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Analysis. In England, near the palace of King Edward, Macduff urges Malcolm to quickly raise an army against Macbeth. But Malcolm says Macduff might actually be working for Macbeth, a suspicion heightened by the fact that Macduff left his family behind and unprotected in Scotland.
Quick answer: In act IV of Macbeth, Malcolm claims a series of vices for himself as a test of character for Macduff. In the end, Macduff rejects Malcolm as unworthy of kingship and falls into ...
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- Summary: Act 4: Scene 1
- Summary: Act 4: Scene 2
- Summary: Act 4: Scene 3
- Analysis: Act 4: Scenes 1–3
In a dark cavern, a bubbling cauldron hisses and spits, and the three witchessuddenly appear onstage. They circle the cauldron, chanting spells and adding bizarre ingredients to their stew—“eye of newt and toe of frog, / Wool of bat and tongue of dog” (4.1.14–15). Hecate materializes and compliments the witches on their work. One of the witches the...
At Macduff’s castle, Lady Macduff accosts Ross, demanding to know why her husband has fled. She feels betrayed. Ross insists that she trust her husband’s judgment and then regretfully departs. Once he is gone, Lady Macduff tells her son that his father is dead, but the little boy perceptively argues that he is not. Suddenly, a messenger hurries in,...
Outside King Edward’s palace, Malcolm speaks with Macduff, telling him that he does not trust him since he has left his family in Scotland and may be secretly working for Macbeth. To determine whether Macduff is trustworthy, Malcolm rambles on about his own vices. He admits that he wonders whether he is fit to be king, since he claims to be lustful...
The witches are vaguely absurd figures, with their rhymes and beards and capering, but they are also clearly sinister, possessing a great deal of power over events. Are they simply independent agents playing mischievously and cruelly with human events? Or are the “weird sisters” agents of fate, betokening the inevitable? The word weird descends ety...
Now everything is prepared for Macbeth's destruction. Malcolm and Macduff have a righteous cause, backed by ten thousand soldiers and powered by Macduff's hot rage. As Malcolm says, "Macbeth / Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above / Put on their instruments" (4.3.237-239). Nothing can save Macbeth from destruction now.
Malcolm is the king by divine rule; Macbeth is a usurper. By the end, the former is rewarded, while the latter meets his demise, thus reinforcing the legitimacy of the line of succession. In his speech boasting of peace and just rulership, the coronation of Malcolm offers a chance for stability, much like what King Duncan stood for.
Receive what cheer you may; / The night is long that never finds the day. (4.3.238-240) 1. Malcolm. 2. Macduff. 3. Malcolm says that he and Macduff have the power to take down Macbeth so they must go and do it now. He believes they will prevail and get their revenge. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like How does the ...
Suspicion has now fallen on the two princes, Malcolm and Donalbain, because they have fled the scene. Macduff returns to his home at Fife, and Ross departs for Scone to see the new king’s coronation. Read a translation of Act 2: Scene 4.
