Macbeth MM

Macbeth MM

1. characters

   • macbeth
     • Main character and also the villain
     • Went from hero at the start for fighting valiantly for his country and slowly turned into the villain, making this story a tragedy play
     • Corrupted by the 3 witches and and manipulated into commuting regicide, one of the worst acts imaginable, by his wife lady Macbeth through emasculation
   • lady macbeth
     • never personally killed anyone but committed suicide because of the guilt of murder
     • Macbeths wife
     • manipulated Macbeth into committing regicide by emasculating him
     • good example of the distorted great chain of being as she acts more powerful than her male companion, macbeth
     • when she commits suicide it can be seen as the order in the word somewhat being restored as she couldn't be stronger than her male counterpart.
   • banquo
     • Macbeths trusted companion in war
     • only person except Macbeth to actually witness the witches
   • king Duncan
     • first king of the story, killed by Macbeth in his sleep
     • his death symbolises the destruction of order and nature, like with the barn owl killing the hawk and the animals going crazy
     • assassination was not shown on stage as it wouldve ben considered blasphemous to demonstrate the act of regicide
   • fleance
     • Banquo's son
     • prophesised to become king
     • disappeared after murder attempt and not written about for the rest of the play
   • malcom
     • the third king of the story
     • was throned after macbeth was killed
   • donalbain
     • king Duncans son, Malcom's little brother
   • macduff
     • kills Macbeth in an act of revenge for his family
     • called a traitor of the country by Macbeth for leaving to go seek assistance from Malcom to fight against Macbeth
     • can be seen as the hero of the play
   • lady macduff
     • her and her children are slaughtered in their castle by murderers hired by Macbeth
   • the 3 witches
     • first encountered when Macbeth and Banquo are in war at the start of the play
     • gave Macbeth the prophecy that he would be king but would have a "fruitless crown", meaning that his any children he has would not inherit the throne
     • gave banquo his prohphecy of him not attaining the throne but his children wil, which is contradicted when Fleance disappears at the end, possibly to hint that the witches' prophecies were fake and they were just manipulating Macbeth
   • hecate
     • goddess of witchcraft
     • assists the witches on their manipulation of Macbeth