1. Macbeth
Act IV

2. Scene 1

3. Imagery
The state of the kingdom under Macbeth’s rule reflects images of dismemberment in the witches brew
There is dissention among the Lords due to Macbeth’s evil deeds
He has “dismembered” Scotland with his evil deeds

4. Something Wicked This Way Comes
“By the pricking of my thumbs/Something wicked this way comes.”
Indicates Macbeth’s degeneration
He is dehumanized
He is as evil as the witches

5. Catastrophic Events Winds destroyed churches Sea swallows ships
Break with God
Sea swallows ships
Crops destroyed
Break with nature
Castles and pyramids crumble
Break with ruling order

6. Upsetting the Social Order
To fulfill his ambition, Macbeth has upset the social order by killing Duncan
He is unable to control the supernatural elements
Couldn’t eliminate Banquo’s ghost
Couldn’t make the witches elaborated on prophecies
Was unable to kill Fleance

7. Symbolism
“Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten/Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweeten/From the murderer’s gibbet throw into the flame.”
Sow symbolizes Macbeth
He has killed his own kin
Duncan
Banquo

8. Demanding the Future
The three witches concoct a foul brew and chant over their cauldron
Macbeth demands to know the future
They show him four apparitions

9. First Apparition The first apparition is a helmeted head
The first apparition tells Macbeth to beware Macduff, the Thane of Fife

10. Second Apparition The second apparition is a blood child
He tells Macbeth to “Be bloody, bold and resolute! Laugh to scorn/The pow’r of man, for none of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth”

11. Third Apparition
The third apparition is a child crowned with a tree in his hand
He tells Macbeth that “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/ Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/Shall come against him.”

12. Fourth Apparition
The fourth apparition is a show of eight kings and Banquo
The last king holds a mirror in his hand
This suggest an infinite number of descendents

13. Planning More Murders The witches vanish when Lennox appears
Lennox reveals that Macduff has fled to England
After Lennox leaves, Macbeth resolves to kill Lady Macduff and her children

14. Why Kill Macduff?
Why will Macbeth kill Macduff despite the prophecy that no man “born of woman” can harm him?
He wants to ensure fate will not trick him
He does not trust the prophecies completely
In trusting the witches, he damns himself

15. Scene 2

16. Meanwhile at Fife Macduff’s Castle
Ross tells Lady Macduff her husband has gone to England
She cannot understand why her husband left with out explanation
Accuses him of betraying his marriage vows

17. A Comparison Lady Macduff and son exchange tender words
Comparison of son to a bird
Innocent trapped
Defenseless
Messenger arrives and tells them to flee

18. Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair
Lady Macduff says, “Wither should I fly?/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.”
No escape in a world where evil acts are rewarded and good acts are overlooked

19. Flee for Your Life Murderers arrive and kill Lady Macduff and her son
All Macduff’s children are killed
All Macduff’s servants are killed

20. Scene 3

21. In England
Macduff goes to England to secure Malcolm’s aid in fighting Macbeth
Malcom is wary because Macduff was a friend of Macbeth
Malcom believes Macduff may have been sent to England to trick him
Macduff sees that Malcolm does not trust him
He prepares to leave

22. Testing Loyalty Malcolm first tests Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland
Malcolm makes a comparison between himself and Macbeth
States his sins are so great that Macbeth’s sins would seem innocent in comparison

23. An Alliance is Formed Macduff disagrees
States that there is no one more evil than Macbeth
He would rather be allied with Malcolm and all his imperfections than be loyal to Macbeth
Malcolm reveals it has all been a test and that he is chaste, honest, faithful, etc.

24. Imagery
Scotland is portrayed as a stabbed woman sinking “beneath the yoke,” weeping and bleeding and suffering a new wound every day.
Image recalls the murder of Lady Macduff

25. Difference Between Father and Son
Duncan
Too trusting
Deceived by two traitors
Malcolm
Tests Macduff for for his loyalty

26. Good News Malcolm states an army is ready to attack Macbeth’s forces
Siward with 10,000 men
Large enough to conquer Macbeth’s army

27. Synecdoche Ross arrives with news from Fife
Breaks the news with sensitivity
“Let not your ears despise my tongue forever,/Which shall possess them with the heaviest sound/That ever yet they heard.”
Don’t hate me for what I am about to tell you

28. Bearer of Bad News
Ross reveals that Lady Macduff, the children and all the servants have been murdered
Macduff turns his shock and grief into anger
Prays to meet Macbeth in battle

29. A Definition of Manhood
Lady Macbeth
Man takes advantage of opportunity no matter what cost
Malcolm
Man must be strong and not give into grief
Macduff
Man must strong, but be able to express the pain of grief

30. Aphorism A concise statement expressing a principle or truth
“The night is long that never finds the day” (line 240)
Literal: Just as night must give way to day
Metaphoric: The darkness of Macbeth’s reign will end and peace will be restored