The Three Witches - Three black and midnight hags who plot mischief against Macbeth using

charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the
deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the
witches true identity unclearaside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, we know
little about their place in the cosmos. In some ways they resemble the mythological Fates, who
impersonally weave the threads of human destiny. They clearly take a perverse delight in using
their knowledge of the future to play with and destroy human beings.

Shakespeare's They appear first in Act 1, Scene 1, and they make their prophecy known to
Macbeth and Banquo in 1.3. In 4.1. they show Macbeth the three apparitions.

In the very first appearance of the Weird Sisters to Macbeth and Banquo on the blasted heath, we
discern beings of a more awful and spiritualized character than belonged to the vulgar herd of
witches. "What are these," exclaims the astonished Banquo, --
What are these,
So wither'd, and so wild in their attire?(1.3).

Even when unattended by any human witnesses, when supporting the dialogue merely among
themselves, Shakespeare has placed in the mouths of these agents imagery and diction of a cast
so peculiar and mysterious as to render them objects of alarm and fear, emotions incompatible
with any tendency towards the ludicrous. But when, wheeling round the magic cauldron, in the
gloomy recesses of their cave, they commence their incantations, chanting in tones wild and
unearthly, and heard only during the intervals of a thunder-storm, their metrical charm, while
flashes of subterranean fire obscurely light their haggard features, their language seems to
breathe of hell, and we shrink back, as from beings at war with all that is good. Yet is the
impression capable of augmentation, and is felt to have attained its acme of sublimity and horror,
when, in reply to the question of Macbeth,
How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags?
What is't you do?

They reply,-- A deed without a name.

Much, however, of the dread, solemnity, and awe which is experienced in reading this play, from
the intervention of the witches, is lost in its representation on the stage, owing to the injudicious
custom of bringing them too forward on the scene; where, appearing little better than a group of
old women, the effect intended by the poet is not only destroyed, but reversed. Their dignity and
grandeur must arise, as evil beings gifted with superhuman powers, from the undefined nature
both of their agency and of their eternal forms. Were they indistinctly seen, though audible, at a
distance, and, as it were, through a hazy twilight, celebrating their orgies, and with shadowy and
gigantic shape flitting between the pale blue flames of their caldron and the eager eye of the
spectator, sufficient latitude would be given to the imagination, and the finest drama of our
author would receive in the theatre that deep tone of supernatural horror with which it is felt to
be so highly imbued in the solitude of the closet. (589) The witches in Macbeth are present in
only four scenes in the play, but Macbeth's fascination with them motivates much of the play's
action. When they meet with Banquo and Macbeth, they address Macbeth with three titles: thane
of Glamis, thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter. Next, they predict that Banquo will father kings,
though he will not be king himself. Refusing to answer questions, they vanish.

Later in III.v, Hecat lectures the witches for talking to Macbeth without involving her. In IV.i,
when Macbeth pays another visit to the witches, Hecat has briefly appeared...

Throughout the play, the witchesreferred to as the weird sisters by many of the characters
lurk like dark thoughts and unconscious temptations to evil. In part, the mischief they cause
stems from their supernatural powers, but mainly it is the result of their understanding of the
weaknesses of their specific interlocutorsthey play upon Macbeths ambition like puppeteers.

The witches beards, bizarre potions, and rhymed speech make them seem slightly ridiculous,
like caricatures of the supernatural. Shakespeare has them speak in rhyming couplets throughout
(their most famous line is probably Double, double, toil and trouble, / Fire burn and cauldron
bubble in 4.1.1011), which separates them from the other characters, who mostly speak in
blank verse. The witches words seem almost comical, like malevolent nursery rhymes. Despite
the absurdity of their eye of newt and toe of frog recipes, however, they are clearly the most
dangerous characters in the play, being both tremendously powerful and utterly wicked (4.1.14).

