MacbethMacbeth

Act IVAct IV

Macbeth prepares for war and visits the three Macbeth prepares for war and visits the three witches to learn what outcome to expect.witches to learn what outcome to expect.

Using the blood of Using the blood of a sow who has a sow who has eaten her young eaten her young and the sweat that and the sweat that fell from a murderer fell from a murderer as he was being as he was being hanged, the hanged, the witches bring forth witches bring forth three apparitions.three apparitions.

The first, an armed The first, an armed head, tells head, tells Macbeth to beware Macbeth to beware of Macduff, the of Macduff, the Thane of Fife. Thane of Fife. This first apparition This first apparition really shows really shows Macduff beheading Macduff beheading Macbeth, but we Macbeth, but we don’t find this out don’t find this out until Act V.until Act V.

The second, a bloody child, advises Macbeth that no one who The second, a bloody child, advises Macbeth that no one who was born of a woman can harm him. Since everyone is born of was born of a woman can harm him. Since everyone is born of women, Macbeth figures that he’s in the clear. Nonetheless, to women, Macbeth figures that he’s in the clear. Nonetheless, to make “double sure,” Macbeth decides to kill Macduff anyway. make “double sure,” Macbeth decides to kill Macduff anyway. The second apparition foretells his death, his killer, and his The second apparition foretells his death, his killer, and his supplanters.supplanters.

The third, a The third, a crowned child crowned child with a tree in his with a tree in his hand, tells hand, tells Macbeth he will Macbeth he will never be never be defeated until defeated until Birnam Wood Birnam Wood (the forest) (the forest) around his around his castle marches castle marches toward the toward the castle. The third castle. The third apparition apparition signals the signals the march from march from Birnam Wood to Birnam Wood to Dunsinane and Dunsinane and the unnatural the unnatural giving way to giving way to order.order.

Macbeth still Macbeth still wants one more wants one more answer: Will answer: Will Banquo’s Banquo’s descendants ever descendants ever rule Scotland?rule Scotland?

The witches The witches conjure a conjure a procession of procession of eight kings, the eight kings, the last of whom last of whom holds a mirror that holds a mirror that makes it seem as makes it seem as though the line of though the line of kings stretches kings stretches endlessly.endlessly.

All of the All of the kings in the kings in the procession procession resemble resemble Banquo, Banquo,

and and Banquo Banquo himself himself comes comes behind the behind the line of eight, line of eight, his hair his hair

caked caked with blood.with blood.

Macbeth assumes Banquo’s descendants will, in Macbeth assumes Banquo’s descendants will, in fact, rule Scotland.fact, rule Scotland.

To cheer him up, the To cheer him up, the witches perform a witches perform a wild dance and wild dance and disappear.disappear.

Like so many fictional Like so many fictional murderers, Macbeth murderers, Macbeth can’t seem to get out can’t seem to get out of the habit of killing.of the habit of killing.

When he learns of When he learns of Macduff’s flight to Macduff’s flight to England, he seeks England, he seeks revenge by revenge by planning a surprise planning a surprise attack on Macduff’s attack on Macduff’s castle at Fife, castle at Fife, murdering murdering Macduff’s wife, Macduff’s wife, children, and children, and servants.servants.

Macduff has run away from Scotland.Macduff has run away from Scotland.

Ross meets with Lady Macduff and reassures Lady Ross meets with Lady Macduff and reassures Lady Macduff that her husband is a wise and trustworthy Macduff that her husband is a wise and trustworthy man.man.

After Ross leaves, the murderers Macbeth has hired After Ross leaves, the murderers Macbeth has hired for the event break in and slaughter the entire family.for the event break in and slaughter the entire family.

We see how swiftly Macbeth carries out his revenge against We see how swiftly Macbeth carries out his revenge against Macduff.Macduff.

In England, Malcolm is at first reluctant to side with Macduff.In England, Malcolm is at first reluctant to side with Macduff.

Malcolm mistrusts Malcolm mistrusts Macduff until he Macduff until he tests the degree to tests the degree to which Macduff is which Macduff is loyal to the late loyal to the late Duncan and disloyal Duncan and disloyal to Macbeth.to Macbeth.

Malcolm tests Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty Macduff’s loyalty through a set of through a set of clever questions; clever questions; that such a test that such a test is necessary is necessary shows the extent shows the extent of Macbeth’s of Macbeth’s depravity.depravity.

Scotland lies in ruins, Scotland lies in ruins, violence and death violence and death commonplace.commonplace.

Macduff passes the Macduff passes the test, and together test, and together they plan their attack they plan their attack on Scotland.on Scotland.

““How does my wife?” inquires Macduff.How does my wife?” inquires Macduff. ““Why, well,” replies Ross.Why, well,” replies Ross.

““And my children?” And my children?” Macduff asks, to Macduff asks, to which Ross answers, which Ross answers, “Well, too.”“Well, too.”

Macduff then asks Macduff then asks whether Macbeth has whether Macbeth has harassed his family.harassed his family.

““No,” says Ross, No,” says Ross, “they were well at “they were well at peace, when I did peace, when I did leave ‘em.”leave ‘em.”

Of course they were; Of course they were; they were dead.they were dead.

Finally, Ross tells Macduff that Macbeth Finally, Ross tells Macduff that Macbeth has had his wife and children “savagely has had his wife and children “savagely slaughtered.”slaughtered.”

Macbeth’s Macbeth’s tyranny is tyranny is evident, and evident, and Macduff Macduff realizes that realizes that for the good for the good of Scotland, of Scotland, he must be he must be deposed.deposed.

Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Siward is Siward is leading an leading an invasion into invasion into Scotland.Scotland.