Macbeth - Character Analysis Flashcards
Who is Macbeth?
+The main character
+Macbeth is a strong warrior who fights bravely in battle
What main character trait does Macbeth have?
+He’s ambitious - he wants to become King of Scotland and will do anything to make this happen, even commit murder.
What does Macbeth have that can prevent him from doing certain things.
+However, he’s got a conscience and often doubts whether he’s doing the right thing - He spends a lot of time feeling guilty.
How easily influenced can Macbeth be by others?
+He’s very easily influenced by others, which means he can be weak.
How does Shakespeare use language to portray Macbeth’s state of mind?
+The way Macbeth speaks reflects his state of mind.
+He asks a lot of questions when he’s feeling uncertain or guilty: “Whence is that knocking?/How is’t with me, when every noise appals me?”.
+At the start and end of the play, his language is more certain and confident: “Stars, hide your fires”, “I will not yield”.
Macbeth is…[3]
ambitious:“I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition”
brave:“brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name”
guilty:“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean from my hand?”
How does Shakespeare present Macbeth as a brave hero?
+At the start of the play, Macbeth is described as a “valiant” warrior.
+Rosse compares him to “Bellona’s bridegroom” - he’s saying that Macbeth is like Mars, the god of war.
Whom does Macbeth’s brave actions impress?
+Macbeth’s brave actions impress the King, who names him Thane of Cawdor.
+This title shows that the King recognises Macbeth’s “personal venture” [how bravely he fought] and loyalty.
Where does Macbeth seem most comfortable?
+Macbeth seems most comfortable on the battlefield - When he’s fighting, he doesn’t have to worry about his guilty conscience and the morality of his actions.
+Macbeth dies in battle too - he fights “bear like” to the end, even though he knows he’s doomed - He’s determined to “try the last” and says that he “will not yield”.
How does Shakespeare structure Macbeth’s “brave soldier” character?
+Writer’s Techniques - Structure:
+By the end of the play, Macbeth’s come full circle - he’s returned to being the brave soldier he was in Act 1.
+This contrasts with the middle of the play, where he seems weak and uncertain.
How is Macbeth also a brutal murderer?
+Macbeth’s brave but also a cold and calculating killer - He murders Duncan because he wants to be King.
+He also has Macduff’s family and Banquo killed because he’s worried about losing his position.
Give an example of how Macbeth can be easily influenced
+Macbeth is easily influenced by the people around him.
+He lets Lady Macbeth persuade him to kill Duncan because he wants to become King - his ambition is stronger than his morality.
How has Macbeth’s violent ambition ruined all his noble characteristics?
+At the end of the play, Macduff calls Macbeth a “hell-hound” and Young Siward calls him “abhorrèd tyrant” - Macbeth’s violent ambition has ruined all his noble characteristics.
How does Macbeth contrast his fate and free will?
+Theme - Fate and Free Will: When Macbeth says, “I am settled and bend up/Each corporal agent to this terrible feat”, it sounds like he’s making a deliberate decision to kill Duncan.
+Later, he says that he didn’t have control over his actions because he’s just a “poor player” who’s controlled by fate [or he could be trying to make himself feel less guilty about his crimes].
How does Macbeth struggle with his conscience?
+Macbeth has a strong sense of right and wrong - He worries about the consequences of his actions because there’s “judgement” on earth and “deep damnation” after death.
+This makes his actions more shocking
Why is Mabeth reluctant to kill Duncan?
+He’s reluctant to kill Duncan, who has “honoured” him, and says, “We will proceed no further in this business” - He sounds confident, as if he’s made up his mind -
+Macbeth recognises that Duncan trusts him as “his kinsman” and that as Duncan’s “host” he has a duty to protect him.
How does Macbeth place his own desires above his love of Scotland?
+Macbeth knows that Duncan is a good king - “clear in his great office”, and that killing him would damage Scotland.
+Macbeth places his own desires above his love of Scotland by plotting to kill Duncan - this hints that he’ll be a bad king.
What happens to Macbeth once he’s killed Duncan?