The audience is left to ask whether the witches are independent agents toying with human lives,
or agents of fate, whose prophecies are only reports of the inevitable. The witches bear a striking
and obviously intentional resemblance to the Fates, female characters in both Norse and Greek
mythology who weaves the fabric of human lives and then cut the threads to end them. Some of
their prophecies seem self-fulfilling. For example, it is doubtful that Macbeth would have
murdered his king without the push given by the witches predictions. In other cases, though,
their prophecies are just remarkably accurate readings of the futureit is hard to see Birnam
Wood coming to Dunsinane as being self-fulfilling in any way. The play offers no easy answers.
Instead, Shakespeare keeps the witches well outside the limits of human comprehension. They
embody an unreasoning, instinctive evil.

Banquo - Banquo is a Scottish general in the king's army and Macbeth's friend. With Macbeth,
Banquo helps Duncan's forces claim victory over the king of Norway and the thane of Cawdor.
Following the battle, Banquo and Macbeth encounter the witches, who make several prophesies
about Macbeth. They also speak to Banquo about his own future, saying that Banquo's
descendants will be kings. Shakespeare's Banquo is the antithesis of Macbeth -- his pure, moral
character foil. Banquo has no 'vaulting ambition' and thus can easily escape the trap of the
witches' prophesies. Wise and steadfast, Banquo warns Macbeth that
Oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betrays
In deepest consequence.
Banquo ultimately falls victim to Macbeth, but his son, Fleance, escapes. He comments to
Banquo's role in the original source for Macbeth was as Macbeth's co-conspirator. In
Shakespeare's play, he is depicted instead as Macbeth's rival; the role of fellow plotter passed to
Lady Macbeth. Like Macbeth, Banquo is open to human yearnings and desires: He is, for
example, just as keen to hear what the Witches have in store for him in Act I, Scene 3. He is kept
from sleep by his dreams of the Witches (Act II, Scene 1). And in his soliloquy at the start of Act
III, Scene 1 "Thou hast it now . . . " there is more than a hint of resentment and, possibly,
of the same naked ambition that leads Macbeth astray. Nevertheless, Banquo is a sympathetic
figure for several reasons. First, he is ignorant of what the audience knows concerning the
murder of the king and of his own impending doom. Second, he is a father whose relationship
with his son is clearly an affectionate one.

The role of Banquo in Macbeth is a foil to Macbeth, the voice of reason and to show us the
importance of the natural order and the maintenance of virtue when confronted with evil.

In Macbeth, Banquo is a foil to the character of Macbeth. He is everything Macbeth is not: kind,
virtuous, loyal and astute. Banquo's character is a reference point to which we can measure the
degeneration of Macbeth. However, in the beginning in the play, they are good friends,
equivalent in rank and status. We know this because the King, when asking after them says
"Dismayed not this, Our Captains, Macbeth and Banquo"" . This shows, at least in the King's
eyes, that they are equal in rank. They are also both alike in dignity and valour. However, they
are different, and this first arises in each man's reaction Banquo is a general in the King's army
(same as Macbeth) and is often seen in contrast to Macbeth. Banquo is the only one with
Macbeth when he hears the first prophecy of the weird sisters; during the same prophecy,
Banquo is told that his children will be kings, though he will not be. How Macbeth plays his part
of the prophecy to be fulfilled makes the play how Banquo does not creates a nice contrast to
our main character.

From the very first time we meet Banquo, he sets himself apart from Macbeth, especially notable
because both characters are introduced into the play at the same time: their meeting with the
witches. While Macbeth is eager to jump all over the weird sisters' words, Banquo displays a
caution and wisdom contrary to Macbeth's puppy-dog excitement. He notes that evil tends to
beget evil. Though, we might want to keep in mind that in Banquo's last private speech, when he
knows Macbeth has done wrong, he still thinks of what good might be coming to him as a result
of the prophecy.

It's also important to note that King James I of England (a.k.a. King James VI of Scotland), the
guy who was monarch when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, traced his lineage back to Banquo so
it's important that Shakespeare portrays Banquo as a noble figure. (In Shakespeare's source for
the play, Holinshed's Chronicles, Banquo helps Macbeth kill the king.) We talk about this more
in "Power" so be sure to check out "Quotes."

