Macbeth Act IV

Scene 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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.”

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

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

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

Scene 2

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

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

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

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

Scene 3

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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