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PrzemysławŁukasikandMaikArnold
TheBirthofMacduffortheInventionofAmerica
MACBETH:
Thoulosestlabour.
Aseasymaystthoutheintrenchantair
Withthykeenswordimpressasmakemebleed.
Letfallthybladeonvulnerablecrests;
Ibearacharmedlife,whichmustnotyield
Tooneofwomanborn
MACDUFF:
Despairthycharm,
Andlettheangelwhomthoustillhastserved
Tellthee,Macduffwasfromhismother’swomb
Untimelyripp’d.
Macbeth,ActV
,SceneVIII5
ThisquotehasbeentakenfromasceneoftheShakespearianplayMac-
beth:Macbethisaroyaldescendentandambitiousknight.Hereceived
awitches’prophecythathewillbeThaneofCawdorandKingofScot-
landthereafter.Attheurgingofhiswife,LadyMacbeth,whoisthe
spiritusmovensinthisplay,hekillstheactingKingDuncanofScotland
tobecomekinghimself.Yethistimeaskingiscloudedbyanxietyand
fear,trustingnooneandleadingtoareignofterror.However,Macduff,
theThaneofFifeandaloyaldevoteetothemurderedking,suspects
Macbethofregicide.BecauseMacbethderivesmuchofhismotivation
fromanewwitches’prophecyconcerninghisinvincibility–thatno
manbornofwomancanhurthim(amotifofAchilles),hefearsnothing
andnoone.Finally,inaduelMacduff,whowasbornnotinanatural
way,but4untimelyripp’dfromhismother’swomb’,killedMacbethand
restoredthethroneandhonortotherightfulheir.Macbethrealizestoo
latethathehadmisunderstoodthewitches’prophecy.
Twopivotalpointscanbederivedfromthisstory:theperceptionof
Americaasaninvention,notaconquest,andthenationbuildingprocess.
Firstly,Macduff–bornbycaesareansection–canbeunderstoodasthe
personificationofAmerica,becauseinregardstoitshistoricalandcul-
turalorigins,Americahasexperiencedanunusualbeginning:Following
5
Shakespeare2011b.
