Scene-by-Scene Synopsis

Act 1

Scene 1: The play opens with three witches in a stormy setting. They plan to meet again after a battle to confront Macbeth.
Scene 2: King Duncan of Scotland hears reports of Macbeth and Banquo's bravery in battle against the rebellious Macdonwald and the invading Norwegian forces. He decides to reward Macbeth by making him the Thane of Cawdor, as the current Thane is a traitor.

Scene 3: The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on a heath. They greet Macbeth with three titles: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and future king. They also prophesy that Banquo's descendants will be kings. Soon after, Ross and Angus arrive to inform Macbeth that he has been made Thane of Cawdor, fulfilling part of the witches' prophecy.
Scene 4: Duncan announces his intention to visit Macbeth's castle and names his son Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth sees this as an obstacle to his own rise to power.
Scene 5: Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth about the witches' prophecies and vows to push him towards taking the throne. When Macbeth arrives, they plot to murder Duncan during his visit.
Scene 6: Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle and is greeted warmly by Lady Macbeth, who hides her true intentions.
Scene 7: Macbeth wrestles with his conscience but is ultimately persuaded by Lady Macbeth to proceed with the murder.

Scene 1: Macbeth meets Banquo, who has also been thinking about the witches' prophecies. After Banquo leaves, Macbeth hallucinates a bloody dagger leading him to Duncan's chamber.
Scene 2: Lady Macbeth waits as Macbeth kills Duncan. He returns, shaken, and she takes the bloody daggers to plant on Duncan's guards to frame them.
Scene 3: The next morning, Macduff and Lennox arrive to find Duncan's body. Macbeth kills the guards in a supposed fit of rage. Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, flee, fearing for their lives, which makes them appear guilty of the murder.
Scene 4: Ross and an old man discuss the strange events of the night. Macduff reveals that Macbeth has been named king and has gone to Scone for his coronation. Suspicion begins to fall on Duncan's sons.

Scene 1: Banquo suspects Macbeth of foul play. Macbeth, now king, fears Banquo and the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will inherit the throne. He hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.
Scene 2: Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth of his plan to kill Banquo and Fleance but keeps the details vague.
Scene 3: The murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes.
Scene 4: At a banquet, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and reacts with horror, alarming his guests. Lady Macbeth tries to cover for him but the banquet ends in disarray.
Scene 5: The witches meet with Hecate, their leader, who chastises them for dealing with Macbeth without consulting her. They plan to lead Macbeth to his ruin.
Scene 6: Lennox and another lord discuss the state of Scotland under Macbeth's rule and express hope that Malcolm and Macduff will save the country.

Scene 1: Macbeth visits the witches again. They conjure apparitions that tell him to beware Macduff, that no man born of a woman will harm him, and that he will not be vanquished until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. They also show him a line of kings descended from Banquo.
Scene 2: Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff's family. Lady Macduff and her children are killed by Macbeth's men.
Scene 3: In England, Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty. When Macduff learns of his family's slaughter, he vows to avenge their deaths. Malcolm and Macduff prepare to lead an army against Macbeth.

Scene 1: Lady Macbeth, now mad with guilt, sleepwalks and tries to wash imagined blood from her hands.
Scene 2: Scottish nobles, led by Angus, Menteith, Caithness, and Lennox, prepare to join Malcolm and the English forces against Macbeth.
Scene 3: Macbeth fortifies Dunsinane Castle and boasts that he cannot be defeated due to the witches' prophecies. He is informed of Lady Macbeth's deteriorating condition.
Scene 4: Malcolm's forces march towards Dunsinane, using branches from Birnam Wood as camouflage, fulfilling one of the witches' prophecies.
Scene 5: Macbeth learns that his wife has died, possibly by suicide. He delivers the famous soliloquy "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" and prepares for battle.
Scene 6: Malcolm's army reaches Dunsinane.
Scene 7: Macbeth fights valiantly but is confronted by Macduff. They fight, and Macduff reveals he was born by caesarean section, fulfilling the prophecy that Macbeth would fall to someone not born of a woman.
Scene 8: Macduff kills Macbeth. Malcolm is hailed as king, promising to restore order and justice to Scotland.