Macduff

Question 1

“most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope the lord’s
anointed temple

Answer 1

His body is referred to as a “temple” in
order to reinforce the holiness of Duncan’s reign. He
recognises Duncan as the true, divinely ordained, king; the
“Lord’s temple” and thus God’s earthly deputy. Kings are
anointed with holy oil at their coronation to signify this.
➔ Hence the murder is not just a crime (murder), it is an
unforgivable sin against God, which is “sacrilegious”
and unholy - tantamount (equivalent) to the murder of
God himself.

METAPHOR

Question 2

“all my pretty
ones?” “my children too?” “my wife kill’d too?

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

bleed bleed poor country”.

Answer 3

Macduff uses the motif of personifying Scotland, as Macbeth is causing
Scotland to “bleed bleed poor country”. Shakespeare uses this technique in
order to symbolise how Scotland is dying because the ‘Great Chain of Being’
has been subverted

Question 4

“lest our old robes sit easier than our new”

Answer 4

Here, Shakespeare reveals Macduff’s bleak perception of a future Scotland
under Macbeth as he uses the extended metaphor of predicting Scotland will
change for the worse.
○ He suggests there will be chaos and a divergence from the peace of
the past

Question 5

Macduff opposes Macbeth’s rule: “fit to govern? No not to live!”

Answer 5

Through Shakespeare’s use of rhetorical question and hypophora (a
question is raised and immediately answered) emphasise Macduff’s strong
hatred of tyranny and complete loyalty to Scotland

Question 6

This demonstrates Macduff’s pessimistic outlook – he would not be able to live
in happiness if Scotland was ruled by a tyrant

Answer 6

‘thy hope ends here ‘

Question 7

he is noble wise ,judicious

Answer 7

Here, Ross is defending Macduff, and the audience are provided with an initial
view of Macduff as a trustworthy and calculating leader.

Question 8

Cruel are the times when we are traitor and do not know ourselves”
● Macduff is only doing what he thinks is best for Scotland in not being a traitor to
Scotland, but he is a traitor to his family as he could only save one.
○ In doing this, Macduff becomes the complete foil to Macbeth, who
conversely obeys his wife and is a traitor to his country

Answer 8

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 puppies.