Banquo is a character in William Shakespeare's 1606 play Macbeth.

Banquo is at first an ally to Macbeth, his co-captain in the battle against
the rebels, and they are together when they meet the Three Witches. After
prophesying that Macbeth will become king, the witches tell Banquo that
he will not be king himself, but that his descendants will be. Later,
Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat to his lust for power and has him
murdered; Banquo's son Fleance, however, escapes. Banquo's ghost
returns in a later scene, causing Macbeth to react with alarm.

Shakespeare borrowed the character of Banquo from Holinshed's

Chronicles, a history of Britain published by Raphael Holinshed in 1587.
In Chronicles, however, Banquo is an accomplice to Macbeth in the
murder of the king, rather than a loyal subject of the king who is seen as
an enemy by Macbeth. Shakespeare may have changed this aspect of his
character in order to please King James I, who was said to be a
descendant of the real Banquo.

Banquo is often interpreted as a foil and a contrast to Macbeth, resisting

evil where Macbeth embraces it. Sometimes, however, his motives are
unclear and some critics question his purity. He does nothing to accuse
Macbeth of murdering the king, even though he has reason to believe
Macbeth is responsible. This can be interpreted as Banquo being a silent
accomplice to Macbeth's early crimes. Banquo also tells his son at one
point that he is having dark dreams, leading some scholars to wonder
whether he has dreamed of killing Macbeth in order to take the throne
and fulfill the Witches' prophecy. The character has been played by a
variety of actors on the stage and on film, including Canada Lee, Minoru
Chiaki, and Martin Shaw. Performances of the play on film and
television have used a variety of means to portray his role as a ghost,
taking advantage of camera tricks and special effects to heighten the
supernatural feel of the play.

Banquo was a historical figure portrayed in Holinshed's Chronicles

(1587), a history of the British monarchy which Shakespeare referred to
in many of his history plays. In the Chronicles, Banquo is an accomplice
in Macbeth's murder of King Duncan. He also plays an important part in
ensuring that Macbeth, not Malcolm, takes the throne in the coup that
follows.[1] In Shakespeare's day, Banquo was thought to be a direct
ancestor of the Stuart King James I. However, Banquo's Stuart descent
was revised in the 19th century, when it was discovered that the Fitzalans
might plausibly have descended from a Breton family instead.[2]
Whether or not Banquo, Thane of the Scottish province of Lochaber,
actually existed remains in doubt. He and his son Fleance are first
recorded by Hector Boece, whose Scotorum Historiae (1526-1527) was
the source for Holinshed's Chronicles. It has been suggested that they
were fictional characters invented by Boece.[3] However, his name is
still spoken in the area around Fort William, Scotland, and a path lined
with beech trees near Torcastle is called Banquo's Walk.[4]

The Banquo portrayed in historical sources is significantly different from

the Banquo created by Shakespeare. Critics have proposed several
reasons for this change. First, to portray the king's ancestor as a murderer
would have been risky. Second, Shakespeare may have altered Banquo's
character simply because there was no dramatic need for another
accomplice to the murder; there was, however, a need to provide a
dramatic contrast to Macbetha role which many scholars argue is filled
by Banquo. Other authors of the time who wrote about Banquo, such as
Jean de Schelandre in his Stuartide, also changed history by portraying
Banquo as a noble man rather than a murderer, probably for the same
reasons.
In any case, Shakespeare manages to separate Banquo from the king's
murder by making it a secret of which Banquo is totally unaware.
Banquo's association with the coup, however, is harder to define. Some
scholars have argued that Banquo's loyalty to Macbeth over Malcolm
after Duncan's death makes him a darker character. Daniel Amneus
argues that the "greater honor" Duncan mentions Macbeth as possessing
is Macbeth's title as Prince of Cumberland. If Macbeth is Prince of
Cumberland, rather than Malcolm, then Macbeth would be next in line to
the throne and no coup would be needed, effectively removing this
ambiguity from Banquo's character.

