Macbeth: Characters and Tragedy Combined

Macbeth

a general in the king's army whose "vaulting ambition" leads him to dream of greater titles. He becomes the Thane of Cawdor and is prompted by the witches' prophecies and his wife's goading to kill Duncan and become king of Scotland. Although brave in battle his is a tyrannical and unpopular ruler

Duncan

The good king of Scotland whom Macbeth, ambitious for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent 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.

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth's 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.

Banquo

a general of Duncan's army along with Macbeth. He is also subject to the witches' prophecies (Banquo will father kings). Unlike Macbeth, he does not act to fulfill these prophecies, relying on his better judgement and morals instead.

Macduff

Thane of Fife- A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth's kingship from the start. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusade's mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeth's murder of Macduff's wife and young son.

Malcolm

The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotland's return to order following Macbeth's reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduff's 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 father's murder.

Lennox

a Scottish noble who begins to question Macbeth's tyrannical rule.

Ross

Macbeth's cousin and a Scottish noble who eventually turns from Macbeth and sides with Malcolm and the English forces in opposing.

Young Siward

Siward's son who is killed by Macbeth in the final battle

Hecate

the goddess of witchcraft and one can view her as the ruler of the Three Witches.

Fleance

Banquo's son, who survives Macbeth's attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleance's whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches' prophecy that Banquo's sons will sit on the Scottish throne.

Donalbain

He is the younger son of King Duncan and brother to Malcolm, the heir to the throne. Donalbain flees to Ireland after the murder of his father for refuge.

Porter

Doorkeeper at Macbeth's castle. Drunk from the previous night's revels, complains that his job is worse than that of the porter of hell. In a private game with the audience, he engages in a piece of stand-up comedy in which he imagines himself as that beleaguered servant, opening and closing the gate on the damned.

Three witches

Weird (wyrd) sisters. They hold a striking resemblance to the three "Fates" (in Greek mythology), and are, perhaps, intended as a twisted version of the white-robed incarnations of destiny.

Lady Macduff

Macduff's wife. The scene in her castle provides our only glimpse of family life other than that of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She and her home serve as contrasts to Lady Macbeth and the hellish world of Inverness.

Aristotle's definition of tragedy

A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language..in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a cartharsis of these emotions.

Complete

There is a beginning, middle, and end that make a logical, casual, and artistic whole. (Complete plot)

Catharsis

purging of the emotions of pity and fear (audience-centered)

Hubris

flaw of excessive pride

Tragic Flaw

an inherent character flaw, mistake, or weakness. The hero is neither all good or all bad

Shakespearean Tragic Hero

Protagonist is a person of high rank whose fate affects the destiny of his country or family. Protagonist is always an extraordinary person, even if evil, has compensating traits such as strength, courage, or ambition in epic proportions. Protagonist has a basic flaw that leads him to a catastrophic calamity and death.

Characteristics in a Shakespearean Tragedy

Good always triumphs in the end - someone is always there to restore order

Reversal of action or intention

That instant when there is a change by which the action veers around to its opposite

Tragic dilemma

A situation in which the protagonist faces two equally difficult or unacceptable choices. The assumption in tragedy is that choices must be made, even if they lead to disaster.

Moment of recognition or understanding (important)

The protagonist realizes his own place in the universe, acknowledging the errors that have led to tragedy and accepting the degree to which he is responsible for what happens. He accepts the consequences, no matter how catastrophic they are to himself.

Tone of tragedy

Ironic: The audience knows more than the protagonist

Form

drama- acted out

Serious

subject matter is elevated, characters are important and royal rather than common

Action

The complete process of working out a single motivation from its beginning to its conclusion.

Retribution

Evildoers are killed. Macduff gets revenge by killing Macbeth, L. Macbeth dies

Reward

Malcolm grants his loyal followers titles

Restoration

Malcolm assumes his rightful position on the throne restoring order and calm to the Great Chain of Being