Answer: Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth kills the king, becomes the new kind, and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.
Explanation: Macbeth is based on the account of the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth in The Chronicles of Scotland, though with some notable differences. In Chronicles, Banquo is Macbeth's accomplice in the plot to overthrow King Duncan.