Duncan | The king of Scotland who Macbeth murders in order to become king himself. |
Malcolm | One of Duncan’s sons who is thought to have murdered Duncan, flees to England – also named the “Prince of Cumberland” by his father. |
Donalbain | One of Duncan’s sons who is thought to have murdered Duncan, flees to Ireland. |
Macbeth | The protagonist and tragic hero. He receives a prophecy from the witches that tells him he will be Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king. |
The 3 Weird Sisters | The witches who choose to toy with Macbeth’s fate: they give Macbeth the prophecy and are responsible for most of the dramatic irony in play. |
Hecate | Overseer of the witches and goddess of the moon. She tells the witches to give Macbeth false security and scorns them for intervening in his affairs. |
Seyton | An officer who attends to Macbeth. |
Lady Macbeth | Macbeth’s wife who is the true mastermind behind Duncan’s murder. She accuses him of not being a man. |
Fleance | Banquo’s son. (King James believed Banquo was his ancestor.) |
Banquo | Macbeth’s close friend (also a Scottish nobleman) who also receives a prophecy from the witches. Macbeth murders him and his ghost returns to haunt Macbeth later. |
Three Murderers | These characters were hired by by Macbeth to kill Fleance and Banquo. |
Macduff | Thane of Fife who finds Macbeth suspicious. He eventually slays Macbeth after Macbeth has his family murdered. |
Angus, Menteith, Caithness | Scottish nobles who are titled and landed because of their noble blood. They fight against Macbeth after he murders the king. |
Siward | Earl of Northumberland, General of the English forces – he led the English army against Macbeth. |
Young Siward | Siward’s son who is slain by Macbeth |
Macdonwald | The first Thane of Cawdor and a traitor to King Duncan. Macbeth unseams him from the nave to the chops. |
Thane | All nobleman of Scotland were called by this title. |
Lady Macduff | The “Thane of Fife’s” wife. |
Macduff’s Son | This character is murdered in his own home by men hired by Macbeth. |
Lennox, Ross | Scottish nobles who are titled and landed because of their noble blood. They fight with Macbeth after the murder of the king. (Ross is often used as a “turncoat” in most versions of the play.) |
Macbeth Characters
August 7, 2019