Clear Contrast Between Malcolm And Macbeth example essay topic

There are numbers of minor characters in William Shakespeare's! SSMacbeth!" . These minor characters each carry their dramatic functions, which contribute to the development of the play. I going to discuss the dramatic functions of three of the minor characters, they are Malcolm, Porter and Lady Macduff. Malcolm is the son of King Duncan, the rightful successor of the throne.

He escapes to England after the murder of Duncan by Macbeth for the fear of his life. Later in the play, he is convinced by Macduff to be back to Scotland to lead the battle against Macbeth and claim the throne back. Being the rightful heir to the throne, the dramatic function of Malcolm is to make a contrast with Macbeth who sits in the position of king of Scotland like a! SS dwarfish thief in the giant robes!" . In Act 4 scene where Malcolm tests Macduff's loyalty, clear contrast between Malcolm and Macbeth is shown.

The action of testing Macduff as Malcolm can trust no one since he flew to England after the death of his father, shows that Malcolm not easily allured by the words of others, this contrasts with Macbeth who believe firmly in the witches! | words without examining the words are true or equivocations. In the speeches of Malcolm in this scene also reveal the contrast with Macbeth, for example, in IV 23-24, ! SS Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, yet grace must still look so. !" This line of Malcolm contrasts with the action of Macbeth killing the chamber men to show his fake exaggerated anger.

On the other hand, in IV 119-120, ! SS! K modest wisdom plucks me from over-credulous haste. !" This shows that Malcolm is able to control his passion and follow the reason, unlike Macbeth following his passion and lust for power which resulted in endless murders. At the end of the play, Malcolm becomes the king of Scotland after Macbeth's death. Under the rule of Malcolm, order is restored in Scotland, which is in contrast with the time when it was under the rule of Macbeth, no more sighs, groans and shrieks.

In V ix 38-39, ! SS! By the grace of Grace, we will perform in measure, time and place. !" This line reveals the difference of personality of Malcolm and Macbeth, Malcolm is humble and thankful as he claims that the job of restoring order is not his own while Macbeth has excess pride and tyranny. Thus, Malcolm who symbolizes order is there to contrast with Macbeth. The Porter is the keeper of Macbeth's castle.

In Act 2 scene II, the Porter is drunken and speaking nonsense. However, the Porter contributes to the play quite importantly with his dramatic functions. First of all, the Porter, acting in a funny manner and speaking nonsense, is there to provide comic relief before the discovery of the murder of Duncan. At the same time the delay of the discovery of Duncan's dead body by the Porter's speech heightens the tension and sense of anticipation. On the other hand, the speech of the Porter can also reveals ironic truths.

In II 1, ! SS If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. !" Here the Porter imagines himself to be the gatekeeper of the hell, it is ironically true, as the Porter is the gatekeeper of Macbeth's castle, where the bloody murder of Duncan took place. The castle is like hell also in the sense that the evil ones! Macbeth and Lady Macbeth live there, in another words, Macbeth who had and will be doing the bloody deeds, deserves to go to hell. Also in II 3-10, !

SS Here's a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty! Who committed treason enough for God's sake!" here the Porter describes three figures who wait to be admitted into hell. They are: the greedy farmer who hoards grain for profit; the tailor who steals cloth; the treacherous equivocator who tries to lie his way into heaven. All of them had overreached themselves like Macbeth. Ironically, the Porter makes surreptitious comment on Macbeth's character. The Porter's speech in II 24-30, his descriptions of lust provoked by alcohol, !

SS! Kit provokes and unprovoked: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. !" Although in this line, the Porter is referring to sexual desire, this can be view as a caricature of Macbeth's moral confusion and lust for power, at the same time echoes Lady Macbeth's idea of alcohol in II i 1-2, which she suggested taking right amount of alcohol encourage bravery, but excess amount can make one lose his control. Therefore, the dramatic function of Porter in the play is to provide a comic relief before the discovery of the murder of Duncan, at the same time, reveals ironic truth on Macbeth. Lady Macduff and her son are murdered in Act 4 scene II. The dramatic function of Lady Macduff is that she symbolizes the innocent people killed by Macbeth in his quest for power.

The murder of Lady Macduff and her son is the result due to the suspicion of Macbeth towards Macduff; this shows the waste of lives of innocent people as a result of ambition in a tragedy. Before the murder, Lady Macduff has a conversation with her son. The conversation has various dramatic functions. Firstly, this domestic conversation relate to the tragic ending of Lady Macduff and her son, yet it is touching, in another words, it gives a bittersweet feeling and at the same time reveals tension underneath the sweetness, which further heightened the tragedy.

In the conversation, Lady Macduff and her son also bring out irony. In IV ii 50-55 where they talk about honest man and traitors is ironically related to the situation of the play where traitors like Macbeth destroy honest men like Duncan and Banque. The last speech of Lady Macduff before she is killed in IV ii 70-75, ! SS! Where to do harm is often laudable, to do good sometime accounted dangerous folly! K!" reveals the situation in Scotland.

There is nothing but disorder in Scotland under the rule of Macbeth, like according to Lady Macduff, good is not rewarded but is punished. Thus, the dramatic function of Lady Macduff is to show innocence in Scotland is being destroyed under the rule of Macbeth. Malcolm, the Porter and Lady Macduff are the minor characters in the play! SSMacbeth!" . Each of them carries different dramatic function, however, there is one thing that all minor characters in the play does, that is, they all have an important role in the contribution to the development of the play.