Bellona’s Bridegroom

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     Though the identity of Bellona’s bridegroom is not outright stated in Macbeth, the descriptions of contrasting actions on the battle field reveal that it is Macduff who possesses this identity, not Macbeth. In Act I Scene II, the bleeding captain recounts Macbeth’s gory success in killing Macdonwald and putting his head on display. Soon after, Ross recounts Bellona’s bridegroom’s proper success in capturing the Thane of Cawdor and requesting the King of Norway to pay before he is granted his dead. Through these facts of differing strategies on the battle field, it is evident that Macbeth, who is wrongfully credited by King Duncan as the new Thane of Cawdor, is not actually Bellona’s bridegroom. Instead, this unnamed character is Macduff.
     This can be reflected outside of the play when you consider math tests that do not have the students’ name on them. Even though you do not know the identity of the students right off the bat, you can examine the strategies that each used to complete the exam in order to reveal this fact. Once considering the contrasting processes that each student is characteristic in using, you are able to determine which student completed which test. Similarly, once considering the contrasting processes that Macbeth and Macduff are characteristic in using, you are able to determine which individual is Bellona’s bridegroom. 

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