MACBETH – A School

Play By William
Shakespeare

SCENE 1 – The Witches' Prophecy

(Outdoors, dark, foggy, and eerie. Thunder and lightning.
Enter three witches and elves.)

FIRST WITCH (Dana): When shall we three meet

again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
(All witches laugh)

SECOND WITCH (………..): When the hurly-burly's done,

When the battle is lost and won.
(All witches laugh)

THIRD WITCH (……………..): That will be before the set sun.

FIRST WITCH (…………….): Where shall we meet?

SECOND WITCH (……………..): Upon the heath.

THIRD WITCH (………………….): There to meet with

Macbeth. (All witches laugh and chant together)

ALL WITCHES: Fair is foul and foul is fair.

We hover through the fog and filthy air.

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(All witches laugh and exit.)

SCENE 2 – King Duncan’s Castle

(Enter King Duncan, Macduff, and Lennox.)

LENNOX (…………………………): Lord, save King Duncan!

KING DUNCAN (……………………): Where do you come

from?

LENNOX (……………….): From the eastern battlefield, great

king, where the traitor, the Thane of Cawdor, caused conflict. But
brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—defeated him and
led us to victory!

KING DUNCAN (…………………..): That is great news! The

Thane of Cawdor shall deceive us no more. Go, announce his
execution, and give his title to the noble Macbeth.

(Exit all.)

SCENE 3 – The Witches Meet Macbeth

(On a deserted heath. Enter the three witches.)

FIRST WITCH (…………………): A drum, a drum! Macbeth

thus comes! (Enter Macbeth and Banquo.)

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MACBETH (…………………………): So foul and fair a day I
have not seen.

BANQUO (…………………): Who are these strange creatures?

They look wild and not of this earth.

MACBETH (……………………): Speak, if you can! What are

you?

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! who shall

be king here after!

MACBETH (………………………): What kind of prophecy is

this? They speak riddles!

BANQUO (………………….): If you can predict the future,

predict my future as well.

(The witches turn to Banquo and chant.)

ALL WITCHES: Hail!

FIRST WITCH (………………..): Lesser than Macbeth, yet

greater.

SECOND WITCH (…………………….): Not so happy, yet

much happier.

THIRD WITCH (……………………): Your sons shall be

crowned kings after Macbeth, even though you won’t be one.

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(All witches laugh. Enter Lennox.)

LENNOX (……………………): Hail, Thane of Cawdor! King

Duncan is pleased with your bravery and has granted you this
title.

MACBETH (……………………..): Why do you call me by

another man’s title? The Thane of Cawdor still lives! And King
Duncan has heirs—how can I become king?

(The witches laugh and vanish into the mist.)

BANQUO (……………………..): Can the devil speak the truth?

Often, the forces of darkness deceive us with small truths, hiding
greater dangers.

(Exit all.)

SCENE 4 – Macbeth’s Castle

(Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter from Macbeth.)

LADY MACBETH (……………………): I received your letter

great Glamis, and the worthy thane of Cawdor, I’m glad to hear
about your success but you're meant for greater just as the
witches’ prophecies.

you shall become king, there is no way you can ascend the throne
with Duncan and Malcom in your way.

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MACBETH (…………………………..): My dearest love.
Duncan comes here tonight.

LADY MACBETH (………………….): Look like an innocent

flower, but be the serpent beneath it. Do you understand?

MACBETH (…………………): How can I commit such a crime?

King Duncan trusts me—I am his loyal subject! We shall proceed
no further with this plan.

LADY MACBETH (………………..): Are you afraid? What if we

fail?

MACBETH (……………………..): Fail? That word should not

exist for us!

LADY MACBETH (……………….): When Duncan is asleep, we

will use his guards’ own daggers against him and blame them for
the murder.

MACBETH (…………………….): Why don’t you do it yourself?

LADY MACBETH (………………): My lord, I am a fine lady—it
is not for me to do,But I plan and guide for your sake.

(Exit Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth commits the

murder.)

SCENE 5 – The Aftermath of Murder

(Enter Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth holds bloody
daggers.)

MACBETH (…………………..): It is done! Did you hear

anything?

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LADY MACBETH (………………..): And you brought the
daggers here? Why?! Take them back and smear the guards with
blood!

MACBETH (……………………..):: I cannot! I dare not look

upon what I have done.

LADY MACBETH(…………………….): Then I will do it myself!

MACBETH (………………………..): Will all the great oceans
wash this blood from my hands?

LADY MACBETH(…………………….): A little water will clear

us of this deed! (Exit. Enter Macduff.)

MACDUFF: Murder! Treason! Wake up, Banquo! Our king has

been slain!

(Enter Lady Macbeth.)

LADY MACBETH(……………….): In our house? Oh, my lord!

Oh, heavens!

MACBETH (……………………..):: In my fury, I have slain the

guards who murdered our king!

(King Duncan’s sons flee the country, and Macbeth is

crowned king.) (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s coronation
takes place.)

SCENE 6 – Lady Macbeth’s Guilt

(Lady Macbeth, in a white gown, rubs her hands as if
washing them.)

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LADY MACBETH (………………………..): I still smell the
blood on my hands! No perfume in the world can take away this
stain.

Maid (……………………….): Doctor, she’s been like this every

night. Walking …….always in her sleep.

Doctor (…………………): I have seen many strange things in

my years, but never a mind so troubled.

