Anatomy of Macbeth
William Shakespeare, 1606. Public domain in the UK and the US. Short, fast tragedy; ambition arc.
Ask Macbeth a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
17,992 words
27 chapters
84% dialogue
9.0 words a sentence
play script
1.2 hours to read
Lessons to borrow
- Ambition unchecked by conscience leads to self-destruction; Macbeth's desire for power drives him to murder, paranoia, and ultimately defeat.
- Supernatural or external forces can exploit existing weaknesses; the witches manipulate Macbeth's latent ambition through ambiguous prophecies that he misinterprets.
- Guilt manifests in psychological breakdown; Lady Macbeth's ruthlessness gives way to madness, and Macbeth's conscience torments him despite his outward confidence.
All 180 lenses
The 20 lenses below are the most asked for. The full set of 180 is grouped in 12 pages:
Beat positions Both
Story and structure · lens A1 · compare across books
| Beat | Where | Our reading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inciting incident | Ch 3 (SCENE III. A heath), about 8% through | The witches prophesy that Macbeth will be king, awakening his hidden ambition. | |
| First turning point | Ch 7 (SCENE VII. The same. A Lobby in the Castle), about 21% through | Lady Macbeth shames Macbeth into committing to murder Duncan. | |
| Midpoint | Ch 15 (SCENE IV. The same. A Room of state in the Palace), about 53% through | Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet and resolves to visit the witches again. | |
| Low point | Ch 23 (SCENE III. Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle), about 89% through | Macbeth learns that Birnam wood is moving and realises the witches have deceived him. | |
| Climax | Ch 27 (SCENE VIII. The same. Another part of the field), about 98% through | Macduff reveals he was born by caesarean section and kills Macbeth in combat. | |
| Resolution | Ch 27 (SCENE VIII. The same. Another part of the field), about 98% through | Malcolm is crowned king and order is restored to Scotland. |
This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? (Ch 3, para 48)
I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (Ch 7, para 16)
I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. (Ch 15, para 62)
I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. (Ch 23, para 25)
Percent is the middle of that chapter as a share of all words. The beat labels are our AI reading of the chapter notes.
Chapter length chart Count
Pace · lens D1 · compare across books
27 chapters. Median 530 words, shortest 198, longest 2,004. Whole book 17,992 words, about 1.2 hours at 250 words a minute.
Each bar is one chapter in reading order. Hover for the title and count.
Dialogue share per chapter Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C1 · compare across books
84% of all words are dialogue. Speech tags: "said" is 0% of tag verbs we found.
Cast and presence map Count
Character · lens B1, B2 · compare across books
| Character | Role (our reading) | Share of mentions | Chapters on page | First appears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macbeth | lead | 33% | 24 of 27 | Ch 1, para 3 |
| Duncan | minor | 14% | 17 of 27 | Ch 1, para 3 |
| Banquo | foil | 13% | 14 of 27 | Ch 1, para 3 |
| Macduff | antagonist | 10% | 15 of 27 | Ch 1, para 3 |
| Malcolm | ally | 6% | 12 of 27 | Ch 2, para 1 |
| Ross | ally | 4% | 12 of 27 | Ch 2, para 11 |
| Lady Macbeth | antagonist | 4% | 10 of 27 | Ch 1, para 4 |
| Fleance | minor | 4% | 6 of 27 | Ch 8, para 1 |
| Lennox | ally | 4% | 10 of 27 | Ch 2, para 1 |
| Donalbain | minor | 3% | 8 of 27 | Ch 2, para 1 |
| Siward | ally | 3% | 6 of 27 | Ch 17, para 3 |
| Hecate | antagonist | 2% | 4 of 27 | Ch 8, para 22 |
Who is on the page, chapter by chapter
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macbeth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duncan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Banquo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Macduff | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malcolm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ross | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lady Macbeth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fleance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lennox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Donalbain |
Most shared chapters: Duncan and Macbeth (17), Banquo and Macbeth (14), Macbeth and Macduff (12), Banquo and Duncan (11), Lady Macbeth and Macbeth (10).
