Macduff's son is a lively, witty boy with an easy relationship with his mother in 4.2, and his youthful charm is especially winning since the audience knows of Macbeth's plans to kill Macduff's family, including this boy and his siblings. Macbeth, who has no son, succeeds in killing Macduff's son, though he fails at murdering Banquo's.

Ross (Shaun Austin-Olsen) warns Macduff's son (Joel Silver) and Lady Macduff (Mary Haney), in McAnuff's 1983 production at the Stratford Festival in Ontario. Robert C. Ragsdale