+Once he’s killed Duncan, Macbeth swings between killing anyone who threatens his position as King and moments of despair when he struggles with terrible guilt.
- +His guilty conscience makes him imagine things:
- Immediately after killing Duncan he hears a voice saying, “Macbeth does murder sleep”.
- After arranging for Banquo to be murdered, he sees Banquo’s ghost at the feast and almost gives himself away - Lady Macbeth thinks he’s hallucinating.
What happens to Macbeth by the end of the play?
+By the end of the play, Macbeth seems world-weary and cynical - he no longer seems to feel guilty because he thinks that a person’s actions don’t matter and that life means “nothing” [nihilism]
How is Macbeth easily influenced?
+Lady Macbeth greatly influences Macbeth - he wouldn’t kill Duncan if it wasn’t for her - Macbeth acts because he doesn’t want to be seen as unmanly or a “coward”.
+Writer’s Techniques - Symbolism: Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan by suggesting that he’ll be “more the man” - Throughout the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth link masculinity with strength and courage.
How does Lady Macbeth’s influence over Macbeth decline through the play?
+Lady Macbeth’s influence over Macbeth declines after Duncan’s murder - once he’s murdered Duncan, the other murders seem to come more easily to Macbeth, so he acts alone.
How is Macbeth influenced by the supernatural?
- The first time he meets the Witches, he trusts them straightaway, saying “Two truths are told”. - However, Banquo is suspicious of them and thinks they want to “win us to our harm”.
- He sees a dagger that leads him to Duncan’s room
- As the Witches’ prophecies start to come true, Macbeth’s belief in them increases - He begins to rely more heavily on what they say, and panics when their prophecies are fulfilled unexpectedly.
Write about Macbeth’s good qualities as well as his bad ones…
+Poor Macbeth - he wants to be good but he just can’t stop murdering people – it’s a shame because he starts off as such as a hero.
+It all goes downhill when his wife and his ambition get the better of him.
What is Lady Macbeth’s main characteristics?
She is cruel and ruthless
Who is Lady Macbeth?
+Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife - she’s an important character because she influences Macbeth, especially at the start of the play.
+She’s ambitious and doesn’t want mind commiting commiting terrible crimes to get what she wants.
How does Lady Macbeth change over the course of the play?
+Lady Macbeth changes over the course of the play.
+At the beginning she’s dominant and confident - she persuades Macbeth that killing Duncan is the best thing to do.
Lady Macbeth is…[3]
+cruel:“And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull/Of direst cruelty”
+cunning:“look like th’innocent flower,/But be the serpent under’t”
+disturbed:“she is troubled with thick coming fancies”
What happens once Lady Macbeth has commited murder?
+Once Macbeth has committed murder, Lady Macbeth is slowly driven mad by guilt.
+Macbeth distances himself from her and she kills herself because she can’t live with what they’ve done.
Describe how Lady Macbeth is very ambitious.
+Lady Macbeth is just as ambitious as Macbeth - when she gets his letter, she immediately assumes that they need to kill Duncan - She’s more ruthless than her husband.
+Theme - Good and Evil: Lady Macbeth says that Macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness” - she thinks that his goodness makes him a “coward” and stops him from achieving his ambitions.
What does Lady Macbeth think about ordinary women?
+She thinks that no ordinary woman would plan this murder - That’s why she appeals to the spirit to “unsex” her and fill her with “direst cruelty”.
What does Lady Macbeth know about her husband?
+Lady Macbeth knows her husband’s weak spots - she uses his ambition and fear of being seen as a coward to manipulate him into killing Duncan.
What does Lady Macbeth link masculinity to?
+Writer’s Techniques - Symbolism: Lady Macbeth links masculinity to strength and violence, but Shakespeare shows that women can be just as ruthless and cold-hearted as men.
How is Lady Macbeth clever and quick-witted?
+Lady Macbeth is the one who comes up with the cunning plot to drug Duncan’s servants and frame them for murder - This shows that she’s clever as well as cruel and heartless.
What does Lady Macbeth do when Duncan’s murder is discovered?
+When Duncan’s murder is discovered, Lady Macbth faints - This could be a pretence, which cleverly draws attention away from the unconvincing speech that Macbeth’s making.