Counts use the names and aliases in our cast list. A name in narration or speech counts as a mention.
Chapter ending hooks AI
Pace · lens D8 · compare across books
Chapter endings: 14 cliffhanger, 7 quiet, 4 reveal, 2 question.
Chapters end with cliffhangers revealing dark resolve, supernatural visions, and escalating violence, or with quiet moments of revelation that shift the balance of power. Most endings drive urgency and dread.
Every chapter ending
- Ch 1: quiet. A simple statement of place and time
- Ch 2: reveal. Duncan announces Macbeth will be made Thane of Cawdor
No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death, And with his former title greet Macbeth. (Ch 2, para 20)
- Ch 3: cliffhanger. Macbeth's aside hints at dark ambition: 'Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme'
This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? (Ch 3, para 48)
- Ch 4: reveal. Macbeth's aside shows his dark resolve: 'The Prince of Cumberland!, That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap'
The Prince of Cumberland!—That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. (Ch 4, para 13)
- Ch 5: cliffhanger. Lady Macbeth calls on dark spirits to unsex her and fill her with cruelty
Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! (Ch 5, para 11)
- Ch 6: quiet. Duncan and Lady Macbeth exit together, Duncan trusting and content
- Ch 7: cliffhanger. Macbeth commits to the deed: 'False face must hide what the false heart doth know'
I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (Ch 7, para 16)
- Ch 8: cliffhanger. Macbeth exits to commit murder: 'I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell.'
I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell. (Ch 8, para 24)
- Ch 9: cliffhanger. Macbeth despairs: 'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine'
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. (Ch 9, para 30)
- Ch 10: reveal. Malcolm and Donalbain decide to flee: 'There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody.'
There’s daggers in men’s smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody. (Ch 10, para 71)
- Ch 11: question. Macduff departs with a warning: 'Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!'
Well, may you see things well done there. Adieu! Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! (Ch 11, para 22)
- Ch 12: cliffhanger. Macbeth resolves: 'It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.'
It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, If it find heaven, must find it out tonight. (Ch 12, para 46)
- Ch 13: cliffhanger. Macbeth vows: 'Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. So, pr'ythee, go with me.'
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. So, pr’ythee, go with me. (Ch 13, para 18)
- Ch 14: cliffhanger. Fleance escapes: 'There's but one down: the son is fled.'
There’s but one down: the son is fled. (Ch 14, para 22)
- Ch 15: cliffhanger. Macbeth resolves: 'I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er.'
I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. (Ch 15, para 62)
- Ch 16: quiet. Hecate departs to prepare her trap: 'And you all know, security Is mortals' chiefest enemy.'
And you all know, security Is mortals’ chiefest enemy. (Ch 16, para 3)
- Ch 17: question. The lord hopes for divine aid: 'Some holy angel Fly to the court of England, and unfold His message ere he come'
- Ch 18: cliffhanger. Macbeth resolves: 'The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to th' edge o' th' sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls'
The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. (Ch 18, para 69)
- Ch 19: cliffhanger. Lady Macduff is pursued by murderers: 'Exit Lady Macduff, crying Murder! and pursued by the Murderers.'
Exit Lady Macduff, crying “Murder!” and pursued by the Murderers. (Ch 19, para 49)
- Ch 20: cliffhanger. Macduff vows: 'O, I could play the woman with mine eyes, And braggart with my tongue!, But, gentle heavens, Cut short all intermission; front to front, Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself'
O, I could play the woman with mine eyes, And braggart with my tongue!—But, gentle heavens, Cut short all intermission; front to front, Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself (Ch 20, para 68)
- Ch 21: quiet. The doctor concludes: 'This disease is beyond my practice: yet I have known those which have walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds.'
What’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed. (Ch 21, para 31)
- Ch 22: quiet. The nobles march: 'Make we our march towards Birnam.'
- Ch 23: cliffhanger. Macbeth resolves: 'I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.'
