Here’s a concise 4-paragraph summary of Macbeth:

Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about a brave Scottish general named Macbeth who encounters three witches on a battlefield. They prophesy that he will become king one day. Fueled by ambition and encouraged by his wife, Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan to take the throne. However, this act sets off a chain of guilt and paranoia.

After becoming king, Macbeth grows increasingly fearful of losing his power, especially because the witches predicted that Banquo’s descendants will inherit the throne. To prevent this, Macbeth arranges the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance. Though Banquo is killed, Fleance escapes, leaving Macbeth haunted by guilt and the fear of losing control.

As Macbeth’s tyranny grows, he becomes ruthless, ordering the slaughter of Macduff’s family and trusting in the witches’ ambiguous prophecies to protect him. Meanwhile, Macduff joins forces with Malcolm, Duncan’s son, to overthrow Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, consumed by guilt, descends into madness and eventually dies.

In the final act, Malcolm leads an army to attack Macbeth’s castle. The witches’ prophecy comes true as the forest of Birnam Wood appears to move toward Dunsinane, and Macduff kills Macbeth, revealing he was born by cesarean section—“not of woman born.” Malcolm is crowned king, restoring order and justice to Scotland.