English 20-2: Macbeth Act IV Summary Notes - Shakepeare

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1 English 20-2: Macbeth Act IV Summary Notes - Shakepeare ACT IV: SCENE i Thunder. Enter the three Witches: Setting the Stage Many Elizabethans, including King James, believed that witches practiced black arts. For example, it was thought that witches could brew potions made of horrid ingredients to cast evil spells. Or they could call upon spirits or illusions to foretell the future. Superstitious beliefs such as these were great material for a playwright. In Scene i, a spirit will again link Macbeth s future to the dead Banquo. As you read this scene, imagine how it might have been staged for an Elizabethan audience. Scene i opens to the sound of thunder on a barren heath. The three witches enter and begin mixing a brew of tiger s gizzards, human fingers, baboon s blood, swamp snakes, and other disgusting things. It would seem right for the Witches' apparitions to rise like steam out of that stew. Now the chant of what they are putting into the cauldron to make the magic potion. First there's a, chosen because it has been sweating for a month. After that, the ingredients are all body parts, beginning with"fillet [slice] of a fenny [swamp-dwelling] snake", and including "Lizard's leg and owlet's wing". It's as though the witches had gone dumpster-diving at some ghastly slaughter house. After this, the stew gets ever more foul as parts start to go into the pot, the last one being, "Finger of - strangled / Ditch- by a ". In the real world of Shakespeare's time it did happen that prostitutes (whores), with no money, no family, and no friends, delivered their babies in hiding, then killed and disposed of them. This should remind us that these Witches are not cute old ladies in pointy hats. Finally, the mixture in the cauldron is cooled with " blood, / Then the is strong and ". Now the Witches are ready for Macbeth, and the Second Witch, sensing his approach, says, "By the pricking of my thumbs, something this way comes". Enter Macbeth: He immediately demands that they answer his questions, saying "I you, by that which you profess/ Howe er you come to it, answer me:". What they "profess" are the arts of black magic, but Macbeth cares about nothing except himself. He wants answers, even if it means that knock down churches, waves ships, crops are lost, or palaces and pyramids crumble into nothing. In short, Macbeth wants his answers, even if the whole goes to hell.

2 The Witches tell Macbeth that they will answer his, and ask if he would like to hear the answers from them or from their masters. (The Witches are being cunning here. The apparitions that will arise from the cauldron are not the Witches' masters, but they will look much more impressive and convincing than the Witches themselves.) Macbeth boldly replies that he wants to see the. Hearing this, the First Witch throws the final ingredients into the cauldron, saying, "Pour in sow s blood, that hath her nine farrow; grease that s sweaten from the s gibbet throw into the flame". These images are both horrifying and prophetic. The gruesome picture of a sow eating all nine of her own piglets represents what Macbeth is doing to Scotland. A sow should nurture and protect her babies, and a should nurture and protect his people, but by the end of this scene Macbeth will order the murder of the innocent wife and children of Macduff. Now come the. Each is an illusion created by the Witches to lure Macbeth to his destruction, but they can only do so with the help of Macbeth himself. As with horoscopes, everything depends on the interpretation, and we tend to interpret by the light of our own hope and fears. The first apparition is "An Head and warns Macbeth to beware of, who will come to Scotland as head of an army. Macbeth tries to question it, but First Witch tells him that the apparition knows what he's thinking, so he should be quiet and just listen. She's right about the apparition knowing Macbeth's thoughts; it cries, "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware! / Beware the thane of Fife". This is exactly what Macbeth was thinking even before he saw the apparition. The second apparition is A child which tells Macbeth to "Be bloody, bold, and resolute! Laugh to scorn the of man, for of born shall ". This is an equivocation ( or a half-truth). It sounds like it means that no man can harm Macbeth, because every man is born of woman. After the second apparition disappears, Macbeth notices that the first two apparitions have contradicted each other. If "no man born of woman / can harm Macbeth," then he doesn't need to "beware Macduff." "Then Macduff: Macbeth says to himself, "What need I or thee?". But in the next breath he changes his tune, saying, "But yet I ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of. Thou shalt live. His reasoning contradicts itself. If fate isn't a sure thing, then it isn't fate, but Macbeth who is going to murder Macduff to make sure that fate keeps its promises. In addition, Macbeth is afraid of being afraid, and is going to kill Macduff to prove that he's courageous. The third apparition is "a Child, with a branch in his hand ". The child must represent, child of King Duncan. However, this significance is lost on Macbeth, and he believes he is safe when the apparition says that "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until great Wood to high Hill shall come against him". He is confident because he's sure that trees can't walk.. The fourth apparition: Macbeth still wants to know if 's descendants will become kings of Scotland. The Witches warn Macbeth that he shouldn't ask any more questions, but he flies into a rage and demands that they answer. The cauldron

