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King Duncan

English Lit: AQA GCSE Macbeth, topic 3.3.4

King Duncan

King Duncan is a wise and noble king. He seems to have the qualities that an admirable ruler should have. This shows a contrast between him and Macbeth, who (when he becomes King of Scotland) rules like a tyrant.

Trusts his subjects

Trusts his subjects

  • King Duncan admits that he failed to consider that his close friends could ever betray him (like the Thane of Cawdor) – he is a good and trusting king. He says, ‘There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face’ (1,4).
  • When King Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle, he greets Lady Macbeth in a polite way and thanks her for her trouble. This again shows his generous manner towards his subjects (those under his rule).
  • The very fact that King Duncan happily stays at his subject’s home shows how much trust he places in those close to him.
Possesses good qualities

Possesses good qualities

  • When Macbeth thinks about the reasons why he shouldn’t murder King Duncan, he lists the king’s qualities: ‘this Duncan / Hath borne in his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels’ (1,7).
  • Duncan is a great man with excellent moral standards.
  • He compares Duncan’s morals to those of an angel, showing how much he admires him.
Father-like

Father-like

  • Lady Macbeth thought about killing King Duncan herself, but couldn’t, because he looked like her father (2,1).
  • This could suggest that Duncan is kind and cares about his people.
Reinforces the Divine Right of Kings

Reinforces the Divine Right of Kings

  • King James I believed in the Divine Right of Kings – in Macbeth, King Duncan is shown to be a ruler selected by God, and only answerable to God - his goodness is proof that God gave him this role.
  • This is the opposite of Macbeth, who gains the crown against the law and has no good qualities as a ruler.
  • King Duncan’s descendants continue ruling Scotland, whereas Macbeth loses everything (including his wife) and is killed.
  • This shows how God’s choice of king is rewarded (even after death), whereas the man who went against God is condemned and suffers.

Test yourself on King Duncan

  • What does Macbeth compare Duncan's morals to?

  • What stopped Lady Macbeth from murdering Duncan herself?

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