Scene Summary Macbeth Act III, Scene 4
In this scene, Banquo is noticeably absent from the feast. Only Macbeth and Lady Macbeth know that he has been killed!
•uddenly, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost. None of the other guests can see the ghost. Lady Macbeth does her best to try to cover
for her husband's strange behavior. Seeing Banquo's ghost is a Sy rnbebN
of Macbeth's feelings of
because he
.
had his.1e_rici murciincl
Scene Analysis: Macbeth Act IV, Scene 1 Ketcloc+h ytiv■fnr 4'D w atkveS
tb ere* mixt info
MACBETH
A
cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron and the witches.
Tell me, thou unknown po
1A. i ne tirst apparition snown to macoetn is: -- beware or
Mck
in 4-t-rmtplest
•11
Thunder. First Apparition: an armed head
(1A0S4'")
First Apparition
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; u
Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
I
1B. Macbeth thinks: "I knew I was right to
-ceettr
MACBETH
him!
Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
right: but one
Thou hast harp'd
word mo
C.
04
Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody child
Second Apparition
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
ACBETH
d I three ears, I'd hear thee.
aad
Second Apparition
2A . The second apparition revealed to Macbeth is: "none of
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
a
Shall harm Macbeth.
Macbeth."(No
MACBETH
2B. Macbeth thinks, "Do I really need to fear
Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
'II make assurance double sure,
An take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.
140tYlla Y1
M acau*
born shall
het rnel
one can luny% koon)
if no man can harm me?"
/—* I . 11 1611 MACCitA4
be
stare.
Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his
hand
What is this
That rises like the issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby-brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
ALL
•
Listen, but speak not to't.
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Third Apparition
Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall
vanguish'd be until
treat Birna wood o high Dunsinane hill
Shall come ag
im.
M
3A. The third apparition revealed to Macbeth is: "Macbeth
shall not be defeated unless the
"FOre.S1—
moves towards Macbeth's castle, Dunsinane.
re)
MACBETH
That will never be
Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
Unfix his earth - bound root? Sweet bodements! good!
Rebellion's head, rise never till the wood
3B. Macbeth thinks: "Great! The forest cannot
Walk
so I can relax and not worry
about being defeated!
Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath Metc44410*-To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art
Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever
4. Macbeth says: "I still need to know one thing: will
Reign in this kingdom? (p I S
Banquo's
prolpheSy
&Ackert
ever become king?"
ALL
Seek to know no more.
The Witches respond: "You don't want to know!"
MACBETH
I will be satisfied: deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
ALL
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;
Come like shadows, so depart!
The Witches say: "Let's make him feel bad and answer
his question!"
A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in his hand; GHOST
OF BANQUO following
MACBETH
Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!
Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair,
rdkA
e
coo?
/0 /A /04
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
0 0
Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more:
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
5. Macbeth sees a line of (#)
Which shows me many more; and some I see
reveals
Banquo. The last holds a
iive
kings that look like
mArror
which
c.arrfAues
That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry:
Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his. [Apparitions vanish]
Macbeth asks, "Is this real?"
First Witch responds, "Yes, why are you so surprised?"
What, is this so?
6. Should Macbeth have been surprised by this last
First Witch
Ay, sir, all this is so: but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
apparition? Why or why not?
24
accluff's cactle
, Scene Analysis Macbeth Act IV, Scene 2
Line from Macbeth
DY MACDUFF:
hat had he done to make him fly the land?
Meaning/Translation
Ilt
Why has my husband, Macduff,
le...p+- Scot Land?
ROSS:
Be patient.
You must have patience, madam.
LADY MACDUFF:
Macduff was not patient. He is a traitor to his family, and he
left out of
CLV"
.
He had none.
His flight was madness. When our actions do not,
0
make us traitors.
ap
RO
.
You don't know why he left.
You know not
Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
LADY MACDUFF:
love,
He must not
his family if he would leave
like that. A mother would never leave her children. He left
out of fear.
Wisdom! To leave his wife, to leave his babes,
His mansion and his titles in a place
From whence himself does fly? He loves us not;
He wants the natural touch. For the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
mttafhOr
All is the fear and nothing is the love,
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.
ROSS:
a/1y dearest coz,
pray you school yourself. But for your husband,
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
The fits o' th' season. I dare not speak much further...
£ 4"reA.S On)
Calm down. There is a reason why your husband left that
you don't know about.
Imagine you were in Lady Macduff's position. Her husband,
Macduff, has left her and her children while a killer is on the
loose, and he has not explained why (probably because
women were kept out of such matters).
What emotions would you be feeling? What would you say
or do when you see Macduff again?
•
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Scene Analysis Macbeth Act IV, Scene 3
Macduff has come to England to seek out Malcolm and convince him to return home and take his rightful place as king.
Malcolm is unsure if he can trust Macduff so he decides to test him by telling a bunch a lies about himself (If Macduff is
truly concerned about the kingdom, he will not want an unvirtuous and immoral Malcolm to return.)
K
'
Line friini Macbeth
Meaiiiirigaranslafion
MALCOLM:
It is myself I mean, in whom I know
All the particulars of vice so grafted
That, when they shall be opened, black Macbeth
Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state V.11;11,
Esteem him as a lamb, being compared 54A;te.
With my confineless harms.
MALCOLM:
seem as pure and sinless as
m etc
ShOW
He will be thought of as being sweet as a
5
I (.4.S4'.
for women. All of your wives and
MR_
daughters will not be
from me and
my desires. Nobody will be able to stop me. It is better for
Macbeth to be king than me.
Sfeal
the nobles. I will steal
•
jeweik
P&S 5 C-S
NO}– Me
I
•
Fit to govern.
No, not to live. 0 nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,
Since that the truest issue of thy throne
By his own interdiction stands accursed,
And does blaspheme his breed?—Thy royal father 1>APICAll
Was a most sainted king. The queen that bore thee,
Oftener upon her knees than on her feet,
Died every day she lived. Fare thee well!
land from
and houses. As
I acquire more wealth I will be hungry for more. I will start
unjust
WarS
just to destroy good and loyal men
for their wealth.
I have no good qualities. I am
But I have none. The king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness,
Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude...
is greedy, deceitful,
malicious, and extremely sinful, but there is no end to my
Destroying them for wealth.
MALCOLM:
% am b
MAgkein
I am also extremely greedy. I will
MALCOLM:
With this there grows
In my most ill-composed affection such
f eed
A stanchlesOla–rthat, were I king,
I should cut off the nobles for their lands,
Desire his jewels and this other's house.
And my more-having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more, that I should forge
Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal,
.
compared to me and the evil I will bring.
I will admit that
I grant him bloody,
befrie)
Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,
Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name. But there's no bottom, one,
In my voluptuousness. Your wives, your daughters,
Your matrons, and your maids could not fill up
The cistern of my lust, and my desire
All continent impediments would o'erbear
That did oppose my will. Better Macbeth
Than such an one to reign.
MACDUFF:
'
I have so many faults and weaknesses that I will make Macbeth
n bi-
just, truthful,
understanding, stable, merciful, humble, devoted, patient, or
courageous.
You are not fit to
/N4.,,
, let alone fit to govern
Scotland. When will Scotland see better days again? The heir to
the throne is a disgrace to his
father was a
PraAte
ce44/1111
00 01
. His
king, and his mother
every day of her life. I cannot
return to Scotland now. There is no
kl ON,
left.
These evils thou repeat'st upon thyself
Have banished me from Scotland.-0 my breast,
Thy hope ends here!
26