2.1.3
Scenes 4-5
Act 1, Scene 4
Act 1, Scene 4
Here's a summary of what happens in Act 1, Scene 4:
Malcolm declared heir
Malcolm declared heir
- The scene begins with King Duncan and his son, Malcolm, talking about the previous Thane of Cawdor’s execution.
- Macbeth arrives. King Duncan praises him and Macbeth says it was his duty to kill the traitor.
- King Duncan announces that his eldest son, Malcolm, is the heir (next in line) to the throne. This means that he will be king when King Duncan dies.
Macbeth's aside
Macbeth's aside
- In an aside, Macbeth says that Malcolm is now an obstacle for him.
- He admits that he wants the crown, even though it is disloyal to want it: ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’.
Act 1, Scene 5
Act 1, Scene 5
Here's a summary of what happens in Act 1, Scene 5:
Macbeth's letter
Macbeth's letter
- The scene begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter aloud from her husband. The letter tells her what the witches said to him.
- Lady Macbeth is worried that Macbeth is too good and soft-hearted to take action to get the crown. She wants to manipulate (influence someone to do something) him into taking action and getting the crown.
Lady Macbeth's masculine request
Lady Macbeth's masculine request
- An attendant comes in. The attendant tells Lady Macbeth that the king is coming to stay with them that night.
- After the servant leaves, Lady Macbeth talks to the spirits. She asks them to make her less womanly so that she can be cruel and do what she needs to do for Macbeth to become king.
Intentions clear
Intentions clear
- Macbeth arrives.
- Lady Macbeth makes her intentions clear to Macbeth.
Key Quotes - Act 1, Scene 5
Key Quotes - Act 1, Scene 5
Here are key quotes from Lady Macbeth and Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 5:
Lady Macbeth - 'O’th’milk of human kindness'
Lady Macbeth - 'O’th’milk of human kindness'
- ‘Do I fear thy nature, / It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way.’
- Lady Macbeth is worried that Macbeth is too good and soft-hearted to take action to get the crown.
- She acknowledges that Macbeth has ambition, but that he needs to be ruthless (show no pity) to get the things that he wants.
Lady Macbeth - 'Pour my spirits in thine ear'
Lady Macbeth - 'Pour my spirits in thine ear'
- ‘I may pour my spirits in thine ear / And chastise with the valour of my tongue.’
- Lady Macbeth wants to manipulate (influence someone to do something) him into taking action and getting the crown.
- She wants her husband to be more powerful so that she, in turn, shares the power.
Lady Macbeth - 'Unsex me here'
Lady Macbeth - 'Unsex me here'
- ‘Come, you spirits / that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull / Of direst cruelty’.
- Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to make her less womanly.
- Women were supposed to be kind and nurture life and friendships, but she wants to be more masculine ('unsex me here'). She wants to adopt the more traditionally male traits of anger and ferocity.
- Although she feels this would let her get rid of King Duncan herself, she has to rely on persuading her husband to murder him.
Lady Macbeth - 'Th’innocent flower...serpent under't'
Lady Macbeth - 'Th’innocent flower...serpent under't'
- ‘Look like th’innocent flower, / But be the serpent under’t’.
- Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he must hide his true feelings – he needs to come across as innocent, even though he has violent intentions.
Macbeth - ‘We will speak further—’
Macbeth - ‘We will speak further—’
- Macbeth doesn’t speak much in this scene. Lady Macbeth seems to have power over him.
- He tries to put her off, ‘We will speak further—’ but the dash shows that she interrupts him. She tells him to worry about how he comes across and that she will sort everything out.
- She is immediately shown to be a manipulative character, almost overpowering her husband.
1Literary & Cultural Context
2Plot Summary
3Characters
3.1Macbeth
3.2Lady Macbeth
3.3Other Characters
3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Themes
4.1Themes
4.2Grade 9 - Themes
5Writer's Techniques
5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques
Jump to other topics
1Literary & Cultural Context
2Plot Summary
3Characters
3.1Macbeth
3.2Lady Macbeth
3.3Other Characters
3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Themes
4.1Themes
4.2Grade 9 - Themes
5Writer's Techniques
5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques
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