Three witches prophesy to Macbeth that he will become King of Scotland. He hesitates — Lady Macbeth does not. She organises the murder of King Duncan, a guest in their castle. Macbeth kills, but trembles. Lady Macbeth returns the daggers, smears blood on the sleeping servants. Macbeth becomes king, but his paranoia grows. He has Banco murdered — whose ghost appears at the coronation banquet, visible only to Macbeth, who screams in front of the horrified guests.

Macbeth returns to the witches, who give him ambiguous prophecies: no man born of woman can kill him, and he will be invincible until Birnam Wood moves. Macbeth feels invincible. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth, consumed by guilt, sleepwalks trying to wash imaginary blood from her hands. Macduff raises an army — soldiers advance camouflaged with branches from Birnam Wood. Macduff reveals he was born by caesarean section. Macbeth understands the prophecies have deceived him. He is killed.