Macbeth Character Descriptions
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MACBETH CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS Cross-gender casting will be used in this production. This means that, while pronouns below indicate the original gender of the character, ALL roles are open to EITHER female or male actors. Macbeth - a brave and rash Scottish general who is a powerful man, but not a virtuous one. When the three witches tell him he will be king, he moves quickly to make it happen by murdering Duncan to gain the throne. He continues to slash his way through anyone and anything that threatens him, creating mayhem in the court. However, he soon becomes insecure and the ferocity that allowed him to succeed in battle makes him ill equipped to rule. Consumed with dark fears about the future, and ultimately unable to deal with the psychological impact of his atrocities, he races, headfirst, towards self-destruction. Lady Macbeth - Macbeth’s wife and a deeply ambitious woman. Her relationship with Macbeth is intense and their joint alienation from the world feeds their coldblooded partnership. She possesses manly courage and is extremely crafty. In fact, early in the play, she is actually more ruthless than her husband in the plotting Duncan’s murder. However, she later suffers despair and guilt and descends into madness. The Three Witches - three mysterious, supernatural and “weird” sisters who rise from the earth to give Macbeth prophecies about his future. They help to reveal the visions he sees and also serve as supernatural guides throughout the play, for those characters who pass from the mortal “earthly world” into the spiritual “life to come.” Duncan - the popular, virtuous, and honored king of Scotland. He is the model of a virtuous, trusting and benevolent ruler and also demonstrates an lack of aptitude for war, counting on his thanes to do battle rather than leading them into the field.. Malcolm - Duncan’s son who is named heir to the throne and flees to England after his father’s murder. He is intelligent and sensitive but, unlike his father, has a steely strength beneath his gentle appearance. He is cautious and slow to trust, but is not weak. Donalbain - Malcolm’s younger and more immature brother. He too is smart, but is extremely emotional and driven by fear. Like Malcolm, he flees after Duncan’s death, but does not return to Scotland with his brother to avenge their father’s death. Macduff - a Thane of Scotland and adversary of Macbeth’s, who tries to do the right thing in the face of great odds. Suspecting Macbeth’ of plotting against Duncan, he flees to join Malcolm in England and, when Macbeth murders the family he left behind, Macduff swears personal revenge against the tyrant. Banquo - a Thane of Scotland who fights beside Macbeth. An equally brave soldier, he also has a gentle side and is a loving father. He too receives a prophecy from the witches, which turns Macbeth against him and puts him in harm’s way. Ross - a Scottish nobleman and a shrewd observer of the court. He is alert to what is going on around him, but is slow to condemn Macbeth’s actions and tyrannical rise to power. Lennox - a Scottish nobleman who is loyal to Macbeth at first, but later comes to question, and even ridicule, the newly crowned king’s motives and murderous actions. Angus - a Scottish nobleman who quickly turns against Macbeth’s tyranny and seeks to enlist others to turn abandon the newly crowned king and side with Malcolm. Seyton - Macbeth’s manservant and confidant, he spies on the nobles and helps carry out the king’s murderous instructions. Porter - a servant in the Macbeth household who provides comic relief and interacts with the audience to ease the tension of the play. A little hung over, from the night before, he still manages to offer a bit of philosophy, and comment insightfully on society. Fleance - Banquo’s young son who escapes Macbeth’s attempt to have him killed. The Murderers - rough criminals, with a grudge against Duncan, who are enlisted by Macbeth to carry out his murderous plans. Hecate - the goddess of witchcraft who visits the Three Witches to advise and scold them about their interactions with Macbeth. Lady Macduff - Macduff’s wife who, in contrast to Lady Macbeth, is a loving and devoted wife and mother. She is confused, however, by her husband’s abandonment. Macduff’s son - a young child who attempts to comfort his mother and tries to save her from the murderers sent by Macbeth, losing his life in the process. Doctor - a physician of the court who is called upon to treat Lady Macbeth’s declining sanity, but is baffled by her sleepwalking and delirium. An Abbess - the mistress of the cloisters in Duncan’s castle, she seeks to help the nobles find answers to his murder. PLUS - Nobles, Couriers, Servants, Ladies in Waiting, Attendants, and Soldiers (some of these smaller roles may be double cast with some of the larger roles listed above) .