Macbeth Timeline

  • 1040

    Duncan's Death

    Duncan is murdered, and Macbeth takes the throne. The two suspects are Donalbain and Malcolm, Duncan's suns. They fled because Donailbain feared "Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize us?” (2,3,138-139)
  • 1046

    Banquo Killed

    The closest friend of the tyrant Macbeth is killed, Banquo, and almost his son. Almost as if the universe was trying to foreshadow something. Some are convinced Macbeth hired the murderers himself.
  • 1047

    Macbeth is Haunted

    However, Banquo now starts to haunt Macbeth for one reason or another, and Macbeth acts out of his persona. This becomes apparent when he says “If charnel houses and our graves must send those that we bury back, our monuments shall be the maws of kites.” (3,4,74-75)
  • 1052

    The Macduff family tragedy

    The next happening is the murder of Maduff’s wife and children no doubt by the hands of Macbeth once again. After Macduff hears news of this he quickly vows revenge, which will eventually come to pass.
  • 1057

    Lady Macbeths Sanity Flies out the Window

    Lady Macbeth starts to go crazy and repeatedly tries to wash her hands of blood that is not there. This is seen when she says “What, will my hands never be clean?” (5,1,31) It’s almost as if the universe revealed that Lady Macbeth is mirroring Macbeth’s going crazy
  • 1057

    Burnam Woods

    After Lady Macbeth the burnam woods, soldiers camouflaged with tree branches, marches on Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth then starts to panic as he knows he won’t live much longer.
  • 1057

    Coming Full Circle

    A fight then commences and the two parties fight vigorously, and with what little honor Macbeth has left he faces the threat head on. To no avail he dies at the hands of Macduff, as fate has decided.
  • 1057

    The Rightful King Takes His Place

    With the death of Macbeth the rightful King Malcolm assumes the throne.