The Characters of Macbeth

Viewing Guide

The Three Witches Macbeth

• they set up the atmosphere & mood in the opening • ambitious man
scene: “fair is foul and foul is fair” • reflective, intelligent, even sensitive in a way
• divided between his moral side and his corrupt,
• function is to give predictions of the future ambitious side
~ these predictions cause a chain reaction of • the poetry of his speech shows the humanity he has,
emotions in Macbeth which he loses over the course of the play
~ they do not cause Macbeth to murder King • realizes that, in order to become evil and become king,
he can’t know his true self
Duncan––they just foresee the murder
• he is an empty shell of a man by Act V; all he has left is
~ Macbeth is still responsible for his actions
his resolve to fight to the bitter end
• Macbeth hears what he wants to hear (their “He’s here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and
encouragement, not their warnings) his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear
MACBETH: “Speak, if you can: what are you?” the knife myself...
1ST WITCH: “All, hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane ...I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only
of Glamis! vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, and falls on th’
2ND WITCH: “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane other…” I.vii
of Cawdor!” “To know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself.”
3RD WITCH: “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King II.ii
hereafter!’
BANQUO: “Good sir, why do you start, and seem to “My way of life is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf, and
fear things that do sound so fair? I.iii that which should accompany old age, as honor, love,
----------- ----------- obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but
2ND WITCH: “By the pricking of my thumbs, in their stead, curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor,
something wicked this way comes: Open, locks, breath, which the poor heart would fain deny, and
dare not.” V.iii
whoever knocks.” IV.i

The Macduffs
• Macduff is the Thane of Fife
Lady Macbeth
• loyal to Scotland and the slain king Duncan
• ambitious, savage woman • he has a good relationship with his family
• goads her husband into killing the king • his wife and son are killed by agents of Macbeth
• she doesn’t have the strength to kill someone; she • returns to Scotland to avenge his family’s
can only drive her husband to do it murder and rid Scotland of Macbeth
• she suffers terrible guilt for her role in the murder • Macduff functions as Macbeth’s antagonist
• she goes crazy and commits suicide
“O nation miserable! With an untitled tyrant bloody-
“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex sceptered, when shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,
me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full since that the truest issue of thy throne by his own
interdiction stands accurs’d, and does blaspheme his
of direst cruelty!” I.v
breed? ...O my breast, thy hope ends here!” – Macduff
IV.iii
“Yet here’s a spot. Out, damn’d spot! out I say! One—
two—why, then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my
lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? Viewing Questions
...Yet who would have thought the old man to have so 1. How does Banquo feel about the witches?
much blood in him?” V.i
2. Why does Shakespeare give such fine poetry to Macbeth?
“The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now?
What, will these hands ne’er be clean?” V.i 3. How do Lady Macduff and her son die?
 The Characters of Macbeth
Worksheet

A. Macbeth’s Many Moods

Macbeth experiences many different emotional states during the play. As the audience, we hear his soliloquies and can understand
his state of mind. Match each scene below to his emotional state of mind.

________ 1. (I.3) Macbeth hears the witches’ first set of prophesies. A. demanding and desperate

________ 2. (I.7) Macbeth considers murdering Duncan. B. excited

________ 3. (II.1) Macbeth goes off to kill Duncan. C. empty; bleak, but resolved

________ 4. (II.2) Macbeth talks to Lady Macbeth after murdering Duncan. D. filling himself with “dark”
courage

________ 5. (IV.1) Macbeth visits the witches for more prophesies. E. conflicted

________ 6. (V.3) Macbeth prepares for Macduff’s advancing army. F. hiding from his sense of guilt

B. Get into Character

True or false.

1. The three witches cause Macbeth to murder Duncan. ______________________

2. In the beginning, Macbeth is torn between his moral side ______________________

and his corrupt, ambitious side.

3. Macduff leads an army against Macbeth so he can become ______________________

king of Scotland.

4. Lady Macbeth is so heartless she doesn’t feel any guilt for ______________________
Duncan’s murder.

5. Macbeth realizes that, in order to commit evil acts, he must ______________________

know himself absolutely.

6. Macduff is blindly loyal to Malcolm. ______________________

7. In Act IV, the witches seek out Macbeth to give him more ______________________
prophecies.

8. Lady Macbeth is more talk than action. ______________________

 The Characters of Macbeth
Worksheet

C. Who Said That?

Write the name of the character (or characters) who says each of the lines below.

1. “Fair is foul and foul is fair.” ______________________

2. “To know my deed, t’were best not know myself.” ______________________

3. “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” ______________________

4. “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from ______________________
the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!”

5. “O nation miserable! With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered, when shalt thou ______________________
see thy wholesome days again?”

6. “Yet here’s a spot...Out, damned spot! Out I say!” ______________________

 The Characters of Macbeth
Worksheet
Answer Key

A. Macbeth’s Many Moods

Macbeth experiences many different emotional states during the play. As the audience, we hear his soliloquies and can understand
his state of mind. Match each scene below to his emotional state of mind.

B 1. (I.3) Macbeth hears the witches’ first set of prophesies. A. demanding and desperate
E 2. (I.7) Macbeth considers murdering Duncan. B. excited
D 3. (II.1) Macbeth goes off to kill Duncan. C. empty; bleak, but resolved
F 4. (II.2) Macbeth talks to Lady Macbeth after murdering Duncan. D. filling himself with ‘dark’
courage
A 5. (IV.1) Macbeth visits the witches for more prophesies. E. conflicted
C 6. (V.3) Macbeth prepares for Macduff’s advancing army. F. hiding from his sense of guilt

B. Get into Character

True or false.

1. The three witches cause Macbeth to murder Duncan. False

2. In the beginning, Macbeth is torn between his moral
side and his corrupt, ambitious side. True
3. Macduff leads an army against Macbeth so he can
become king of Scotland. False
4. Lady Macbeth is so heartless she doesn’t feel any guilt for
Duncan’s murder. False
5. Macbeth realizes that, in order to commit evil acts, he must
know himself absolutely. False
6. Macduff is blindly loyal to Malcolm. False
7. In Act IV, the witches seek out Macbeth to give him more prophecies. False
8. Lady Macbeth is more talk than action. True

C. Who Said That?

Write the name of the character (or characters) who says each of the lines below.

1. “Fair is foul and foul is fair.” the Witches

2. “To know my deed, t’were best not know myself.” Macbeth
3. “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” the Witches
4. “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and
fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!” Lady Macbeth
5. “O nation miserable! With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered, when shalt thou
see thy wholesome days again?” Macduff
6. “Yet here’s a spot...Out, damned spot! Out I say!” Lady Macbeth