I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. (Ch 23, para 25)
- Ch 24: quiet. The army marches: 'Exeunt, marching.'
- Ch 25: cliffhanger. Macbeth resolves: 'Ring the alarum bell!, Blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we'll die with harness on our back.'
Ring the alarum bell!—Blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we’ll die with harness on our back. (Ch 25, para 19)
- Ch 26: quiet. Malcolm and Siward enter the castle: 'Exeunt. Alarums.'
- Ch 27: reveal. Malcolm is hailed as king: 'Hail, King of Scotland!'
Hail, King, for so thou art. Behold, where stands Th’ usurper’s cursed head: the time is free. (Ch 27, para 27)
Viewpoint per chapter Both
Viewpoint and narration · lens E2 · compare across books
Counted: the narration is mostly play script (first person words per 1,000 outside speech: 46.4).
The narrative shifts between characters, primarily following Macbeth but also showing Duncan, Lady Macbeth, Macduff, and others, allowing readers to see both Macbeth's internal corruption and the external consequences of his actions. This multi-perspective approach reveals the full scope of his tyranny.
- Ch 1: Narrator
- Ch 2: Duncan
- Ch 3 to 4: Macbeth
- Ch 5: Lady Macbeth
- Ch 6: Duncan
- Ch 7 to 9: Macbeth
- Ch 10: Macduff
- Ch 11: Ross
- Ch 12 to 13: Macbeth
- Ch 14: Murderers
- Ch 15: Macbeth
- Ch 16: Hecate
- Ch 17: Lennox
- Ch 18: Macbeth
- Ch 19: Lady Macduff
- Ch 20: Macduff
- Ch 21: Doctor
- Ch 22: Menteith
- Ch 23: Macbeth
- Ch 24: Malcolm
- Ch 25 to 26: Macbeth
- Ch 27: Macduff
Want and need of the lead AI
Character · lens B3 · compare across books
| Lead | Macbeth |
|---|---|
| Wants | To become king and secure his power against all threats. |
| Needs | To accept his fate and resist the temptation of ambition driven by supernatural manipulation. |
| False belief | That he can control his destiny through murder and that the witches' prophecies guarantee his safety. |
| Arc | negative. Macbeth descends from a loyal soldier into a paranoid tyrant consumed by guilt and ambition, ending in his death. |
Scene log AI
Story and structure · lens A4 · compare across books
One line per chapter: goal, conflict, outcome
| Ch | Summary | Goal | Conflict | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The play's opening lists the scenes, characters, and setting for the tragedy of Macbeth. | To establish the structure and cast of the play | None; this is a prologue | The reader learns what to expect |
| 2 | King Duncan hears from a bleeding captain and then Ross that Macbeth has won a great victory against rebels and the Norwegian king, and Duncan rewards him with the title Thane of Cawdor. | Duncan wants to learn the state of the battle | Reports come in of two separate threats, but both are overcome | Macbeth is praised and given Cawdor's title |
| 3 | Three witches meet on a heath and summon Macbeth and Banquo, hailing Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and future king, while promising Banquo that his children will be kings. | The witches want to meet Macbeth and plant prophecies | Macbeth and Banquo are puzzled and fearful of the strange greeting | The witches vanish; Ross and Angus confirm Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor |
| 4 | Duncan praises Macbeth and Banquo for their loyalty, then names his son Malcolm as Prince of Cumberland, which Macbeth sees as an obstacle to his ambition. | Duncan wants to reward his generals and secure the succession | Macbeth learns Malcolm is named heir, blocking his path to the throne | Duncan announces Malcolm as Prince of Cumberland |
| 5 | Lady Macbeth reads her husband's letter about the witches' prophecies and resolves to push him toward murder, then learns Duncan will visit their castle that night. | Lady Macbeth wants to ensure Macbeth seizes the crown | She fears his nature is too gentle and kind to act | She learns Duncan comes to Inverness and vows to orchestrate his death |
| 6 | Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle and is warmly welcomed by Lady Macbeth, who hides her murderous intent behind courteous words. | Duncan wants to honour Macbeth and enjoy his hospitality | Lady Macbeth must conceal her plan to murder him | Duncan enters the castle, unaware of the danger |
