Duncan appraises Macbeth by holding Lady Macbeth by the hand and saying “We love him highly and shall continue our graces toward him” (I,iv,364, 29-30) believing that Macbeth is a loyal man that has such a great heart; considering that he risked his life to save Scotland: something that the Thane of Cawdor was supposed to do. Macbeth, a dark evil soul, uses the promotion and honor of Duncan as a stepping stone to begin his destroying of Scotland. Instead of being happy with the honor that king Duncan gave him the honor of Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth gets greedy and wants more than what is granted to him, “If chance will have
A renowned warrior and the saviour of his country, Macbeth's authority naturally commands the respect of his countrymen in the opening scenes. There is little sense of this authority or respect in his domestic life. When Lady Macbeth learns that Duncan is to stay at their castle she conceives the opportunity to accelerate Macbeth's progression to the throne. The manner of this progression is the catalyst for all that follows. Lady Macbeth plays an essential role in Macbeth's murder of Duncan.
He can report,/ As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt/ The newest state.” (1.2.1-3), to which blood indicates the open wounds Macbeth had caused to him. Shakespeare’s use of blood in this scene represents the loyalty and honor as Macbeth killed Macdonwald in defense of the king. After the battle, Macbeth was rewarded with a new title as the Thane of Cawdor yet he was not completely satisfied as he became greedy. Shakespeare also uses bloody images to foreshadow future events associated with Macbeth’s power. Aside from symbolizing blood as honor, he uses it to demonstrate the character of Macbeth and his drastic personality change as the play progresses.
When Romeo kills Tybalt right after marrying Juliet, it is clear that he is still extremely loyal to his friends and family, even though he knew that Tybalt was Juliet’s cousin. His revenge killing was one of loyalty to his friend. It is clear from the beginning that Han’s loyalties lay with his father, especially after going to prison for him. By the end of the film however, it is clear that Han’s loyalties in his family and his people were misplaced. Although sad at his father’s suicide, he feels no guilt about killing Kai.
Despite Duncan’s major flaw of over-trusting certain individuals, he was definitely a good king. If he wanted something done, is will to be a successful king drove him to accomplish the task. He strived for excellence throughout his appearance in the play, and he was able to put together a militia that squashed a rebellion. If Duncan was not the king of
The King of Scotland says, “What be hath lost, noble Macbeth hat won” (1.2. 67). Through this quote it shows that the king holds Macbeth in high regard and trusts him. The King of Scotland is Duncan, Macbeth’s best friend, who he later betrays. During the beginning of the play Macbeth is very loyal to Duncan and would do anything he asked of him.
Hamlet has now taken this personal with his own desires for revenge, as well as his obligation to his deceased father. Likewise, Fortinbras also seeks revenge for his father’s death. Horatio is informing Marcellus and Bernardo as to why they are guarding the gates. He tells them the history of the Fortinbras family, “Dar’d to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet /…Did slay this Fortinbras” (I.i.87-89). This is explaining the reason young Fortinbras has for revenge.
Even before the point of Duncan’s downfall, we see that Duncan is a good man but an incompetent king. Duncan is a kind man because he openly and graciously greets his nobles with praise. However, he is a poor leader because he did not fight along with his soldiers. Some might say that this is justified because Duncan is an old man, others may see this as a reason why Duncan should not serve a period of time as King. He is too trusting in his nobles which costs Duncan his life and country.
There are four main examples of Kingship in Macbeth. Firstly there is Duncan, who became king by divine right and is full of the king becoming graces which were sought by his son in Act 4. Duncan is a loyal, humble, and generous and just but is not without impurities. He has an over trusting nature which leads him to fail to see the corruption in Macbeth and his evil deeds “Gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust”. Duncan is primarily a force of goodness in the play even considering his certain flaws.
A powerful ambition for power caused him to make sinister decisions that created for him only despair, guilt, and madness. At the end of the play he was no longer honourable and, instead, a tyrant. Meanwhile Faustus loses his entire academic prowess and ultimately is pulled into hell by the choices he made to go against God, his conscience and Nature. Macbeth has an immediate consequence of his actions and that is his death in the plays final scene. Throughout the course of the play we see how he changes from ‘Valour’s minion’ to his death and a ‘Butcher’.