Characterization

King Duncan is shown to have a history of propinquity to people who later betray him, and this foreshadows Macbeth’s betrayal of him. For example, he had been very close to the previous Thane of Cawdor, who turns against him in battle. As Duncan says in reference to the traitor, “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust (Act 1, 12-14).” This line foreshadows Duncan’s inability to gauge the trustworthiness of those he keeps close. Duncan proves his myopic nature by appointing the avid Macbeth to the title of Thane of Cawdor even though Macbeth is possibly the worst choice. Although Duncan isn’t stupid, I feel that he is naïve at times. After having been betrayed, I feel that he should have been more cautious in choosing his friends.
The lines right after those show an incredible amount of irony and foreshadow how Duncan’s naivety would allow him to walk right into the trap of Macbeth. Duncan says, “The sin of my ingratitude even now was heavy on me… More is thy due than more than all can pay (Act 1, 15-22).” Duncan doesn’t realize how his own life is the ultimate desire of Macbeth, which is darkly comical in a way, because he is so eager and willing to please Macbeth. Having been in situations where I’ve seen people being betrayed repeatedly by the same type of person, I was frustrated in reading how unsuspecting Duncan was of Macbeth.