ABSTRACT
The public story of Macbeth includes a parade of Thanes, and the critical trio among them is defined by their contrasting actions. Shakespeare's ability to say so much with a few words is an example of the extraordinary compression in this play. Macduff tells Ross that he will not attend Macbeth's coronation: he has become suspicious of Macbeth in the public gathering that follows Duncan's murder. In Act Four, Shakespeare continues this pattern as we audit half of that act through a fourth thane, Macduff. Macduff first appears as a name in Duncan's entourage as they enter Macbeth's castle. Macduff seems to be direct, a bit foursquare, but emotional and volatile, where Malcolm exploits Macduff's reaction to the announcement of the murder of his family. Malcolm and Macduff are contrasted from the beginning. At the end of Macbeth, Shakespeare chose not to reveal that the historical Malcolm was eventually forced to submit to English overlords.
