Macduff

MacduffNikhita Devchand

CharacterThe combination of traits and qualities distinguishing the individual nature of a person or thingMacduff- characterised sporadicallyFoil to MacbethFigure of MoralityInstrument of femininity

ActionsFollows Malcolm to England- shows faithfulness

Slays Macbeth in a duel when English army marches on Dunsinane

MotivationRefuses to recognise Macbeth as king

Discovers Duncans body (Act II, Scene 3)O horror! Horror! Horror! Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name theeDeath of his wife and children (Act IV, Scene 3)Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes savagely slaughter'd What, all my pretty chickens and their dam At one fell swoop?

AmbitionA figure of morality

Shown as a human being-(Act IV, Scene 3) Malcolm urges him to Dispute it like a man, Macduff's reply I will do so. But I must also feel it as a man Macbeth has lost all humanity, Macduff regains his

Combat between hero and anti-hero- (Act V, Scene 8)I have no wordsMy voice is in my sword

Relationship with MacbethServes as a foil to Macbeth

Holy versus Evil- (Act III, Scene 6)Lennox refers to Macduff as some holy angel

His integrity contrasts with Macbeths moral perversion

Contrast is accentuated by their approaches to death Macduff- But I must also feel it as a man (Act IV, Scene 3)Macbeth- I dare do all that may be a man; Who dares do more, is none. (Act I, Scene 7)

Relationship with MacbethIdea of emotional depth and sensitivity

Macduff struggles to express his rage and anguish- (Act II, Scene 3)O horror, horror, horror Macbeth expresses brutal indifference- (Act V, Scene 5)She should have died hereafter There would have been a time for such a word Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Aspects of femininity An instrument to the plays desired excision of femininity

Macbeth and the fantasy of female power

Relationship between male vulnerability and feminine influence

The impossibility of the fantasy of absolute masculinity

Aspects of femininity Macbeth believes femininity is a source of vulnerability - (Act V, scene 8) I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman bornHe also believes true manhood cannot derive from or be tainted by femininityHowever, Macduffs very existence counters this idea. - (Act V, scene 8)Despair thy charm, And let the angel whom thou still hast served Tell thee, Macduff was from his mothers womb Untimely ripped

Example EssaysMy PowerPoint could be useful for potential essays relating to character, as it shows how one character is used to portray a variety of aspects.It would also be helpful in viewing the text through a gendered discourse, as Macduff is a character who strongly relates to the idea of femininity.

ReferencesShakespeare, W, 1999, Macbeth, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press.

Macduff, 2014, Wikipedia, 15/05/2014, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macduff_(Macbeth)

Macbeth, n.d., Sparknotes, 18/05/2014 http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/Macbeth.html

Macduff, 2014, Shmoop, 18/05/2014, http://www.shmoop.com/macbeth/macduff.html