Macbeth
By William Shakespeare
Characters in the Play
Three Witches, the Weïrd Sisters
DUNCAN, king of Scotland
MALCOLM, his elder son
MACBETH, thane of Glamis
LADY MACBETH
SEYTON, attendant to Macbeth
Three Murderers in Macbeth’s service
Both attending upon Lady Macbeth:
A Doctor
A Gentlewoman
BANQUO, commander, with Macbeth, of Duncan’s army
FLEANCE, his son
MACDUFF, a Scottish noble
Scottish Nobles:
LENNOX
ROSS
ANGUS
MENTEITH
CAITHNESS
Apparitions: an Armed Head, a Bloody Child, a Crowned Child, and
eight non speaking kings
Three Messengers, Three Servants, a Lord, a Soldier
Attendants, a Sewer, Servants, Lords, Thanes, Soldiers (all
nonspeaking)
Scene 1
Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches.
FIRST WITCH
When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
SECOND WITCH
When the hurly-burly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.
THIRD WITCH
That will be ere the set of sun.
5
FIRST WITCH
Where the place?
SECOND WITCH
Upon the heath.
THIRD WITCH
There to meet with Macbeth.
FIRST WITCH
I come, Graymalkin.
SECOND WITCH
Paddock calls.
10
THIRD WITCH
Anon.
ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair;
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
They exit.
Scene 2
Enter Macbeth and Banquo.
MACBETH
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
BANQUO
How far is ’t called to Forres?—
WITCHES (interrupting)
Fair is foul, and foul is fair;
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
BANQUO
What are these, 5
So withered, and so wild in their attire,
That look not like th’ inhabitants o’ th’ Earth
And yet are on ’t?—Live you? Or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand
me
By each at once her choppy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
MACBETH
Speak if you can. What are you?
ALL
All Hail, Macbeth!
10
FIRST WITCH
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!
SECOND WITCH
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!
THIRD WITCH
All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!
BANQUO
Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair?—I’ th’ name of truth, 15
Are you fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly you show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. 20
If you can look into the seeds of time
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favors nor your hate.
WITCHES
Hail! 25
FIRST WITCH
Lesser than Macbeth and greater.
SECOND WITCH
Not so happy, yet much happier.
THIRD WITCH
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
FIRST WITCH
Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
30
MACBETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more.
By Sinel’s death I know I am Thane of Glamis.
But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives
A prosperous gentleman, and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way 40
With such prophetic greeting. Speak, I charge you.
Witches vanish.
BANQUO
The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanished?
MACBETH
Into the air, and what seemed corporal melted,
As breath into the wind. Would they had stayed! 45
Scene 3
Enter Macbeth’s Wife, alone, with a letter.
LADY MACBETH, reading the letter
They met me in the day of success, and I have learned by the
perfect’st report they have more in them than mortal knowledge.
When I burned in desire to question them further, they
made themselves air, into which they vanished. 5
Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it came missives
from the King, who all-hailed me “Thane of Cawdor,”
by which title, before, these Weïrd Sisters saluted me
and referred me to the coming on of time with “Hail,
king that shalt be.” This have I thought good to deliver 10
thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou
might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant
of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy
heart, and farewell.
Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be 15
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst 20
highly,
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false
And yet wouldst wrongly win.
Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear
And chastise with the valor of my tongue 25
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crowned withal.
Enter Messenger.
What is your tidings?
MESSENGER
The King comes here tonight.
30
LADY MACBETH
Thou ’rt mad to say it.
Is not thy master with him, who, were ’t so,
Would have informed for preparation?
MESSENGER
So please you, it is true.
LADY MACBETH
Give him tending.
He brings great news. Messenger exits.
The raven himself is hoarse 35
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements.
Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. 40
Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between
Th’ effect and it.
Enter Macbeth.
Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor,
Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter!
Thy letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I feel now 45
The future in the instant.
MACBETH
My dearest love,
Duncan comes here tonight.
LADY MACBETH
And when goes hence?
MACBETH
Tomorrow, as he purposes. 50
LADY MACBETH
O, never
Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face, my thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. To beguile the time,
Look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, 55
Your hand, your tongue. Look like th’ innocent
flower,
But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s coming
Must be provided for; and you shall put
This night’s great business into my dispatch, 60
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.
MACBETH
We will speak further.
They exit.
Scene 4
Enter Duncan with the Lords, and Lady Macbeth.
DUNCAN
See, see our honored hostess!—
LADY MACBETH
All our service,
Done twice and then double,
Were poor 5
Against those honors, so vast and deep, which
Your Majesty bestows. For old,
And recent dignities,
We rest your hermits.
DUNCAN
Where’s the Thane of Cawdor? 10
Fair and noble hostess,
We are your guest tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Your servants ever
Have theirs, themselves, and what belongs to them,
To make their account at your Highness’ pleasure,
Returning what is yours. 15
DUNCAN
Give me your hand.
Taking her hand. Presents a present.
Exeunt.
Scene 5
Enter Macbeth.
MACBETH
If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly. If th’ assassination
Could trammel up the consequence and catch
With his surcease success, that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here, 5
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases
We still have judgment here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th’ inventor. This even-handed justice 10
Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door, 15
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off; 20
And pity, like a naked newborn babe
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur 25
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself
And falls on th’ other—
He exits.
