Macbeth

Macbeth

1. Characters

   • Macbeth
   • Lady Macbeth
   • King Duncan
   • Banquo
   • Malcom
   • Three Witches

2. The Plot

   • 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 king, and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.

3. Themes

   • The main theme of Macbeth —the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints—finds its most powerful expression in the play's two main characters. Macbeth is a courageous Scottish general who is not naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power and advancement.