Macbeth Vs. Macduff

Tyler Garland

11th Grade Literature

November 12, 2007

In the play Macbeth, ultimately there is one protagonist and one antagonist. In the beginning these two are very similar in many aspects including rank, leadership, beliefs, and loyalties. But at the story continues. It reveals these two characters are as different as night from day. Macbeth and Macduff were high-ranking generals in the Scottish army and were both loved and respected greatly by the King. The King even appointed Macbeth to become the Thane of Cawdor, a rank very similar to a prince not related by blood. Macbeth won many battles and Macduff did also. But when Macbeth was promised by three witches to become King, he took his destiny into his own hands and attempted to speed up the process. He murdered the King and this became known as the turning point in Macbeth's moral nature and loyalties.

Soon, Macbeth was killing people left and right unrelentlessly until his paranoia became apparent to Macduff and he knew he had to stop the madness. Macbeth soon learned of Macduff's intentions and sent an assassin to his castle in order to completely destroy Macduff and his family. It happens to be at the time Macduff had traveled to England in order to gather troops to stop Macbeth's tyranny. The assassins end up killing only Macduff's family furthering his hate for Macbeth and his will to destroy him. Macbeth after starting battle against nearly all his own treacherous armies does his realize his true foe. After both of them fighting through footmen to find each other, the climax of the play begins. They both make several blows to each other until Macduff succeeds in beheading Macbeth fulfilling the role as a true protagonist.

In comparing and contrasting Macbeth and Macduff, they are nearly opposites. While both believe in loyalty, Macbeths ends when it conflicts with is goals. When King Duncan was King and not Macbeth, his loyalty ended and he ultimately followed his uncontrollable ambitions, while Macduff's loyalty was constant throughout the play. Macbeth would murder to win, Macduff would wait until his actions were justified.