAN: Where’s Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor? We followed closely after him, and hoped to
overtake him on the road so that we would be the ones to welcome him. But he rides well, and
his great love for you—which is as sharp as his spur—helped him reach his home before us.
Beautiful and noble hostess, we are your guests tonight.

LADY MACBETH : We are always your servants. And our servants, we ourselves, and everything
we own belong to you. It is all yours to use and enjoy, and we are ready to return it to you
because it is really your own, after all.

DUNCAN : Give me your hand. Lead me to Macbeth, my host. I love him dearly, and I shall
continue to hold him in high favor. When you’re ready, hostess.

They exit

ACT 1, SCENE 7
CHARACTERS : Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

The sound of oboes playing. Torches light the stage. A butler enters, as do a number of servants
carrying utensils and dishes of food. Then MACBETH enters.

MACBETH : If it ended there, I'd do it swiftly. But consequences remain, and violence breeds
more violence. Justice will punish me. The king trusts me, and Duncan's virtues condemn the
act. Only ambition drives me to this tragic deed.

[LADY MACBETH enters.]

MACBETH : What’s the news?

LADY MACBETH : He’s almost finished eating dinner. Why have you left the dining room.

MACBETH : Has he asked for me?

LADY MACBETH : Don’t you know that he has?

MACBETH : We’ll go no further with this plan. He has recently honored me, and I have earned
the good opinions of all sorts of people. I should be basking in my new honor and position, not
throwing it aside so quickly.

LADY MACBETH : Were you drunk when you were so hopeful earlier? Did you then go to sleep,
and wake up sick and pale in fear of what we planned before? From this point on I will see your
love in a new way. Are you afraid to act on your desires? Will you take the thing you want more
than anything else? Or will you live as a coward in your own mind, always saying “I can’t” after
you say “I want to?” You’re like the poor cat in the old story, who wants to eat fish but refuses to
get its feet wet.

MACBETH : I beg you, no more! I dare to do only what’s appropriate for a man to do. Anyone
who dares to do more is not a real man at all.

LADY MACBETH : What made you first mention this? You were brave then. Now, seize the
opportunity and prove yourself. Earlier, timing was wrong, but you hesitated. Now, perfect
circumstances unsettle you. I'd sacrifice even my nursing child if I swore to, just as you vowed.

MACBETH : But what if we fail?

LADY MACBETH : Don't fail! Summon courage. Tonight, while Duncan sleeps, I'll get his guards
drunk. We'll act unnoticed, and blame the murder on the intoxicated servants. Nothing will stop
us.

MACBETH: May you only give birth to boys, because your fearless spirit could only create males.
Are you sure that smearing the two drunken servants with blood, and using their daggers to do
the deed, will really make people believe that they were the ones who did it?

LADY MACBETH : Who would possibly think that it could be anyone else? The two of us will wail
with grief when we learn of his death.

MACBETH : I am convinced, and now I will use all my strength to achieve this great and terrible
thing. Go now, and deceive everyone with a show of friendliness. You must hide your
treacherous heart behind a false face.

They exit

ACT 2, SCENE 1
CHARACTERS : Banquo, Fleance and Macbeth,

BANQUO enters with FLEANCE, who carries a torch.

BANQUO: What time is it, boy?

FLEANCE: The moon has set. I haven’t heard a clock strike, though.
BANQUO: The moon sets at twelve.

FLEANCE: I think it’s later than that, sir.

BANQUO: Wait, take my sword. The heavens are being thrifty, keeping the stars dark. Take this,
too.

[He gives FLEANCE his belt and dagger]

Sleepiness weighs on me like lead, but I don’t want to sleep. Angels of mercy, help me to control
the evil thoughts that fill my mind whenever I lay down to rest.

[MACBETH enters with a SERVANT, who carries a torch.]

BANQUO: Give me my sword. Who’s there?

MACBETH: A friend.

BANQUO: What, you’re not asleep yet? The king’s in bed. He’s been unusually pleased, and has
given gift after gift to your servants. He wants to give this diamond to your wife for being such
an attentive hostess and ensuring his total comfort.

MACBETH: As we were unprepared for his visit, we could only be imperfect hosts. If we had
been prepared, everything would have been much better.

BANQUO: Everything is all right. I had a dream last night about the three witches. Some of their
predictions about you have come true.

MACBETH: I don’t think about them. But when we have an hour to spare, I’d like to talk about it a
bit more, if you’d be willing.

BANQUO: Whenever you like.

MACBETH: If you will agree to follow me when the time comes, it will result in more honor for
you.

BANQUO: As long as I don’t lose any honor in trying to gain more, and can keep a clear
conscience, I will listen to you.

MACBETH: In the meantime, rest well.

BANQUO: Thanks, sir. The same to you!

[BANQUO and FLEANCE exit.]

MACBETH: [To the SERVANT]

Go and tell Lady Macbeth that, when my drink is ready, she should strike the bell. Then get
yourself to bed.

[The SERVANT exits.]

MACBETH: A dagger appears before me. Is it real?

[He grabs at the dagger but his hand passes right through]

Why can I see you, but not touch you? Are you a product of my mind, a fevered illusion? You
seem real, like this actual dagger I'm drawing.