Role in the play

Banquo is in a third of the play's scenes, as both a human and a ghost. As
significant as he is to the plot, however, he has fewer lines than the
relatively insignificant Ross, a Scottish nobleman who survives the play.
At the beginning, Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, and Banquo lead Duncan's
army, bravely fighting side by side. Banquo is with Macbeth when they
encounter the Three Witches who predict that Macbeth will become
Thane of Cawdor, and then king. Banquo asks them if they are real and
challenges them to predict his future. The witches state that Banquo will
never himself take the throne, but will beget a line of kings. Banquo
remains skeptical after the incident, asking if evil can ever speak the
truth. After Macbeth receives the title of Cawdor, Banquo warns him that
wickedness will offer men a small hopeful truth only in order to catch
them in a deadly trap.

When Macbeth kills the king to take the throne, Banquo, the only one
aware of his encounter with the witches, reserves judgment for God,
unsure whether Macbeth is a killer or not. He offers his respects to the
new King Macbeth and pledges loyalty. Later, however, disturbed that
Banquo's descendants and not his own will rule Scotland, Macbeth sends
murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. During the melee,
however, Fleance escapes. The ghost of Banquo later returns to haunt
Macbeth at a banquet in Act Three, Scene Four. A terrified Macbeth sees
him, while the apparition is invisible to his guests. He appears again to
Macbeth in a vision granted by the Three Witches, wherein Macbeth sees
a long line of kings related to Banquo.

Back

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 Duncans line,
in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne. The king of Scotland should be a
figurehead of order and orderliness, and Duncan is the epitome, or supreme example, of this. His
language is formal and his speeches full of grace and graciousness, whether on the battlefield in
Act I, Scene 2, where his talk concerns matters of honor, or when greeting his kind hostess Lady
Macbeth in Act I, Scene 6. Duncan also expresses humility (a feature that Macbeth lacks) when
he admits his failure in spotting the previous Thane of Cawdor's treachery: "There's no art to find
the mind's construction in the face"

Most importantly, Duncan is the representative of God on earth, ruling by divine right (ordained by God), a
feature of kingship strongly endorsed by King James I, for whom the play was performed in 1606. This
"divinity" of the king is made clear on several occasions in the play, most notably when Macbeth talks
of the murdered Duncan as having "silver skin lac'd with . . . golden blood" (Act II, Scene 3). The
importance of royal blood, that is, the inheritance of the divine right to rule, is emphasized when, in the
final scene, Duncan's son Malcolm takes the title of king, with the words "by the grace of Grace / We will
perform." Duncan
Character Analysis

In the play, Duncan is a benevolent old man. We never see him out on the battlefield, and he is
always full of kindly words. He's also generous when bestowing honors on the soldiers and
thanes that protect him and his kingdom. Duncan is so sympathetic and likable a character that
murdering him seems horrifying. His good nature, pronounced by Macbeth in his private
thoughts, reminds us of what a terrible thing it is to murder him. Even Lady Macbeth, who says
she would murder her own nursing babe, can't kill him because he resembles her father while
sleeping. That Macbeth can murder this man exemplifies just how atrocious the act is. It's also a
clear indication that Macbeth is far removed from human kindness and morality.

King Duncan's character is also interesting insofar as it speaks to the play's representation of
masculinity and power. Shakespeare scholar and retired UC Berkeley professor Janet Adelman
reminds us that in a world where manhood is synonymous with violence and cruelty, King
Duncan is decidedly soft: "Heavily idealized, this ideally protective father is nonetheless largely
ineffectual: even when he is alive, he is unable to hold his kingdom together, reliant on a series
of bloody men to suppress an increasingly successful series of rebellionsFor Duncan's
androgyny is the object of enormous ambivalence: idealized for his nurturing paternity, he is
nonetheless killed for his womanish softness, his childish trust, his inability to read men's minds
in their faces, his reliance on the fighting of sons who can rebel against him" (Suffocating
Mothers: Fantasies of Maternal origin in Shakespeare's Play, Hamlet to The Tempest).

