King of Scotland, a gracious and trusting ruler whose murder by Macbeth triggers the play's violent spiral.

Who they are

Duncan is the epitome of a good king: generous, trusting, and saintly. He appears only in the first act, but his murder is the central crime that unleashes chaos. His misplaced trust in the Thane of Cawdor and his warm praise of Macbeth highlight the tragic irony of his death. He serves as a moral benchmark, and his legitimate reign contrasts sharply with Macbeth's tyranny.

Playing them

Play Duncan with a calm, gracious, and regal dignity. His voice should be gentle but authoritative, conveying genuine warmth and trust. Physicality should be open and unguarded, almost ethereal—he seems to float above the scheming, making his vulnerability poignant. Avoid any hint of suspicion; his faith in others is absolute, which makes his murder all the more shocking.

Where they appear

Act 1, Scene 2 8 speeches
Act 1, Scene 4 6 speeches
Act 1, Scene 6 4 speeches

Shakespeare the way it was meant to be had — out loud

These plays were written to be performed, not silently read. Yorick is a rehearsal app that lets you perform them: you take a part in any of Shakespeare’s 38 plays, and Yorick reads every other role aloud, listens while you speak your lines, keeps your place, and prompts you the moment you dry.

It is built for the person who has to be off book by tech week — school and college productions, community theatre, festivals, drama students and classical auditions — and for anyone who wants to hear a scene rather than skim it. Alongside the performance you get a plain-English translation of every speech, scene context, performance notes, and the ability to ask about any line and get an answer that already knows the play, the scene and who is speaking.

The text is the public-domain Cambridge/Globe edition. Translations and notes are AI-generated rehearsal aids for actors and students, not a scholarly apparatus. Yorick runs in a browser with nothing to install, and on iPhone and Android.