Macbeth Plot Structure (Timeline)

1. Exposition

2. Inciting Incident

3. Rising Action

4. Climax

5. Crisis

6. Falling Action

7. Denoument

8. Catastrophe

Act 3 Scene 3

Banquo Murdered

Literary Device: Implication

Lines 18-19, Banquo:

"O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

Thou may'st revenge- O slave!"

Banquo dies. Exit Fleance.

Act 3 Scene 4

Banquo's Ghost

Act 3 Scene 5

Hecate decides to ruin Macbeth

Literary Devices: Verse Structure

Lines 142-144, Macbeth:

"Come, we'll sleep. My strange and self-abuse

Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.

We are yet but young in deed."

Literary Devices: Verse Structure

Lines 34-35, Hecate:

"Hark! I am called. My little spirit, see,

sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me."

Act 3 Scene 6

Macduff helps in England

Literary Devices: Implication

Lines 35-36, Lord:

"Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,

Do faithful homage and receive free honors."

Act 4 Scene 1

The Three Apparitions

Literary Devices:

Lines

Act 3 Scene 1

Plan to kill Banquo

Literary Device: Implication

Lines 1-3, Banquo:

"Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all

As the weird women promised, and I fear

Thou played'st most foully for 't."

Act 2 Scene 4

Macbeth crowned king

Act 3 Scene 2

Literary Device:

Macbeth discusses murder with his wife; leaves her out of the plan.

Lines

Literary Device: Verse Structure

Lines 6-9, Lady Macbeth:

"Naught's had, all spent,

where our desire is got without content.

'Tis safer to be that which we destroy

Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy."

Act 4 Scene 2

Macduff's family murdered

Literary Devices:

Lines

Act 2 Scene 3

King found dead

Literary Device: Comic Relief

Lines 1-2, Porter:

"Here's a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate,

he should have old turning the key.

Act 2 Scene 2

Lines 51-55, Lady Macbeth:

"Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead

Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood

That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,

I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,

For it must seem their guilt."

King Duncan Murdered.

Literary Device: External Conflict

Act 2 Scene 1

Banquo knows what's about to happen; Macbeth sees a floating dagger.

Literary Device: Double Entrendres

Act 1 Scene 7

Lines 24-25, Macbeth:

"If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis,

It shall make honor for you."

Macbeth agreed to the murder.

Lines 13-16, Macbeth:

"First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Strong bot against the deed; then, as his host,

Who should against his murderer shut the door,

Not bear the knife myself.

Act 4 Scene 3

Malcolm test Macduff; Macduff seeks revenge

Literary Device: Soliloquies

Lines

Literary Devices:

Act 1 Scene 4

Macbeth named King of Cawdor; Malcom named heir to the thrown.

Literary Device: Soliloquies

Lines 50-55, Macbeth:

"(aside) The prince of Cumberland! That is a step

On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,

For in my way it lies."

Act 1 Scene 5

Lady Macbeth's reacts towards the news

Literary Device: Soliloquies

Lines 44-48, Lady Macbeth:

"Make thick my blood.

Stop up the access and passage to remorse,

Act 1 Scene 6

Duncan comes over.

Act 1 Scene 3

Macbeth wins King Duncans respect

Literary Device: Imagery

Lines 1-3, Duncan:

"This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

Unto our gentle senses."

Act 5 Scene 1

Lady Macbeth sleep walks

Act 1 Scene 2

Act 1 Scene 1

Macbeth wins King Duncan's respect.

Witches appear in a storm.

Lines

Literary Device: Soliloquies

Lines 8-9, Macbeth:

"(aside) If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me

Without my stir.

Literary Device: Imagery

Literary Devices:

Literary Device: Simile

Lines 1-2, First Witch:

"When shall we three meet again?

In thunder lightning, or in rain?"

Lines 14-15, Captain:

"And fortune, on his damnèd quarrel smiling,

Showed like a rebel's whore."

Act 5 Scene 2

Scottish lords join England

Lines

Literary Devices:

Act 5 Scene 3

Macbeth prepares for war.

Lines

Literary Devices:

Act 5 Scene 4

Malcolm moves Birnam Wood

Lines

Literary Devices:

The war begins

Act 5 Scene 6

Lady Macbeth dies

Act 5 Scene 5

Lines

Literary Devices:

Lines

Literary Devices:

Act 5 Scene 7

Macbeth kills Young Siward

Act 5 Scene 8

Lines

Macbeth Dies

Literary Devices:

Lines

Legend Continued:

Red = Exposition

Pink = Inciting Incedent

Green = Rising Action

Yellow = Climax

Orange = Crisis

Purple = Falling Action

Light Blue = Denounment loser lol

Dark Blue = Catastrophe

Macbeth

Legend

= 3 hours

= 1 hour 30 minutes

= 1 hour

There are 8 Structural Elements that are in Macbeth...

Purpose:

To identify the structural elements of Macbeth in chronological order

Plot Structure and Timeline