In this way, King Duncan is a lot like the historical figure Duncane from Shakespeare's main
source for the play, Volume II of Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. In
Chronicles, Duncane is too "soft and gentle of nature" and is contrasted with Macbeth, who is
"cruel of nature." Shakespeare picks up on this contrast in Macbeth. If, on the one hand, King
Duncan is too gentle and Macbeth, on the other hand, is a tyrant when he becomes king, then is
the play calling for something in between a king that rules with authority and temperance?
Check out our discussion of "Power" for more on this.

Macduff - A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeths kingship from the start. He eventually
becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusades mission is to place the rightful
king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeths murder of
Macduffs wife and young son. Macduff is the archetype of the avenging hero, not simply out for
revenge but with a good and holy purpose. Macduff is the character who has two of the most
significant roles in the play: First, he is the discoverer of Duncan's body. Second, the news of the
callous murder of his wife and children (Act IV, Scene 3) spurs him toward his desire to take
personal revenge upon the tyrannical Macbeth. When he knocks at the gate of Macbeth's castle in
Act II, Scene 3, he is being equated with the figure of Christ, who before his final ascension into
Heaven, goes down to release the souls of the damned from hell (the so-called "Harrowing of
Hell").

Like Macbeth, Macduff is also shown as a human being. When he hears of the death of
his "pretty chickens," he has to hold back his emotions. Even when (in Act IV, Scene 3)
Malcolm urges him to "Dispute it like a man," Macduff's reply "I will do so. But I must
also feel it as a man" enables the audience to weigh him against Macbeth, an unfeeling
man if ever there was one. In the final combat between hero and anti-hero, this humanity
is recalled once more when Macduff cries out, "I have no words; my voice is in my
sword." It is his very wordlessness

Macduff, the thane of Fife, is a Scottish nobleman. He travels with Duncan to Macbeth's castle,
and with Lennox, arrives the morning after the king has been murdered to awaken Duncan, but
instead finds him dead. Macduff announces to the gathered nobleman, including the king's sons,
that Duncan has been killed.
Macduff's words in the next scene are considered significant by some observers who argue that
Macduff is the first character to suggest his suspicion regarding Macbeth's ascension to the
throne. Macduff tells Rosse that he will not be attending Macbeth's coronation but...

Malcolm - The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotlands return to order
following Macbeths reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with
Macduffs 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 fathers murder.

Macbeth By William Shakespeare Character Analysis

Malcolm
With his brother Donalbain, Malcolm quickly ascertains the danger of remaining in Scotland and
flees the country (Act II, Scene 3). By the time he reappears, in Act IV, Scene 3, he has won the
support of Edward the Confessor (king of England), he has mobilized troops under
Northumberland and Siward, and (to borrow a phrase from King Lear) he is "every inch a king."

If Macduff is the stereotypical revenger, Malcolm is the embodiment of all that is good in
kingship, and this is seen particularly in Act IV, Scene 3, in which he tests the allegiance of
Macduff. His testing of Macduff, although dramatically longwinded, is psychologically accurate.
By pretending to be what he is not, he hopes to coax from Macduff a confession of his loyalty.
This feature of his character playing a part in order to strengthen the prospect of good is in
stark contrast to Macbeth, who plays a part in order to advance his own evil. In the final scene of
the play, Malcolm is presented as the future king. His use of the phrase "by the grace of Grace"
indicates the importance that he attaches to the service of good and reminds the audience of his
direct descent from one who ruled by divine right, as opposed to Macbeth, who usurped the
throne. Like his father Duncan, Malcolm is the representative of order.

