Macbeth Character Profiles

Is a very ambitious Scottish nobleman. He murders King of Scotland and takes his place as King. He was easily influenced by his wife and her cleverly said words, he did not want to look like a 'coward'. Gets murdered by Macduff at the end of act 5. 

·         Macbeth's wife. Persuades him to kill Duncan. She is very clever and quick-witted; very ruthless compared to Macbeth. She is seen as much stronger than her husband; would kill her own baby. Eventually goes mad and kills herself in act 5.

·         A noble soldier. He does not trust Macbeth and eventually kills him.

·         The King of Scotland at the start of the play. Killed by Macbeth in act 2. Was much better on the throne than Macbeth; less aggressive. He is not afraid to be emotional, he shows 'drops of sorrow' because he is happy.

Duncan's son. He flees after Duncan's murder and becomes King at the end of the play. He is the rightful King and turns into a good leader; he earns the trust of the Scottish thanes who say they will 'give obedience where tis truly owed'.

·         They are evil supernatural beings who can predict the future; act 1 scene 3. Their leader is called Hecate. They are who drove Macbeth's ambition to become King; they take advantage of Macbeth's weakness (his 'vaulting ambition').

Goddess of witchcraft, and one can view her as the ruler of the Three Witches. She wonders why she was excluded from meetings about Macbeth.

A brave solider and nobleman, who never got much credit compared to Macbeth. He was friends with Macbeth but then Macbeth ordered murderers to kill him in act 3 scene 3. He was much more honourable than Macbeth; does have ambition but leaves it.

·         Is Macduff's wife. Macbeth has her and her children murdered out of spite in act 4.

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

Macbeth's porter scene functions as a comic relief after King Duncan is killed. ... In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the porter scene that comes after the killing of Duncan makes the reader laugh. The porter is a strange gatekeeper of Macbeth's castle. It is also a metaphor for the gates of hell.

He is the son of Siward, general of the English forces in the battle against Macbeth. Macbeth kills him in the final battle, shortly before his swordfight with Lord Macduff.

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.

Shows the extent of Lady Macbeth's guilt and the resulting damage to her conscience.

Macbeth's chief servant when his Thanes abandon him. 

Macduff's Son is from Macbeth. He, obviously, is the son of Macduff (he was never given a real name). He is probably around 7 to 10 years old in the play. During his only appearance in Act IV, Scene ii, he is told by his mother that his father is dead. He is murdered with his mother.

 Thane who accompanies Ross in bringing Duncan news of the victory over Norway, and later bringing Macbeth the announcement of his accession to the rank of Thane of Cawdor. He is one of the four Thanes who desert Macbeth when Malcolm invades, bringing reinforcements to Malcolm's army.