Macbeth

Key Characters

• Macbeth: A brave Scottish general whose ambition, fueled by the witches' prophecy and his wife, leads him to murder King Duncan and seize the throne. He becomes increasingly tyrannical and paranoid as he desperately clings to power.
• Lady Macbeth: Macbeth's ambitious and ruthless wife who manipulates him into murdering Duncan. She is initially the stronger of the two, but she is eventually consumed by guilt and descends into madness.
• Banquo: A general in Duncan's army and Macbeth's friend. He is also given a prophecy by the witches, but unlike Macbeth, he resists temptation and remains loyal. He represents a moral contrast to Macbeth and becomes a threat due to the prophecy that his descendants will be kings.
• Macduff: A Scottish nobleman who becomes suspicious of Macbeth and ultimately avenges the murders of his family by killing Macbeth. He represents justice and the legitimate restoration of order.
• The Weird Sisters/Witches: Three supernatural beings who prophesize Macbeth's rise to power and subsequent downfall. They represent fate, evil, and the supernatural forces that influence human affairs.
• King Duncan: The rightful king of Scotland, whose murder sets the play's tragic events in motion. He represents virtue, legitimate authority, and order.
• Malcolm: Duncan's son and rightful heir to the Scottish throne. He escapes to England after his father's murder and returns to reclaim his kingdom, representing the restoration of legitimate rule.