Macduff Analysis Essay Example

In this scene, I am portraying the honorable Thane of Fife, Macduff. While not a frequent presence throughout the play,  Macduff becomes an extremely important character to the plot, as he is the one to kill Macbeth. Another important aspect of Macduff’s storyline is that he was the one to discover Duncan’s body, which provoked his departure to England in act two, leaving his wife and children alone in Scotland. His family is subsequently murdered by Macbeth which may lead audiences to question Macduff’s morals and judgment. This suspicion is misplaced given that he does not know they will be in danger when he departs and is trying to save his country from an evil tyrant. Macduff is also deeply regretful and says “And I must be from thence” (Shakespeare 4.3.13), implying that he wishes he had been with them. In act four, Macduff meets with his cousin Ross and Duncan’s son, Malcolm. They discuss their plans to retake Scotland and Ross breaks the news that Macduff’s wife and children have been killed by Macbeth. Macduff blames himself and says that they were killed because of him but then decides to get his revenge and personally kill Macbeth. His original objective in this scene is to meet with Malcom about their plans to overthrow Macbeth, but the meeting quickly diverges into Macduff trying to cope with his own grief. By the end, he exclaims “Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; Within my swords length set him”(4.3.236-237), verbalizaing his newfound intention to personally kill Macbeth. The fact that Macduff is courageous enough to take on Macbeth himself and avenge his family displays his true honor and valiance.  When playing Macduff in this scene, I would like to explore his display of emotion, as this kind of news would most likely contribute to a strong response. I also want to make his determination and honorable character clear as well because mere emotion will not do the full job of encapsulating Macduff’s nature. The phrasing used when he decides to kill Macbeth is climactic and extreme so this would be an opportunity for me to show Macduff’s strong character and resolution.