Macbeth

Probably composed in late 1606 or early 1607, Macbeth is the last of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, the others being Hamlet, King Lear and Othello. It is a relatively short play without a major subplot, and it is considered by many scholars to be Shakespeare's darkest work. Lear is an utter tragedy in which the natural world is amorally indifferent toward mankind, but in Macbeth, Shakespeare adds a supernatural dimension that purposively conspires against Macbeth and his kingdom. In the tragedy of Lear, the distraught king summons the goddess of Chaos, Hecht; in Macbeth, Hecate appears as an actual character.

On the level of human evil, Shakespeare's Scottish tragedy is about Macbeth's bloody rise to power, including the murder of the Scottish king, Duncan, and the guilt-ridden pathology of evil deeds generating still more evil deeds. As an integral part of this thematic web is the play's most memorable character, Lady Macbeth. Like her husband, Lady Macbeth's ambition for power leads her into an unnatural, phantasmagoric realm of witchcraft, insomnia and madness. But while Macbeth responds to the prophecies of the play's famous trio of witches, Lady Macbeth goes even further by figuratively transforming herself into an unnatural, desexualized evil spirit. The current trend of critical opinion is toward an upward reevaluation of Lady Macbeth, who is said to be rehumanized by her insanity and her suicide. Much of this reappraisal of Lady Macbeth has taken place in discussions of her ironically strong marriage to Macbeth, a union that rests on loving bonds but undergoes disintegration as the tragedy unfolds.

DUNCAN, King of Scotland

Duncan is a good king who his people like. By no fault of his own he is unable to discern those who threaten his reign.

MACBETH, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, a general in the King's army and LADY MACBETH, his wife

Macbeth is a basically good man who is troubled by his conscience and loyalty though at the same time ambitious and murderous. He is led to evil initially by the witches' predictions and then by his wife's goading, which he succumbs to because he loves her so. His obsession over the kingship shows a certain kind of egotism.Lady Macbeth is a good wife who loves her husband. She is also ambitious but lacks the morals of her husband. To achieve her ambition, she rids of herself of any kindness that might stand in the way. However, she runs out of energy to suppress

her conscience and kills herself.

BANQUO, Thane of Lochaber, a general in the King's army

Banquo serves as a foil to Macbeth, showing an alternate react to prophecy. Banquo retains his morals and allegiances, but ends up dying. He is brave and ambitious, but this is tempered by intelligence.

MACDUFF, Thane of Fife, a nobleman of Scotland

Macduff shows early on a distrust of Macbeth. He also represents fate as when knocking on the door. He thinks he can avoid having his family looking guilty and getting killed by fleeing, but he overestimates Macbeth. Macduff then plays the avenger.

MALCOLM, elder son of Duncan

Malcolm, as a good king, is everything that Macbeth is not. He uses deception only to insure his personal safety.

DONALBAIN, younger son of Duncan

Donalbain is Duncan's youngest son and fless to Ireland when his father is murdered.

LENNOX, nobleman of Scotland

Lennox is one of Duncan's nobles and he is largely an observer in the play. He grows suspicious of what he sees in Macbeth, and grows increasingly sarcastic and is fearful for the fate of Scotland.

ROSS, nobleman of Scotland

Ross is Macduff's cousin. He acts as a messenger in the play, bringing good news of Macbeth's military victory and bad news about Macduff's family.

SIWARD, Earl of Northumberland, general of the English forces

Old Siward is the Earl of Northumberland and an ally of Malcolm

and Macduff.

YOUNG SIWARD, his son

Young Siward is Siward's son. He is slain by Macbeth in hand-to-hand combat.

SEYTON, attendant to Macbeth

Seyton is Macbeth's lieutenant

HECATE, Queen of the Witches

Hecate is sometimes referred to as the queen of the witches. It is she who directs supernatural happenings and appearances of the mystical apparitions

The Three Witches

The three witches add an element of supernatural and prophecy to the play. They each have a familiar, such as Graymalkin and Paddock, and are commanded by Hecate, a Greek goddess of the moon and later witchcraft. The witches are based on a variety of ideas about witches at the time. They can use sieves as boats, and they can assume the shape of an animal, but with a defect, as with the tailless rat. The witches were also thought to be able to control the winds. They are described as having beards but looking human.

The Porter is the keeper of Macbeth's castle who imagines that he is the keeper of Hell's Gate.

Lady Macduff represents all the good people slaughtered by Macbeth. She loves her family, and is distressed at her husband's departure. She doesn't really believe her husband is a traitor and is conerned only that he is safe when the murderers arrive.

FLEANCE, Banquo's son

Fleance plays no large role, and the only question is how his line ends up becoming king after Malcolm.

MENTEITH, ANGUS, and CAITHNESS

noblemen of Scotland

An English Doctor, A Scottish Doctor, A Sergeant, An Old Man, The Ghost of Banquo and other Apparitions, Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Murtherers, Attendants, and Messengers

Act I, Scene 1 The witches plan to meet after the battle, which we find is a rebellion in Scotland. They are summoned by their familiars and end with the theme of the play.

Act I, Scene 2 The king and his thanes are at a camp and hear word of the battle from the bleeding sergeant. The sergeant had saved Malcolm earlier. He says that the battle was doubtful,