Certain Nezv Elucidations of Shakespeare 5 



has equal rights in the crown with his cousin Duncan, who is of 

 age no greater. But Shakespeare ignores this fact, which might, 

 as Quiller-Couch observes, have helped his purpose, and makes 

 Duncan much older, though perhaps not feebler, than his original. 

 Duncan has proved a worthless guardian of Scotland. Sedition 

 and violence are rife. Foreign banners flout the sky, and fan 

 the people cold. Macbeth and Banquo are the hope and main- 

 stay of the kingdom. Duncan can match their bravery only with 

 his cowardice. His rebellious subjects, as averred by Holinshed, 

 look upon him as " a faint-hearted milkesop, more meet to 

 gouerne a sort of idle monks in some cloister, than to haue the 

 rule of such valiant and hardie men of warre as the Scots were." 

 Shakespeare accepts and presents him unmistakably as of this 

 character. The second scene of Macbeth shows him withdrawn 

 from even sight of the battle that is to fix his fate. Macbeth 

 almost single-handed wins the fight which his subjects have pre- 

 cipitated against him, and sets back, mithout conditions, his 

 throne beneath him. He has thus been making Duncan's king- 

 ship possible, we are to understand, from the beginning of the 

 ' seditious commotions ' that have vexed the state. To do this 

 does not argue unqualified disloyalty, self-seeking, or assas- 

 sination. 



But a general who sustains an incapable monarch is likely to 

 have moments of impatience and disaffection. Macbeth is the 

 de facto master of the country, and he knows it. Doubtless he 

 sometimes cries out in anguish of spirit, ' When shall Scotland be 

 saved from this helpless, doddering misrule? I am tired of pre- 

 tending to respect imbecillity. Curse the fate that gave the 

 crown to Duncan, and left me the stultifying duty of trying to 

 keep it on his head. Who ever heard of a king that cannot 

 personally lead his forces against an enemy, or pose as at least a 

 figurehead before his army?' 



Can any one pretend that he is not in sympathy, in circum- 

 stances of this kind, with the party of the second part? Is not 

 all the world agreed that any man, incapable and yet responsible 

 for the public safety, if he will not give place to a better, is a 

 criminal ? A pilot at the wheel, who sees that his course must be 



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