Parallels between Macduff and Macbeth In humans, greed often plays a more pronounced role in their actions than morality. In Shakespeare's play Macbeth we see how greed and ambition have crushed the stability of Scotland and destroyed the lives of numerous lords and innocents. At first we see Macbeth as the glorious hero who has “unstitched” (1.2.23) the traitor Macdonwald in defense of his king and country, but he transforms into a helpless and paranoid king. The usurper's downfall is made possible by Macduff beheading Macbeth at the end of the play. We see that Macduff is actually following a similar path to Macbeth, and is the one who greed and the witches would choose to manipulate to his detriment. Macduff full of anger and grief would be the next catalyst for chaos in Scotland. Shakespeare tells us through the play that greed can bring down the greatest among us. This is shown no more clearly than in the case of "Brave Macbeth" (1.2.17) when we see him "carve out his" (1.2.20) path to "unstitch" (1.2.23) the traitor Macdonwald and prove his courage . . He was rewarded for these exploits with the title Thane of Cawdor and the fame of his soldiers and the other lords of the court. The three witches, however, soon show the true power of greed as they "overcome [him] to [his] detriment... with honest trifles" (1.3.26, 28) and he becomes a paranoid despot seeking to regain the control of his life. and his kingdom. Eventually greed and ambition for greatness and power led him to become a “little thief…in a giant's robe” (5.2.18, 20) whose men “move only by command, nothing by love.” (5.2.17) Most Scottish lords of the time considered themselves above this ruthless need for power, perhaps Macduff most of all,...... middle of paper......who had done the most disgusting. Therefore the strange sisters would try to corrupt Macduff, not necessarily through Malcolm's murder, but still make him disgusting. Not only have Macduff and Macbeth traveled similar paths to the greatness they hold in their best moments, but the catalyst that brought down Macbeth would want to destroy Macduff as well. Clearly there are great parallels between the Thane of Glamis and that of Fife. Greed can bring down the greatest men and make them evil. Both Macbeth and Macduff were great men and skilled and brave warriors, but both men also have remorse in their hearts and are seen as righteous by the conniving witches. The witches would seek out these men to convert them to evil. Greed is a circle that has no end, but only infinite beginnings - of which Macbeth and Macduff are both one - it creates chaos and disorder wherever it is sown..