"Cliff Notes - Macbeth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cliff Notes)

do, and wants to back out, but his wife makes it clear that if he
doesn't kill Duncan, she won't consider him a man. Macbeth commits
the murder, but he is appalled by his deed.

When the King's body is discovered the next morning, nobody seems
more shocked or surprised than Macbeth and his Lady. Macbeth blames
Duncan's servants and kills them--pretending he is so enraged he
cannot stop himself. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, sense
treason and treachery and decide to run away, afraid that they will
be killed, too. Macbeth has himself crowned king. The witches'
predictions have come true, and Macbeth seems to have all he wants.

But Macbeth is not happy. He's afraid that some of the thanes
suspect Duncan was not really killed by his servants. Worse,
Macbeth's friend Banquo was told by the witches that he would father
kings. To prevent that, Macbeth decides, he must also murder Banquo.
This time without Lady Macbeth's help, Macbeth sends three men to
kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. Banquo's throat is slit, but
Fleance manages to escape.

On the night of his friend's murder Macbeth holds a great feast. But
the merrymaking is spoiled by the appearance of Banquo's ghost.
Macbeth is the only person there who can see him, and it makes him
rave like a madman.

Terrified now of losing the crown, Macbeth goes back to the witches.
They tell him three things: first, that he should fear Macduff, the
Thane of Fife; second, that Macbeth will never be harmed by any man
born of woman; and third, that he will never be defeated until Birnam
Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Two out of three of the predictions
sound comforting, but the witches go on to show Macbeth a vision of
Banquo as father to a line of kings. The vision makes Macbeth
furious, but the predictions make him even more ruthless.

Macbeth soon learns that the witches gave him good advice about
fearing Macduff. The Thane of Fife has gone to England to meet with
Malcolm, the rightful king, and plan a revolt. In his rage, Macbeth
has Macduff's wife and children murdered.

When Macduff hears the news, his grief makes him even more determined
to overthrow the tyrant Macbeth. He and Malcolm set out from England
with ten thousand men.

In Scotland, Macbeth's world is falling apart. His followers are
deserting him; his wife has lost her mind. Only his pride and his
confidence in the witches' predictions keep him going.

As Malcolm is approaching Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane, he orders
his troops to cut branches from trees in nearby Birnam Wood and carry
them as disguises.