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Although Macduff’s young son only appears in Act IV, Scene II, his presence in the play works to further illuminate Macbeth’s unlimited brutality. He represents a figure of innocence and honesty, and the unjust murder of such a genuine character brings a very specific type of tragedy to the unfolding drama. Shakespeare shapes the personality of Macduff’s son through the dialogue he as with his mother. While Lady Macduff is angry and distraught over the disappearance of her husband, Macduff’s son takes it in stride and offers witty responses to her accusations. This reaction emphasizes his intelligence and resilience, two qualities which invite the audience to emotionally invest in him. His innocence becomes even more prominent when he asks his mother about what it means to be a traitor. By including such a sincere conversation between mother and son, Shakespeare fully humanizes these two characters. Ironically, this development occurs without ever revealing the son’s name. Keeping Macduff’s son nameless allows him to take on a more universal role, symbolizing a pure vision of the future. This future, however, is precisely the thing that Macbeth fears as it threatens to put an end to his treacherous reign. Ordering the deaths of Macduff’s entire family allows him to feel in control of what is to come, but in reality, they have virtually no impact on his fate. The innocence that Macduff’s son displays throughout the scene heightens the senselessness of his eventual murder and paints Macbeth as a true monster. Including this scene with Macduff’s son as a precursor to Macbeth’s eventual undoing gives the audience a clearer look at how far he has fallen since the beginning of the play.
