Duncan - The ideal ruler in Macbeth? Establishing whether or not Duncan was an ideal ruler is crucial when examining Macbeth. Not only would a definitively negative answer help us understand the context of the play, but it would also, in some way, justify Macbeth's decision to kill Duncan. At the beginning of the play, Duncan receives a report from the battlefield. The public discovers that the threat facing Scotland is twofold. A Norwegian invasion is assisted by two rebel thanes: Macdonwald and Cawdor. While external attack is something to be expected in the days when glory was won through military conquests, internal rebellion is another matter entirely. This suggests one important thing: if rebellion was possible, the king's power could not have been very strong. Traitors can be found in every society, but it is the duty of the ruler to uncover conspiracies and punish those involved before they have a chance to carry out their plans. The internal rebellion shows that Duncan didn't have the ability (and/or means) to do this - perhaps he was naive and didn't believe his thanes could actually turn against him. Duncan's lack of power and control over his country is also proven by his military dependence. It is not certain whether Duncan himself fought in the war – it is possible that he did not; as in the first act, he only receives news from the battlefield. It could of course be argued that Shakespeare did not wish to include a huge battle scene in his play, but it nevertheless appears that Duncan did not fight himself. This was not the custom in the Middle Ages: the sovereign's conduct in battle should serve as an example to all warriors. Shakespeare does not specify Duncan's age but, judging by the fact that he has two adult sons, he is not in his youth. In many stage productions of Macbeth this has been taken into account. In Trevor Nunn's 1976 film of his staging of Macbeth Duncan, he is portrayed as an elderly, weak and sickly man. This may explain why he is not participating in the battle. He is old and sick and depends on the loyalty of his warlords. Duncan's fate depends on two of his mightiest warriors: Macbeth and Banquo..