Act 4

Act 4

1. Scene 1

   • Three witches meet to cast a spell
     • They chant " Double, Double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and cauldron bubble"
       • Macbeth meets them and tells them he is there for answers
         • "How now, you secret, black and midnight hags"
       • Apparitions come from the cauldron to give Macbeth a message. The first tells Macbeth to be aware of macduff. The second tells him no man born of a women can hurt him. The third says he will not be removed from power until Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane Hill
   • Macbeth now thinks that he is invincible because no man can kill him and the wood will never move
     • The witches show him a vision of a line of kings all looking at him
       • The witches vanish. Lennox then meets Macbeth and tells him Macduff has fled
         • Macbeth orders an attack on Macduff's castle and kill his family
           • "give to th' edge oath sword / His wife, His babies"

2. Scene 2

   • A murderer enters. He desmands to know where her husband is.
     • They argue and the murderer kills her son
       • "He has killed me, mother"
         • As he is dying, he begs is mother to run away. Lady macduff runs away being chased by murderers

3. Scene 3

   • Malcolm is talking to Macduff in England
     • Malcolm pretends to make it as though he has lots of very poor qualities that would not make him a good king
       • This is to test macduff to see if he will side with Macbeth or be loyal to Malcolm
         • Macduff clearly shows his hatred of Macbeth and joins Malcolm's cause
   • Macduff learns of the murderers
     • Ross arrives and tells macduff that his family are dead
       • "Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes / savagely slaughtered