Throughout Shakespeare’s literature similar themes reoccur frequently. One
theme which is evident throughout Macbeth is the use of parental and child
references. Shakespeare associates children and babies and parenthood within the
play. Child references describe many things. One use may be seen when Duncan
thanks Macbeth for his bravery in battle, Macbeth replies.“Your highness' part
is to receive our duties and our duties are to your throne and state children
and servants" (Act 1,Scene 4,23-25). Macbeth refers to the king as being a
father to his children and his children being his people. Another reference to
children can be found before Macbeth decides to kill Duncan. He ponders what
will happen after he kills Duncan. "Pity, like a naked new-born babe,
/Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubins, horsed /Upon the sightless couriers
of the air, /Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, /That tears shall drown
the wind" (Act 1, Scene 7, 21-25). He describes Duncan as a baby. He does
that because he associates babies with innocence and peace. He also begins to
show a consience since he describes Duncan’s death would be like a hard wind
that brings a tear to the eyes. When Lady Macbeth hears this, she tells Macbeth
that he is a coward. “I have given suck, and know /How tender 'tis to love the
babe that milks me: /I would, while it was smiling in my face, /Have Hartman
page 2 pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, ?And dash'd the brains out, had
I so sworn as you /Have done to this.(Act 1, Scene7, 54-59) This passage again
refers to a baby as portraying innocence. It also shows how cold Lady Macbeth is
because she tells the reader that she would slaughter a child which she nursed
from her own breast. We can assume she tells us that she would kill even if it
was her own child. This is an example of the maternal motif. Another part of the
theme of children and babies could be seen in the reference to Macduff’s
birth. He was delivered through an unnatural birth, which gave him the power to
kill Macbeth because it matched the witch’s prophecy. This is another parental
theme which has many references in the play. We also see that Shakespeare has
decided to create many characters which are introduced as sons of Duncan. These
characters include Malcom, Donalbain, and Lennox. Within this play the motif of
babies, children, and parental acts are strong. Shakespeare uses them to show
the warmth and also the cold heartedness of his characters’ personalities.