+Lady Macbeth also covers up Macbeth’s strange behaviour when he thinks that he sees Banquo’s ghost - She’s the one in control of the situation.
+Theme - Reality and Appearances: If Lady Macbeth only pretends to faint, she’s taking advantage of the way women were viewed at the time - She’s using the stereotype of a weak woman overcome by shock to hide the reality of her cruel, cold-hearted nature.
How does Shakespeare use Lady Macbeth to explore gender and power?
+Women were traditionally seen as kinder and weaker than men, but Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth to show that this isn’t always true - She says she would kill her own baby if she’d sworn to do it; Shakespeare contrasts her with Lady Macduff, who’s a caring mother.
+Writer’s techniques - Symbolism: Lady Macbeth thinks women are made weak by their maternal instincts - she tells the spirits to “Come to my woman’s breasts/And take my milk for gall”; she wants to lose her femininity.
What is Lady Macbeth’s power?
+Lady Macbeth’s power lies in manipulating people - This shows that non-violent ‘female’ traits are just as powerful as violent ‘male’ ones.
How does Lady Macbeth have a softer side?
+Lady Macebeth does have a softer side - She says that she couldn’t kill Duncan herself because he reminded her of her father; this shows that she’s not as cold-hearted as she appears.
+Theme - Ambition: Macbeth is set in a violent, male-dominated society, so Lady Macbeth can only achieve her ambitions through Macbeth.
What does Lady Macbeth become by the end of the play?
+She goes mad with guilt and kills herself.
+At first, it’s Macbeth who struggles with his guilty conscience - By the end of the play, Lady Macbeth is driven mad by guilt.
When does Lady Macbeth start sleepwalking?
+At the end of the play [Act 5 Scene 1]
+The doctor calls this a “great pertubation in nature” because her mind is so disturbed that it’s affected her ability to sleep soundly.
+Writer’s Techniques - Symbolism: Sleepwalking was thought to be unnatural in Shakespeare’s time - sleep is the “Balm of hurt minds”, so the fact that Lady Macbeth can’t sleep peacefully emphasises her madness.
How does Shakespeare use Language to reflect Lady Macbeth’s state of mind?
+Language - The way Lady Macbeth speaks reflects her state of mind - at the beginning, she speaks confidently in verse.
+By the end, her speech is made up of mad ramblings and repetitions - “Come,come,come,come,give me your hand.” - It shows that she’s lost all self-control.
What does Lady Macbeth do in her sleep by the end of the play?
+In her sleep, she keeps washing her hands in the hope that she can wash away her feelings of guilt just as easily as the blood after Duncan’s murder: “Out,damned spot!”
Why does Lady Macbeth kill herself?
+Guilt and isolation affect Lady Macbeth so much that she kills herself - she can’t live with what she’s done.
What is the Macbeths’ marriage like?
+The Macbeths’ marriage is intense
+Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship changes - At the beginning, their marriage seems loving and passionate; Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth “my dearest partner of greatness”.
+As the play develops, it becomes clear that Lady Macbeth dominates Macbeth - she manipulates him into killing Duncan and covers up his strange behaviour when he sees Banquo’s ghost.
+As Macbeth reveals less about his plans to his wife, Lady Macbeth becomes increasingly anxious and alone - Even though she’s domineering at the beginning, she can’t cope without her husband.
How does Shakespeare portray Lady Macbeth overall?
+“look like th’innocent flower,/But be the serpent under ‘t”
+Lady Macbeth is as ambitious as her husband, and she’s the brains behind Duncan’s murder - But her tough-girl attitude soon gives way to terrible guilt - By the end of the play she’s an emotional wreck.
Who is Duncan?
+Duncan’s kind, but too trusting
+Duncan’s the King at the start of the play - He’s a kind an generous man who rewards loyalty; he hands out honours to Mathbeth and Malcolm.
+Nobody has a bad word to say about Duncan - even Macbeth says that “his virtues/Will plead like angels”.
