Macbeth Notes Essay Example For Students

Macbeth Notes Essay Macbeth Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of Cawdor comes true. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not a virtuous one. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne, and once he commits his first crime and is crowned king of Scotland, he embarks on further atrocities with increasing ease. Ultimately, Macbeth proves himself better suited to the battlefield than to political intrigue, because he lacks the skills necessary to rule without being a tyrant. His response to every problem is violence and murder. Unlike Shakespeares great villains, such as Iago in Othello and Richard III in Richard III, Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal. He is unable to bear the psychic consequences of his atrocities. Click here for In-Depth Analysis. Lady Macbeth Macbeths wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband. Her conscience affects her to such an extent that she eventually commits suicide. Interestingly, she and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love, and many of Lady Macbeths speeches imply that her influence over her husband is primarily sexual. Their joint alienation from the world, occasioned by their partnership in crime, seems to strengthen the attachment that they feel to one another. Click here for In-Depth Analysis. The Three Witches Three black and midnight hags who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches true identity unclearaside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, we know little about their place in the cosmos. In some ways they resemble the mythological Fates, who impersonally wove the threads of human destiny. They clearly take a perverse delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings. Click here for In-Depth Analysis. Banquo The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. In a sense, Banquos character stands as a rebuke to Macbeth, since he represents the path Macbeth chose not to take: a path in which ambition need not lead to betrayal and murder. Appropriately, then, it is Banquos ghostand not Duncansthat haunts Macbeth. In addition to embodying Macbeths guilt for killing Banquo, the ghost also reminds Macbeth that he did not emulate Banquos reaction to the witches prophecy. King Duncan The good king of Scotland whom Macbeth, ambitious for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent, and farsighted ruler. His death symbolizes the destruction of an order in Scotland that can be restored only when Duncans line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne. Macduff A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeths kingship from the start. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusades mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeths murder of Macduffs wife and young son. .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .postImageUrl , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:hover , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:visited , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:active { border:0!important; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:active , .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043 .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8a741e6f8cf8dc76ab8ecca17c66b043:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Artificial Intelligence EssayMalcolm The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotlands return to order following Macbeths reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduffs aid (and the support of England). Prior to this, he appears weak and uncertain of his own power, as when he and Donalbain flee Scotland after their fathers murder. Hecate The goddess of witchcraft, who helps the three witches work their mischief on Macbeth. Fleance Banquos son, who survives Macbeths attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleances whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches prophecy that Banquos sons will sit on the Scottish throne. Lennox A Scottish nobleman. Ross A Scottish nobleman. The Murderers A group of ruffians conscripted by Macbeth to murder Banquo, Fleance (whom they fail to kill), and Macduffs wife and children. Porter The drunken doorman of Macbeths castle. Lady Macduff Macduffs wife. The scene in her castle provides our only glimpse of a domestic realm other than that of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She and her home serve as contrasts to Lady Macbeth and the hellish world of Inverness. Donalbain Duncans son and Malcolms younger brother.