| 7 | Macbeth wrestles with his conscience about murdering Duncan, listing reasons not to kill him, but Lady Macbeth shames him into committing to the deed. | Macbeth wants to back out of the murder plan | Lady Macbeth challenges his manhood and resolve | Macbeth agrees to murder Duncan that night |
| 8 | Macbeth sees a dagger in his mind's eye as he prepares to murder Duncan, then hears the bell signal from Lady Macbeth to commit the deed. | Macbeth must steel himself to kill Duncan | His mind conjures a phantom dagger and he is wracked with fear | He hears the bell and goes to murder Duncan |
| 9 | Macbeth murders Duncan and returns to Lady Macbeth with bloody hands; she tries to calm him as he spirals into guilt and horror. | Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must complete the murder and cover it up | Macbeth is paralysed by guilt and fear; knocking at the gate threatens discovery | They frame the chamberlains and retire to their chamber |
| 10 | The Porter admits Macduff and Lennox; they discover Duncan's body; Macbeth kills the chamberlains and claims it was in rage; Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland in fear. | Macduff wants to wake Duncan; the court wants to understand the murder | Duncan is found dead; suspicion falls on the chamberlains and then on Macbeth | Malcolm and Donalbain flee; Macbeth is seen as the avenger |
| 11 | Ross and an Old Man discuss the unnatural events following Duncan's murder; Macduff reports that Macbeth has been named king and gone to Scone to be invested. | Ross and Macduff want to understand what has happened | Strange omens and the flight of Malcolm and Donalbain create suspicion | Macbeth is crowned king; Macduff goes to Fife instead of Scone |
| 12 | Macbeth, now king, fears Banquo and his descendants; he hires two murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance to prevent the witches' prophecy about Banquo's line from coming true. | Macbeth wants to secure his throne by eliminating Banquo and Fleance | Banquo's descendants are prophesied to be kings, threatening Macbeth's line | Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance |
| 13 | Lady Macbeth expresses her dissatisfaction with their hollow victory; Macbeth reveals his plan to murder Banquo and Fleance, hinting at further dark deeds to come. | Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want to secure their power | They are tormented by fear and guilt despite their success | Macbeth hints at a new murder plot |
| 14 | Three murderers ambush Banquo and Fleance; they kill Banquo but Fleance escapes into the darkness. | The murderers want to kill Banquo and Fleance | Fleance escapes in the darkness | Banquo is killed; Fleance flees |
| 15 | At a state banquet, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo twice, terrifying him; he dismisses the guests and resolves to visit the witches again for more prophecies. | Macbeth wants to celebrate his kingship with a feast | Banquo's ghost appears, revealing Macbeth's guilt and fear | The feast is ruined; Macbeth plans to consult the witches again |
| 16 | Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, scolds the three witches for dealing with Macbeth without her, then plans to lure him to his destruction through false confidence. | Hecate wants to punish the witches and destroy Macbeth | The witches have acted without her authority | Hecate plans to use illusions to lead Macbeth to his doom |
| 17 | Lennox and another lord discuss Macbeth's suspicious actions and reveal that Macduff has gone to England to seek help from Malcolm and the English king to overthrow Macbeth. | Lennox and the lord want to understand the political situation | Macbeth's tyranny has driven Macduff to seek foreign aid | Plans are made to raise an army against Macbeth |
| 18 | Macbeth visits the witches in a dark cave; they show him three apparitions that give him false confidence: none born of woman can harm him, Birnam wood will not come to Dunsinane, and Banquo's descendants will be kings. | Macbeth wants to know his future and secure his throne | The witches' prophecies are ambiguous and misleading | Macbeth gains false confidence and plans to kill Macduff's family |