Duncan is…[3]
+kind:“let me enfold thee/And hold thee to my heart”
+trusting:“There’s no art/To find the mind’s construction in the face”
+a good king:“So clear in his great office”
What is Duncan’s flaw?
+Duncan’s flaw is that he’s too trusting - He trusts Macbeth and doesn’t suspect he’s plotting to kill him, and he describes the treacherous Thane of Cawdor as “a gentleman on whom I built/An absolute trust”.
+However, Duncan can be firm when needed - he executes the Thane of Cawdor when he betrays him.
How does Shakespeare present Duncan as an example of a good king?
+Shakespeare presents Duncan as a model king - he’s kind,honest and fair.
+Writer’s Techniques - Symbolism: Duncan uses a lot of plant imagery - he says he will “plant” Macbeth and make sure he is “full of growing” - This shows how he nurtures his subjects.
Why does Macbeth think he shouldn’t kill Duncan?
+Macbeth says that one of the reasons that he shouldn’t kill Duncan is because he’s a good leader with many “virtues”.
+Macduff also calls him “a most sainted king”, reminding the audience that kings were thought to be chosen by God.
What are Duncan’s main characteristics?
+Duncan is kind, generous and trusting, and puts Scotland’s needs ahead of his own.
+This contrasts with Macbeth, who is a bad king - he’s a tyrant who’s feared and hated; Macbeth puts his own selfish desires ahead of his country.
+Theme - Kingship: In Act 4, Scene, Malcolm talks about what a good king should be like - He says a ruler should have “stableness”, “mercy” and “justice” - qualities that Duncan has.
How isn’t Duncan like other men?
+Duncan isn’t a soldier like Macbeth or Macduff - he’s gentle and less aggressive; He doesn’t fight himself, but sensibly sends his best soldiers to fight for him.
+He’s not afraid to be emotional - he shows “drops of sorrow” because he’s so happy and talks about his “gentle senses” - this could be seen as unmanly.
+Writer’s Techniques - Symbolism: Duncan doesn’t have the qualities that other characters associate with manliness, but Shakespeare shows that he’s kind,fair and generous - This leads to the audience to question whether a good leader really needs to be a violent warrior.
How does Shakespeare present Duncan overall?
+“his virtues/Will plead like angels”
+Shakespeare leaves the audience in no doubt that Duncan is loved by all his subject - He’s kind and trusting - but it’s these qualities that lead him to trust Macbeth, and put Scotland in the hands of a tyrant.
Who are Malcolm and Donalbain?
+Malcolm and Donalbain are Duncan’s sons - Malcolm is the eldest, and Duncan makes him his heir; This means that he should be the next King of Scotland, not Macbeth.
What do Malcolm and Donalbain do?
+They learn from their father’s mistakes
What is Malcolm like?
+Malcolm is fair and honest, like his father - However, unlike Duncan, Malcolm and Donalbain are aware that they’re in danger from those closest to them: “They’re daggers in men’s smiles, the near’r in blood,/The nearer bloody”.
+They have common sense to flee Scotland after Duncan is murdered.
What does Malcolm learn he should do?
+Malcolm learns that he should only trust people who have proved their loyalty - When Macduff visits him, Malcolm tests his loyalty by pretending to be a tyrant; He knows that even people who seem good can be evil - “all things foul would waer the brows of grace”
What happens to the partnership of Malcolm and Macduff in the end?
+In the end, Malcolm and Macduff make a good partnership because Macduff’s experience gives Malcolm the confidence to take action.
Malcolm is…[2]
+wise:“wisdom plucks me/From over-credulous haste”
+honest:“delight/No less in truth than life”
What are Malcolm and Donalbain not?
+They aren’t impulsive
+Malcolm and Donalbain don’t react to their father’s murder immediately - Malcolm says that their sorrow is too “strong” to act on it straight away; It shows that he’s sensible and unwilling to act without waiting for the right time.
What are Malcolm and Donalbain annoyed at?
+They’re annoyed that Macbeth is making grand speeches which should be made by Duncan’s sons - Malcolm asks Donalbain, “Why do we hold our tongues”.
