Violence/Macduff Flashcards
“No children”
Macduff believes that Macbeth must have “no children” to explain how he can live with a guilty conscience of killing Macduff’s children. This also means that there is no way for Macbeth to receive retribution, as Maduff has no way to deliver a pain equal to having his own children killed. Nothing Macduff can do will truly pay for this pain – not even killing Macbeth; losing family is a greater pain than death.
“grief convert to anger”
Macduff differs from the other male characters in the play; he publically
exhibits emotional behaviour, something which was considered a femenine trait at the time. Macduff’s violence is not dangerous like Macbeth’s as it comes from love for his country and family; it is “grief convert to anger”. This is demonstrated through the very emotional reaction to the death of his family.
“all my pretty ones?” “my children too?” “my wife kill’d too?”.
Macduff’s disbelief is evidenced through Shakespeare’s use of many rhetorical questions and the repetition of questions he has already asked: “all my pretty ones?” “my children too?” “my wife kill’d too?”. These reveal his flabbergasted state as he cannot imagine that someone could even do that. This contrasts to Macbeth, as his selfish ambition is put before all else, including emotional sensitivity and morals.
“new widows howl new orphans cry”
Macduff kills Macbeth after the murder of his wife and children, as he is fighting
for his family, but also for all the women and children in Scotland, which is evidenced through the Shakespeare’s use of zoomorphism. The verb “howl” cultivates a greater sense of sympathy for these orphans - like abandoned puppie