| 19 | Lady Macduff and her son are visited by a messenger warning them to flee; murderers sent by Macbeth arrive and kill the boy and pursue Lady Macduff. | Lady Macduff wants to understand why her husband fled | Murderers arrive to kill her and her children | Lady Macduff's son is killed; she flees |
| 20 | Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty by claiming to be unfit to rule; Macduff despairs until Malcolm reveals he was testing him; Ross arrives with news that Macduff's family has been slaughtered. | Malcolm wants to test Macduff's loyalty; Macduff wants to raise an army | Malcolm's false claims of vice drive Macduff to despair; then comes the news of his family's murder | Macduff vows revenge; Malcolm and Macduff prepare to march on Macbeth |
| 21 | A doctor and gentlewoman observe Lady Macbeth sleepwalking and confessing her crimes, revealing her guilt and madness. | The doctor wants to understand Lady Macbeth's condition | Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking reveals her guilt and psychological torment | The doctor recognises her condition as beyond medical help |
| 22 | Scottish nobles march toward Birnam wood to join Malcolm's English army; they discuss Macbeth's madness and the people's hatred of his tyranny. | The Scottish nobles want to overthrow Macbeth | Macbeth's tyranny has alienated everyone | The army marches toward Birnam wood |
| 23 | Macbeth, confident in the witches' prophecies, prepares for siege; he learns of the approaching army and despairs at his isolation, then hears that Birnam wood is moving. | Macbeth wants to defend his castle against the approaching army | He learns that Birnam wood is moving toward Dunsinane | Macbeth realises the witches' prophecies are coming true |
| 24 | Malcolm's army approaches Birnam wood; Malcolm orders each soldier to cut down a bough and carry it before him to disguise their numbers. | Malcolm wants to approach Dunsinane with his army | The army needs to hide its true size | Each soldier cuts a bough from Birnam wood |
| 25 | Macbeth hears of his wife's death with indifference; a messenger reports that Birnam wood is moving; Macbeth realises the witches have deceived him and prepares for final battle. | Macbeth wants to hold his castle against the siege | He learns of his wife's death and that Birnam wood is moving | Macbeth prepares for a final stand |
| 26 | Macbeth fights young Siward and kills him; Macduff searches for Macbeth; Malcolm and Siward take the castle as the battle turns in their favour. | Macbeth wants to fight his enemies; Malcolm wants to take the castle | The battle rages; Macbeth kills young Siward but the castle is taken | Malcolm's forces gain the upper hand |
| 27 | Macbeth and Macduff fight; Macduff reveals he was born by caesarean section, not of woman; Macbeth refuses to yield and is killed; Malcolm is hailed as king. | Macbeth wants to fight Macduff; Macduff wants to kill Macbeth | Macbeth believes he cannot be harmed by one of woman born | Macduff kills Macbeth; Malcolm is crowned king |
Setups and payoffs AI
Story and structure · lens A8 · compare across books
| Planted | Pays off | |
|---|---|---|
| The witches prophesy that Macbeth will be king and Banquo's children will be kings. (Ch 3) | All prophecies are fulfilled or revealed as ambiguous by the end. (Ch 27) | |
| Malcolm is named Prince of Cumberland, creating an obstacle to Macbeth's ambition. (Ch 4) | Malcolm becomes king after Macbeth's defeat. (Ch 27) | |
| Duncan's arrival at Inverness provides the opportunity for murder. (Ch 5) | Macbeth murders Duncan that night. (Ch 9) | |
| Macbeth's plan to murder Banquo and Fleance. (Ch 12) | Banquo is killed but Fleance escapes. (Ch 14) | |
| Macduff's flight to England and alliance with Malcolm. (Ch 17) | Macduff returns with Malcolm's army to defeat Macbeth. (Ch 27) | |
| Macbeth's plan to murder Macduff's family. (Ch 18) | Macduff's wife and children are slaughtered. (Ch 19) | |
| The dagger vision foreshadows Macbeth's guilt and madness. (Ch 8) | Macbeth's guilt manifests in paranoia and despair throughout the play. (Ch 25) | |
| Lady Macbeth's ruthlessness and willingness to commit murder. (Ch 5) | Lady Macbeth's guilt drives her to madness and death. (Ch 21) |
brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d steel, Which smok’d with bloody execution (Ch 2, para 4)
