Macbeth

STORY

Act I

Following a victorious campaign, the Scottish generals Macbeth and Banquo encounter a coven of witches on a heath. They prophesy that Macbeth will rise to become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland, whilst Banquo, though he will never reign himself, is to become the progenitor of future kings. Shortly afterwards, the first part of the prophecy is fulfilled: King Duncan does indeed appoint Macbeth as Thane of Cawdor.

Seized by ambition, Macbeth tells his wife of the prophecy. Lady Macbeth immediately recognises the opportunity to seize the crown and urges her hesitant husband to murder Duncan, who is expected as a guest at their castle. Whilst Macbeth is still wrestling with his conscience and feels haunted by dark visions, Lady Macbeth resolutely pushes the plan forward. That night, Macbeth kills the sleeping king. Lady Macbeth covers up the crime by framing the guards. When the murder is discovered the following morning, horror and confusion reign. Fearing for his life, Duncan’s son Malcolm flees to England, thereby casting suspicion on himself. Macbeth sees the path to the crown clear.

Act II

Macbeth is now King of Scotland, yet the witches’ prophecy continues to haunt him. Banquo’s descendants are destined to inherit the throne one day – a prospect Macbeth perceives as a threat. In secret, he commissions hired assassins to ambush Banquo and his son Fleanzio as they travel. Banquo is killed, but Fleanzio manages to escape.

During a festive banquet at the royal castle, the guests celebrate their ruler. Suddenly, the ghost of the murdered Banquo appears to Macbeth. Only he himself can see the apparition. Overwhelmed by fear and guilt, he loses all self-control and, through his erratic behaviour, betrays his inner turmoil. Lady Macbeth desperately tries to calm the guests and save her husband’s reputation. Yet the festive façade is irretrievably shattered. Macbeth resolves to seek out the witches once more to gain certainty about his future. His reign is increasingly seen to be based on fear and violence.

Act III

In a gloomy cave, the witches conjure up new visions. Macbeth demands answers to his pressing questions and receives three further prophecies: he must beware of Macduff; no one born of a woman can harm him; and he will be invincible until the Forest of Birnam marches against his castle. Lulled into a false sense of security, Macbeth interprets the prophecies as a guarantee of his invulnerability.

Yet another vision shakes him to the core: before his very eyes, a procession of future kings passes by – all descendants of Banquo. The prospect that the family of his murdered companion, of all people, will determine Scotland’s future fills him with rage. Determined to nip any threat in the bud, Macbeth orders Macduff’s castle to be destroyed and his family to be murdered. Whilst the tyrant secures his rule with ever-increasing cruelty, resistance against him grows at the same time. Many Scottish nobles join Malcolm, who has fled into exile, and prepare to fight the usurper.

Act IV 

Refugees and exiles gather at the Scottish border. They lament the suffering of their ravaged homeland and hope for its liberation. Malcolm, together with Macduff, prepares the campaign against Macbeth. Macduff learns of the murder of his wife and children and vows to bring the tyrant to justice himself.

Meanwhile, at Dunsinane Castle, Lady Macbeth has descended into madness. In her sleep, she paces restlessly, trying in vain to wash the imagined blood from her hands. Shortly afterwards, she dies. As the enemy army approaches, Malcolm’s soldiers disguise themselves with branches from Birnam Wood – thus fulfilling the witches’ enigmatic prophecy. In battle, Macbeth encounters his adversary, Macduff. Only now does he realise that the other prophecies, too, were deceptive. Defeated and mortally wounded, he looks back on a life defined by ambition and guilt. With his death, the usurper’s tyranny comes to an end, and the way is clear for the restoration of the rightful order.