McKell Rushton

10/23/15

Period 3

Macbeth
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and
become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams once stated. In the play
Macbeth by William Shakespeare the two characters Macbeth and Macduff
display many different qualities. The play starts out with Macbeth being a war
hero and when he returns he is named the Thane of Cawdor. However, that
power is not enough. His next goal is to become king. The way to do this is kill
the present king Duncan. Macbeth struggles with this concept but follows
through. One murder leads to another and another and spirals out of control.
Macduff then travels to find Malcolm, King Duncans son, to come and fight
Macbeth and rule as the new king. Malcolm comes and overthrows Macbeth.
Macduff kills Macbeth and put his head on a stake, signifying a traitor.
Macbeth and Macduff display several differing qualities and opinions one is
that Macbeth believes men need to be brave and invincible, Macduff believes
showing emotions doesn't take away any manliness; Macbeth is also very
power hungry while Macduff is very selfless and thinks about his country
before himself.
Macbeth and Macduff have very different ideas of what it takes to be a man.
Macbeth views being a man as having no fear and no emotion, while Macduff
believes showing emotions does not hinder one's manliness. We can see
Macbeths view while he confides in Lady Macbeth about being unsure of
killing Duncan. When Lady Macbeth heard of his hesitation she tries to push
him to kill Duncan by making Macbeth think that killing Duncan proves his
manhood. She called him a coward and therefore insulting his manliness.
Macbeth came back saying I dare do all that may become a man (Act 1
Scene 7 Line 51). He is saying his is willing to do anything a man would do.
Macbeth has an extreme desire to prove his manhood to himself, his wife, and
any other person he can. By stating he is a man it shows irony because he
believes fear and weakness take away manhood but he is showing fear and
weakness of not being a man by his terms. Later in the play Macbeth orders
Macduff's wife and child killed. When Macduff hears of the slaughtering of the
innocent he is stricken with sorrow. He says The grief that does not speak/
Whispers the oerfraught heart and bids it break (Act 4 Scene 3 Line 246247). He is saying that he is so full of grief he cant hide it and if he kept it in it
will whisper in the heart till the heart breaks. Macduff is showing the
emotions, and unlike Macbeth, he isnt fighting them. Macbeth and Macduff
believe different types of qualities are manly. Macbeth believes being a man is
essentially having no weaknesses while Macduff believes that weaknesses
are a part of everyone's life, making it okay for men to show weaknesses and
emotions.

Macbeths biggest drive is his desire for power and control while Macduff
doesnt ever even think about taking the power for himself. In the play
Macbeth worries Banquo will suspect him of Duncans murder Macbeth kills
Banquo and his son to ensure nobody will find out he killed Duncan and to
ensure the future of the throne.Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown/
and put a barren scepter in my grip,/ thence to be wrenched with an unlineal
hand,/ No son of mine succeeding. If it be so,/ For Banquos issue have filed
my mind. (Act 3 Scene 1 Lines 66-70) Macbeth is saying that because he has
no children he has no heirs to the throne. He is showing his desire for the
power of being king and even his desire to not have Fleance (Banquo's son)
to be king in the future. When Macduff goes to Malcolm to bring him back and
to fight Macbeth to get the throne, Malcolm asks Macduff why he doesnt fight
and become king himself he says Fit to govern?/ No, not fit to live. - O nation
miserable (Act 4 Scene 3 Line 120-121). Macduff is showing how he is
thinking about the country before himself and possibly even his wants.
Macduff didnt even consider taking the throne for himself because he knows
he would not be the best thing for the country. Macbeth is a very power
hungry person who wants everything for himself but Macduff thinks about who
would be best under a powerful position.
Some people may argue that men must have the restraint to hold in the
emotions, fears, and weaknesses. However, this is incorrect because as
Macduff said holding emotions in would weigh on the heart till it breaks.
Macbeth believes men need to have and show no weaknesses and Macduff
believes men can show emotions and it is okay to show weaknesses.
Macbeth is also very power hungry while Macduff is selfless and thinks about
his country before himself.