All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter! (Ch 3, para 21)
Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way. (Ch 5, para 3)
Speech fingerprints Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C3 · compare across books
| Character | Share of attributed speech | Lines | Words a line | Questions per 100 lines | Exclaims per 100 | Pet words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macbeth | 34% | 145 | 31.8 | 47.6 | 40.0 | thou, shall, hath, i’ll, fear, thee |
| Lady Macbeth | 12% | 59 | 26.7 | 52.5 | 35.6 | shall, done, hath, look, lord, thou |
| Malcolm | 11% | 39 | 37.6 | 17.9 | 12.8 | shall, king, hath, macbeth, grace, leave |
| Macduff | 8% | 58 | 18.6 | 44.8 | 39.7 | thee, thou, scotland, hath, mine, things |
| Ross | 7% | 39 | 23.1 | 17.9 | 15.4 | where, king, most, thane, till, gainst |
| Banquo | 5% | 33 | 21.7 | 42.4 | 15.2 | look, speak, most, lord, fear, truth |
| Lennox | 4% | 21 | 23.9 | 42.9 | 33.3 | lord, night, please, fleance, macduff, things |
| Duncan | 3% | 18 | 22.6 | 33.3 | 33.3 | thee, worthy, cawdor, shall, hath, love |
| First Witch | 2% | 20 | 16.8 | 20.0 | 35.0 | i’ll, shall, hail, macbeth, thou, mounch’d |
| Doctor | 2% | 20 | 16.3 | 35.0 | 10.0 | walked, sleep, eyes, look, known, unnatural |
We give a line to a speaker only when one cast name appears in the narration of that paragraph, so many lines stay unattributed. Treat the figures as a sample.
Sentence length per chapter Count
Pace · lens D2 · compare across books
Mean sentence 9.0 words, median 4.0. 71% of sentences are under 10 words and 6% over 30. In the last fifth of the book, chapters run at 60% and sentences at 90% of the earlier average.
Emotional arc shape Count
Pace · lens D7 · compare across books
Computed shape: Cinderella (rise, fall, rise) (fit 0.69 on a scale of 0 to 1).
We score the mood of each paragraph with a standard word list, then average across 20 equal slices of the book and smooth it. It is a rough reading of word mood, not of plot, and old styles of English can fool it. Shapes follow Reagan and others (2016).
When the lead and the first dialogue arrive Count
Openings and endings · lens F3, F4 · compare across books
First line of dialogue: after 751 words (Ch 3, para 5), 4.2% into the book.
The lead, Macbeth, is first named after 66 words (Ch 1, para 3). In a first person book the narrator may be on the page from the first line before we learn the name.
Mystery clue list AI
Genre craft · lens G4 · compare across books
| Clue | Kind | Laid | Explained | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The witches know Macbeth will be king before anyone else does. | clue | Ch 3 | Ch 27 | |
| Banquo suspects the witches may be instruments of darkness. | clue | Ch 3 | Ch 18 | |
| None of woman born shall harm Macbeth. | clue | Ch 18 | Ch 27 | |
| Birnam wood shall come to Dunsinane. | clue | Ch 18 | Ch 24 | |
| Horses eat each other, a falcon is killed by an owl. | clue | Ch 11 | ||
| The chamberlains are found with blood on their hands and daggers. | red herring | Ch 10 | Ch 10 | |
| Macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripped. | clue | Ch 27 | Ch 27 |
On Tuesday last, A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d. (Ch 11, para 4)
He has borne all things well: and I do think, That had he Duncan’s sons under his key (As, and’t please heaven, he shall not) they should find What ’twere to kill a father (Ch 17, para 2)
Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. (Ch 18, para 38)
Antagonist AI
Character · lens B7 · compare across books
| Who | Lady Macbeth |
|---|---|
| Goal | To push Macbeth to murder Duncan and seize the throne. |
| Methods | Shaming Macbeth's manhood, calling on dark spirits, and manipulating his ambition. |
| Shows their hand | Ch 5 |
| Our note | Lady Macbeth's ruthlessness drives the initial murder but her guilt later destroys her mind. |
Tension curve AI
Pace · lens D6 · compare across books
Tension score per chapter, 1 to 5 (our AI reading). The play accelerates from political intrigue to murder to paranoid tyranny, with tension sustained through supernatural manipulation and escalating violence. The final chapters rush toward climax with rapid revelations and battle.
