Equivocation- The use of ambiguous language to mislead

The Witches’ prophecies:MacBeth will be kingBanquo will beget kingsMacBeth “shall never vanquished be until /

Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him"

Act 4 of Shakespeare

Prophecy 1- Seems to tell of future greatness but doesn’t give any indication of what Macbeth will have to do or the resistance he’ll face.Ambiguous nature causes MB to become

conflicted and disoriented as his ambition and guilt battle for control.

Prophecy 2- Confuse Banquo with equivocations (“not so happy yet much happier,” “lesser than Macbeth, yet greater”)Creates conflict – Banquo will be the father of

kings, but is not MacBeth’s father, so his destiny is in opposition to MacBeth’s.

First Apparition – Tells MB to beware MacDuff. This seems to be contradicted later

Second Apparition – Tells MB that none of woman born may harm him

Third Apparition - MacBeth only hears the literal meaning of the prophecy and ignores the metaphorical meaning.The Weird Sisters have set verbal traps, and

MacBeth, due to his tragic flaw, walked into every one of them.

Doubling“Double, double, toil and trouble”The “show of kings” – every king looks like

BanquoLike he’s haunting him x 8“Twofold balls and several scepters” – implies they

will be the kings of more than one country8th king holds up a mirror

James I is the 8th generation descendant of BanquoAlso in the play it is said that the King of England

has powers from heaven to heal “the evil.”

Characters also “mirror” each other.MacBeth – acts upon ambition and prophecy.Banquo – does not

Lady MacBeth-advises MB to forget all guiltIncreasingly plagued by guilt

Masks double our own facesMB tells Lady MB to make her face a pleasant

maskShe paints the servants’ faces in blood to frame

them.

Malcolm, when testing MacDuff’s loyalty, says "all things foul would wear the brows of grace“

When Lady Macduff complains to Ross about the abrupt departure of Macduff, she states: "the poor wren / The most diminutive of birds, will fight, / Her young ones in her nest, against the owl."

Her metaphor comes to life when she and her son are attacked by Macbeth's men.