ious by their denial of the deed. Malcolm and Donalbain, the King's sons, fear and flee the country; and Macbeth, as next in power, is crowned King.Knowing that the noble Banquo suspects him of the murder of the King, and because he is also jealous of General Macbeth, because of the witches' prophecy. Macbeth invites him to a banquet as though he is honoring Banquo, but has him and his son assassinated by murderers. Banquo is slain, but his son Fleance escapes. At the banquet, Macbeth while surrounded by his noblemen, the tyrant King praises the absent Banquo. The ghost of the murdered Banquo enters and is only seen by Macbeth. Banquo's ghost takes a seat at the panel. In his terror at the spirit, the King utters words that lead the noblemen to suspect that he is guilty of the murder. To cover up for her husband's actions, the Queen, Lady Macbeth dismisses the assembly in bewilderment. Word comes to the nobles that Macduff, one of the most powerful of the Scottish lords, has joined Malcolm in England. Macbeth has come to be regarded as a cruel dictator. On the barren field, where Macbeth was met by the witches', the Queen of Evil comes to meet with the three witches to plot the King's downfall.When Macbeth visits the witches in their cavern and begs them to predict his destiny, they answer his demands by a show of vision. The first is of an armed head, which warns him to beware of Macduff. The second is of a bloody child, which promises that "none of woman born" shall harm Macbeth. The third vision is of a child with a tree in his hand, which promises him safety until Birnam Wood shall move against him. By these visions his fears are relieved, but a show of eight kings and the smiling ghost of Banquo, who points to the kings as his descendants irritates Macbeth's eyes. As he leaves the witches' cavern, the news comes to him of Macduff's journey to England, and in revenge has the nobleman's wife and children murdered. In England, a...