[He draws a dagger]

You’re leading me the way I was going already, and I was going to use a weapon just like
you. Either my eyesight is the only sense of mine that isn’t working, or it’s the only one that’s
working correctly. I still see you—and some spots of blood on your blade and handle that
weren’t there before. This dagger doesn’t exist. It’s the murder I’m planning that’s affecting my
eyes. Now half the world is asleep and being attacked by nightmares. Witches offer sacrifices to
their goddess Hecate. Meanwhile old man Murder—having been awakened by the howls of his
wolf—walks like a ghost, like that ancient Roman rapist Tarquin, to do the deed. You firm, hard
earth: don’t listen to my steps or their direction. I fear the stones will echo and reveal where I am,
breaking the awful silence that suits what I’m about to do so well. While I talk here about the
plan, Duncan lives. Speaking cools the heat of my willingness to act

[A bell rings.]

MACBETH: Now I go, and the deed is as good as done. The bell invites me to act. Duncan, don't
hear the bell, because it is the sound of your summon to heaven or to hell.

[MACBETH exits.]

ACT 2 SCENE 2
CHARACTERS : Lady Macbeth and Macbeth

LADY MACBETH enters.

LADY MACBETH: Wine has emboldened me. The owl's shriek signals death, like a midnight bell
for the condemned. Macbeth is killing Duncan now. The chamber doors are open, guards drunk
and snoring, fooled by my poisoned drinks.

MACBETH: [Offstage]

Who’s there? What’s that!

LADY MACBETH: Oh no, I’m afraid the servants woke up, and the job is not done. It would ruin
us completely to fail in our attempt to murder the king.

[She hears a noise]

Listen! I placed the servants’ daggers where Macbeth could not miss seeing them. I would have
killed Duncan myself if he didn't look so much like my own father while he slept.

[MACBETH enters, holding bloody daggers.]

LADY MACBETH: I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. Did you say something?

MACBETH: When?

LADY MACBETH: Just now.

MACBETH: As I came down?

LADY MACBETH: Yes.

MACBETH: Listen! Who’s sleeping in the second bedroom?

LADY MACBETH: Donalbain.

MACBETH: [Looking at the blood on his hands]

This is a sorry sight.

LADY MACBETH: That’s a foolish thing to say, that it’s a “sorry sight."

MACBETH: One servant laughed in his sleep, and one cried, “murder!” so that they woke each
other up. I stood and listened, but they just said their prayers and fell back asleep.

LADY MACBETH: Malcolm and Donalbain are asleep in the same room.

MACBETH: One servant cried, “God bless us!” and the other said, “Amen,” as if they’d seen me
with my blood-stained hands. Though I heard the fear in their voices, I couldn’t respond “Amen”
when they said “God bless us!”

LADY MACBETH: Try not to think about it so much.

MACBETH: But why couldn’t I say “Amen?” I needed God’s blessing most profoundly, but the
word “Amen” got stuck in my throat.

LADY MACBETH: We must not think in that way about what we’ve done. Thinking that way will
drive us crazy.

MACBETH: I thought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth murders sleep.” Innocent
sleep. Sleep that smooths away all our fears and worries; that puts an end to each day; that
eases the aches of the day’s work; and soothes hurt minds.

Sleep, the main and most nourishing course in the feast of life.

LADY MACBETH: What’s your meaning?

MACBETH: The voice cried and cried, “Sleep no more!” to the entire house. “Glamis has
murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor will sleep no more. Macbeth will sleep no more.”

LADY MACBETH: Who was it that cried out these words? Oh, my noble thane, you make yourself
weak and unable to act when you think so obsessively about things.

Go get some water and wash this filthy evidence from your hands. Why did you bring these
daggers from the room? They must remain there. Go return them and smear the sleeping
servants with the blood.

MACBETH: I won’t go back. I’m afraid just to think about what I’ve done. I don’t dare to look at it
again.

LADY MACBETH: You weakling! Give me the daggers. Dead and sleeping people are as
harmless as pictures: it’s childish to fear a scary painting. If Duncan is still bleeding, I’ll cover the
faces of the servants with the blood. They must appear to be guilty.

[LADY MACBETH exits.]

[A knock sounds offstage.]

MACBETH: Where is that knocking coming from? What’s wrong with me, that every noise
terrifies me?

[Looking at his hands]

Whose hands are these? Ha! They’re plucking out my eyes. Could even all the water in
the ocean wash this blood from my hands? No, my hands would instead stain the seas crimson,
turning the green water entirely red.

[LADY MACBETH enters.]

LADY MACBETH: My hands are red like yours, but I’d be ashamed if my heart were as bloodless
and cowardly as yours.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

LADY MACBETH: I hear knocking at the south gate. We must return to our bedroom. A little
water will wash away all the evidence of what we’ve done. It is so easy! Your determination has
deserted you.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

LADY MACBETH: Listen! More knocking. Put on your sleeping robe, so that when we have to
appear it won't seem as if we’ve been awake and watching this whole time. Break free of the
sad thoughts that hold you down.

