Act 4 / 1

1
Act 4 / 1

• In this scene M visits the witches.
• Note that earlier they sought him outnow he
  seeks them out! This indicates how desparate he
  is.
• This marks another step in Ms moral and rational
  decline he actively seeks out the involvement
  of the instruments of evil!
• As M approaches, the witches themselves regard
  him as something wicked. What a change from
  brave Macbethvalliant cousinworthy
  gentlemanpeerless kinsman as seen in act 1.
• Macbeth is presented with 3 apparitions
• The first, a bloody baby, warns him of Macduff,
  confirming his suspicions.
• The second tells M to do pretty much as he
  pleases.because none of woman born shall harm
  Macbeth. This sounds promising and fills M with
  false confidence because, after all, everyone is
  born of a woman! This will be of enormous
  significance at the conclusion of the drama.
• The third apparition tells him that he will never
  be defeated until Birnam forest uproots itself
  and marches up high Dunsinane hill against him.
• Once more, he is filled with false confidence.
  After all, such things arent possibleare they?
• He never questions these apparitions, never
  reflects on what they might actually mean but
  accepts them blindly as assurances of his
  invincibility.

2
Act 4 / 1

• So, instead of questioning these impossible
  prophecies, he takes them as signs that he cannot
  be defeated and this in turn gives him
  permission so to speak, to become even more
  murderous in his behaviourafter allhes
  invincibleisnt he?
• Consider exactly how the witches tell him to
  behavebe bold, bloody and resolute...
• The effect is dramatic! Macbeth takes their
  words to heart and indeed becomes even more
  bloody, more resolute than before. For no reason
  other than bloodthirsty retaliation, he decides
  to have Macduffs entire houshold slaughtered.
• Whats doubly significant is that this is the
  first of his atrocities committed broad daylight.
  Duncan and Banquo were murdered under cover of
  darknesswith Macbeth hiding his involvement in
  their deaths.
• This is different. Bolstered by the witches
  assurances he openly has the innocent Macduff
  family butchered. There is no attempt to
  distance himself from the deed, no pretence of
  innocence.
• This is another step in Macbeths moral decline.

3
Act 4 / 1

• Macbeths reveals that he will no longer ponder
  such deeds before carrying them out but will
  execute them immediately.from this moment the
  very firstling of my heart shall be the
  firstlings of my hand,

4
Act 4 / 2

• This scene shifts away from Macbeth himself and
  onto the victims of his crimesthe Macduffs.
• Note that the clever banter between Lady Macduff
  and her son about Macduffs absence gives the
  audience an intimate view of their family life.
  This only makes the horror of what is about to
  come even worse.
• Shakespeare makes sure to highlight the victims
  innocence as Lady Macduff protests I have done
  no harm. Although given the cruelty of
  Macbeths reign, innocence is no guarantee of
  anyones safety.
• Note too that Duncan and Banquo were both
  murdered offstage and although brutal, their
  deaths had a sort of criminal logic to them. But
  Macduffs young son, is stabbed to death onstage,
  in full view of the entire audience.

5
Act 4 / 3

• This scene is longer than most others and marks a
  pivotal turning point in the course of events.
  Macduff meets with Malcolm in England and seeks
  his help against Macbeth. But, cleverly, Macbeth
  has already sent others to Malcolm, pretending
  loyalty, seeming to enlist his help in order to
  betray him.
• However, young Malcolm shows himself to be less
  trusting than his father was. He tests Macduffs
  sincerity by attributing to himself every
  possible vice. Further, he claims to have no
  virtues at allnone of
• the king-becoming graces, / As justice, verity,
  temperance, stableness, / Bounty, perseverance,
  mercy, lowliness, / Devotion, patience, courage,
  fortitude, / I have no relish of them, but abound
  / In the division of each several crime, / Acting
  it many ways
• After prudently testing Macduffs loyalty and
  being satisfied, Malcolm agrees, revealing that
  he already has 10,000 men promised by king
  Edward.
• Malcolm speaks of king Edward, a man deeply
  prayerful, holy and pious. Heaven, it seems, has
  blessed him with gifts of prophecy and healing.
  This is in stark contrast to Macbeth who seeks
  prophecy from satanic powers, is unable to pray
  at all and can only bring suffering and death.
• Ross arrives outlining the suffering state of
  Scotland and informs Macduff of his familys
  awful fate. Macduff grieves and the men are
  resolved to march on Scotland

6
Act 4 / 3

• This scene, then, functions on a number of levels
• It brings to the fore those characters whose
  places in the narrative have been in the
  background. Weve seen relatively little of
  Malcolm or Macduff up to ths point. The
  significance of their roles will increase now, as
  the plot progresses to its inevitable end.
• There is also an enormous contrast between both
  countries and their kings
• England is at peace under Edward Scotland is in
  chaos.
• Edward is associated with heaven Macbeth is
  associated with hell.
• Edward brings healing Macbeth brings suffering
  and death
• Edward has a heavenly gift of prophecy Macbeths
  prophecies come from witches
• Edward is deeply prayerful Macbeth has been
  unable to pray since the murder of Duncan
• We note also, a sense of the inevitable regarding
  the outcome of events. Thngs are so bad that
  Scotland is ready to shake off Macbeths rule. As
  Macduff reports each new morn / New widows howl,
  new orphans cry, new sorrows / Strike heaven on
  the face, that it resounds / As if it felt with
  Scotland and yell'd out / Like syllable of
  dolour.

