So runs against all reason." - Lady Macduff Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.Īs little is the wisdom, where the flight The most diminutive of birds, will fight, The murder of the wife and child mark Macbeth's descent into tyranny and madness, killing neither for political gain nor to silence an enemy, but simply out of a furious desire to do harm. In this scene, Lady Macduff says that her husband lacks affection and kindness, this contrasts Lady Macbeth earlier in the play where she says Macbeth has too much of the "milk of human kindness". The murderers soon enter and brutally kill her child first, and then her. Lady Macduff protests, arguing that she has done no wrong. She insists that were he still alive, he would certainly be a traitor.Ī messenger enters, warning Lady Macduff that she is in danger and urging her to flee. Lady Macduff tells her son that her father has died, which he refuses to believe. She is impatient and feels betrayed. Ross insists that she trust her husband’s judgment and then regretfully departs. Lady Macduff demands that Ross tell her why her husband has fled to England. His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.Ī third is like the former.-Filthy hags!"- Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth "Rebellious dead, rise never till the wood On being informed by Lennox that Macduff has fled to England, he announces his intention to attack Macduff's wife and children.įire burn, and cauldron bubble." - The Three Witches ![]() This haunts him because he has no offspring the image of children can only fill him with hatred, fear, and loathing.Įmerging out of the cave, Macbeth seems immediately to forget the final prophecy, as he returns to the practicalities of what is increasingly a battle for his own survival. The juxtaposition of children (symbols of innocence) and images of death, warfare, and blood, is dramatic and terrifying, but especially so for Macbeth. The last one, however, taunts him, making him angry.Īpart from the first, all the apparitions contain children. The apparitions make him arrogant to the point of answering them back. Unlike the dagger and Banquo's ghost, these supernatural visions cannot be simply the workings of Macbeth's own brain, they are definitely summoned by the Witches. Macbeth's demand to the witches is answered by a sequence of apparitions. ![]() The strong implication is that Macbeth himself is no longer a complete human being he himself has become a half-man, half-monster. The potion made by the witches contains ingredients that are all the entrails or body parts of loathed animals or human beings, which, taken together, can be interpreted as making a complete monster. This serves only to enrage Macbeth, who reveals to the audience his determination to slaughter the family of Macduff. With this confidence, he asks the witches to reveal if the descendants of Banquo will take the throne from him. The witches present an image of a ghostly procession of future kings, led by Banquo. The apparitions fill Macbeth with confidence as he believes the last two to be impossible. ![]() The last apparition of a child holding a tree tells him that he is safe until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. The first apparition is a floating head that warns Macbeth of Macduff. The second is a blood-covered child who comforts Macbeth with the news that he cannot be killed by any man "of woman born". To answer his questions, they summon three horrible apparitions, each of which offers a prediction to allay Macbeth’s fears. Macbeth enters and boldly demands to be shown a series of apparitions that tell his future. Hecate enters and compliments their work, telling them to continue. Act 4 opens in a dark cave with the witches gathered around a cauldron.
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