MACBETH: To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself.

The only way I can acknowledge what I’ve done is to forget who I am.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

MACBETH: Wake Duncan with your knocking. I wish you could.

They exit

ACT 2, SCENE 3
CHARACTERS : Porter, Macduff, Lennox, Macbeth,Lady Macbeth, Banquo,
Ross, Malcolm and Donalbain

A knock sounds offstage. A porter enters.

PORTER : What a lot of knocking! If a man were gatekeeper for the gates of hell, he’d sure have
to turn the key to open that gate often.

PORTER : [Pretending he's the gatekeeper of hell]

Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, in the name of the devil? Farmer's suicidal despair after failed
grain speculation.

[Speaking to an imagined farmer]

Welcome to hell, you'll need plenty of handkerchiefs, it's scorching hot here.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

PORTER : Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the other devil’s name? Indeed, it’s some slick schemer
who vowed his support to two opposing sides. He committed treason in the name of God, but
found in the end that you can’t lie to God about your actions. Oh, come in, schemer.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

PORTER : Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Perhaps it’s an English tailor who skimped on the
amount of fabric needed to make pants in the baggy French style. Come in, tailor. You can heat
your pressing iron up in the fires of hell, since you’re done for.

[A knock sounds offstage.]

PORTER : Knock, knock! Never stopping. Who are you? Well, this place is too cold to be hell. I’ll
stop pretending to be the devil’s gatekeeper. I had wanted to let into hell someone from each of
the professions who’d given in to temptation.

PORTER : Coming! Coming! And please don’t forget to leave me a tip.

[The PORTER opens the gate.]

[MACDUFF and LENNOX enter.]

MACDUFF : Friend, did you go to sleep so late that you had to lie in bed this morning?

PORTER : That’s the truth, sir. We drank and sang until three in the morning. And, sir, drinking
results in three things.

MACDUFF : What three things does drinking result in?

PORTER : Indeed, sir, drinking results in a red nose, sleep, and urine. It provokes desire, but also
hinders it. Drinking arouses desire, but inhibits performance. Therefore, drink is like a traitor in
relation to sex. It makes you feel good, but it blocks your abilities. It gets you up, but then lets
you down. It eggs you on, but leaves you dismayed. It gives you an erection, but soon takes it
away again. And, finally, it gives you erotic dreams, but they disappear, just leaving you with the
need to pee.

MACDUFF : I believe drinking did all that to you last night.

PORTER : Yes it did, sir. Drinking told me I was a liar to my face. But I got my revenge on
drinking. I was too strong for it. It may have weakened my legs a bit, and knocked me off
balance, but I found a way to give it the slip: I threw up.
MACDUFF : Is your master getting up?

[MACBETH enters.]

MACDUFF : Our knocking woke him up. Here he comes.

LENNOX : Good morning, noble sir.

MACBETH : Good morning to you both.

MACDUFF : Is the king awake, noble thane?

MACBETH : Not yet.

MACDUFF: He commanded me to call on him early this morning. I’m almost late.

MACBETH : I’ll bring you to him.

MACDUFF : I know that hosting the king is a labor of love, but that doesn’t make it any less work.

MACBETH : Work we enjoy removes the pain of the effort. This is the door.

MACDUFF : I’ll wake him, because it is my duty.

[MACDUFF exits.]

LENNOX : Will the king move on from here today?

MACBETH : Yes. He told us to have everything ready for his departure.

LENNOX : The night was wild. Where we were sleeping, the wind blew down the chimneys.
People are saying they heard cries of grief in the air, strange screams of death, and terrifying
voices prophesying fire and chaos that will result in the beginning of a new and awful time. The
owl—that omen of destruction—hooted all night long. Some people are saying that the earth
shook from a fever.

MACBETH : It was a rough night.

LENNOX : I’m young and can’t remember anything similar to it.

[MACDUFF rushes in.]

MACDUFF : Oh, horror, horror, horror! I don’t have the words to describe this or the heart to
believe it!

MACBETH AND LENNOX : What’s the matter?

MACDUFF : Chaos has taken over. A blasphemous murder has broken open God’s temple and
stolen the life from it.
MACBETH : What are you saying? “The life?”

LENNOX : You mean the king?

MACDUFF : Go look into the bedroom, and you will be appalled and frozen as if you’d seen a
Gorgon. Don’t ask me to describe it. Go, see it and then describe it yourselves.

[MACBETH and LENNOX exit.]

MACDUFF : Get up, get up! Ring the alarm bell. Murder and treason! Banquo and Donalbain!
Malcolm! Wake up! Shake off your sleep—that fake death—and look on death itself! Get up, get
up, and see the exact image of doomsday! Malcolm! Banquo! Get up as if from your graves, and
come here like ghosts to see face this horror. Ring the bell.

[A bell rings. LADY MACBETH enters.]

LADY MACBETH : What’s happened that makes the awful trumpet call everyone who’s sleeping
in the house to come together? Tell me! Tell me!

MACDUFF : Oh, dear lady, the news I could tell you is not something you should hear. Telling it
to a woman would kill you instantly.

[BANQUO enters.]

