1. The Mad Man
1.1. Macbeth sees a vision of a dagger.
1.1.1. "MACBETH: Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand? / Come, let me clutch thee. / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still." (2.1.33-36).
1.1.1.1. Before Macbeth murders Duncan, he sees a vision of a dagger with its handle pointing towards him that leads him to commit the murder.
1.2. After the murders, Macbeth is unsettled, fearful, and overthinks his actions.
1.2.1. MACBETH. But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”? / I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” / Stuck in my throat. LADY MACBETH. These deeds must not be thought / After these ways. So, it will make us mad. (2.2.32-34).
1.2.1.1. Macbeth is badly distressed, describing how he cannot reply "Amen" when the sleeping servants say their prayers. Lady Macbeth tells him that thinking too much will make him insane.
1.3. Macbeth hears sounds.
1.3.1. "MACBETH: Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep." (2.2.35-36).
1.3.1.1. While killing Duncan, Macbeth hears a voice that says that he has murdered sleep.
1.3.2. "MACBETH: Whence is that knocking? / How is ’t with me when every noise appals me?" (2.2.55-56).
1.3.2.1. Macbeth hears knocking and says that he is frightened of every noise.
1.4. Macbeth sees a vision of Banquo, causing him to hallucinate and act insane at his banquet.
1.4.1. LENNOX. Here is a place reserved, sir. MACBETH. Where? (3.4.49-50).
1.4.1.1. Lennox shows Macbeth his empty reserved seat, but Macbeth cannot see it because he sees the ghost of Banquo sitting in it.
2. The Coward
2.1. At first, Macbeth does not want to kill Duncan.
2.1.1. "MACBETH: Prithee, peace: / I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none." (1.7.46-48).
2.1.1.1. Macbeth pleads with Lady Macbeth that he is a proper man who cannot kill.
2.2. Macbeth is too scared to put the daggers back in the dead Duncan's room.
2.2.1. LADY MACBETH. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? / They must lie there. Go carry them and smear / The sleepy grooms with blood. MACBETH. I’ll go no more: / I am afraid to think what I have done; / Look on ’t again I dare not. (2.2.48-51).
2.2.1.1. After Duncan is murdered, Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to put the daggers back in Duncan's room to frame the servants, but Macbeth is afraid to look at what he has done.
2.3. He hires murderers to kill Banquo and Lady Macduff instead of doing it himself.
2.3.1. "MACBETH: That I require a clearness. And with him— / To leave no rubs nor botches in the work— / Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, / Whose absence is no less material to me / Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate / Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart." (3.1.-138-143).
2.3.1.1. Macbeth hires and tells murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance because he is afraid that Banquo knows that he is the murderer.
2.3.2. "MACBETH: (to GHOST) Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake / Thy gory locks at me." (3.4.54-55).
2.3.2.1. Seeing the ghost of Banquo at his party, Macbeth tells the ghost that he did not physically murder him, so he should not be blamed.
2.3.3. Enter MURDERERS. LADY MACDUFF: What are these faces?" (4.2.74).
2.3.3.1. Murderers appear prepared to kill Macduff, but kill his wife and son instead.
3. The Murderer
3.1. He murders King Duncan and his servants.
3.1.1. "MACBETH: I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?" (2.2.14).
3.1.1.1. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that Duncan is killed.
3.1.2. "MACBETH: Oh, yet I do repent me of my fury, / That I did kill them." (2.3.84-85).
3.1.2.1. To avoid rousing suspicion, Macbeth kills the servants under the guise of being blind with rage.
3.2. Macbeth murders Banquo.
3.2.1. "BANQUO: O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! / Thou may ’st revenge —O slave!" (3.3.20).
3.2.1.1. As Banquo is killed by Macbeth's hired murderers, he tells his son to run away.
3.3. Macbeth murders Lady Macduff and her son.
3.3.1. "SON: He has killed me, Mother. Run away, I beg you!" (4.2.80-81).
