Macbeth Characters, English Flashcards
What are Macbeth’s first two prophecies?
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor”
“All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter”
How is Macbeth presented in the beginning?
Brave, honourable, strong
“For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name”
“like valour’s minion carved out his passage”
“he unseamed him from the nave to th’chaps”
How is Macbeth presented in the middle of the play?
Paranoid, evil
“There is none but he, whose being do I fear” (Banquo)
“We have scorched the snake, not killed it”
“O full of scorpions my mind”
How is Macbeth presented in the end of the play?
Nihilistic, regretful
“And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death”
What is Macbeth’s purpose?
Main character, tragic hero, highlights the worst of ambition
What is Banquo’s purpose?
Antithesis of Macbeth, honourable, father figure, doesn’t give in to witches
What is Duncan’s purpose?
Great chain of being (chosen by God), good king, honourable
How is Banquo presented?
Banquo is presented as a honourable fatherly figure and friend of Macbeth but also a cunning and fierce warrior
“Look how our partner’s rapt”
“Fly Fleance fly”
“There is none but he, whose being do I fear”
“He hath a wisdom that doth guide is valour”
How is Duncan presented?
A good king but not for the battlefield
“For them, the gracious Duncan I have murdered”
“What bloody man is that? He can report”
What is Macbeth’s relationship with his wife?
Lady Macbeth constantly emasculates Macbeth and manipulates him into murdering Duncan but Macbeth always ignores her afterwards
“Look like the innocent flower But be the serpent under’t”
“Too full of the milk of human kindness”
“When you durst do it then you are a man”
“She should have died hereafter”
How is Lady Macbeth presented in the first half of the play?
Controlling, persuasive, persistent, evil
Shakespeare shows her isolating herself from her feminine traits for ambition
“When you durst do it then you are a man”
“Too full of the milk of human kindness”
“Screw your courage to the sticking place”
“Take my milk for gall”
How is Lady Macbeth presented in the second half of the play?
Full of guilt, crazy,
“Out, damned spot”
“Yet who would’ve thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?”
What is Lady Macbeth’s purpose in the play?
Acts as a catalyst for Duncan’s murder for encouraging Macbeth
Shows Macbeth’s feelings and relationships
How is Macduff presented in the play?
He is very loyal to the Scottish royal family
“Hail, King of Scotland”
“Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope”
Brave and revengeful
“Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself within my sword’s length set him”
What is Macduff’s purpose?
Loyalty to the GCOB, strong, bravery
