Macbeth is introduced in the play as a warrior hero, whose fame on the

battlefield wins him great honor from the king.

The character of Macbeth, as presented in the play, is a progressive one. As the

plot proceeds his few good qualities disappear, while the evil become more and
more developed. His career is a downward one. He goes from good to bad, and
from bad to worse.

Macbeth is: Brave and kind. From the time that Macbeth met the witches, the evil
points in his character assert themselves. He becomes more ambitious and thirsty
for power.

His ambition now begins to spur him toward further terrible deeds, and he starts to
disregard and even to challenge Fate and Fortune. Each successive murder reduces
his human characteristics still further, until he appears to be the more dominant
partner in the marriage. The appearance of Banquo's ghost, causes him to swing
from one state of mind to another until he is no longer sure of what is and "what is
not". By the end Macbeth's excessive pride is now his dominant character
trait.