Out of all the minor characters within the play, the thanes hold possibly the largest and most influential political roles. Their allegiance is what determines stability in Scotland, so it is worth noting when the balance shifts as their abandonment of Macbeth in the final act signals that Malcolm is the more likely victor with the country united on his side in their war. Representing the various regions of Scotland, the thanes are granted little in personality, as Macduff is the only one amongst them to adopt a major role within the play’s plot.
However, we do see Ross and Lennox offer perspectives on some of Macbeth’s atrocities. For instance, Ross discusses the unnatural occurrences happening in the world in the wake of Duncan’s death at the end of the second act, and Lennox at the end of the third sarcastically praises Macbeth’s rule so far and not only reveals the growing discontentment arising from his misrule but that Macduff has fled to England to seek Malcolm. On the most basic level, the thanes are a tool for the audience to better understand the events in the play, echoing the plot in a more compressed manner.