MACDUFF : Oh, Banquo, Banquo, our royal king has been murdered!

LADY MACBETH : Oh no! What, in our own house?

BANQUO : It is too awful no matter where it happened. Dear Macduff, I beg you, change your
story and say it isn’t true.

[MACBETH and LENNOX reenter, with ROSS.]

MACBETH : If I had died an hour before this happened I would have lived a blessed life. Because
starting from this moment, there’s no reason to keep living. Everything is meaningless. All grace
and distinction are dead. The wine of life has been poured away. In all the world, only the dregs
remain.

[MALCOLM and DONALBAIN enter.]

DONALBAIN : What’s wrong?

MACBETH : You are, but you don’t know it yet. The spring, the source, the very origin of your
blood has been stopped.

MACDUFF : Your royal father has been murdered.

MALCOLM : Oh, who did it?

LENNOX : Apparently, the servants who were watching his bedroom did it. Their hands and
faces were covered in blood. So were their daggers, which we found still bloody on their pillows.
They stared at us, confused. They shouldn’t have been trusted with any man’s life.

MACBETH : Even so, I regret my fury, which pushed me to kill them.

MACDUFF : Why did you do that?

MACBETH : It's impossible to be wise, shocked, calm, furious, loyal, and neutral simultaneously.
My love for Duncan drove me to a blind rage, leading me to kill without hesitation. The scene
haunts me: Duncan's pale skin smeared with blood, his body ravaged like nature itself wounded.
Beside him, the murderers stood, drenched in blood, their daggers caked with gore. Who could
resist avenging Duncan's death, driven by love and courage?

LADY MACBETH : Get me away from here, now! [She faints]

MACDUFF : See to the lady’s health.

MALCOLM : [To DONALBAIN so that only he can hear]

Why aren’t we saying anything? The two of us have the greatest reason to express our horror
and grief.

DONALBAIN : [To MALCOLM so that only he can hear]

What should we say when we ourselves may be in immediate danger from some hidden place?
We should run. We’re not yet ready to show our tears.

MALCOLM : [To DONALBAIN so that only he can hear] Nor is it yet time for us to take our grief
and turn it into action.

BANQUO : See to the lady.

[LADY MACBETH is carried out]

BANQUO : When we’re properly dressed to be out of our rooms, let’s meet and discuss this
bloody crime to see if we can figure out what happened. At the moment, fears and doubts shake
us. I’m putting myself in the hands of God, and from there I’ll fight the treasonous plot behind
this murder.

MACDUFF : I will too.

ALL : We all will.

MACBETH : Let’s get dressed quickly and regain our manly strength, and then meet together in
the hall.

ALL : Agreed.
 [Everyone exits but MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.]

MALCOLM : What will you do? Let’s not meet with them. A liar has no trouble pretending to
show sorrow he does not actually feel. I’m going to England.

DONALBAIN : And I’ll go to Ireland. We’ll be safer if we separate ourselves. No matter where we
are, every smile might have a dagger hiding behind it. And those who are most closely related to
us—and therefore closest in line to the throne—are the ones most likely to try to kill us.

MALCOLM : This murderous plot has only just begun, and we’ll be safest if we can avoid the
scheme. Therefore, let’s get on our horses and not worry about being polite and saying goodbye.
We should just disappear. We’re justified in sneaking off when there’s no mercy left for us to
count on.

They exit

ACT 2 SCENE 4
CHARACTER: Old Man, Ross, and Macduff

ROSS and an OLD MAN enter.

OLD MAN: I remember the past seventy years. In that time, I’ve seen some strange and dreadful
things. But what I saw last night made everything I’ve seen before seem like nothing.

ROSS: Yes, old man. The skies, disturbed by human deeds, storm and darken the earth. Though
daytime, night prevails, hiding the sun. Is darkness overpowering light, or does day hide in
shame?

OLD MAN : It’s unnatural—just like the murder that was committed. Last Tuesday, as a falcon
soared in its rightful place high in the sky, it was attacked and killed by an owl, whose normal
prey are mice.

ROSS: And this is also just as strange: Duncan’s beautiful and fast horses—the best of their
breed—went wild and broke out of their stalls. They all refused to be calmed, and acted as if
they were at war with mankind.

OLD MAN: It’s said that the horses ate each other.
ROSS: They did. I witnessed it, and was astonished. Here comes the good Macduff.

ROSS: How are things going, sir?

MACDUFF: Why, can’t you see?

ROSS: Is it known who committed this bloody crime?

MACDUFF: The servants that Macbeth killed.

ROSS: Oh, what a terrible day! What could they have hoped to gain?

MACDUFF : They were bribed. The king’s two sons Malcolm and Donalbain have snuck off and
fled, which makes them the main suspects.

ROSS: Even more unnatural! What a wasteful ambition that would cause sons to kill the very
thing that gave them life! Then it seems most likely that Macbeth will become king.

MACDUFF: He’s already been named king and has left for Scone for the coronation.

ROSS: Where is Duncan’s body?

MACDUFF: It’s been carried to Colmekill, the sacred burial place for all Scottish kings that
guards their bones.