Lady Macbeth (………………………): (suddenly turns to

them, unaware):

The king’s blood - on my hands. Banquo’s ghost – he stares at

me. No perfumes can cover this.

Maid (frightening) (…………………….): Should I wake

her? Should we tell the king?

Doctor (… … … … … … . . ): No. Let her rest. Her disease is of

the soul, not the body. She needs prayer, not medicine.

Lady Macbeth (softly, to herself):

What’s done cannot be undone….

Doctor (gently) (…………………….): Come, my lady. You

need rest. The night is long.

Maid (………………………): I’ll stay with her. She should not be

alone.

Doctor: (…………………….) Watch her closely. I fear where this

path may lead.

(They gently guide Lady Macbeth to sit as the lights fade and
ominous music plays)

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(Enter the witches, laughing.)

FIRST WITCH (……………….): Macbeth has fallen into ruin.

SECOND WITCH (……………………): Are we to be blamed?
We only spoke the truth.

THIRD WITCH (………………..……): Ah, foolish Macbeth! you

couldn’t be aware of the consequences.

(All witches laugh together.)

FIRST WITCH (………………………):: But our work is done—

Macbeth’s fate is sealed.

SECOND WITCH (……………………….):: That is why we

always chant…

ALL WITCHES: Fair is foul and foul is fair! We hover through

the fog and filthy air!

(Curtain falls. End of Act.)

SCENE 7 – Lady Macduff and Macduff’s Farewell

(Inside Macduff’s castle. Lady Macduff paces angrily. Enter

Macduff, preparing for his journey.)

LADY MACDUFF (…………………………..):

Why must you leave, husband? You flee when your family needs
you most!

MACDUFF (…………………………………):

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My dearest love, I leave not for fear, but for duty. Scotland groans
under Macbeth’s tyranny! I must find help and raise an army
against him.

LADY MACDUFF (…………………………):

And what of us? Are we to defend ourselves with words alone?

MACDUFF (……………………………….):

I would never abandon you, sweet wife. I leave you in trusted

hands. Be patient—this storm must pass.

LADY MACDUFF (angrily) (……………………………):

You call it duty! I call it betrayal. How can you protect a country
when you cannot protect your own home?

MACDUFF (………………………………………..):

I fight for you—for our children—for all who suffer under Macbeth.
Trust in my love, even when it seems far away.

(Macduff embraces Lady Macduff briefly. Then he exits

hurriedly. Lady Macduff stands alone, her face clouded
with worry.)

LADY MACDUFF (to herself) (……………………………..):

He says he fights for us. But who will fight for me now?

SCENE 8 – Birnam Wood Moves

(On the outskirts of Macbeth’s castle. Soldiers, led by Malcolm
and Macduff, gather, carrying branches from Birnam Wood.)

MALCOLM (……………………………..): The time has come!

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Cut down branches and use them as disguise. Let Macbeth see
Birnam Wood moving towards his castle!

(The soldiers break branches and hold them before them,

advancing.)

MACDUFF (………………………………..): The tyrant sits in his

castle, thinking himself safe. But he does not know that fate
marches against him!

SOLDIERS (chanting): For Scotland! For justice!

(The soldiers march forward, the stage growing darker.
Scene shifts to inside Macbeth’s castle.)

SCENE 9 – Macbeth’s Despair

(Macbeth stands on the castle walls, looking out. A messenger
enters, shaking with fear.)

MESSENGER (…………………………….): My lord! I cannot

explain it, but… Birnam Wood moves toward the castle!

MACBETH (gripping his head)

(……………………………………….):
No! The witches told me I’d fall only if Birnam Wood came
to Dunsinane! Have they lied?

(He paces, then grabs his sword.)

MACBETH (…………………………………………):
I will not flee! Let them come—I will die fighting!

(Drums sound as soldiers storm the castle. Macbeth

rushes offstage with his sword, ready for battle.)

(Lights fade. The battle begins, leading into Macbeth’s

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final duel with Macduff.)

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SCENE 10 – The Fall of Macbeth

(On the battlefield. Macbeth, in royal armor, stands alone,
gripping his sword. The sound of battle rages. Enter
Macduff, sword drawn.)

MACBETH: (……………………………….):
I will not fall to a man born of woman!

MACDUFF (………………………………….):: Then know this—I

was not born in the usual way. I was cut from my mother’s womb
before her time!

MACBETH (staggering back)

(…………………………..):No! The witches have tricked me!
MACDUFF (……………………….): Tyrant! Scotland will suffer
no more under your rule!

(They fight. Macbeth is wounded.)

MACBETH (……………………………………):
Curse you, witches! You have led me to ruin!
(Macduff delivers the final blow. Macbeth
falls.) (Enter Malcolm and soldiers.)

MACDUFF (………………………..): The tyrant is dead!

Scotland is free once more!

MALCOLM (…………………………………..): Brave Macduff,

you have saved us all! Let us restore peace to this land.
ALL: Hail, King Malcolm!
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 (The witches’ laughter echoes faintly in the distance.)

WITCHES (offstage): Fair is foul, and foul is fair…

(The lights fade as Malcolm is crowned. Curtain falls. End
of Play.)

Cast
No Name Class Characters
.

1 1st witch

2 2nd witch

3 3rd witch

4 Lennox

5 King Duncan

6 Macbeth

7 Banquo
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8 Lady
Macbeth

9. Malcom

10. Maid

11. Doctor

12. Macduff

13. Messenger

14.

Soldiers

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