Macbeth-Act 4

Macbeth-Act 4

1. Key events

   • Macbeth visits the 3 witches again and they summon 3 apparitions. Each apparition makes a prophecy. The first warns Macbeth about Macduff, the second tells him that no one born from a woman can harm him, and the third tells him that he can't be beaten until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane hill.
   • When Macbeth demands to know if banquo's children will ever rule Scotland, the witches show him Banquo's ghost and a line of kings who seem to be Banquo's decendants.
   • Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth sent his murderers to kill Macduff's wife and children. In England, Macduff proves his loyalty to Malcom and Malcom reveals that the English king has given him 10 thousand soldiers to fight Macbeth. Macduff learns that Macbeth killed his family and vows to avenge their deaths.

2. Characters and how they are presented.

   • Three witches: They remind the audience of the evil intentions. They pretend to obey Macbeth but then trick him and expose him to the aparitions.
   • Macbeth: He starts to believe that he is invincible after hearing the aparitions and uses commands towards the witches. Wants to hear good news so that he can feel secure about the future. After the aparitions, he is full of confidence, this later affects him.
   • Lady Macduff and her son: In this act, they are very vunerable because Macbeth wants to kill them. Lady Macduff is not only scared but angry due to her husband running away.
   • Ross: He breaks the news to Macduff that his family were killed and this creates drama.
   • Macduff: He is seen as quite cowardly for running off and leaving his children. He convinces Malcom to create an army against Macbeth and is successful. He is motivated to get revenge on Macbeth.
   • Malcom: He tests Macduff's loyalty by pretending to be more evil than Macbeth. He had learned from Duncan's mistakes and knows not to trust the Thanes.

3. Shakespeares' intentions for the plot/themes

   • Shakespeare used the witches to create a frightening atmosphere through the grusome list of body parts. he also uses the 3 witches to show how Macbeth has changed from the brave hero in act 1. Shakespeare also wanted to highlight the theme of reality and appearance through the way that Macbeth can not be harmed by, "none of women born." Shakespeare also uses symbolism to show how Lady Macduff feels. She feels as though she is a tiny, powerless bird protecting her nest from an owl that is in this case Macbeth. He has also shown here that Macbeth is now killing defenseless prey. Shakespeare also shows the theme loyalty through the scene with Macduff and Malcom. As well as this, the theme of Kingship is also seen in this seen. He contrasts the kind, unselfish kingship of Edward with the cruel selfish tyranny of Macbeth. Finally, Shakespeare also shows the symbolism of the fact that Malcom, like the Macbeth's, thinks that masculinity means agression.

4. Key quotations

   • "What, you egg!" "Young fry of treachery"
     • "Why in that rawness left you wife and child"
       • "Not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd in evils to top Macbeth"
         • "Dispute it like a man"
   • "I grant him bloody, luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin"
     • "In nature is a tyranny"
   • "Double, double toil and trouble"
     • "Speak. Demand. We'll answer."
       • "something wicked this way comes"