Duncan is kind, but too trusting: He is an example of a good king:
Theme – Kingship
• Duncan is the king at the start of the play. • Shakespeare presents Duncan as a model k
• In Act 4, Scene 3, Malcom tlaks
He's a kind and generous man who rewards honest and fair.
loyalty – he hands out honours to Macbeth about what a good king should be • Duncan uses a lot of plant imagery – he sa
and Malcolm. like. He says a ruler should have Macbeth and make sure he is “full of grow
• Nobody has a bad word to say about “stableness”, “mercy”, and “justice” he nurtures his subjects.
Duncan; even Macbeth says that “his – qualities that Duncan has. • Macbeth says one of the reasons that he s
virtues/Will plead like angels”. Duncan is because he’s a good leader with
• Duncan's floor is that he is too trusting. He Macbeth also calls him “a most sainted kin
trusts Macbeth and doesn't suspect he's • Duncan is kind, generous and trusting, and
plotting to kill him, and he describes the needs ahead of his own. This contrasts wit
treacherous thane of Cawdor as “a is a bad king – he’s a tyrant who’s feared a
gentleman on whom I built/An absolute King Macbeth puts his own selfish desires ahea
trust”. However , Duncan can be firm when Duncan
needed – he execute the thane of Cawdor
when he betrays him.
Duncan isn’t like the other men:
• Duncan isn’t a soldier like Macbeth or Macduff – he’s gentle
Duncan is…
and less aggressive. He doesn’t fight himself, but he sensibly • Kind: “let me enfold thee/And hold thee to
sends his own soldiers to fight for him, my heart”
• He’s not afraid to be emotional – he shows “drops of sorrow” • Trusting: “There’s no art/To find the mind’s
because he’s so happy and talks about his “gentle senses” – this
might have been seen as unmanly. construction in the face”
• Duncan doesn’t have the qualities that other characters • A good king: “So clear in his great office”
associate with manliness, but Shakespeare shows that he’s kind,
fair and generous. This leads the audience to question whether
a good leader really needed to be a violent warrior.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller elliecoley05. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $0.00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.