Macbeth v. Macduff Battle Scene

In the film Macbeth, directed by Roman Polanski, the scene of Macbeth fighting Macduff did justice to the entire context of the play. In that scene we see Macbeth, buoyed by the witches’ prophecy that he will not die at the hands anyone “born from a woman”, get ready to fight Macduff. His arrogance is short-lived though, as he is informed that Macduff was born via a caesarian section and therefore is not “born from a woman.” We see Macbeth’s expressions change suddenly and he delivers a soliloquy cursing the witches and their prophecy. Regardless, he vows not to back down and battles Macduff. Unsure and fearful at first but as the battle progresses, he comes into his own and gives Macduff a challenge before eventually being killed rather unceremoniously. 

The change of expressions on Macbeth’s face at hearing that Macduff is not born of woman is a very important element in the movie in the sense that we get an illustration of just how much Macbeth relied on the prophecy, to be sure of his success. But this was also juxtaposed with Macbeth’s mistrust of the prophecy itself. So, we are led inside Macbeth’s conflicted mind. Throughout the play, it is evident that, more than his lack of trust in the witches, he wants to believe them. This is exactly how he gets played into their hands, his wife’s and his own ambitions. Therefore, what this scene of heartbreak illustrates is Macbeth’s realisation of something, some part of him knew all along: the fickle nature of the prophecy. 

The impressive part of the battle scene is that Macbeth firm in the knowledge of his impending doom, chooses to fight anyway. This is the first time we see Macbeth go against the prophecy of the witches. Arguably, this is his bravest act in the entire play. We can clearly see Macbeth is afraid because in the scene we see him moving back from the charging Macduff. Yet he fights. This is an act of courage. In the actual fight scene, it seems as though the prophecy and the rest of the context of the play are suspended. This represents the tautologic nature of the play as we are introduced to Macbeth’s character in a battle scene and we see his demise in one as well. Furthermore, Macbeth holds true to his nature of being a decisive fighter as he is intrepid in the middle of battle. But when he is wounded and overpowered, he reaches for his fallen crown and puts it on his head. This looks like an act of a desperate man: in the realisation that he is going to die, he reaches for the one thing that held power once. Or it can be interpreted as Macbeth refusing to let go of the arrogance and power the title of King afforded him. Nevertheless, his death comes as the most unceremonious of beheadings on the stairwell he once climbed to murder a King.