Macbeth Act 4 Study Guide

In fulfillment of the witch’s prediction, Macbeth enters. He asks the witches to reveal the truth of their prophecies to him. To answer his questions, they summon horrible apparitions, each of which offers a prediction to allay Macbeth’s fears. Lennox enters and tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England.

A Harpier is a demon spirit. It is found in the work of Shakespeare, the name of the familiar spirit of Third Witch. The name itself suggests Harpy, based in Greek mythology, a monster with a woman’s head and chest and a predatory birds’ body.

Malcolm’s primary role in Act 4 is to motivate Macduff to return to Scotland and seek vengeance on the tyrant who had Macduff’s wife and children murdered. In a role reversal, Malcolm encourages the grieving Macduff to “convert his grief to anger” and see revenge on Macbeth.

In Act 4, Scene 2, the messenger who appears has come to tell Lady Macduff that her life is in danger and that she should escape with her children as soon as possible. This is what he says: Bless you, fair dame!

Macduff

Macbeth is strong but becomes a bullying dictator. Malcolm seems to strike a healthy balance and combines the good qualities of both men. Malcolm lists the qualities of a good king or leader when he is testing Macduff’s loyalty.

How? Macbeth becomes king by, with the help of his wife, murdering King Duncan and framing his guards (and killing them too, for good measure). Although King Duncan’s eldest son Malcolm was declared heir, his fleeing incriminated him for his father’s murder, as with his brother Donalbain.

He gathers an army to battle Macbeth’s army and regain his throne with the help of one of his soldiers, Macduff. Before trusting Macduff, Malcolm tests his loyalty. Malcolm displays a cunning nature when he makes Macduff believe he (Malcolm) is a bad person with bad intentions for Scotland.

Why does Malcolm pretend he is more evil than Macbeth? He is testing Macduff’s integrity because – with all the spies and traitors that Macbeth has created – he is afraid that Macduff might be on Macbeth’s side.

Siward was acting on behalf of Malcolm Canmore, Duncan’s son. Malcolm then gained control of the southern part of Scotland and spent the next three years pursuing Macbeth, who fled to the north. On August 15, 1057, Macbeth was defeated and killed by Malcolm at the Battle of Lumphanan with the assistance of the English.

Malcolm is much more canny than his unfortunate father. Malcolm declares to Macduff that he is wicked because he has excessive lust and greed and in fact has no redeeming qualities to offset these faults.

It is too late, he drags me down; I sink, I sink, — my soul is lost forever! — Oh!

The boy’s death would have upset the audience but they would have been gratified by his willingness to defend his mother and family. The murder of Lady Macduff off-stage would have less offended the audience than watching it acted out before them.

When Macbeth hears that no one born of a woman will harm him, he decides to. A- kill all the wives of his peers.

She feels that she and her son have been abandoned, and in her combined terror and anger tells her son that his father is dead. This is an exaggeration of her feeling that Macduff might as well be dead, for all the good that he does his family. What happens to Lady Macduff and her son?

The exchange between Lady Macduff and her son provides comic relief in the scene. It intensifies the suspense and anticipation of impending horror.

Ross

He gives Malcolm Macbeth’s head and hails him the new king. In contrast to Macbeth, Macduff is portrayed as good versus Macbeth’s bad. In the end, the good, Macduff, prevails over the evil, Macbeth when Macduff kills Macbeth, ending the tyrant’s reign. Macduff is the hero defeating the antihero, Macbeth.

Unfortunately for Macbeth, the Scottish nobleman Macduff was “from his mother’s womb/ Untimely ripped,” and thus not naturally “born of woman” (V. vii). Macduff was the only agent capable of destroying Macbeth. He killed Macbeth in battle.

Lady Macbeth refers to the blood of King Duncan when she cries, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” She tries to wash away the guilt which now consumes her. When the doctor asks the gentlewoman what Lady Macbeth says, if anything, the woman refuses to repeat what she has heard because she has no witness to support her.

I cannot fly, But, bearlike, I must fight the course. What’s he That was not born of woman? Such a one Am I to fear, or none. They have tied me to a stake.