Answer

The Hero in William Shakespeare’s Play Macbeth

Although many refer to the supposed character of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth as a disastrous protagonist, another person stands out as a much better and greater hero. While Macbeth is driven towards lunacy and to committing murders through his disastrous defect aspiration, Macduff lacks such a fault and remains uncorrupted and valiant throughout the play. As Macbeth endeavors to achieve reputation and supremacy at the expense of the lives of the king and, his friends and countrymen, Macduff bears immense personal loss in his endeavors to stop Macbeth’s tyrannical kingship and restore prestige, justice and freedom to Scotland. With a name comparable to Macbeth’s, it is seen ironic but fitting that Macduff acts so much more nobly than his king. Throughout the disastrous, William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth; Macduff serves as a heroic character through his display of loyalty, righteousness and intelligence.

In the beginning of the play, Macduff’s prevalence is still minimal, though his intelligence can first be noted in his action following King Duncan’s death. While various Scottish nobles prepare to welcome Macbeth to the throne and acknowledge him as their king, Macduff presents his skepticism of the narration surrounding the king’s death. Though he at first accept the verdict that Malcom and Donalbian are the most likely suspects in the assassination of their father, he does so reluctantly and only because the evidence was pointing to them that they have left the scene. When Macduff is asked if he will attend Macbeth’s inaugural ceremonies, he answers, “ No, cousin, I’ll to Fire”.  This action indicates that Macduff is less convinced than the others that the mystery behind the king’s assassination have been solved, and he wisely distances himself from Macbeth, in whose home the murder happened, rather than acknowledging Mcbeth as the new king. When news spreads that Banquo has been killed in Macbeth’s castle, Macduff again is the first to act.

Macduff presents demonstrates his intelligence in astutely connecting Macbeth to the killings of king Duncan and Banquo before any other nobles come to such a realization. Macduff’s intelligence and willingness to act on the information his has obtained demonstrates heroism and help to save his nation from destruction. In an of Macduff’s actions, he remains loyal to his nation and acts only to the interest of Scotland. When he travels to England and leaves his family to meet Malcom, his wife and children are murdered. Macduff ends up putting his country ahead of his family when quickly decides to travel to England and leave his wife and children unguarded. Macduff proves to be a hero in the play by making the hardest decision of his life, a choice he had to make to bring prosperity back to Scotland.

Macduff emerges as hero, a defender of Scotland, who is responsible for killing the dragon, King Macbeth. He makes a great sacrifice to save his nation Scotland from the wicked hands of Macbeth. Based on the play, Macduff is a good choice and born to be a hero. Throughout the play there are various examples of Macduff heroism and bravery. Moreover, he is portrayed as a loving, caring man of action, “Thane of Fire” and Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth’s kingship. Macduff proves to be a hero in the play by choosing his nation over his family, and a decision he had to make to bring success, freedom and justice back to Scotland. In all the events of the play, Macduff acts to fight tyranny and all that is immoral, making him a virtuous individual. From serving King Duncan to protecting Scotland and taking the throne back from Macbeth he proves to be a man of the people and Scotland’s hero.