Macduff


 * __Macduff holding up Macbeth's head__**


 * Biography:**

Macduff's first appearance in this play is in Act 2, Scene 3 knocking on Macbeth's door. He gives the news of the King's death and suspects Macbeth may be guilty of the regicide. Macduff is the Thane of Fife and seems to be very sharp and intelligent, he is quiet but knows what he is doing. While all of the townspeople are thinking and worrying about how their king has been killed, Macduff is questioning Macbeth on why he felt the need to kill the guards. Although Macduff is on to Macbeth's scheme and pretty much knows what he is trying to do, Macduff is oblivious to Lady Macbeth. He does not realize that she played a huge role in the killing of King Duncan along with Macbeth. Macduff seems as though he could cause trouble for Macbeth later down the road.

In Act III, Scene 6, we find out that Macduff has gone to England to plan a coup with Malcolm and the King of England. They hope to get rid of Macbeth as King of Scotland, and give Malcolm his rightful place on the throne. In the beginning of Act IV, Lennox tells Macbeth that Macduff has gone to England to plot against him. He is also warned by the three Weird Sisters to fear Macduff. Acting upon his initial feelings, Macbeth decides to go to Macduff's home and kill his wife and children.

In Act IV, Scene 3, Macduff learns of the murder of his wife and son. It is Ross who informs Macduff, who is awestruck, because the first time he asked Ross, Ross dodged the question, telling Macduff how when he left they were perfectly fine and alive. However, Ross kept talking about the bad news he had to deliver. Macduff urged him to tell him, even though he knew it was a more personal issue and less of an issue for the country of Sweden. Finally, Ross tells Macduff that his family is dead. Macduff is taken aback, and Malcolm tries to comfort him. Macduff will hear none of it, and insists on being upset. Malcolm doesn't have children, so he doesn't know the pain that Macduff is going through. Now Macduff is truly looking forward to killing Macbeth.

Macduff undergoes a transition from being a minor character to becoming a vital part of the play; where before he was mentioned simply as a man who partook in the affairs of Macbeth since the two men each possessed a noble status, now he is predicted to be a great danger to Macbeth. As usual, the Weïrd Sisters presented Macbeth with a confusing paradox causing him to become more confused; the witches summon the apparitions, and the first one stated that Macbeth should fear Macduff, however, the second apparition follows that statement by presenting Macbeth with the fact that he would not be harmed by anyone born of a woman. Before Macbeth could have his questions answered, the witches disappeared again, leaving Macbeth (and the reader) with many pressing questions. After realizing the great threat Macduff poses to Macbeth through the witches' prediction, the reader is then able to witness firsthand the plotting of Macduff, who questions Malcolm about his willingness to become king. Malcolm begins to make extravagant claims about his inability to rule, first that he is too lustful and then that he would ruin Scotland.

Ultimately, Macduff is joined by members of the Scottish resistance and 10,000 British soldiers supplied by King Edward of England. As Macduff and MacBeth duel, MacBeth mocks him, saying that no man born of a woman can kill him. To his chagrin, Macduff informs him that was born via C-Section, thus not of a woman, which enables him to kill MacBeth, which he does. He returns to the castle, now captured by Malcolm and Siward, with Macbeth's head on a pike. The play ends with MacDuff declaring Malcolm the King of Scotland.
 * __Important Quotes:__**
 * "Those that MacBeth hath slain."
 * "Bleed, bleed, poor country."
 * "Despair thy charm and let the angel whom thou still hast served tell the Macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripped."