The Witches - Illustration for Shakespeare's Macbeth

More about The Witches - Illustration for Shakespeare's Macbeth

Shakespeare's shortest tragedy is about a Scottish regicide.
Three witches plan to visit Macbeth (and throughout the play they help him understand the story with their predictions).
The armies of King Duncan of Scotland are fighting rebels, but Macbeth's steadfastness wins out, so the king wants to reward him. The three witches then arrive to tell Macbeth of the king's reward, and that he will soon be king of Scotland himself. Macbeth then receives his reward, becoming Thane (=Earl) of Cawdor. An earldom is also a kingdom, but a kingdom is an even greater kingdom, so he is eager to try. He is already planning to assassinate the regicide - his wife also supports the idea. The opportunity to murder arises immediately, because King Duncan is spending the night with Macbeth.
Macbeth prepares to flee, but she immediately questions his masculinity ("Are you afraid to be in reality: what are you in desire?"), so Macbeth kills the king and shifts suspicion to the bodyguards. Duncan's sons flee in fear, shifting suspicion onto themselves.