Duncan

Duncan, the King of Scotland, is Macbeth's first victim en route to obtaining the crown for
himself. As is evident here and in all of the history plays, Shakespeare was, at least in the public
arena, a firm believer in the divine right of kings. Usurping a divinely appointed ruler was
always the most serious of crimes, but to usurp a valiant and benevolent monarch was wicked
beyond comprehension. Thus, for reasons both dramatic and political, Shakespeare had to make
notable changes to the historical Duncan. The real King Duncan, according to Shakespeare's
sources, was your regular nasty warlord; nastier, it appears, than the actual historical Macbeth. If
Shakespeare's Macbeth planned to kill this Duncan he would be justified, and hence there would
be no play. So Duncan morphs into a delightful and much beloved ruler, kind to the point of
annoyance. With his 'silver skin' and 'golden blood' (2.3.97), Shakespeare's Duncan epitomizes
the perfect ruler. Shakespeares changes to Duncans character are also in keeping with other
changes he made to his sources, all seemingly intended to cater to his king and patron, James I.

Banquo

Shakespeare's Banquo is the antithesis of Macbeth -- his pure, moral character foil. Banquo has
no 'vaulting ambition' and thus can easily escape the trap of the witches' prophesies. Wise and
steadfast, Banquo warns Macbeth that
Oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betrays
In deepest consequence. (1.3.132)
Banquo ultimately falls victim to Macbeth, but his son, Fleance, escapes.

Macduff

Macduff, the Thane of Fife, is a character in William Shakespeare's Macbeth (c.1603-1607).

Macduff plays a pivotal role in the play: he suspects Macbeth of regicide and eventually kills
Macbeth in the final act. He is the main antagonist in the play.

Macduff, the thane of Fife, arrives at Macbeth's castle the morning after Duncan has been
murdered. Macduff pronounces the king dead, and is suspicious of Macbeth almost immediately.
Macduff quickly sides with Malcolm, Duncan's son and rightful heir to the throne. As
punishment for his betrayal, Macbeth hatches a plan to kill Macduff and his whole family.
Macbeth's assassins do murder Lady Macduff and his son, but Macduff, who is in England at the
time, lives to take his revenge on Macbeth at the end of the play, when he slays in him battle and
carries his head to the new king, Malcolm.

More on the character of Banquo:

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, how do the witches mislead Macbeth by the three
apparitions shown to him? Macbeth returns to the witches and demands to have answers about
his future. Earlier in the play, the witches came to him and addressed him as Thane of Cawdor
and King. He took these things to be predictions for his future and killed King Duncan in order
to be king.
Now, he wants answers from the witches, again. They show him three apparitions. The first tells
him to beware Macduff; he should listen to this one. The second tells him that he will not be
defeated until Birnum Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. He determines that the woods cannot
move, so he will not be defeated. The third apparation tells him that no one of woman born shall
harm him. He decides that all people are born of a woman, so he will not be defeated. Macbeth
takes the second and third apparitions too literally and repeats them constantly. He never talks
about the first warning him to beware Macduff, except to point out that he was born of a woman.

The soldiers from England and Scotland do not want Macbeth to see how many of them are
coming to attack. They are ordered by Malcolm to cut down tree branches and put them in front
of their faces and bodies in order to disguise themselves. When they advance on Macbeth's
castle, the woods appear to be moving. Thus, Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane.

When Macbeth is found by Macduff, he says he does not want to fight Macduff because Macbeth
lives a charmed life and has done enough damage to Macduff's family. He says that no one of
woman born will be able to harm him, so Macduff should just leave. Macduff responds that he
was "from his mother's womb, untimely ripped"; he was born by c-section instead of the natural
way. So he was not of woman born.

The witches do not mislead him with the first apparition; he was told to beware Macduff. He
chooses to ignore that one because Macduff was born of a woman.

He also chooses to ignore the fourth and last one which shows Banquo's ghost leading a group of
kings; this one further reinforces the first prediction by the witches for Banquo. Banquo would
not be a king, but his children would be kings at some point in the future.

Macbeth really misled himself by deciding what to believe in all the information that he received
by the witches.