Macbeth And Lady Macbeth: Chararcter Description

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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: A Character Description By: Gavin Patton The esteemed, brave warrior and Thane of Glamis- Macbeth is the principal character in Shakespeare’s tragedy, ‘Macbeth’. He is first introduced in Act 1, Scene 2, by a fatigued soldier, subsequent to the glorious victory over the Irish and Norwegian rebels led by the traitor, Macdonald. King Duncan, the current monarch of Scotland approaches the scene of the battle with his sons Malcolm and Donaldbain seeking an aftermath report. A wounded Captain who had participated in the battle recounts their victory and proclaimed the assertive efforts of ’brave Macbeth’. The captain recalls Macbeth killing the apostate, Macdonald: ‘till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’chaps and fix’d his head upon our battlements’- Captain, (1.2.22-23). In this opening description of Macbeth we are told of his strength, physicality and courage on the battlefield. King Duncan is impressed by Macbeth’s dauntless actions and tells the Thane, Ross, to approach Macbeth and greet him with the newly merited title ‘Thane of Cawdor’, in reward for his duties. In Act 1, Scene 2, we are given the impression that he is renowned as a valiant fighter yet, also a loyal nobleman of the Scottish monarchy. Act 1, Scene 3 takes place upon the thundering heath, the residence of the ‘weird sisters’, the witches. The two compatriot commanders of Scotland, Banquo and Macbeth are returning to camp, after the battle when they encounter the witches. At first, the two nobles are weary: ‘you should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so’- Banquo, (1.3.43-45). However, when the witches begin to prophesize Macbeth’s Kingship, they lower their guard and are intrigued by their visions. The witches vanish and the two men begin to think they have ‘eaten on the insane root’ and are confused by recent proceedings. This

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