How do I write a P.E.E. paragraph on the character of Macbeth?

The P.E.E. paragraph is a method of literary analysis.  The “P.E.E.” usually stands from “point, evidence, explanation.”  What this means is that your first sentence, your topic sentence, states your main point.  Your second sentence contains evidence, usually a textual reference (a quotation), and then your last few sentences are explanation.  You explain the evidence and how it relates to your point. 

Since you are writing about Macbeth, you might be focusing on characterization.  I would characterize Macbeth as overly ambitious.  His ambition is his downfall.  So let’s say our point sentence is something like this. 

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s ambition leads to self-destruction. 

This sentence is straight to the point.  It tells us a character trait of Macbeth and the result of that trait.  The trait is that Macbeth is ambitious.  The result is that he self-destructs.  I included the title and author, but that may not be necessary, especially if this is one paragraph of a larger essay.  In that case you would not need it. 

That leads us to the evidence.  First, explain that the witches led Macbeth to believe he was going to be king. 

After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth is convinced he will become king.  

There are many examples that you could use, but in this case let’s use a quote from the beginning of the play where Macbeth essentially tells the audience that he will do anything to become king, and he does not care who stands in his way.  You could use this quote from Act 1, Scene 4. 

[Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires… (Act 1, Scene 4) 

If you do not want to use a block quote, I would say something like this. 

When Duncan chooses Malcolm as his heir, Macbeth says to the audience in an aside that Malcolm “is a step/On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,/For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;/Let not light see my black and deep desires” (Act 1, Scene 4). 

The slashes just indicate where the line breaks are.  Notice how I introduced the quote with the lead-in phrase. 

After you have written your evidence sentence, you need to explain it.  In this case, you may want to repeat the evidence/explanation part of the paragraph.  To explain what this quote means, you might say something like this. 

Macbeth is willing to do anything to become king.  Since he was not chosen as Duncan’s successor, that leaves him only one other choice: kill the king.  He clearly fears the results of his ambition, and wants to hide it from everyone else. 

After this explanation of the quote, you need to take the final step of explaining how this is connected to the last part of the point, which is that for Macbeth, ambition leads to downfall. 

Macbeth makes many rash decisions even after killing the king, and by the time he makes his last stand all he cares about is staying in power at any cost.  He is fairly easily defeated because he is so easily manipulated by the witches’ visions. 

To simplify things, I will put it all together into one paragraph for you. 

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s ambition leads to self-destruction.  After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth is convinced he will become king.  When Duncan chooses Malcolm as his heir, Macbeth says to the audience in an aside that Malcolm “is a step/On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,/For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;/Let not light see my black and deep desires” (Act 1, Scene 4).  Macbeth is willing to do anything to become king.  Since he was not chosen as Duncan’s successor, that leaves him only one other choice: kill the king.  He clearly fears the results of his ambition, and wants to hide it from everyone else.  Macbeth makes many rash decisions even after killing the king, and by the time he makes his last stand all he cares about is staying in power at any cost.  He is fairly easily defeated because he is so easily manipulated by the witches’ visions.

This is just an example paragraph.  Follow this process to write your own.