Meet Macbeth

Macbeth is introduced first through the eyes of Sergeant, who uses both indirect and direct characterization. Sergeant describes Macbeth as brave, while Duncan calls him 'valiant' and 'worthy.' Macbeth's described actions provide us with more insight into who he is, and what kind of character/person he is. His inhumane actions, the brutal murder he committed, and the way he treats the dead man's body shows who he is. Macbeth, through indirect characterization, seems cruel and out only to help himself. He also seems easy to control and in a sense gullible, he eats up the witches words without questioning, quickly accepting them as true. The witches provide the idea that an event will happen to Macbeth, and Macbeth believing he is worthy makes it occur. Shakespeare gives enough detail and background information for the reader to be informed of the entire plot. He does this through his characters, some scenes of the play, even up to this point, are purely two characters speaking about another character's background, or events that have occurred, etc. Dialogue is the main source of information, it is what allows us to know what the characters plan to do next. The witches are a large source for telling about the plot without giving away too much.

Macbeth is described in a gory sense, yet he is also described as valiant, brave, and in a sense, worthy. The tone mostly seems to be as seeing characters and such as worthy, honorable, respectable. Themes such as "fair is foul, and foul is fair," will be main sources to drive the rest of the play. Macbeth does not play fair, he murders to gain his position and to keep moving up the ranks. His actions aren't necessarily "fair," they are foul, yet he manages to get what he wants, and what his prophecy from the witches said.