- Simple play - simple theme (rise and fall of a great man)
- Macbeth doesn't present himself the way other Shakespearean characters do -Shows us elements of our own lives - good vs evil - Shakespeare's most compelling character - does a 180 in only 5 acts - man w/o a place
- Macbeth makes his own decisions - never forced or deceived - he creates his own destruction - his death is his own fault
- Macbeth can't be happy with what he has - Act 1 Scene 7 25-28
- he has morals (killing is bad) but kills Duncan anyway - are the witches or his previous thoughts to blame?
- His imagination is under tension - he's smart enough to see the consequences, but he wants to be king. - he knows the cost will be high, but it might be worth it. Act 1, Scene 7 48-49
- Like Hamlet, he's not a hypocrite
- He knows that he'll be breaking rules - To kill or not to to kill (See what I did there? :P) He freely chooses to embrace evil because of his willingness to imagine being king.
- Full of regret and morally confused
- Banquo knows that it will compromise his honor - is comfortable with his social status
Lady Macbeth
- "A bi*ch from the beginning." - Dr. Preston
- her impulses destroy her - self inflicted punishment - can't stay in denial - thought everything would be okay
- Agent of evil - keeps Macbeth's destructive thoughts alive in the beginning (Animus)
- Bullies Macbeth into the murder (It's still his fault, no one forced him. No ambiguity)
- Eventually feels guilty, has no determination, goes crazy, and has no self control.
King Macbeth
- Tragic element - Can't rule because he knows that he's betrayed the people - feels he has no worth because of the deception.
- Takes charge of events that shape his life - he goes at everything 110% even if it's bad.
- Compelling because he doesn't deny that he's bad
- Head Strong - being king ended up costing him what made him great - he becomes his own enemy - ends up getting himself killed because of everything he's done
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