+Theme - Reality and Appearance: Malcolm is more suspicious of false appearances than Duncan was - he says, “To show an unfelt sorrow is an office/Which the false man does easy”; He’s wary of people like Macbeth.
What does Malcolm develop into?
+Malcolm develops into a good leader
+Malcolm becomes a confident leader - He earns the trust of the Scottish thanes, who say they will “give obedience where ‘tis truly owed”; They will follow Malcolm because he’s the rightful King.
What does Malcolm eventually do?
+Malcolm eventually returns to Scotland with an army - He proves that he’s clever by disguising the soldiers with branches, and leads his army to victory, which shows he’s a strong leader.
How does Malcolm thank the people who stayed with him?
+He rewards everyone who fought with him - like Duncan, he’s generous to those who are loyal to him.
+Theme - Kingship: Malcolm has many of the qualities that made Duncan a good King, but he’s less naive than his father - This suggests that he’ll eventually make a better King.
Explain how Malcolm demonstrates good Kingship.
+Shakespeare has nothing bad to say about Malcolm: he’s cautious, he’s generous, he’s a good leader, he looks great in a kilt… He’s the opposite of Macbeth, and will be an even better King than Duncan.
How is Banquo better than Macbeth?
Banquo is more honourable than Macbeth
Who is Banquo?
+Banquo is a thane like Macbeth - he’s there when the Witches first make their prophecies.
What is Banquo praised for?
+Banquo is praised for his courage in battle - just like Macbeth.
+However, while Macbeth is guided by his own selfish desires, Banquo has a “wisdom that doth guide his valour”. - This suggests that Banquo thinks before he acts and does what is right.
Banquo is…[3]
+brave:“that dauntless temper of his mind”
+noble:“Noble Banquo, /That hast no less deserved”
+wise:“The instruments of darkness tell us truths, /Win us with with honest trifles - to betray’s”
How is Banquo similar to Macbeth?
+Like Macbeth, Banquo is ambitious and hopes the Witches’ prophecies come true.
+He doesn’t act on their predictions, so he represents the path Macbeth could have chosen.
+Banquo isn’t corrupted by his ambition like Macbeth is, so he remains honourable.
What does Macbeth promise Banquo?
+Macbeth promises to “honour” Banquo for his loyalty, but Banquo chooses to keep his “allegiance clear” - his conscience is more important to him than power and glory.
Whom does Banquo not trust?
The Witches
How does Banquo behave when he meets the Witches?
+Banquo behaves rationally when he meets the Witches - he questions whether they are real and doesn’t trust them.
+In contrast, Macbeth wants them to tell him more, and is “rapt withal”.
What does Banquo tell the Witches?
+Banquo tells the Witches that he “neither beg nor fear/Your favours”, but he’s still intrigued to hear what they have to say.
+He admits to having “dreamt last night of the three weÏrd sisters”, which suggests he’s still thinking about the predictions.
How is Banquo aware of the Witches?
+Theme - Reality and Appearance: Banquo’s aware that the Witches could be “fantastical” and is perceptive enough to realise that they are “instruments of darkness” that could “win us to our harm”.
+He’s more cautious about believing what he sees than Macbeth is.
What does Banquo not do?
+Banquo doesn’t act to protect himself.
What does Banquo suspect?
+Banquo suspects that Macbeth murdered Duncan - “I fear, /Thou play’dst most foully”
+However, he doesn’t act on his suspicions and instead reminds himself that he will be the “father/Of many kings” - this shows that ambitious thoughts can distract even the most honourable characters.
What does Macbeth see Banquo as during the middle of the play?
+Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat - he says that there’s no one except Banquo “Whose being do I fear”.
+When Macbeth’s hired killers surround him, Banquo’s exclamation of “O, treachery!” shows that he didn’t suspect that Macbeth would betray him.
+Theme - Supernatural: Macbeth is haunted by Banquo’s ghost, which shows how guilty Macbeth feels about killing his honourable friend.
Make comparisons between Macbeth and Banquo…
+Macbeth and Banquo aren’t total opposites - both are warriors and both are ambitious.
+But unlike Macbeth, Banquo distrusts the Witches - he wants his descendants to be kings, but he won’t kill to make it happen.
