Characters Flashcards
Lady Macbeth
Macbeth’s Wife
Unlinke Macbeth, has no reservations for tyranny
Believes a true man takes and gets what he wants
Nievely believes that guilt has no consequence
Falls into madness and despair
Banquo
Scottish nobleman and friend of Macbeth
Father of Fleance
Is prophesised that his descendants will be one day be king
Is as ambitious as Macbeth, but differs as he resists selfish ambition above honour and Scotland
Is a threat to Macbeth as he knows the prophecy and is honourable
Is a living embodiment of the path Macbeth chose not to take
After he is murdered by Macbeth, his ghost symbolises Macbeth’s terrible guilt at what he has become
Macduff
Scottish nobleman, and the Thane of Fife
His wife is Lady Macduff, and the two have two babies and a young son
Macduff offers a contrast to Macbeth: a Scottish lord who, far from being ambitious, puts the welfare of Scotland ahead of the welfare of his own family
Macduff suspects Macbeth from the beginning, and becomes one of the leaders of the rebellion
After Macbeth has Macduff’s family murdered, Macduff’s desire for vengeance becomes more personal and powerful
King Duncan
King of Scotland, and the father of Malcom and Donalbain
Macbeth murders him to get the crown
Duncan is the model of a good, virtuous king who puts the welfare of the country above his own and seeks, like a gardener, to nuture and grow the kingdom that is his responsibility.
Duncan is the embodiment of King James I in the play and displays the political and social order that Macbeth destroys
Malcom
The older son of Duncan’s two sons, and Duncan’s designated heir to the throne
Early in the play, Malcom is depicted as weak by fleeing. However, as he matures, with the help of Macduff and the army, Malcom overthrows Macbeth, and retakes the throne
He restores the order that was destroyed when Duncan was murdered.
Macbeth
Lady Macbeth’s husband, a Scottish nobleman, and the Thane of Glamis
He is made Thane of Cawdor for his bravery in battle, and becomes king of Scotland by murdering the pervious king, King Duncan
As Macbeth opens, Macbeth is one of the great noblemen in Scotland: valiant, loyal, and honourable. He is also ambitious, and while it makes him the great lord he is, he becomes consumed by his great desire for power.
Macbeth senses that murdering Duncan will lead to his own destruction before he committs such an act, yet his ambition is so great he still goes through with it.
He is an anti-hero.
The Witches
Three witches, whos prophecy helps push Macbeth’s ambition over the edge, and convinces him to murder Duncan.
The witches knowledge of the future indicates supernatural powers, and they also enjoy using them to wreak havoc and chaos among mankind
They never compel anyone to do anything, yet they lure men into giving into their dark desires
The Witches suggest that a person’s fate might be predetermined, but how the fate plays out is up to them.
They embody the chaos and disorder of the world.