7
Important quotations Act 4 / 1

• Double, double toil and trouble / Fire burn and
  cauldron bubble (witches chanting their spell)
• By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked
  this way comes (witches on Macbeth)
• I conjure you, by that which you profess, /
  Howe'er you come to know it, answer me /
  .answer me / To what I ask you. (M to witches)
• Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff /
  Beware the thane of Fife (first apparition)
• Be bloody, bold, and resolute laugh to scorn /
  The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall
  harm Macbeth (second apparition)
• Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until / Great
  Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come
  against him. (3rd apparition)
• Yet my heart / Throbs to know one thing tell me,
  if your art / Can tell so much shall Banquo's
  issue ever / Reign in this kingdom? (M to
  witches)
• A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in
  his hand GHOST OF BANQUO following stage
  dirtections showing the witches response to Ms
  previous question.
• from this moment / The very firstlings of my
  heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand
  (Macbeths final comments his new resolve to
  act immediately, without reflection)

8
Quotes act 4 / 2

• when our actions do not, / Our fears do make us
  traitors. (Lady Macduff commenting on the ever
  present fear in Scotland now)
• But cruel are the times, when we are traitors /
  And do not know ourselves (Ross to Lady Macduff)
• I doubt some danger does approach you nearly /
  If you will take a homely man's advice, / Be not
  found here hence, with your little ones
  (messenger to Lady Macduff)
• I have done no harm. But I remember now / I am in
  this earthly world where to do harm / Is often
  laudable, to do good sometime / Accounted
  dangerous folly (Lady MD)

9
Quotes act 4 / 3

• Each new morn / New widows howl, new orphans cry,
  new sorrows / Strike heaven on the face (Macduff
  describing the state of Scotland to Malcolm)
• I am young but something / You may deserve of
  him through me, and wisdom / To offer up a weak
  poor innocent lamb / To appease an angry god.
  (Malcolm to Macduff)
• Though all things foul would wear the brows of
  grace, / Yet grace must still look so. (Malcolm
  to Macduff)
• I would not be the villain that thou think'st /
  For the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp,
  / And the rich East to boot. (Macduff to Malcolm)
• It is myself I mean in whom I know / All the
  particulars of vice so grafted (Malcolm to MD)
• Not in the legions / Of horrid hell can come a
  devil more damnd / In evils to top Macbeth (MD
  to Mal)
• but there's no bottom, none, / In my
  voluptuousness (Mal to MD)
• With this there grows / In my most ill-composed
  affection such / A stanchless avarice (Mal to MD)
• But I have none the king-becoming graces, / As
  justice, verity, temperance, stableness, /
  Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, /
  Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude, (Mal to
  MD, describing the qualities he doesnt have)

10
Quotes act 4 / 3

• These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself / Have
  banish'd me from Scotland. O my breast, / Thy
  hope ends here (MD to Mal)
• Macduff, this noble passion, / Child of
  integrity, hath from my soul / Wiped the black
  scruples, reconciled my thoughts / To thy good
  truth and honour. Devilish Macbeth / By many of
  these trains hath sought to win me / Into his
  power, and modest wisdom plucks me / From
  over-credulous haste (Mal to MD revealing that
  it was all just a test of loyalty!)
• (Take note also to lines 115 135Malcolms true
  assessment of himself)
• Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand / They
  presently amend. (Doctor to Mal describing
  Edwards gift of healing the sick)
• A most miraculous work in this good king (Mal to
  MD on Edward)
• He hath a heavenly gift of prophecy, / And sundry
  blessings hang about his throne, / That speak him
  full of grace (Mal to MD on Edward)

11
Quotes Act 4 / 3

• Alas, poor country! / Almost afraid to know
  itself. It cannot / Be call'd our mother, but our
  grave where nothing, / But who knows nothing, is
  once seen to smile / Where sighs and groans and
  shrieks that rend the air / Are made, not mark'd
  where violent sorrow seems / A modern ecstasy
  the dead man's knell / Is there scarce ask'd for
  who (Ross to Mal on the state of Scotland)
• Your castle is surprised your wife and babes /
  Savagely slaughter'd (Ross to MD)
• MACDUFF My children too?
• ROSS Wife, children, servants, all / That could
  be found.
• He has no children. All my pretty ones? / Did you
  say all? O hell-kite! All? / What, all my pretty
  chickens and their dam / At one fell swoop? (MD
  grieving at the news)
• Be this the whetstone of your sword let grief /
  Convert to anger blunt not the heart, enrage it
  (Mal to MD)
• Come, go we to the king our power is ready /
  Our lack is nothing but our leave Macbeth / Is
  ripe for shaking, (Malcolm to MD and Ross)