ROSS: Will you now head to Scone

MACDUFF: No, cousin, I’m going to my home in Fife.

ROSS: Well, I’ll go to Scone

MACDUFF: May the ceremony there go well. Goodbye! Here’s hoping that our new king is as
suited to the role as our old king was.

ROSS: Farewell, old man.

OLD MAN: God’s blessing on you, and on all who make good things out of bad, and turn
enemies into friends!

All Exit

ACT 3, SCENE 1
CHARACTERS : Banquo, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Servant, and 2 Murderes
BANQUO enters.

BANQUO : You've achieved the throne, just as the witches predicted. I suspect foul play was
involved. However, they also foretold that your lineage won't rule, while mine will inherit the
crown. Given their accuracy about you, Macbeth, perhaps their prophecies about me will also
come true. I'll keep this to myself for now.

[A trumpet sounds. MACBETH enters dressed as king, and LADY MACBETH enters dressed as
queen, together with LENNOX, ROSS, LORDS, LADIES, and attendants.]

MACBETH : Here’s our most important guest, Banquo.

LADY MACBETH : If we had forgotten to invite him it would have been entirely inappropriate,
and our celebratory feast would be incomplete.

MACBETH : [To BANQUO]

Tonight we’re having a ceremonial feast, and I formally request that you attend.

BANQUO : I am always bound by duty to obey whatever your Highness commands me to do.

MACBETH : Do you plant to go riding this afternoon?

BANQUO : Yes, my good lord.

MACBETH : If you had you been here, we would have wanted your advice—which is always wise
and profitable—at the council meeting earlier today. But we’ll settle for tomorrow. Will you be
riding far?

BANQUO : Far enough that the trip will take me from now until dinner, my lord. Unless my horse
goes faster than I expect, I’ll be riding in the dark for an hour or two after sunset.

MACBETH : Do not miss our feast.

BANQUO: I won’t, my lord.

MACBETH : We hear that the murderous princes have gone to England and Ireland. They haven’t
confessed to cruelly murdering their father, and they’ve been telling strange lies to anyone who
will listen. But we’ll discuss that tomorrow, as well as other matters of state that are important
to us both. Go hurry to your horse. I’ll see you when you return tonight. Is Fleance going with you?
BANQUO : Yes, my good lord. It’s time we got going.

MACBETH: May your horses be fast and surefooted. With that wish, I send you to your
horseback riding. Farewell.

[BANQUO exits.]

MACBETH : All of you can do what you want until seven o’clock tonight. To make the evening all
the more enjoyable, I’m going to spend the time until dinner alone. Until then, God be with you!

[Everyone exits except MACBETH and a SERVANT.]

MACBETH : [To the SERVANT]

Sir, a word with you. Are those men waiting for my instructions?

SERVANT : They are, my lord. They’re outside the palace gate.

MACBETH : Bring them in to see me.

[The SERVANT exits.]

MACBETH : If my position is unstable, being king means nothing. I fear Banquo; his noble
character and fearless yet cautious nature make him a threat. He's the only one who intimidates
me. When the witches predicted my kingship, Banquo demanded to know his own fate. They
foretold his descendants would rule, while mine won't inherit. I've committed atrocities -
dishonoring myself, murdering Duncan, losing my peace - all potentially for Banquo's children to
benefit. I won't let that happen. I'll confront fate head-on rather than see Banquo's sons as kings.
Who's there?

[The SERVANT enters along with two MURDERERS.]

MACBETH : [To the SERVANT]

Now go to the door and stay there until I call you.

[The SERVANT exits.]

MACBETH : Wasn’t it yesterday that we last spoke?

FIRST MURDERER : It was, your Highness.

MACBETH : So then, have you thought about what I said? You must know that it was Banquo
who made your lives so miserable for so long. You thought I did it, but I was innocent. I told you
all about it when we last met and showed you proof—how you were tricked and deceived by the
agents who did the dirty work, and who they were working with, and enough other details that
even a half-wit would say “Banquo did it!”
FIRST MURDERER : You made it known to us.

MACBETH : I did that and more. Which leads me to the point of this second meeting. Is your
nature so forgiving that you don’t feel the need for revenge? Are you so religious that you’d pray
for this “good” man and his children, when he’s forced you into an early grave and made your
entire family beggars?

FIRST MURDERER : We are men, my lord

MACBETH : You're human, just like the rest of us. Like dogs, we share a common species, but
each breed has unique traits - speed, intelligence, or purpose. Similarly, people have distinct
qualities beyond their shared humanity. If you consider yourself more than just average, I have a
proposition for you. I'll share a secret plan to eliminate your enemy and align you with me.
There's one person standing in my way, making me miserable. Their removal would be my cure.

SECOND MURDERER :My lord, I'm a man who has gotten so angry from the beatings that the
world has given me, that I don’t care what I do.

FIRST MURDERER : I’m also so sick of bad luck and being at the mercy of fate that I’d risk
everything for a chance to either fix my life or end it.

MACBETH : Both of you know Banquo was your enemy.

BOTH MURDERERS : Yes, my lord.

