Character Reports

The Captain

1. What does your character want in this scene?

The Captain wants to tell the king about Macbeth, who fought gloriously in the war and slayed many Norweyans.

2. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? 

 The character wants to tell the king about the triumphs of Macbeth, so he tells him.

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

 No obstacles really, besides the Captain’s wound which makes it difficult to tell his story at times because of the pain.

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

The character really has no obstacles, except his pain. He groans and makes noises

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

 The Captain speaks like a battle hardened warrior with a heavy touch of pain in his voice, to emphasize how the wound is making it hard for him to speak.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events?)

 My character is thinking about his wound and telling his story to the king so he can share Macbeth’s victory and receive a surgeon.

Malcolm

1. What does your character want in this scene?

 In act one scene two Malcolm wants to discover the outcome of the battle that has been fought by the Scots against the traitorous Thane of Cawdor. He is anxious to discover the events of the battle because his father is the King.

2. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? 

 Malcolm's motivation in this scene is his patriotism and love for his country. He loves his father the King and his country and therefore he is very motivated to discover the final outcome of the battle.

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

 The only obstacle that stands in his way is his original lack of information which quickly disappears when the Captain informs him about the battle. After that he has no apparent obstacles.

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

When Malcolm confronts his obstacles he learns of the outcome of the battle which appeals to his natural sense of patriotism. He is happy and proud to learn of the Scottish victory.

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

Although Malcolm does not speak very much he speaks in a more elaborate way than most of the other characters mainly because he is a prince. He was brought up in the noblest family in Scotland and therefore he speaks like it. He talks like a Prince should talk because he was raised well.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events?)

Malcolm is most likely thinking about the Scottish victory and how happy he is because of it. Since he almost immediately asks the Captain about the battle he is probably thinking about it during the entire scene because he only talks one more time.

Ross

1.What does your character want in this scene?

My character, Ross, wants to inform the king of the victory in Norway and of the valiance of Macbeth in battle. Ross contributes to Macbeth receiving the position of Thane of Cawdor.

2.What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does?

Ross’s motivation for reporting on the battle in Norway to the king is simple; it is his duty as a messenger. In addition, he seems excited about the news and is delighted to be the first one to reveal the information to the king.

3.What obstacles stand in his or her way?

Ross’s only obstacle standing in his way is his ability to successfully relay the proper information to the king.

4.What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

He confronts them by successfully recollecting the valiance of Macbeth and superbly giving the king a visual of this honorable character.

5.Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

Ross is incredibly elaborate and speaks beautifully of Macbeth, additionally, it is easy to impress the king with such news that will excite him greatly. Ross successfully delivers the message and follows out his duty.

6.What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he react to other characters and events?)

Ross is simply concentrated on properly relaying the information of Macbeth’s valiance, and consequently praising the king. He is only stating facts and not imputing any of his own analysis therefore there are no extreme reactions from any characters.

Lennox

1. What does your character want in this scene?

 My character wants to find out more about the battle that has just occured

2. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? 

 My characters motivation for his tone is that Ross enters quickly

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

 My character has no obstacles in this scene

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

 My character has no obstacles to confront

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

 My character speaks in a surprised voice.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events?)

 My character is thinking about the battle that has just transpired and great feats that Macbeth accomplished during the battle

King Duncan

1. What does your character want in this scene?

1) King Duncan wants to hear of the news and outcome of the battle between his forces and the forces of Norway, Macdonwald, and the Thane of Cawdor. He hopes to hear positive news, especially that of a victory.

2. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? 

2) King Duncan is motivated to ask what happened by concern for the battle since his men comprised one side of the fighting. Later, when he learns of the treachery of the Thane of Cawdor and the achievements of Macbeth, he is motivated to have the Thane of Cawdor killed by revenge and a need to assert his power and make an example. He is motivated to then give this title to Macbeth by love and gratitude for Macbeth because of what he has done to save the King’s kingdom.

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

3) King Duncan has virtually no visible obstacles in achieving his goals in this scene because of his power over his people who do anything he asks of them whenever he asks for something. Both the captain and the Thane of Ross willingly tell everything they know of the battle to the king that they were fighting for, and when he ordered the Thane of Cawdor to be killed it was accepted instantly because it was a request made by the glorious king that the subjects wish to serve. Though he has no external obstacles, he does have internal fears about the state of his kingdom following the battle.

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

4) He confronts his external obstacles in this scene with relative ease since they are virtually nonexistent. He confronts his fears for his state by asking the captain and the Thane of Ross of the battle and they tell him that they were victorious. This allows him to feel more at ease, relieving his worries and extinguishing his obstacles.

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

5) King Duncan has very graceful and learned speech because of his noble status in the play, but he is also quite cogent and demanding because he is king and as a king he must rule his subjects efficiently and forcefully.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events?)

6) He is unresolved at the beginning of the scene and is thinking vigorously about the different conclusions the battle could have come to. As the captain states that the king of Norway was unrelenting and Macbeth and Banquo were fighting valiantly, Duncan begins to get nervous, but the Thane of Ross tells him afterwards that they were victorious, which set the King at ease and made him joyful. The Thane of Ross also explained about the treachery of the Thane of Cawdor, which causes the King to crave revenge while harboring admiration for Macbeth, causing him to give the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth.