There are many characters in the Shakespearean play, Macbeth. The characters that will be viewed, or discussed about in this blog are Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Duncan, Malcolm, and Macduff.
Macbeth:
Macbeth is a Scottish leader in one of Duncan's armies. He was seen as very noble kinsman and cousin to Duncan. That is until after he had met the witches in Act 1, Scene 3. The witches told Macbeth great prophesies about his future. This prophesy included becoming thane of Cawdor as well as becoming king. He was already thane of Glamis only because he had inherited it from his father who had died. In Act1 Duncan had sent one of his men to find Macbeth and tell him the great news that he will is now thane of Cawdor, just as the witches had predicted. Macbeth was really speechless about this great news, because it was exactly what the witches had told him. And if the witches are saying the truth, Macbeth will become king. At that moment Macbeth had confessed in saying that he wanted to kill Duncan.
My thought , whose murder yet is but fantastical,Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother’d in surmise, and nothing us But what is not.
(Act1, Scene3, lines: 139-142)
This is where Macbeth starts to show great ambition in becoming king. And with the help of his wife he was able to succeed in a bloody success. Macbeth had a great amount of self-doubt. Slowly other royalties are being blamed for the harsh situations that have been going on in Scotland. For example: the murder of Duncan. They had assumed that his sons, Donalbain and Malcolm, had something to with their father death because they fled Scotland. The guards that were on the look for Duncan’s room that night were also set up and had their lives taken away from them because they were seen with their daggers smothered with blood as well as on their clothes. After the murder, Macbeth had never seen a peaceful way of life. Most of decisions included violence and or murder. The citizens of Scotland were suffering with his poor leadership. At one point in the play he had decided that he will no longer think about his decisions and instead to just do things as it comes in his mind. In result of that, he murdered Macduff’s family without reasoning. He met again with the witches and once again, they foretold his future. One prophesy that was told was that he should start to get prepared for a battle once the Birnam Woods start to march. At last, the final battle of Macbeth had arrived. The other prophesies was that no one born from a mother can kill Macbeth. He was still confident because from what he knew, each soldier was born from a mother. Little did he know that Macduff had a little surprise to tell him. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character.
Lady Macbeth:
Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife. Lady Macbeth is a very strong, brave, persuasive and ambitious person. When you read the play, you will see that she is greatly involved in the murder of Duncan. Macbeth writes her this letter on how we had encountered 3 witches and they prophesied that he will be king. When Lady Macbeth reads about this she immediately begins to plot the murder of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness, overriding all his objections; when he hesitates to murder she repeatedly questions his manhood until he feels that he must commit murder to prove himself. She is the reason that pushed in him in killing Duncan. Macbeth only had a part of ambition in killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth is the one who pressed Macbeth in claiming the crown and doing as she said. During the scene of the murder, she wishes that she had a body of a man so that she could do it herself. Lady Macbeth was a huge support system for Macbeth since every time Macbeth was about to back out in committing the crime, Lady Macbeth reminded him that he deserves to be king, he deserves to wear that crown and how he will become a great ruler. Lady Macbeth was also Macbeth’s support system after the murder. She was the strongest, most willed person out of the two. After they had murdered Duncan, Lady Macbeth says
A little water clears us of this deed.
Act2, Scene2, line 67
Although Lady Macbeth had great ambition and strength, her guilt also had great power against her. A little water clears us of this deed; little did she know that this will have haunted her to death. In act 5 she is seen sleep walking. While she is walking, she washes her hands and says how she cannot get the spot of blood off her hands. It turns out water did not clear her from her evil deed. In the end she kills her self, signaling her total inability to deal with the legacy of their crimes.
Duncan:
Duncan is the king of Scotland. Duncan is also the cousin of Macbeth. Unfortunately, Macbeth's great ambition to become king meant killing Duncan, in which he succeeded.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 Duncan’s line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne.
Macduff:
Macduff becomes an important character near the end of the play. He is the one who encourages Malcolm to come back to Scotland, and fight back what is rightfully his. Macduff's Family was also killed. Macbeth sent out murderers to invade his castle and kill anyone living, these included Macduff's wife and children. In the end, Macduff gets his revenge. Macbeth was confident during the battle because one of the apparitions told him that no one, born from a mother can kill him. Macduff reveals that he was not naturally born. He was taken out before his mother could preform natural birth with him. Macbeth is shocked and now Macduff gains more confidence and strength resulting in the death of Macbeth.
Malcolm:
Malcolm is the elder son of Duncan and the brother of Donalbain. He was assumed a suspect along with Donalbain when they fled Scotland after their father's death. He fled to England. In the last act, he meets with Macduff and have a serious talk outside King Edwards Palace. Macduff tries and convices Malcolm to come back and save Scotland but Malcolm doesn't trust Macduff just yet. He thinks that they are still after him because he fled Scotland after his father's death. To test his trust, Malcolm explains himself to Macduff, on how he would make a bad king. He doesn't have the qualities a king has, and that Scotland would be better off with Macbeth as a king. He also lies about how he always lust for women. He tells Macduff many lies to see if he can be relied. Macduff keeps trying on encouraging him and keeping a positive mind but later on gives up after listening to all the bad qualities that Malcolm has said he had. Malcolm then tells Macduff that everything he has said is a lie. He was just testing Macduff's trust if he could be trusted. In the end, Macduff and Malcolm make a plan to gain back Scotland. After Macbeth lost his battle and gotten killed, Malcolm was able to redeem back Scotland, and became King of Scotland.
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