MACBETH : He's a danger to me, and his existence puts me at risk. As King, I could take him out,
but we have shared connections that complicate things. I need to seem distraught by his death,
even though I'll be behind it. Can I count on your help? I have to keep this under wraps for now.

SECOND MURDERER : We’ll do what you command, my lord.

FIRST MURDERER : Though our lives—

MACBETH : I see you're determined. Within the hour, I'll brief you on the location and timing.
This needs to happen tonight, away from the palace. Remember, I must remain above suspicion.
To complete the job, both Banquo and his son Fleance must be eliminated. Fleance's absence is
crucial to me, just like his father's. Consider your involvement individually. I'll follow up soon.

BOTH MURDERERS : We will do it, my lord.

MACBETH : I’ll call for you soon. Wait for me in the other room.

[The MURDERERS exit.]

MACBETH : It’s settled, then. Banquo, tonight is when your soul will learn whether it’s going to
heaven or to hell.
 [He exits.]

ACT 3, SCENE 2

CHARACTERS: Lady Macbeth, Servant and Macbeth

LADY MACBETH and a SERVANT enter.

LADY MACBETH : Has Banquo left the castle?

SERVANT : Yes, madam, but he’ll return tonight.

LADY MACBETH : Tell the king that I’d like to speak with him when he has a moment.

SERVANT : I will, madam.

LADY MACBETH : When you get what you want but have no peace of mind, then you’ve gotten
nothing, and spent everything. It’s better to be the person who was murdered than to be the
murderer and have to live with doubt and anxiety.

LADY MACBETH : How are you, my lord? Why do you keep to yourself, with only your sad
thoughts for company? Those sad thoughts should have died along with the men you're thinking
about. You should not think about things you can’t change. What’s done is done.

MACBETH : We've only wounded the snake, not killed it. It'll heal and threaten us again. I'd rather
face chaos and destruction than live in fear, haunted by nightmares. Death would be better than
this torment. We killed Duncan to find peace, but now he rests trouble-free. Our betrayal has
spared him from further pain, steel, poison, rebellion, or invasion. He's beyond harm.

LADY MACBETH : Come on, my noble lord. Hide your troubled thoughts behind a happy face. Be
friendly and cheerful with your guests tonight.

MACBETH : I will, my love. And I hope you’ll do the same. Pay particular attention to Banquo.
Speak to him and look at him so that he feels proud and important. We’re unsafe as long as we
have to flatter him, hiding our true feelings behind a friendly face.

LADY MACBETH : You must stop thinking like this.

MACBETH : Oh! My mind is full of scorpions, dear wife! You know that Banquo and his son
Fleance are still alive.

LADY MACBETH : But they won’t live forever.

MACBETH : That’s a comfort. They can be killed. So be joyful. Before the bat flies in the
darkness, and before the beetle obeys the summons of Hecate—and with his droning hum
announces the arrival of night—a dreadful deed will be done.

LADY MACBETH : What will be done?

MACBETH : My dearest one, you’re better off not knowing about it until you can celebrate the
finished deed. Come, night, and blindfold the kindhearted day. Then with your bloody and
invisible hand, destroy Banquo’s hold on life—which keeps me fearful. The sky darkens, and the
crow flies home to roost in the forest. The gentle creatures of the day fall asleep, while night’s
predators wake to hunt for prey.

[To LADY MACBETH]

You are shocked by my words, but you shouldn’t be. Things accomplished through bad deeds
can only grow stronger through more bad deeds. So, please, come with me.

ACT 3, SCENE 3
CHARACTERS : 3 Murderers , Banquo, and Fleance

Three MURDERERS enter.

FIRST MURDERER : But who told you to come here and join us?

THIRD MURDERER : Macbeth by

SECOND MURDERER : We can trust him, since he's stated his instructions and they are identical
to the ones that we were given.

FIRST MURDERER : Then stay with us. The western sky is still lit with streaks of daylight. Now
all the late travelers are hurrying to reach their inns, and the one we weresent to watch for
should be coming near

THIRD MURDERER : Listen! I hear horses

BANQUO : [Offstage]
Hey, give us some light!

SECOND MURDERER : That is him. All of the other expected quests already inside the castle.

FIRST MURDERER : You can hear his horses being taken to the stables.

THIRD MURDERER : It's almost a mile to the castle gate. But Banquo like evervbody else.
usually walks from here.

[BANQUO and FLEANCE enter with a torch]

SECOND MURDERER : Here comes a light! A light!

THIRD MURDERER :It’s him.

FIRST MURDERER : Get ready.

BANQUO : It will rain tonight.

FIRST MURDERER : Then let it rain.

[The MURDERERS attack BANQUO]

BANQUO : Oh, treachery! Run, good Fleance, run, run, run Maybe one day you can get revenge

[To one of the MURDERERS)

Oh, you villain

[BANQUO dies. FLEANCE escapes]

THIRD MURDERER : Who put out the light?

FIRST MURDERER : Wasn't that what we were supposed to do?

THIRD MURDERER : But there's only one body here. The son escaped.

SECOND MURDERER : We failed half of our mission.

FIRST MURDERER : Well, let's get out of here and tell Macbeth what we managed to do.

