Character Sketch from ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4 of Ross, the Old Man and Macduff
A character sketch defines what the character is like and how he/she evolves or develops throughout the story. In this post you can find the Character Sketch of Ross, the Old Man and Macduff from ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4
- Character Sketch of Ross
- Questions related to the Character of Ross
- Character Sketch of the Old Man
- Questions related to the character of the Old Man
- Character Sketch of Macduff
- Questions related to the Character of Macduff
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Character Sketch of Ross
Ross is the character who acts as the primary bridge between the court and the common man, and in this scene, he serves as the main voice of witness and astonishment. He is initially found conversing with the Old Man, confirming and reacting to the bizarre natural events of the night. Ross is amazed that the sun is hidden by darkness, and he personally witnessed the strange act of Duncan’s horses eating each other. When Macduff enters, Ross transitions into the bearer of political news, learning and questioning the official story about the two princes being the murderers. At the scene’s end, he decides to follow the new political order by going to Scone to see Macbeth crowned, choosing loyalty to the crown over Macduff’s open dissent.
Questions related to the Character of Ross
Q1. What strange occurences does Ross witness?
Q2. What is the importance of the character of Ross?
Character Sketch of the Old Man
The Old Man represents the common people and the historical perspective of Scotland. He is a minor but highly symbolic character. His opening lines establish his credibility, stating he has lived for seventy years, seeing ‘Hours dreadful and things strange’. This makes his current astonishment at the events surrounding Duncan’s murder all the more impactful, as he claims this night has made all previous experience insignificant. He functions as a moral commentator, linking the unnatural human act of killing the king directly to the unnatural events in the animal kingdom i.e. the owl killing the falcon. He embodies the widespread fear and recognition that the kingdom’s order has been violently broken.
Questions related to the Character of the Old Man
Q1. How does the old man show his astonishment over the king’s murder?
Q2. How does the old man show fear over the breakage of the kingdom’s order?
Character Sketch of Macduff
Macduff, the Thane of Fife, is the voice of skepticism and cautious dissent in this scene. He enters with the crucial news that Macbeth has been chosen as king and has gone to Scone for his coronation. Although he relays the official story that Malcolm and Donalbain are the suspects, his brief, pointed dialogue clearly shows his suspicion of Macbeth’s guilt. His refusal to attend the coronation is the most important action in the scene; by choosing to return to his home in Fife instead of going to Scone, he publicly and symbolically rejects Macbeth’s claim to the throne and indicates his fear of the new regime. This act establishes him immediately as a potential future antagonist to Macbeth.
Questions related to the Character of Macduff
Q1. How does Macduff show that he suspects Macbeth?
Q2. Why does Macbeth refuse to attend the coronation?