Interview
Macbeth - Character Sketches
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Character sketches on characters in Macbeth by William Shakespeare.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Macbeth Character Diary
-
Macbeth - Themes, Symbols, Images, Motifs
-
Macbeth - Notes
Seller
Follow
blux
Reviews received
Content preview
MacbethMacbeth
Lady Macbeth
Banquo
Duncan
Macduff
The witches
Donalbain and Malcom
, Character Sketches
In Act 1, Macbeth is a successful general, described as noble, valiant and 'brave', and respected by
his king and his fellow soldiers. He has a significant flaw in his nature, however - ambition. This leads
him to kill the rightful King of Scotland, and the evil of this murder has powerful effects on him and
the whole country. Macbeth knows that what he does is evil and initially is thrown into a moral
quandary, but eventually the temptation is too strong. The witches play upon Macbeth's weakness
and so does his equally ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth thinks that the supernatural powers
of the witches will help him, but instead they lead him to ruin. Macbeth's downfall is really his own
fault, because he makes a deliberate choice to take the road to evil. He is responsible for the
murder of King Duncan, his two sleeping guards, his colleague Banquo, Lady Macduff and her children
and Young Siward.
At the end of the play, Macbeth has changed from the 'Noble Macbeth' he was at the start, to a
'butcher' and a 'bloody tyrant' hated by everyone. Macbeth is, however, a strong character and is
fully aware of the good he has rejected. He is a fascinating character because he is much more
than just a horrible monster. It is possible to feel repelled by the evil in Macbeth and at the same
time to feel sorry for the waste of all the good things in his character.
The play has a tight, compact structure and all the action centres on Macbeth. We are granted
access to his thoughts through a series of illuminating soliloquies in which he shares his dilemma and
future plans with the audience. As a result, we feel very close to this protagonist.
You could think of Macbeth as someone who is too suspicious of those he should have trusted and too
trusting of the witches, whom he should have suspected more. Or perhaps he is a terrified man trying
to escape from his own conscience. Some people have interpreted Macbeth as a brave soldier who is
also a moral coward. When making up your own mind, it may help to think of how Macbeth may have
been seen by Banquo, Lady Macbeth or Macduff.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller blux. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.41. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75632 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now