They exit
ACT 3, SCENE 4

CHARACTERS : Macbeth, Lords, Ghost of Banquo, First Murderer,

Lady Macbeth, Lennox, & Ross

A banquet. MACBETH enters with LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, LORDS, and their
attendants.

MACBETH : You know your own ranks, so you know where to sit according to your order of
importance. To both the highest and lowest of you, I bid you a hearty welcome.

[The LORDS sit]

LORDS : Thank you, your Majesty.

MACBETH : I will mingle with all of you, playing the humble host. My wife, the hostess, will stay
on her royal throne, but in good time I will ask her to welcome you all.

LADY MACBETH : Sir, deliver my welcome to all of our friends for me, since they are all
welcome in my heart.

[The lords cheer. The FIRST MURDERER appears and catches Macbeth’s attention.]

MACBETH : See, they respond to you with their hearts as well. The table is full on both sides. I’ll
sit here in the middle. Be happy. Soon we’ll have a toast to the full table.

[To the FIRST MURDERER so that only he can hear]

There’s blood on your face.

FIRST MURDERER : It’s Banquo’s blood then.

MACBETH : It’s better that you have his blood on your face than Banquo having his lifeblood still
coursing in his veins. Is he dead?

FIRST MURDERER : My lord, his throat is cut. I did that for him.

MACBETH : You are the best of the cutthroats. But whoever did the same to Fleance is just as
good. If you cut Fleance’s throat, then you are a cutthroat without compare.
FIRST MURDERER : Most royal sir, Fleance has escaped.

MACBETH : Now my torment returns. Otherwise, I would have been perfect: solid as a piece of
marble, as firm as a rock, as free as the air which surrounds everything. But now I’m all confined
and bound in doubts and fears. But Banquo’s been killed?

FIRST MURDERER : Yes, my good lord. He’s lying in a ditch, with twenty deep gashes in his
head—the least of which would have been enough to kill him.

MACBETH : Thanks for that. The adult serpent lies in the ditch. The young worm that escaped
will in time become poisonous. But right now he has no fangs. Be gone now. I’ll talk to you again
tomorrow.

[The FIRST MURDERER exits.]

LADY MACBETH : Your Majesty, you're neglecting our guests. If you don't show hospitality,
they'll feel like they're just paying for a meal. If you only want to dine, do it at home. When
hosting, some formalities are necessary to make the evening enjoyable. Without them, the party
will fall flat.

MACBETH : Thank you for reminding me! [Raising a glass] Good digestion requires a good
appetite, and good health requires both those things. To good appetite, good digestion, and
good health!

LENNOX : Please sit, your Highness.

[The GHOST OF BANQUO enters and sits in MACBETH’s place.]

MACBETH : All the nobility of Scotland would be gathered under one roof, if only the noble
Banquo were also here. I hope I can scold him for rudeness, and not have to grieve because
something has happened to him.

ROSS : His absence means only that he’s broken his promise to attend. If it pleases you, your
Highness, won’t you sit and grace us with your royal company?

MACBETH : The table’s full.

LENNOX : Here’s a place saved for you, sir.

MACBETH : Where?

LENNOX : [Pointing to where the GHOST sits]

Here, my good lord. What’s bothering you, your highness?

MACBETH : [Seeing the GHOST]

Which one of you did this?

LORDS : Did what, my good lord?

MACBETH : [To the GHOST]

You can’t say I did it. Don’t shake your bloody head at me.

ROSS : Gentlemen, stand up. His Highness is not well.

LADY MACBETH : Please sit down, friends. This is just one of my husband's moments. He's
had them since he was a kid. Let's just eat and pretend everything's normal. Making a fuss will
only make it worse.

[To MACBETH

Are you a man?

MACBETH : Yes, and a brave one, who dares look at something that would frighten the devil.

LADY MACBETH : Nonsense! This is just your fear playing tricks on you. Remember that dagger
you thought led you to Duncan? This panic attack is nothing compared to real fear. It's like a
spooky tale told by grandma - harmless drama. Stop being dramatic! When it passes, you'll see
there's nothing there but a stool.

MACBETH : Please, look there. See? Look!

[To the GHOST]

Hey! What do you have to say? And what do I care? If you can nod, then speak. If the dead are
going to return from their graves, then we might as well not bury anyone and let the birds eat
them.

[The GHOST vanishes.]

LADY MACBETH : What, has your foolishness destroyed your manhood?

MACBETH : As sure as I’m standing here, I saw him.

LADY MACBETH : Nonsense! Shame on you!

MACBETH : In ancient times—before humane laws cleansed the commonwealth and made it
noble—much blood was shed. Yes, and since then too, murders have been committed that are
too terrible to mention. It used to be that when you knocked a man’s brains out he would die,
and that was the end of it. But now they rise again with twenty fatal wounds on their head and
push us from our stools. This returning from the dead is more strange than the original murder.

LADY MACBETH : My dear lord, your noble friends miss your company.
MACBETH : I forgot.

[To the lords]

Don’t be shocked at my behavior, my most noble friends. I have a strange condition, which no
longer bothers those who know me well.

