MACBETH
A brave warrior in Scotland during an age where a person’s strength on the battlefield was seen as hugely important. He was loyal to the King until his own ambition (or after being manipulated by a combination of his wife and the witches – whichever you decide) leads to him killing King Duncan and ruining Scotland in the process.
PIVOTAL MOMENTS
-His introduction to the audience by the Captain
-His first meeting with the witches
-Lady Macbeth’s manipulation of his masculinity
-Killing King Duncan
-Becoming King of Scotland
-Murder of Banquo
-Murder of Macduff’s family
-Reaction to the death of his wife
-Final battle in which he is killed by Macduff
PURPOSE
Shakespeare delivers a warning to us all through Macbeth, that our unchecked ambition can lead to our ruin. He shows us that even the greatest of heroes can fall through their own ambition or the evil influences of others.
Given this is a play written with the King of England at the front of his mind, Macbeth the character also gives a warning about respecting the king and the natural line of kings!
STRETCH VOCAB
Valiant
Heroic
Treacherous
Perfidious
Naïve
Credulous
Eponymous character
Tragic hero
Key Quotation Analysis
LINKS WITH OTHER CHARACTERS
LADY MACBETH
Lady Macbeth is his wife and the two have a loving but volatile relationship. She has clear ambition for her husband, questions his masculinity when he backs out of killing Duncan, and takes control when he sees Banquo’s ghost. At the start of the play it seems she is the controlling force behind Macbeth but we question this later when they power dynamic reverses.
DUNCAN
Duncan, King of Scotland at the start of the play, rewards Macbeth for his bravery. It seems that their relationship is so close that Macbeth thinks it possible Duncan will even make him king over his own son. Their relationship ends though when it becomes clear that this won’t happen and Macbeth, in his own castle, murders his guest Duncan.
THE WITCHES
The Witches are a fascination for Macbeth and they ignite his ambitions to become king. In their second round of prophecies, they leave Macbeth feeling invincible. Do they just inspire his evil ambitions? Or do they hold a more magical power over his mind? You decide.
BANQUO
Banquo is his loyal friend and is with Macbeth after the battle where they meet the witches. Banquo appears to have few of the dangerous traits of Macbeth and warns him against listening to the witches. Banquo ultimately knows too much though and Macbeth’s paranoid fears and thirst for power lead him to killing Banquo and attempting to kill his son, Fleance.
MACDUFF
Macduff is Macbeth’s foil (opposite). Macduff chooses country over power and fights to remove Macbeth from the throne and return Scotland to its rightful rulers.