What are Macduff’s main characteristics?
Macduff is honest and sincere
Who is Macduff?
+Macduff is a nobleman - He’s honest and has integrity, so he acts as a contrast to Macbeth.
+He discovers Duncan’s murder and is horrified by it.
Macduff is…[3]
noble:“this noble passion, /Child of integrity”
a soldier:“I have no words: /My voice is my sword”
emotional:“I must also feel it as a man”
What does Macduff not go to?
+Macduff doesn’t go to Macbeth’s coronation - this suggests that he is suspicious of Macbeth.
What does Macduff have a strong sense of?
+Macduff has a strong sense of loyalty and love for his country.
+He doesn’t like the way Macbeth rules, so he goes to England to persuade Malcolm to help - he exclaims “O Scotland, Scotland!” which reflects his emotional turmoil about the state of his country.
How is Macduff brave?
+Macduff is brave - he fights and kills Macbeth, freeing Scotland from “the tyrant”.
What does Macduff put before his family?
+Macduff puts his country before his family
How does Macduff make a mistake?
+Macduff makes a mistake by going to England, leaving his wife and children unprotected - His decision shows his strong sense of justice, but also his lack of “wisdom”.
What happens when Macduff finds out Macbeth has murdered his family?
+When he finds out Macbeth has had his family murdered, he is overcome with grief - His reaction shows his disbelief: “All my pretty ones?/Did you say all?”
+In contrast with the other men who see emotions as a sign of weakness, Macduff says that he will “feel” his grief “as a man”.
+This shows that he sees the ability to show emotion as an important part of his masculinity.
Who does Macduff kill?
+Macduff kills Macbeth both to put the rightful heir on the throne and to avenge his family.
+He thinks that his wife and children will “haunt” him until he kills Macbeth.
What can’t Lady Macduff understand?
Lady Macduff can’t understand her husband’s actions
What does Lady Macduff say when Macduff goes to England?
+When Macduff goes to England, Lady Macduff says that he lacks “the natural touch” - she thinks his behaviour shows a lack of fatherly love.
How does Lady Macduff show courage?
+Lady Macduff shows courage as she comforts her son, calling him “Poor bird”.
+Her love and affection for him are clear - They speak in prose, which makes the scene feel natural and homely; this makes the murders even more shocking and horrible.
What does Lady Macduff’s goodness contrast with?
+Theme - Good and Evil: Lady Macduff’s goodness and caring behaviour towards her son contrast with Lady Macbeth’s unnatural, evil desires - she says she’d kill her baby to get what she wants.
What do the Witches have?
The Witches have supernatural powers
What are the Three Witches also known as?
+The Three Witches are also known as the Weïrd Sisters.
+The word “weird” comes from the Old English word “wyrd”, which means “fate” - this suggests that the Witches are instruments of fate.
How do the Witches look like?
+They look like ugly women with beards, which suggests straight away that they’re unnatural and evil.
The Witches are…[3]
+evil:“instruments of darkness”
+ambiguous:“This supernatural soliciting/Cannot be ill, cannot be good.”
+strange:“So withered and so wild”
What can the Witches see?
+The Witches can see the future - all their predictions come true eventually.
+They seem to act out of malice - they don’t gain anything from their actions, they just like causing trouble.
How do the Witches speak?
+They speak in short lines that rhyme - this sets them apart from the other characters.
+Lines like “Eye of newt, and toe of frog, /Wool of bat, and tongue of dog” make them sound gruesome and evil.
What is Banquo not sure about the Witches?
+Banquo isn’t sure whether the Witches are real or imaginary - “Are ye fantastical, or that indeed/Which outwardly ye show?”.
+He’s suspicious that their appearance is misleading.
How do the Witches hint that nothing is as it seems in the play?
+Theme - Reality and Appearance: The Witches’ line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” shows that nothing is as it seems in the play.
The Witches are evil, but what do they not tell Macbeth?
+They do not tell Macbeth to murder Duncan
How are the Witches usually accompanied?
+The Witches are usually accompanied by “Thunder and lightning”.
