What type of character is Duncan in Act 1, Scene 4 of Macbeth?

In Act I, scene 4, Duncan shows himself to be a generous, just ruler who rewards Macbeth and Banquo for their valor in defending him against a traitor and would-be usurper of his throne. As Macbeth already knows, Duncan is making him the new Thane of Cawdor, the title formerly held by the traitor.

Duncan says that he finds it difficult to read people's faces to find what underlying motives drive them. He shows himself to be a person who takes people at face value and trusts them. This ability to trust others has surely helped him win loyalty as a ruler, but it will, as we know, become his undoing.

There are ominous clouds hanging over the good-hearted Duncan, though he cannot see them. Giving Macbeth the same title as a just-defeated traitor foreshadows that Macbeth will become a traitor as well. Being too trusting foreshadows how Duncan will leave himself open to being murdered at Macbeth's castle. He will not be able to see through Lady Macbeth's falsely kind and warm greeting to read the underlying anxiety in her demeanor that might put him on guard.

What type of character is Duncan in Act 1, Scene 4 of Macbeth?

King Duncan is portrayed as a compassionate, benevolent leader in act one, scene four, who is relatively naïve and has difficulty understanding people's genuine motives. At the beginning of the scene, King Duncan admits to his son that he was completely deceived by the former Thane of Cawdor's treachery before he begins to praise Macbeth as his "worthiest cousin." Shakespeare utilizes dramatic irony as Duncan continues to compliment Macbeth and demonstrates his complete trust in him while the audience is aware of Macbeth's wicked intentions.

King Duncan continues to demonstrate his magnanimous personality by naming Malcolm the heir to his throne. Following Macbeth's foreboding aside, King Duncan continues to praise him as a valiant man and remains unaware of his evil intentions. Overall, King Duncan is depicted as a trusting, gracious leader who is not shrewd and cannot discern people's genuine feelings or motives. Similar to the former Thane of Cawdor, King Duncan is unaware that Macbeth has been contemplating his assassination and does not realize that he is praising his most dangerous enemy.

What type of character is Duncan in Act 1, Scene 4 of Macbeth?

Duncan is a relatively flat character in Macbeth, largely because he gets murdered early on.  In Act I, we are introduced to Duncan as the noble king of Scotland.  Duncan begins by asking if the Thane of Cawdor has been executed yet, and reminiscing on the fact that it’s hard to know how to trust.

There's no art 

To find the mind's construction in the face: 

He was a gentleman on whom I built(15) 

An absolute trust.  (lines 13-16)

This foreshadows Duncan’s problems with the second Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth, a man who also betrays Duncan.  Duncan trusts Macbeth, and actually feels bad that he was not promoted sooner.

O worthiest cousin! 

The sin of my ingratitude even now 
Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before, 
That swiftest wing of recompense is slow(20) 
To overtake thee. (lines 17-21)

Therefore Duncan is a little overly-trusting.  He also comments on how he will further Macbeth and Banquo’s careers. 

Duncan seems very caring also.

Noble Banquo, 

That hast no less deserved, nor must be known 
No less to have done so; let me enfold thee(35) 
And hold thee to my heart.  (lines 33-36)

Clearly, Duncan is a nice guy who is full of affection and takes care of those whom he sees as friends and loyal servants, but he is a little too trusting.

Who is Duncan referring to in his Act 1, Scene 4 speech in Macbeth?

Just before Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus enter in Act I, Scene 4 of Macbeth, King Duncan says:

There's no art
To find the mind's construction in the face.
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust.

Duncan is referring to the Thane of Cawdor who has just been executed for high treason. As Scene 4 opens, Duncan asks his son Malcolm:

Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not
Those in commission yet returned?

Malcolm informs his father that Cawdor is dead and relates what he has heard about how Cawdor died bravely and begged Duncan's pardon for his treachery.

It is ironic that Macbeth enters just at the point where Duncan says that there is no way of reading a person's mind from his facial features or facial expressions. Macbeth is already the new Thane of Cawdor, and he is thinking of assassinating Duncan in order to replace him as king of Scotland. The ensuing conversation between Duncan and Macbeth is understood by the audience as requiring Macbeth to hide his true thoughts, feelings and intentions. When Duncan announces that he is naming his son Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth must continue to hide behind a rigid mask, but he has a strong internal reaction to this news because it makes Malcolm the official heir apparent to the throne. Macbeth tells himself in an aside to keep the truth hidden:

Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires.
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.

Only the audience knows what is going on inside Macbeth. He is learning to be treacherous. It is almost as if he has inherited the duplicitous nature of Cawdor along with his title.

Macbeth would have a hard time becoming king if he killed Duncan but left Malcolm alive. Then there was Donalbain, the younger son, who would seem to be the natural successor to the throne if Malcolm were eliminated. Shakespeare did not know how to deal with this problem. He had enough to think about in staging the bloody assassination of Duncan. It really looks as if Shakespeare was only thinking one scene ahead at a time. He didn't know what Macbeth was going to do about Malcolm and Duncan. Maybe Macbeth would murder all three in their beds that night. Shakespeare was counting on his own genius to handle the problem with the boys after Macbeth and his wife had disposed of their father. The final solution was to have Malcolm and Donalbain decide to flee for their lives, Malcolm to England and Donalbain to Ireland. In Act II, Scene 3, Malcolm tells his brother:

This murderous shaft that's shot
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore to horse;
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away. There's warrant in that theft
Which steals itself when there's no mercy left.

Their precipitous flight enabled Macbeth to claim that Malcolm and Donalbain had paid Duncan's two attendants to murder their father in his sleep, and Macbeth had disposed of the grooms to prevent them from telling a different story.