3.3.1.1. Murderers hired by Macbeth kill Lady Macduff's son and then Lady Macduff.
4. The Warrior
4.1. Macbeth kills Macdonwald in battle, a traitor to Scotland.
4.1.1. "CAPTAIN: Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, / Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops, / And fixed his head upon our battlements." (1.2.16-24).
4.1.1.1. The Captain explains how Macbeth slaughtered Macdonwald by slicing him from his navel to his jawbone and then hanging his head on the castle walls.
4.2. Macbeth is shown to be a general who is fearless and successful in battle.
4.2.1. DUNCAN. Dismayed not this our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? CAPTAIN. Yes, as sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. (1.2.30-35).
4.2.1.1. Duncan asks the army captain if Macbeth and Banquo are frightened when fighting. The captain responds that they are about as frightened as sparrows frighten eagles, or rabbits frighten lions.
4.3. Macbeth is the Thane of Cawdor and the Thane of Glamis.
4.3.1. "DUNCAN: No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive / Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, / And with his former title greet Macbeth." (1.2.63-66).
4.3.1.1. Duncan gives Macbeth Cawdor's title after stating that no Thane of Cawdor will every betray him.
4.3.2. "FIRST WITCH: All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!" (1.3.49).
4.3.2.1. A witch says that Macbeth is already the Thane of Glamis.
4.3.3. "MACBETH: By Sinel’s death I know I am thane of Glamis." (1.3.72).
4.3.3.1. Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis because he inherited the position when his father died.
5. The Traitor
5.1. Macbeth kills Banquo, betraying their friendship.
5.1.1. "MACBETH: 'Tis better thee without than he within. / Is he dispatched?" (3.4.15-16).
5.1.1.1. Macbeth tells the first murderer that Banquo's blood is better spilled than within his veins, showing no remorse or mercy towards their previous friendship.
5.2. Macbeth kills the king, committing the worst act of treason, and is a traitor to Scotland.
5.2.1. "MACDUFF: O Banquo, Banquo, Our royal master’s murdered!"(2.3.62-63).
5.2.1.1. Macduff and others find out that Duncan is murdered the morning after the crime.
5.2.2. "LENNOX: Some holy angel / Fly to the court of England and unfold / His message ere he come, that a swift blessing / May soon return to this our suffering country / Under a hand accursed!" (3.6.46-50).
5.2.2.1. Lennox says that Scotland is suffering under the tyrannical hand of Macbeth, who is not a good king and has therefore betrayed his country.
6. The Loyal Subject
6.1. Duncan is deeply grateful to Macbeth's actions in battle.
6.1.1. "DUNCAN: O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!" (1.2.24).
6.1.1.1. Duncan exclaims that Macbeth is a great and worthy gentleman and relative.
6.1.2. "ROSS: The king hath happily received, Macbeth, / The news of thy success, and when he reads / Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight, / His wonders and his praises do contend / Which should be thine or his." (1.3.90-95).
6.1.2.1. Ross describes how the king is amazed and pleased whenever he hears of Macbeth's success.
6.2. Macbeth respects the king and follows his commands. He is a loyal friend and subject to Duncan.
6.2.1. "MACBETH: "The service and the loyalty I owe / In doing it pays itself." (1.4.23-24).
6.2.1.1. Macbeth says that the opportunity to serve Duncan is its own reward.
7. The Loving Husband
7.1. Macbeth talks to his wife in a loving way with respectful tones and titles.
7.1.1. "LADY MACBETH: (reading) This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell." (1.5.1).
7.1.1.1. At the end of his letter, Macbeth refers to Lady Macbeth as his dearest partner of greatness.
7.1.2. "MACBETH: My dearest love, Duncan is coming here tonight." (1.5.50).
7.1.2.1. Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth his dearest love.
7.2. Macbeth listens to Lady Macbeth's directions.
7.2.1. "MACBETH: I am settled, and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat." (1.7.79-80).
7.2.1.1. Although at first Macbeth is reluctant, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to murder King Duncan.