1. Act 4
Macbeth

2. Lesson Objectives and Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
Show an increased awareness of how plot and character are developed in the play
Be able to integrate quotes into their own sentences.
Contribute to group discussion of the text, by conducting a close analysis of key quotes.

3. Starter
Take the following quotes, and integrate them in the sentences that correspond with them....
QUOTE
SENTENCE
‘To leave his wife, to leave his babes...He loves us not;’
Lady Macduff feels that her husband does not love her or their family enough.
‘He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows/ The fit o’th’reason’
Ross tries to convince Lady Macduff that her husband is a good person.
‘But cruel are the times, when we are traitors/ And do not know ourselves’
Ross is very confused about who to trust. 1) 2) 3)

4. Use these skills when writing your own responses!
Tone analysis assignment:
You MAY write on the sheet
Complete modern translation FIRST
Complete Tone analysis question, following ALL provided guidelines
Read and annotate Act IV scenes 1 & 2

5. Act 4, scene 2 Questions How does Macduff feel about Macbeth?
Why does the messenger come to warn Lady Macduff? Does he succeed?
What happens to Macduff’s family?
How do you feel about Macbeth, at this point?

6. Act 4, scene 3
Instead of reading through the entire scene (which is a bit long, and tedious!), we will work our way through key quotes....

7. Does Malcolm initially believe Macduff?
Macduff, as we know, fled to England to speak with Malcolm. When they meet, Macduff tries to convince Malcolm of his loyalty to him, by exposing Macbeth’s tyranny.
Does Malcolm initially believe Macduff?
What you have spoke, it may be so perchance./ This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,/ Was once thought honest: you have loved him well;

8. Macduff, angry that Malcolm will not believe him says....
Bleed, bleed, poor country!/ Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,/ For goodness dares not check thee...
Fare thee well, lord:/ I would not be the villian that thou think’st/ For the whole space that’s in the tyrants grasp..
How does Macduff feel about Malcolm’s doubts?

9. Malcolm is quick to try and calm Macduff down, asking him not to be offended...
... I speak not as in absolute fear of you:/ I think our country sinks beneath the yoke,/ It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash/ Is added to her wounds...
Does Malcolm feel that defeating Macbeth will bring good things back to Scotland?
When I shall tread upon the tyrant’s head,/ Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country/ Shall suffer more vices that it had before,/ More suffer and more sundry ways than ever,/ By him that shall succeed.

10. Malcolm believes that should he murder Macbeth, the people of Scotland (not knowing what a tyrant he really is) will esteem him as a ‘lamb’ who is carelessly slaughtered.

11. Macduff replies by saying how evil Macbeth is; the people would never see him as a great king...
Not in the legions/ Of horrid hell can come a devil more damned/ In evils to top Macbeth.
Do you agree or disagree with his statement?
I grant him bloody,/ Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,/ Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin that has a name....
Malcolm then agrees that Macbeth is.....

12. ...Better Macbeth,/ That such an one to reign.
Malcolm then tries to test Macduff, by
claiming he is worse that Macbeth...
...there’s no bottom, none,/ In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters,/ Your matrons and your maids, could not fill up/ The cistern of my lust, and my desire...
...Better Macbeth,/ That such an one to reign.

13. Again, Macduff reassures Malcolm that, no matter how hungry for wealth he may get, Scotland has ‘foisons to fill up your will’.
Malcolm again adds fuel to the fire, saying he has no good qualities to make him king.

14. Finally, Macduff gives up saying...
Fit to govern!/ No, not to live. O nation miserable! ... When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again ... O my breast,/ Thy hope ends here!
It is only after seeing Macduff break down that Malcolm believes in Macduff’s loyalty to him. After this, he informs Macduff that he will work with him to overthrow Macbeth. He informs Macduff that with the help of Siward, he’s amassed ten thousand ‘warlike men’ who are ready to fight.

15. A piece of dramatic irony
Towards the end of the scene, Ross enters.
Macduff asks about his wife and children; what will Ross say?
How do you suppose Macduff will feel about the loss of his wife and children?
What does his anger mean for Macbeth?

16. What do you predict will happen to Macbeth?
What do you feel deserves to happen?