Effects Of Minor Characters In Macbeth

When Macbeth killed king Duncan, the effects were widespread throughout Scotland. Some of the effects were good some were bad, and they affected both the rich and the poor. Shakespeare uses the minor characters in the play, such as The Old Man, Banquo and the Son of Macduff, to show us this.

The Old Man (Act II,4) symbolizes the common man in Scotland. He Also shows the effects of Macbeth's rule on Scotland. More specifically he shows how life for the common man has been dissolved into chaos. In Act II, while the Old Man is talking to Ross about what is happening in Scotland, he says:

“ 'Tis unnatural, even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last, a falcon tow’ring in her pride of place was by a mousing owl hawk’d and kill’d.”
There is a gray area in between, which The Son of Macduff symbolizes. In Act IV, The Son of Macduff and Lady Macduff are talking about Macduff. Macduff has left Scotland to find help in overthrowing Macbeth. This is illustrated in the following quote:

Son: "Was my Father a traitor” / Lady Macduff: “Ay, that he was.” (Macbeth IV, 2 lines 43-44)

In this quote, they are talking about if Macduff is a traitor. The wife says that Macduff is a traitor because he is trying to overthrow Macbeth and they are supposed to be loyal to Macbeth. Neither the Son or Lady Macduff knows that Macduff is actually being loyal to Scotland by getting an army to overthrow Macbeth. This is a common gray area that Scotland has to deal with whether to be loyal to Scotland and fight Macbeth or to be loyal to Macbeth.

While reading Macbeth, Shakespeare has taught me to be more mindful of my actions because their effects can be massive and devastating on everyone even the minor people. While I won't be killing anyone in a power-hungry killing spree, I will still have an effect on people's life. Unlike Macbeth's mostly negative effect, I will try to make mine positive. This is the deeper message that Shakespeare has shown us through the minor characters in the play