William Shakespeare was born on April 26 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom. William Shakespeare, often called England's national poet an" Bard of Avon", is considered the greatest dramatist of all time. His works are loved throughout the world. William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom.
Brief Summary of Macbeth
This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. The themes illustrated in the play include ambition, fate, deception and treachery. Three witches decide to confront the great Scottish general Macbeth on his victorious return from a war between Scotland and Norway. The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will confer the title of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth. Macbeth, and another General called Banquo, happen upon the three witches. The witches predict that he will one day become king. He decides that he will murder Duncan. Macbeth's wife agrees to his plan. He then murders Duncan assisted by his wife who smears the blood of Duncan on the daggers of the sleeping guards. A nobleman called Macduff discovers the body. Macbeth kills the guards insisting that their daggers smeared with Duncan's blood are proof that they committed the murder. The crown passes to Macbeth. More murders ensue and the bloodied ghost of Banquo appears to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's conscience now begins to torture her and she imagines that she can see her hands covered with blood. She commits suicide. Macduff kills Macbeth and becomes king.
Main Characters of Macbeth
Macbeth
Macbeth, is a brave Scottish general in King Duncan’s army. However, upon hearing the three witches’ prophecy that he would become King of Scotland, he becomes tyrannical. With his wife’s help and encouragement he kills King Duncan, but this fills him with deep regret and guilt. Plagued by insecurities and the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s descendants would be kings, he keeps spies on all the noblemen and arranges for Banquo and his son to be murdered, although he hides this from his wife. Banquo's ghost haunts him and he suffers from insanity and insomnia. He seeks out the witches again, who still affirm the prophecy, and he goes on a murderous rampage. He mourns his wife’s death and contemplates killing himself too as Malcolm’s army approaches him. However, Macduff challenges him and he decides to die fighting.
Lady Macbeth
Even more ambitious and ruthless than her husband Macbeth, Lady Macbeth plots to murder King Duncan upon hearing of the witches’ prophecy. She goads Macbeth into the evil deed despite his hesitance, gives the guards drugged wine, and lays out the bloody daggers. She comforts her husband in his guilt afterwards. When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, Lady Macbeth nervously tries to calm him down and dismisses their guests. However, her guilt soon turns her mad as well and, tormented by nightmares, she sleepwalks as she tries to wash out the invisible bloodstains on her hands. She dies offstage in the final act, a supposed suicide.
Macduff
Macduff is loyal to King Duncan. He is the first to discover Duncan’s dead body and never believes it was the servants who killed him. Macduff flees to England, trying to find King Duncan’s son Malcolm and restore him as rightful king but meanwhile, Macbeth has Macduff’s wife and children murdered. Full of grief and revenge, he persuades Malcolm to lead an army against Macbeth, challenges Macbeth one-to-one and slays him. A child of a cesarean birth, he thus fulfills the witches’ prophecy that no man of woman born would harm Macbeth.
Three Witches
Macbeth to his tyrannical desire for power. When the witches first meet Macbeth and Banquo, they prophesy that Macbeth will become King of Scotland and that Banquo’s descendants will be kings. When Macbeth seeks them out again, they produce apparitions of his downfall while delivering three more prophecies to him: beware Macduff, none of the women born will harm him, and he will be safe until a local wood, Birnam Wood, marches into battle against him. They leave the audience questioning whether they are agents of fate or independent agents manipulating humans’ lives.
Malcolm
Malcolm is one of King Duncan’s sons and proclaimed heir to his throne. Suspected of his own father’s murder, he flees to England. When Macduff comes to find him in England, Malcolm initially tests his loyalty. Ultimately, Malcolm is convinced that they need to enact vengeance and fight Macbeth. He mobilizes an army in England and leads them to Scotland with Macduff’s help. He and his forces march on Dunsinane Castle, where Macbeth has retreated, camouflaging themselves with branches from Birnam Wood and thereby fulfilling the witches’ prophecy. He takes over as king and restores order.
Banquo
Banquo, is a Scottish general known for his bravery like his friend Macbeth. They meet the witches together upon returning from battle, and Banquo is also eager to know what their prophecy is for him. They tell him that he will not be king, but that his descendants will inherit the throne. Banquo is skeptical of the prophecy and resists the temptation of power that Macbeth gives into. When Macbeth takes the throne, Banquo pledges loyalty to him despite his suspicions, but Macbeth has him murdered, seeking to secure his position as king. Banquo's ghost appears and haunts Macbeth at the banquet that night, as well as later in a vision from the witches.
King Duncan
The good King of Scotland whom Macbeth, in his ambition for the crown, murders. 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.
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.
Lady Macduff
Macduff’s wife. The scene in her castle provides our only glimpse of a domestic realm other than that of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She and her home serve as contrasts to Lady Macbeth and the hellish world of Inverness.
Reference
Wikipedia. Com
Poetry Fountain
Gradesaver.com
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/about-us/
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