Macbeth is a play, which encompasses such themes as witchcraft, fate, murder and the lust for power. It follows a loyal soldier to the king and war hero, Macbeth, as he kills his way to the top.
The aim of this essay is to describe and compare the characters and how they change throughout the play.
At the beginning of the play Macbeth is a loyal soldier and fierce warrior, loyal to the cause of Scotland, and his king, King Duncan, as one of Duncan's captain says early on-.
"But all's too weak for brave Macbeth -well he deserves that name -disdaining fortune with his brandished steel" (Act 1 Scene 2 lines 16-18).
This quote shows that he is brave, and disregards such things, as fate in his battles, only going by his loyalty and what he knows is right. It seems everybody has good things to say about him. Duncan is particularly proud of him, and gives him the title of Thane of Cawdor, after the old thane was disloyal- he calls Macbeth .
"my worthy Cawdor" (Act 1 Scene 4 line 48).
However, the audiences very first impression of Macbeth will be a wary one, as he is first mentioned by the three witches- the audience at the time the play was written would have found all things supernatural interesting, and would have associated this as bad. However following these compliments aimed at Macbeth they probably would have changed their minds. You can tell that Macbeth is an ambitious type, as he writes a letter to his wife about being so close to becoming king, after coming across three witches. They planted ideas in his mind about being becoming king, and after one of their predictions, about being Thane of Cawdor, comes true, he starts to plan what he could do. Compared to his friend, Banquo, he is extremely power hungry at this early stage- Banquo is not particularly interested in the witches" predictions, as he says that it would be best to "lay things lie"-.
"My noble partner.
You greet with present grace, and great prediction.
