[Music] three is a mystical number and a very important one in Macbeth one of Shakespeare's many plays infused with supernatural elements there are three witches or weird sisters who make two sets of three prophecies - Macbeth Macbeth plots three separate murders before inviting Macduff to lay on in their final decisive battle the third time's the charm we say even today in a casual version of an incantation William Shakespeare was born in stratford-upon-avon England although his birth date was not recorded he was baptised on April 26 1560 for meaning he was likely born in the preceding week his birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23rd he married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and they had two daughters and a son the latter of whom died in childhood as the primary writer and a performer with the Lord Chamberlain's Men Theatre Company Shakespeare was well established in London theatre when James the first James the sixth of Scotland became King of England in 1603 the Lord Chamberlain's Men enjoyed success under Elizabeth the first rain and when James the first was crowned the King formally took the company into his service the company then changed its name to the King's Men and were guests at the coronation his theatre career and investments had made his family financially comfortable by the time Shakespeare died in Stratford on April 23rd 1616 he was buried in Holy Trinity Church on April 25th 1616 Macbeth is based loosely on actual historical events the actual Macbeth ruled Scotland from 10:40 until 10:57 and killed his predecessor Duncan the first however the killing occurred on the battlefield not in Macbeth's castle further Macbeth was considered a fair and law oriented King not a tyrant as in the play Shakespeare's version of Scottish history was likely inspired by Raphael Holland shed who published his chronicles of England Scotland and Ireland in 1577 Holland sheds version includes the Weird Sisters and makes Banquo a co-conspirator with Macbeth the House of Stuart James the first family line claimed Banquo among its ancestors this is likely the reason Shakespeare changed Banquo into an honourable victim of his friend's treachery and why the play emphasizes Banquo's role as the father of many kings further the inclusion of witches was likely added in consideration of James the first condemnation and laws against witchcraft today the play carries significant superstition and many performers consider it to be cursed Macbeth opens with Macbeth defeating the treacherous McDonald and the Thane of Cawdor who began a rebellion against King Duncan of Scotland on his way back from the battle three witches appear and tell Macbeth and Banquo that Macbeth will become king and Banquo's descendants will be a long line of kings after Duncan promotes Macbeth as the new Thane of Cawdor he and his wife believing the prophecy decide to kill Duncan and take the throne Macbeth kills Duncan in his sleep and the couple freeing his guards Duncan's sons flee Scotland out of fear and Macbeth ascends to the throne seeing his friend Banquo whose descendants are to be kings as a threat Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son they killed Banquo but his son gets away at court Macbeth is driven mad at the sight of Banquo's ghost and he requests to see the witches again at the meeting with the witches Macbeth receives three additional prophecies beware Macduff no one born to a woman can harm him and his demise will come when a forest moves to his castle this makes him feel invincible meanwhile the things and Lords suspect something is going on Macduff goes to England and convinces Malcolm Duncan's son to fight Macbeth for the throne Macbeth orders the murderers to kill Macduff's wife and son at this time Lady Macbeth goes mad with guilt and dies Macbeth thinks life is meaningless Malcolm leads his troops to Scotland Macbeth convinced of his invincibility soon finds all of the prophecies come true Malcolm's men used branches from the forest to obscure the number of troops fighting alongside them and it is revealed that Macduff was born from a caesarean section Macduff kills Macbeth on the battlefield and Malcolm takes his rightful place on the throne blood represents the guilt that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth share after killing Duncan ghosts represent the way past actions come back to haunt the present and future storms symbolize unrest both politically and socially foreshadowing treason against a ruler Macbeth's tragic flaw and the driving force behind the plays murders is ambition Lady Macbeth rejects the traditional feminine role opting for ruthlessness prophecies act as destiny Macbeth freely acts in accordance with them characters who are loyal in the play are rewarded and those who are not are punished even if you have never read the play before now you might have realized that you quote from it every time you play it being a witch by saying double double toil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble like Banquo's ghost haunts Macbeth the weird mystical language of Shakespeare's play about them haunts us still four centuries after his death you