‘I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’other -‘ (Macbeth, 1:7)

Macbeth doubts himself but also confesses he is extremely ambitious.

‘No boasting like a fool; / This deed I'll do before the purpose cool.’ (Macbeth, 4:1)

Macbeth's attitude towards murder changes and he quickly makes the decision to murder Macduff's family.

‘For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name’ (Captain, 1:2)

Macbeth is well respected in King Duncan’s army for his military success.

‘Yet do I fear thy nature, / It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way’ (Lady Macbeth, 1:5)

Macbeth has a kind and sympathetic personality, which Lady Macbeth fears will make him unable to achieve their ambitions through murder.

‘Not in the legions / Of horrid hell can come a devil more damned / In evils to top Macbeth.’ (Macduff, 4:3)

Macbeth is no longer the worthy and brave leader he was and is now thoroughly evil.

‘and chastise thee with the valour of my tongue’ (Lady Macbeth, 1:5)

Lady Macbeth knows her influence over her husband. She values her own courage.

'I would, while it was smiling in my face, / Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn / As you have done to this.’ (Lady Macbeth, 1:7)

Lady Macbeth would do anything rather than break her promise and is capable of great violence.

‘my dearest love’ (Macbeth, 1:5)

Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a loving marriage.

‘thy undaunted mettle should compose nothing but males’ (Macbeth, 1:7)

Lady Macbeth seems determined and unafraid, which Macbeth associates with masculinity.

‘his fiend-like queen’ (Malcolm, 5:9)

Lady Macbeth has used devilish means to achieve her ambitions.

'The weird sisters, hand in hand, / Posters of the sea and land, Thus do go, about, about…’ (Witches, 1:3)

The witches are close, like sisters, and meet to chant spells and cast magic together.

'Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites, / And show the best our delights.' (Witches, 4:1)

The witches delight in shocking Macbeth with their prophecies.

‘So withered and so wild in their attire, / That they look not like h’inhabitants o’th’earth’ (Banquo, 1:3)

The witches look inhuman. Their look and clothes are very wild.

'…what seemed corporal, / Melted, as breath into the wind’ (Macbeth, 1:3)

The witches appear to vanish into air before Macbeth and Banquo’s eyes.

‘Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, / Saucy and over-bold?’ (Hecate, 3:5)

The witches have meddled with things they should not have. They are over-confident.

‘So I lose none / In seeking to augment it, but still keep / My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, / I shall be counselled.’ (Banquo, 2:1)

Banquo is loyal to Duncan and vows to do nothing devious to make the prophecy come true.

'In the great hand of God I stand and thence / Against the undivulged pretense I fight / of treasonous malice.’ (Banquo, 2:3)

Banquo is courageous. He leads the other thanes in a vow to discover who has committed the treasonous murder of King Duncan.

'May they not be my oracles as well / And set me up in hope?’ (Banquo, 3:1)

Banquo is hopeful that the prophecy about his children will come true too. He has ambitions.

'Noble Banquo, / That hast no less deserved, nor must be known / No less to have done so, let me enfold thee / And hold thee to my heart.’ (Duncan, 1:4)

Banquo is greatly valued for his bravery and loyalty.

'Our fears in Banquo / Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature / Reigns that which would be feared.’ (Macbeth, 3:1)

Banquo has royal and noble qualities. He could make a good king.

'But I must also feel it as a man; / I cannot but remember such things were / That were most precious to me.’ (Macduff, 4:3)

Macduff feels has a strong bond with his family and grieves for them when they are killed.

'My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain / Than terms can give thee out.’ (Macduff, 5:8)

Macduff is a man of action, rather than words.

‘Here comes the good Macduff’ (Ross, 2:4)

Macduff is valued as an ally and a friend.

'How says thou that Macduff denies his person / At our great bidding?’ (Macbeth, 3:4)

Macduff has integrity and stands up for what he believes in, even if it puts him at risk.

‘Macduff, this noble passion, / Child of integrity, hath from my soul / Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts / To thy good truth and honour’ (Malcolm, 4:3)

Macduff is loyal to Scotland and its people, which reassures Malcolm of his honesty and goodness.

'He was a gentleman on whom I build / An absolute trust.’ (Duncan, 1:4)

Duncan is a trusting man who puts faith in the loyalty of those serving him.

'The sin of my ingratitude even now / Was heavy on me.’ (Duncan, 1:4)

Duncan is grateful to the men who have supported him.

'Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels’ (Macbeth, 1:7)

Duncan is a gentle and fair ruler. Duncan is well respected by his lords and officers.

'The murderous shaft that’s shot / Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way / Is to avoid the aim.’ (Malcolm, 2:3)

Malcolm wants to protect his brother Donalbain. He is cautious in his response to his father’s death.

'Let not my jealousies be your dishonours, / But mine own safeties.’ (Malcolm, 4:3)

Malcolm does not trust easily. He is suspicious of the other thanes after the murder of his father.

‘We will establish our estate upon / Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter / The Prince of Cumberland’ (Duncan, 1:4)

Malcolm is declared as the successor to the throne after his father Duncan.

‘Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two sons, / Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them / Suspicion of the deed.’ (Macduff, 2:4)

Malcolm’s action of running away after his father’s death is viewed as suspicious by the other thanes.

'Revenges burn in them, for their dear causes / Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm / Excite the mortified man.’ (Menteith, 5:2)

Malcolm is a passionate leader, who inspires his followers with his cause.

‘I dare not speak much further, / But cruel are the times when we are traitors / And do not know ourselves’ (Ross, 4:2)

Ross is sympathetic and reassuring to Lady Macduff. He is diplomatic and careful about what he reveals to her because there is a lot of danger.

'The worthy Thane of Ross’ (Malcolm, 1:2)

Ross is liked and respected by King Duncan and his sons.

'My ever gentle cousin, welcome hither.’ (Macduff, 4:3)

Ross has a kind and good nature.

'Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!’ (Banquo, 3:3)

Fleance is loved and protected by his father Banquo.

'The worm that's fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed, / No teeth for the present’ (Macbeth, 3:4)

Fleance is young, which makes Macbeth believe he is not yet a great threat to him.