macbeth

macbeth

1. plot

   • The play follows the progress of the title character as he becomes increasingly powerful, using any means to get what he wants - even murder. He is encouraged by the ruthless and bloodthirsty ambition of his wife, Lady Macbeth. However, power comes at a price and by the end of the play, Macbeth's world falls apart around him, he is defeated and a new king, Malcolm, is declared.

2. themes

   • ambition and power
   • the supernatural
   • apperances and reality

3. macbeth characters

   • macbeth - Shakespeare initially presents Macbeth as a warrior hero. The audience hears how Macbeth and Banquo bravely won a battle to save Scotland from rebels and invaders. We hear this even before we see Macbeth on stage. Duncan thinks Macbeth is great and the audience does too.
   • banquo - Banquo is another general in King Duncan's army and Macbeth's best friend. While both men have ambitious thoughts, Banquo is more cautious and does not resort to murder to get what he wants
   • king duncan - Shakespeare's Duncan is an elderly man, a respected and noble figure; as Macbeth reflects, he 'Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels
   • malcolm - His function in the text is to represent order – fixed, unyielding order – in contrast to the chaotic nightmare that Scotland has become under Macbeth. Malcolm is like his father, whose job it was to punish wrongdoing, reward good acts and keep things going on an even keel