"These brief notes cover the minor characters in the play in this order:"
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"*The Witches"
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"*Lennox and Ross"
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"*Malcolm"
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"*Porter"
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"*Lord/Old Man"
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"*Lady Macduff"
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"*The Witches"
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"Belief in witches was strong in Shakespeare's time, and King James I had even written a book about witchcraft."
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"So, we must be careful to treat the witches seriously. They stand for the evil forces at work in the world - they are associated with darkness and unnatural things."
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"The witches do not seem to have the power to do much in the way of evil; their danger lies in their ability to tempt men to do evil."
"Banquo rejects them and survives, but Macbeth is tempted and succumbs to the powers of Darkness."
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"*The Witches (cont.)"
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"For exam purposes, the witches are central to two of the major themes of the play. They are the main examples of 'equivocation', just as they are prime examples of Disorder."
"*(See Themes 3 & 4)"
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"In addition, they give the play an atmosphere of mystery and excitement, and their high-interest quality makes them likely targets for exam essay topics."
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"*Lennox and Ross"
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"These two Lords serve an important function in the play."
"They act as commentators on the action, often filling the audience in on what has happened, and so moving the plot of the play forward more rapidly."
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"In addition, they act as the voice of 'ordinary people', so that we can see the events of the play from a different point of view."
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"From time to time, they make important comments on the major characters."
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"*Malcolm"
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"This is a small but important part in the play. At first Malcolm seems merely a dutiful attendant to his father."
"After Duncan's death, he becomes more important as the rightful KIng."
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"In Act IV, he emerges as a shrewd, cautious man, with many of the kingly virtues that are so sadly lacking in Macbeth."
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"A careful study of IV,iii, will be valuable as an aid to learning about the character of this young man who ends the play as the new and legitimate ruler of Scotland."
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"*Porter"
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"Shakespeare's acting company had at least one comic actor, and his audiences no doubt expected at least one comic scene."
"The 'Porter scene' (II,iii) provides comic relief after the drama of the murder scene. The porter at the gate of hell was a traditional element in the theatre, and the idea is cleverly exploited by Shakespeare."
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"He is vulgar but witty, and his rambling monologue cleverly works in some of the major themes of the play e.g. ambition and equivocation."
"*(See Themes 1 & 3)"
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"*Lord/Old Man"
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"These very minor characters serve the purpose of providing a commentary on the action, and providing another perspective."
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"Their function is very much like that of Ross and Lennox (discussed above), but less important."
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"Note, however, that the scene in which the Old Man appears, is crucial in any discussion of the major theme of Order/Disorder."
"*(See II,iv and Themes 4)"
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"*Lady Macduff"
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"This is a small part, but it is the only other woman character that we have to compare with Lady Macbeth."
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"She is seen to be a loving wife and mother, gentle with her son, and protective of her husband when the murderers arrive, even though she blames him for leaving his family alone."
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"By raising our sympathy for her, Shakespeare points up the cruelty of Macbeth, and paves the way for the play to end with the death of Macbeth as Macduff seeks his revenge."
