1. King Duncan's Arrival: The play begins with King Duncan's arrival at Macbeth's castle in Inverness. Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, welcome the king and his entourage.
2. The Witches' Prophecies: While returning from battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches who make prophecies. They hail Macbeth as the future Thane of Cawdor and eventually the King of Scotland. Banquo is told that his descendants will become kings.
3. Macbeth's Internal Conflict: After the witches' prophecies, Macbeth becomes consumed by ambition and begins to consider murdering King Duncan to fulfill his desire for the throne. He is conflicted by his loyalty to the king and the temptation of power.
4. Lady Macbeth's Persuasion: Lady Macbeth plays a crucial role in convincing Macbeth to commit the murder. She manipulates him, using his ambition and masculinity, to overcome his moral reservations and carry out the regicide.
5. King Duncan's Murder: Macbeth ultimately succumbs to his ambition and murders King Duncan in his sleep. This pivotal event marks the beginning of Macbeth's downfall.
6. Macbeth's Guilt and Paranoia: After the murder, Macbeth becomes haunted by guilt and paranoia. He begins to hallucinate, seeing the ghost of Banquo and fearing retribution for his crime. His mental state deteriorates as the play progresses.
7. Banquo's Murder: To eliminate the threat of Banquo, who suspects Macbeth's involvement in Duncan's murder, Macbeth arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. However, Fleance escapes, leaving Macbeth fearful of future consequences.
8. Macbeth's Tyrannical Rule: As king, Macbeth becomes a ruthless and tyrannical ruler, fearing betrayal and rebellion. He orders the deaths of anyone he perceives as a threat, including Macduff's family.
9. The Battle of Dunsinane: In the final act of the play, Macduff leads an English army against Macbeth's forces in the Battle of Dunsinane. Macbeth faces his fate as the prophecies he once sought begin to unfold.
10. Macbeth's Death: Macbeth is defeated in battle by Macduff, who fulfills the witches' prophecy that he would not be vanquished by "any man of woman born" as Macduff was born through an unnatural Caesarean section.
The events that transpire at the king's headquarters in Macbeth serve as the backdrop for the play's exploration of themes such as power, ambition, guilt, and the consequences of one's actions.