English

Macbeth — quick study summary

GCSE English LiteratureAP LiteratureIB English

Shakespeare's Macbeth is a tragedy about ambition, guilt, and the corrupting effect of power. Spurred on by three witches and his wife, the Scottish noble Macbeth murders King Duncan to take the throne. The play traces his moral disintegration and eventual downfall, exploring fate vs free will and the price of ambition.

Key points

Genre: tragedy; written ~1606; set in 11th-century Scotland
Protagonist: Macbeth — tragic hero whose ambition is his hamartia
Key motifs: blood, darkness, sleep, the supernatural
Themes: ambition, guilt, fate vs free will, gender and power
Iambic pentameter for nobility; witches speak in trochaic tetrameter

Practice quiz

Click each question to reveal the answer.

1. Who prophesies that Macbeth will become king?

Lady Macbeth
Banquo
The three witches
King Duncan

Answer: The three witches

2. Who actually kills King Duncan?

Answer: Macbeth

3. Which character says 'Out, damned spot!' while sleepwalking?

Answer: Lady Macbeth

Her guilt manifests as imaginary blood she cannot wash off.

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Last reviewed: May 2026