3 sinks out of sight, ominous oboes are heard, and the last illusion appears. It is a parade of eight, escorted by. Macbeth doesn't want to look, but he can't help himself.. And the more he looks, the worse it gets. The eighth king holds a in which Macbeth sees even more kings, some with "twofold balls and triple scepters", indicating kingship of both Scotland and England. The final touch of this show of kings comes when "blood-boltered [ghost of] Banquo upon me, and points at them for [offspring]" "Bloodboltered" means that Banquo's hair is matted with blood, as the murderers left him, but still Banquo can smile because all of those kings are his. Now the witches, together with the apparitions of Banquo and his line of kings. Macbeth, in a at what he has seen, calls for whoever is outside to come in, and in comes Lennox. Macbeth asks him, "Saw you the weird sisters?". No, Lennox didn't see them, even though Macbeth is sure they must have come out right past him. Macbeth curses the witches, saying, "Infected be the air whereon they ride, and damned all those thatl them!". We wonder, does Macbeth realize that he's damning himself, since he trusts the witches? Why does this vision upset Macbeth? What does Macbeth say about the Witches when they vanish? Why is this ironic? Lennox informs him that Macduff has fled to England. At the news, Macbeth is angry at himself for not acting quickly enough. He had meant to Macduff, too, and now it's too late. He promises himself that "From this moment the very of my heart shall be the of my. Immediately, he keeps that promise to himself, and announces "Seize upon Fife: give to th edge o th, his wife, his, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line." He has just said that he will act upon impulse, and this is an act of pure impulse. He choose to act on desire and not reason. It does nothing to make him safer; in fact, later in the play we will see that he has only given Macduff even more reason to seek revenge. ACT IV: SCENE ii Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Ross: If this scene had a title, it would be "The Slaughter of the Innocents." With a few masterful strokes, Shakespeare shows us an appealing mother and son, then kills them off. Lady Macduff is wondering why her husband left his family and possessions. What are her reasons for Macduff leaving them? a. b. c.

4 Ross attempts to try to make her realize that he might have had some reason for fleeing, but Lady Macduff responds in anger. *** According to Ross, how has Macbeth s rule affected the people? Lady Macduff has a light-hearted conversation with her son about what they will do without a. The messenger tells her to leave, that she is in. But Lady Macduff doesn't know where to go, and she has done no wrong. As she realizes that doing good is sometimes a bad thing, the murderers arrive. The murderers kill the Son on stage. Lady Macduff runs out, screaming "!", but is pursued and overtaken by the murderers. ACT IV: SCENE iii Malcolm says they should find some place to, while Macduff says they should their native country the way they would a fallen comrade. Scotland is full of cries. Malcolm Macduff might betray him to Macbeth for a reward. Malcolm says that even if Macduff isn't treacherous, he could give in to the royal command the way a cannon recoils after it is fired. He says bad things can look good while good things still look good (Fair is foul/ foul is fair). Malcolm asks why Macduff left his family. Macduff says he is not a bad person, that the tyrant Macbeth hurts Scotland as legal ruler. *** Describe what is happening in Scotland under Macbeth s rule. Malcolm says he does want to retake Scotland, but then to check still if Macduff is a, he lies, saying how he is a man of vices who would be an even worse. At first, Macduff says the vices won't be a problem, that Scotland can deal with them and that Macbeth is worse. When Malcolm persists, Macduff says that Malcolm is truly unfit to and fears for his country. Malcolm then says his fears are calmed, and that he really is virtuous person. Malcolm was lieing to see if Macduff could be trusted. Macduff says this is hard to deal with all of a sudden. The doctor then talks about how the English king has powers. This is meant to be a contrast to the opposite effects Macbeth is having on the people of Scotland. Macduff then inquires of his family, and Ross tells him that everything is fine with them. Ross then tells him that Macbeth is massing an army, and that Macduff's aid in Scotland would help to stop this, and would turn many against Macbeth. Malcolm informs Ross that England has lent them soldiers to fight. Ross tells them that he wishes he could answer with news that was as heartening, but that Macduff's family was. Malcolm and Macduff are both shocked by this, and Malcolm says that they must take for this wrong, and that Macduff should take it like a man. Malcolm proceeds to encourage him to turn his grief into. Macduff replies that they should delay no longer, to bring Macbeth within reach of his sword, and that if he should escape, that heaven should forgive him.

