What happens in Act 1 of Macbeth?

Three witches prophesy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then king. When the first prophecy immediately comes true, Macbeth begins contemplating murder. Lady Macbeth, fearing her husband is too kind to seize the crown, pushes him to kill King Duncan while he is a guest in their castle. By the end of the act, Macbeth has committed to the assassination.

What does 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair' mean?

The witches' chant means that good is bad and bad is good — appearances are deceiving and moral order is inverted. It sets up the play's central theme: things that look fair (Macbeth the hero, the welcoming castle) hide something foul.

Why does Lady Macbeth say 'unsex me here'?

Lady Macbeth calls on spirits to strip away the traits her society associated with womanhood — tenderness, nurture, remorse — and fill her with cruelty instead, so nothing in her nature will prevent the murder of Duncan.

Shakespeare in Plain English

Macbeth · Tragedy · c. 1606

Act One

Three witches, one prophecy, and a marriage that should never have gotten career advice. All seven scenes, every line, with the original on the left leaf and plain modern English on the right.

Macbeth

The Original · First Folio

Plain Modern English

Hover or tap any line — its translation glows across the gutter.