Macbeth returns to confirm Macduff’s story and reports to the group that, in his rage he has killed the guards for murdering the king. Macbeth goes to investigate, and while he is gone, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, and Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, all gather, awakened by the alarm. Macduff shouts out that the king is murdered. Macduff heads to Duncan’s chambers while Macbeth and Lennox talk about the night’s horrific and unnatural storm. Macbeth appears to greet them, pretending to have been awakened by their arrival. The knocking continues and a drunken porter admits two noblemen, Macduff and Lennox. Hearing a knock at the castle door, they rush off to bed. Furious because the murder weapons remain in his hand and he cannot bring himself to return them to the scene of the crime, she takes the daggers back so that Duncan’s guards appear guilty of the crime. He appears with the bloody daggers, and tells her that the deed is done. Having drugged Duncan’s guards, Lady Macbeth awaits Macbeth’s return from the king’s chamber. The bell tolls midnight-the signal for Macbeth to proceed to the king’s bedchamber. Left alone, Macbeth hallucinates a bloody dagger, and fears the dire effects of murdering the king. Macbeth dismisses their legitimacy, but agrees with Banquo to speak of them again. They speak of the Weird Sisters, and Banquo warns Macbeth against taking their prophecy seriously. While he awaits the appointed moment to kill the sleeping Duncan, Macbeth encounters Banquo. Macbeth concedes to go ahead with the murder that night. Macbeth fears the consequences of murdering Duncan, but Lady Macbeth furiously defends the plan and insults his manhood in now rescinding what she calls an oath. Duncan arrives at Inverness where Lady Macbeth, greeting him hospitably, speaks of how much she and her husband owe to their king. He recoils, and she tells him that she will take charge. When Macbeth returns home, Lady Macbeth tells him her plan to murder the king as he sleeps that night, a guest in their home. Lady Macbeth thinks her husband too weak-spirited to usurp the crown, but thinks that Duncan’s visit will provide them the opportunity. Lady Macbeth reads her husband’s letter telling her of the Weird Sisters’ half-fulfilled prophecy and the King’s imminent visit to their home. He then names his son Malcolm as heir to the throne-an obstacle in Macbeth’s eyes on his way to seeing the second prophecy fulfilled. Duncan receives the warriors warmly and arranges to visit Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth and Banquo are stunned that the witches’ prophecy has come true, and Macbeth muses on the second part of their prediction that he will be king. Ross and Angus arrive to bring the two men to the King, and report that Macbeth has been named Thane of Cawdor. The witches address Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor and the future king they tell Banquo that it will be his heirs who will rule Scotland. Returning from battle, Macbeth and Banquo come upon the Weird Sisters. The Thane of Cawdor, who led the rebels, will be executed, and his title given to Macbeth. At a battle camp, King Duncan of Scotland and his son Malcolm learn that Macbeth and Banquo’s heroic fighting against the rebels was successful.
The three Weird Sisters meet in thunder and lightening and await Macbeth.