5 English 20-2 Macbeth Act IV Summary Scene One Many Elizabethans believed that witches practised black arts. For example, it was thought that witches could brew potions made of horrid ingredients to cast evil spells. Or they could call upon spirits or apparitions to foretell the future. Scene 1 opens to the sound of thunder on a barren heath. The three witches enter and begin mixing a brew of tiger s gizzards, human fingers, baboon s blood, swamp snakes, and other disgusting things. A very confident Macbeth appears and DEMANDS that the witches answer his questions. His behavior is a direct contrast to the way he behaved when he first met the witches. Then he was hesitant and unsure, and not committed to evil as he is now. 1. The first apparition is a helmeted head and warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff. Macbeth responds by acknowledging that he knew Macduff would be a problem, but he still wants to know more. 2. The second apparition, a bloody child, tells him that no one born of woman can harm him. Macbeth takes this literally, but he decides to kill Macduff anyway, just to make sure. 3. The third apparition, a child wearing a crown and holding a tree, tells Macbeth that he will not be conquered until Birnam woods move up Dunsinane Hill towards Macbeth s castle. This also pleases Macbeth and gives him a false sense of security. He knows that trees cannot unfix: their roots and move, so he feels that he is invincible. He comes to the conclusion that he will die a natural death after a long reign as king. But remember the theme: fair is foul, foul is fair. The witches are not lying to Macbeth, but they are certainly not telling him the whole truth. He sees these prophecies as an assurance that he has nothing to fear. Yet one question still burns in Macbeth s mind: will Banquo s descendants ever reign in Scotland. The witches warn Macbeth not to seek an answer, but he insists. The vision which appears is a ghostly procession of eight kings, all of whom look like Banquo. The last one is holding a mirror which suggests that there are more to come. Macbeth is enraged at this sight. When Lennox arrives, the witches vanish. Macbeth curses the witches. He then asks Lennox what message he carries. Lennox reveals that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcolm and the English forces. Without any hesitation and a desire to act only on impulse form no on, Macbeth decides to kill Lady Macduff and her children. Scene Two In the 11th century, an honourable Scotsman was expected to be a loyal defender of his king and clan. A man who died in bed was thought to be weak and cowardly. The worthy man died in battle. Shakespeare s audience also understood the importance of loyalty and bravery. Soldiers were expected to die in battle rather that surrender. The safety of the king, county and family came before their own lives. In this play, Macduff faces a difficult choice. Should he protect and defend his family, his country or his king?

6 At Macduff s castle, Ross is trying to explain to Lady Macduff why her husband fled to England. She cannot understand what appears to be Macduff s lack of concern for herself and her children. His absence leaves them vulnerable and unprotected, so she questions his love for his family. She compares herself to a tiny wren (bird) fighting against an owl (bird of death=macbeth) Ross tries to assure her that Macduff had valid reasons for leaving, but he doesn t provide her with any details. Before Ross leaves, he tell her that things will get worse before they get better. Lady Macduff, who has not accepted Ross s explanation, tries to convince her son that his father is dead or at least a traitor to his family. The child is disbelieving however. Their conversation is interrupted by a messenger, who warns Lady Macduff that danger is near and urges her to flee with her family. But it is too late. Macbeth s hired killers arrive. They slay Macduff s son and pursue Lady Macduff to her her death off-stage. Scene Three This scene takes place outside King Edward s palace in England. Malcolm and Macduff look for a private place to discuss the sad condition of Scotland. Malcolm does not immediately trust Macduff because: 1. He was once Macbeth s friend and may be trying to lure Malcolm back as a sacrifice (a poor lamb) to satisfy Macbeth ( an angry god). 2. He left his children unprotected in spite of the danger they might face. Macduff wants action immediately, and is impatient with Malcolm. He tells Malcolm that Scotland will never again be free from the tyrant Macbeth unless Malcolm comes to reclaim the crown that is rightfully his. Malcolm, still unsure, begins to test Macduff s loyalty. He tells Macduff that Scotland will suffer more that it is now if he was to rule because he has so many vices (immoral desires) that Macbeth would look as pure as snow compared to him. First he tells Macduff that there is no end to his voluptuousness ( sexual appetite). He says that there aren t enough women in Scotland to satisfy his needs. Macduff replies by saying that this is a problem, but it can be handled. They would hide his weaknesses from the people and supply him with all the women he needs. Then Malcolm says, not only is he lustful but he has an unsatisfiable greed (avarice) as well. The more he gets the more he wants, and that he would kill anyone just to satisfy his needs. Macduff replies by saying that this problem is a bit more serious, but it also can be taken care of. Scotland has great wealth to give you and it would be worth it considering your other good qualities. Finally, Malcolm says that he doesn t have ANY graces that a king should have such as honesty, truthfulness, courage, devotion, patience, etc. He goes further to say that if he had the chance, he would reveal his wickedness and destroy everything around him. This is the last straw for Macduff. He says that not only is Malcolm unfit to govern, he is unfit to live. He fears for Scotland s future since it s only rightful heir has cursed himself and his family s honour. He has lost all hope at this point.

7 Now that Malcolm is assured that Macduff is a loyal Scotsman, he reveals the truth. He tells Macduff that he knows how powerful Macbeth is and he had to test Macduff to be sure that he did trust too easily, as his father, Duncan did. He takes back everything he said about himself. He reveals that he is yet unknown to women, has never desired more wealth that what he owned, and that the first lie he ever told was the one he told Macduff about himself. He then tells Macduff that he has the support of the English general Siward, and 10,000 English soldiers prepared for battle. Ross eventually appears with news from Scotland. He says that the country is in serious trouble and that it can no longer be called our mother but rather a grave since so many innocent people are suffering and dying every day. Supernatural occurrences such as sighs and groans and shrieks are also very common. Macduff asks about his family and Ross replies that they were at peace when he left them. He doesn t answer Macduff s question directly until he is assured that both Malcolm and Macduff will return to fight against Macbeth. He knows that they need Macduff to lead the rebellion. Eventually Ross tells Macduff the bad news. Macduff is overwhelmed with grief, but Malcolm urges him to take this new grief and turn it into anger and seek revenge. Macduff is now Macbeth s nemesis ( arch enemy). There is no other character in the play who has more reason to destroy him.