Dunsinane Castle. Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband. Her ambition for Macbeth is clear, but so too her concern that he is not sufficiently ruthless to take matters into his own hands.

Lady Macbeth: 'Be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck', what knowledge is there now that I can be innocent of? Innocent, the eyes of one who sees the corpse of a king, smoothly hacked at like a ...

Scotland in the 11th century. Macbeth is leading the army for King Duncan against the invading Norwegians and a group of Scottish rebels. Once victory is secure Macbeth and Banquo set off to bring ...