Subplot thread map Both
Story and structure · lens A7 · compare across books
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macbeth's rise and fall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witches' influence and prophecies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Macduff's revenge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lady Macbeth's guilt and madness | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malcolm's restoration | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Banquo's fate and ghost |
- Macbeth's rise and fall: Macbeth ascends from loyal soldier to paranoid tyrant, driven by ambition and supernatural manipulation, ending in defeat.
- Witches' influence and prophecies: The witches manipulate Macbeth through ambiguous prophecies that lead to his downfall.
- Macduff's revenge: Macduff flees to England, allies with Malcolm, and returns to kill Macbeth and avenge his family.
- Lady Macbeth's guilt and madness: Lady Macbeth's ruthless ambition gives way to guilt and madness as she sleepwalks and confesses her crimes.
- Malcolm's restoration: Malcolm flees Scotland, gains English support, and returns to defeat Macbeth and reclaim the throne.
- Banquo's fate and ghost: Banquo is murdered but his ghost haunts Macbeth, confirming his guilt and Fleance's escape.
Motif tracker AI
Theme and motif · lens J3 · compare across books
- Blood and guilt (Ch 2, 9, 10, 21): Blood represents both valour and guilt, with Macbeth unable to wash away the stains of his crimes.
- Prophecy and ambiguity (Ch 3, 16, 18, 23, 24, 27): The witches' prophecies are deliberately ambiguous, leading Macbeth to misinterpret them and causing his downfall.
- Appearance and reality (Ch 6, 7, 11, 15): Characters hide their true intentions behind courteous words and false faces, revealing the gap between what seems and what is.
- Ambition and paranoia (Ch 4, 12, 13, 15, 18): Macbeth's unchecked ambition breeds paranoia that drives him to commit more murders to secure his power.
- Darkness and evil (Ch 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19): Darkness surrounds evil deeds and supernatural forces, creating an atmosphere of moral corruption.
- Sleep and sleeplessness (Ch 8, 9): Macbeth murders sleep and loses his own rest, tormented by guilt and conscience.
This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses. (Ch 6, para 3)
Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:— I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. (Ch 8, para 22)
Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep,”—the innocent sleep; Sleep that knits up the ravell’d sleave of care (Ch 9, para 23)
Naught’s had, all’s spent, Where our desire is got without content: ’Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. (Ch 13, para 7)
Signature words Count
Prose style · lens H3 · compare across books
Words this book uses far more than the other books on our shelf (log odds, at least 8 uses). Names often top the list.
Commercial facts card Research
Commercial facts · lens L1, L2, L4 · compare across books
| First published | 1606 |
|---|---|
| Author died | 1616 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the UK (author died 1616, so life plus 70 years has passed) and in the US (first published 1606, before 1931). |
| Length | 17,992 words in 27 chapters; about 1.2 hours to read |
| Genre | Plays |
| Sales and adaptations | Coming in a later phase, with sources. |
Method: counts come from a clean public domain plain text, split into chapters and paragraphs with stable IDs (for example c3p12 is chapter 3, paragraph 12, in reading order). Lenses marked AI are our AI reading of each chapter, made once and stored. Every quote shown was checked word for word against the text; 0 AI quotes for this book failed that check and were dropped.
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