Macbeth Characters

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

LADY MACDUFF 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

Other Characters 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