[Raising his glass again]

Come: love and health to you all. Now I’ll sit down. Give me some wine. Fill my cup.

[The GHOST OF BANQUO enters]

MACBETH : I drink to the joy of all of you at the table, and to our dear friend Banquo, whom we
miss. I wish he were here! To everyone here and to Banquo. Everyone drink to everyone else's
health.

LORDS : We drink to our allegiance to you, and to your toast.

[They drink.]

MACBETH : [Seeing the GHOST]

Go! Get out of my sight! Hide in your grave. Your bones have no marrow, and your blood is cold.
The eyes with which you’re glaring at me have no power of sight!

LADY MACBETH : Think of this, good friends, as just a strange habit. It’s nothing else. Too bad
it’s spoiling our evening!

MACBETH : I dare as much as any man. Approach me in the form of a rugged Russian bear, an
armor-plated rhinoceros, or a Hyrcan tiger. Take any shape but the one you have, and I won’t
tremble. Or return to life and challenge me to a duel in some deserted place. If I tremble then,
mock me as a little girl's doll. Be gone, horrible ghost! You hallucination, be gone!

[The GHOST vanishes.]

MACBETH : See, now that it's gone, I’m a man again. Please, remain seated.

LADY MACBETH : You have disrupted our dinner and destroyed everyone’s good cheer with your
astonishing behavior.

MACBETH : To the guests]

Please, don’t speak with him. He’s growing worse and worse. Talking only exacerbates it. Right
now, good night. Don’t worry about leaving in a certain order according to your rank. Just leave
right away.

LENNOX : Good night. I hope better health returns to his Majesty!

LADY MACBETH : A kind good night to all of you!

[Everyone leaves except MACBETH and LADY MACBETH.]

MACBETH : Blood will lead to blood, as the saying goes. Gravestones have been known to move,
trees to speak, and the jackdaws, crows, and rooks to cackle out the names of even the most
secret murderers.

[To LADY MACBETH]

How late is it?

LADY MACBETH : It's almost morning. You can’t tell whether it’s one or the other.

MACBETH : What do you think about the fact that Macduff does refuses to come even should I
command him to?

LADY MACBETH : Did you officially send for him, sir?

MACBETH : I heard about it indirectly, but I will send for him. I have a servant paid to spy for me
in every one of my lords’ households. I will go see the witches tomorrow, early. They will tell me
more, because I’m now determined to know the worst of what is to come. My own interests are
more important than anything else. I have waded so far into this river of blood that even if I
stopped now, it would be as unpleasant to go back as to continue forward. I have some plans in
my head that I must act upon before I have a chance to think carefully about them.

LADY MACBETH : You lack the rest and ease that sleep provides.

MACBETH : Yes, let’s go to sleep. My strange self-delusions just come from inexperience. We’re
still beginners when it comes to bad deeds.

[They exit.]

ACT 3, SCENE 5
CHARACTERS : Hecate and First Witch

Thunder. The three WITCHES enter, meeting HECATE.

FIRST WITCH : Why, how are you, Hecate? You look angry.
HECATE : Don't I have reason to be furious? You deceived Macbeth without my involvement,
despite my power and mastery of dark magic. And for what? A selfish, hot-headed brat who only
cares about himself. Fix this. Meet me at Acheron's pit, where Macbeth will seek his fate. Bring
all your magical tools. I'll conjure a deadly outcome tonight. I'll harness moonlight to summon
spirits that will deceive Macbeth with illusions, leading him to destruction. His overconfidence
will be his downfall.

Listen! I’m being called. Look, there’s my little spirit sitting in a foggy cloud, waiting for me.

FIRST WITCH : Come on, let’s hurry. He'll come back again soon

All exit.

ACT 3 SCENE 6
CHARACTERS : Lennox and Lord

LENNOX and another LORD enter.

LENNOX: My previous words likely resonated with you. Let's face it, strange things have
happened. King Duncan's murder was tragic, and Banquo's death was unjust. You might say
Fleance was responsible, since he fled. A cautionary tale: don't walk alone at night.Isn't it
outrageous that Malcolm and Donalbain are suspected of killing their father? Macbeth was
rightly outraged and killed the drunken guards. A noble act, don't you think? Macbeth has
handled everything well. If he had Duncan's sons in custody, they'd understand the gravity of
patricide. Fleance would too. But let's move on. Rumor has it Macduff is in disfavor for skipping
the tyrant's feast. Do you know where he's hiding?"

LORD: Malcolm, Duncan's rightful heir, finds refuge in the English court, where King Edward
treats him with kindness and respect, undiminished by fate's cruelty. Macduff has joined him to
seek the king's help in rallying Northumberland and Siward's military might. With divine approval,
we hope to. We long for these freedoms now. This news has enraged Macbeth, prompting him
to prepare for war.

LENNOX: Sent he to Macduff?

LORD: He did, and with an absolute “Sir, not I,” The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And
hums, as who should say “You’ll rue the time that clogs me with this answer.”
LENNOX: He should be careful and keep his distance. Someone should hurry to the English
court to warn them before he gets there, so we can finally free our country from this cursed ruler.

LORD: I’ll send my prayers with him.