+This makes the atmosphere dark and frightening.
What do the Witches make?
+The Witches make prophecies but they never explain how they’ll happen.
+In this way, they take advantage of Macbeth’s weakness [his “Vaulting ambition”] and use it to control his actions.
What do the Witches not tell Macbeth?
+The Witches don’t tell Macbeth to murder Duncan - but they do predict he’ll be king, which pushes him to kill Duncan.
+This is a self-fulfilling prophecy - Macbeth makes it come true.
+Theme - Fate and Free Will: Shakespeare doesn’t make it clear whether the Witches are messengers of fate [so their prophecies are inevitable] or whether Macbeth could change his future.
How do the Witches confuse Macbeth?
+The Witches confuse Macbeth using paradoxes - for example, telling him that Banqup will be “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater”.
+By not being clear about what the future holds, they keep control of Macbeth.
Who is Hecate?
+Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft - she’s angry at Macbeth’s behaviour, so she uses the apparitions to punish him.
+They trick him by making predictions that give him a false sense of security, such as “none of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth” - these predictions indirectly lead to his death.
What do the Witches predictions influence?
+The Witches predictions influence Macbeth’s actions.
+It’s up for debate whether the Witches control fate [by planting the idea of murder in Macbeth’s head] or whether they just tell him what’s going to happen anyway.
Who are the other Scottish noblemen in Macbeth?
+Lennox, Rosse, Menteith, Angus and Caithness are all thanes - Scottish noblemen.
+None of them are very significant characters - they’re basically there to move the story along and show how power shifts during the play.
What do the Scottish noblemen comment on?
+They comment on the big events of the play - eg. in Act 3, Scene 6, Lennox sarcastically says that Macbeth “nobly” and “wisely” killed Duncan’s guards
+This shows that the thanes suspect that Macbeth killed Duncan, and suggests that he’s starting to lose power.
What do the thanes say regarding loyalty?
+The thanes say that they will “give obedience where ‘tis truly owed” - in other words, they’ll be loyal to whoever deserves it.
+They gradually start to question whether Macbeth is the rightful King, and start to resent his tyranny - By the end of the play they side with Malcolm and help him defeat Macbeth.
Who does Rosse represent in Macbeth?
+Rosse represents the noblemen who comment on the action but are reluctant to put themselves in danger.
+He warns Lady Macduff that “cruel are the times” but makes an excuse to leave before the murderers arrive - This leaves Lady Macduff, who he calls “dearest coz”, unprotected.
Who is the Porter?
+The Porter appears in Act 2 - He’s a comic character - he talks about his drunken behaviour the night before, saying that drinking makes three things happen, “nose-painting, sleep, and urine”.
+He provides a bit of light relief in between the darker, more tragic parts of the plot.
What is the context of the Porter?
+In Shakespeare’s time, most plays had a clown-like character to amuse the crowd.
+Usually the clown would be in one or two scenes and would make some rude jokes or silly comments.
Who are the three murderers?
+The Three murderers appear in Act 3 - they’re hired killers that Macbeth persuades to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.
+They kill Banquo but let Fleance escape - the murderers show how ruthless Macbeth has become, and possibly that he’s unwilling to commit more murders himself.
+They also kill Lady Macduff and her children on Macbeth’s orders - this shows how desperate and cruel he is.
Why does Macbeth send a third murderer?
+Macbeth sends a third murderer to help the first two kill Banquo - this shows that he no longer trusts anyone.
+Some people think the third murderer is Macbeth himself.
Who is Siward?
+Siward is an English Lord - He’s a great fighter and helps Malcolm defeat Macbeth in Act 5.
+He’s got a son, Young Siward, who is killed in battle by Macbeth.
+Theme - Loyalty and Betrayal: Siward shows how important honour and bravery are to him by saying he’s glad that his son died an honourable death and showed loyalty to Malcolm.
Who are the other minor characters [Doctor,Gentlewoman]?
+There are a few other minor characters such as the Doctor and the Gentlewoman who are with Lady Macbeth when she goes mad.
+They only have small parts but they help to move the plot along and develop the themes of the play.
