Show your appreciation of Macduff as a foil to Macbeth.

Ans.

Character of Macduff

The character of Macduff is a complete contrast to that of Macbeth. Macduff is shown as wholly unambitious, unselfish, loyal, honest and patriotic. He is so wholly unselfish in his patriotism that he has to sacrifice his dearest possession his wife and children in serving the needs of his country. And his suffering is made more acute in proportion of his genuine love and affection for his wife and children in serving the needs of his country. And his suffering is made more acute in proportion of his genuine love and affection for his wife and children. He is a man of few words but those few words are concentrated symbols of his sincere feeling. His reaction of the news of the death of his wife and children is characteristic of this. He simply says: “He has no children” in response to that terrible news. It is a classic example of concentrated emotion containing the maximum of feeling in the minimum of words.

Macduff is a loving husband and a patriot whose courage is unquestioned. He suspects Macbeth from the very beginning and is bold enough to challenge him. He refuse to attend Macbeth’s coronation, refuses to attend the royal banquet and thus refuses to recognize this usurper, who murdered king Duncan while he was a sleep as his guest in his Castle. Macduff loyalty to Duncan is thus strongly contrasted with Macbeth’s regicide.

And when the usurper develops into a tyrant, Macduff refuses to sit idly or to wink at tyranny as others like Banquo do. He takes and active part in organizing opposition, goes to England to seek foreign aid and is able to persuade Malcom Duncan’s elder son and the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland to lead the opposition to Macbeth’s tyranny. This involves his greatest sacrifice but it seems that nothing less was needed to gird Macduff up to a deed of vengeance against Macbeth.

Thus Macbeth brings blessings as Macbeth brought curse on his country.