Miming of Banquo’s murder
Fly, Fleance, fly. Fly, son, fly!
Scene 6
Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the Lords.
MACBETH
You know your own degrees; sit down. At first
And last, the hearty welcome. They sit.
LORDS
Thanks to your Majesty.
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society
And play the humble host. 5
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.
LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart speaks they are welcome.
Enter the Ghost of Banquo, and sits in Macbeth’s place.
LORDS
May ’t please your Highness sit. 10
MACBETH
The table’s full.
LORDS
Here is a place reserved, sir. 15
MACBETH
Where?
LORDS
Here, my good lord.
MACBETH
Which of you have done this?
LORDS
What, my good lord? 20
MACBETH, to the Ghost
Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake
Thy gory locks at me.
LORD
Gentlemen, rise. His Highness is not well.
LADY MACBETH
Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often thus
And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat. 25
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well. If much you note him
You shall offend him and extend his passion.
Feed and regard him not.
Drawing Macbeth aside. Are you a man? 30
MACBETH
Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that
Which might appall the devil.
35
to the Ghost What man dare, I dare.
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or th’ Hyrcan tiger;
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble. Or be alive again 40
And dare me to the desert with thy sword.
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
Unreal mock’ry, hence! Ghost exits.
LORDS
What sights, my lord?
LADY MACBETH
I pray you, speak not. He grows worse and worse.
Question enrages him. At once, good night. 45
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.
LORDS
Good night, and better health
Attend his Majesty.
LADY MACBETH
A kind good night to all. 50
Lords and all but Macbeth and Lady Macbeth exit.
Scene 7
Enter a Doctor of Physic and a Waiting-Gentlewoman.
DOCTOR
I have two nights watched with you but can
perceive no truth in your report. When was it she
last walked?
GENTLEWOMAN
Since his Majesty went into the field, I
have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown 5
upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper,
fold it, write upon ’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and
again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast
sleep.
DOCTOR
A great perturbation in nature, to receive at 10
once the benefit of sleep and do the effects of
watching.
GENTLEWOMAN
That, sir, which I will not report after 15
her.
DOCTOR
You may to me, and ’tis most meet you
should.
GENTLEWOMAN
Neither to you nor anyone, having no
witness to confirm my speech. 20
Enter Lady Macbeth with a taper.
Lo you, here she comes.
DOCTOR
How came she by that light?
GENTLEWOMAN
Why, it stood by her. ’Tis her command. 25
DOCTOR
You see her eyes are open.
GENTLEWOMAN
Ay, but their sense are shut.
DOCTOR
What is it she does now? Look how she rubs
her hands.
GENTLEWOMAN
It is an accustomed action with her to 30
seem thus washing her hands. I have known her
continue in this a quarter of an hour.
LADY MACBETH
Yet here’s a spot.
DOCTOR
Hark, she speaks.
LADY MACBETH
Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two.
Why then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my
lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear
who knows it, when none can call our power to 35
account? Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him?
DOCTOR
Do you mark that?
LADY MACBETH
The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is
she now? What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No 40
more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that. You mar all
with this starting.
DOCTOR
Go to, go to. You have known what you should
not.
GENTLEWOMAN
She has spoke what she should not.
LADY MACBETH
Here’s the smell of the blood still. All
the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little
hand. O, O, O! 45
DOCTOR
This disease is beyond my practice, yet I have
known those which have walked in their sleep.
LADY MACBETH
Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. 50
Look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s
buried; he cannot come out on ’s grave.
DOCTOR
Even so?
LADY MACBETH
To bed, to bed. There’s knocking at the
gate. Come, come, come, come. Give me your 55
hand. What’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to
bed, to bed. Lady Macbeth exits.
DOCTOR
God forgive us all. Look after her.
GENTLEWOMAN
Good night, good doctor.
They exit.
Scene 8
Enter Macbeth, sitting alone.
A cry within of women.
MACBETH
Wherefore was that cry?
Enter Seyton
SEYTON
The Queen, my lord, is dead.
MACBETH
She should have died hereafter. 5
There would have been a time for such a word. Seyton exits.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools 10
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 15
Signifying nothing.
Alarums. Enter Macduff.
MACDUFF
That way the noise is. Tyrant, show thy face!
If thou beest slain, and with no stroke of mine, 20
My wife and children’s ghosts will haunt me still.
I cannot strike at wretched kerns, whose arms
Are hired to bear their staves. Either thou, Macbeth,
Or else my sword with an unbattered edge
I sheathe again undeeded. There thou shouldst be; 25
By this great clatter, one of greatest note
Seems bruited. Let me find him, Fortune,
And more I beg not. He exits. Alarums.
MACDUFF
Turn, hellhound, turn!
MACBETH
Of all men else I have avoided thee. 30
But get thee back. My soul is too much charged
With blood of thine already.
MACDUFF
I have no words;
My voice is in my sword,
Then yield thee, coward!
MACBETH
I will not yield
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet 35
And to be baited with the rabble’s curse.
Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damned be him that first cries “Hold! Enough!” 40
They exit fighting. Alarums.
They enter fighting, and Macbeth is slain. Macduff
exits carrying off Macbeth’s body. Retreat and flourish.
Enter, with Drum and Colors, Malcolm, Siward, Ross,
Thanes, and Soldiers.
