Act 4

Test yourself

Act 4, Scene 1

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 4, Scene 1:

The witches' prophecies

The scene begins with thunder in an isolated place. The three witches meet to cast a spell. They chant: ‘Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and cauldron bubble.’
Macbeth arrives (‘How now, you secret, black and midnight hags’) and tells them he is there to get answers.
Three apparitions (ghost images) come from the cauldron to give Macbeth a message. The first tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff. The second tells him that no man born of a woman can hurt him. The third tells him that he will not be removed from power until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill, where his castle stands.

Macduff's flight

Macbeth now thinks he is invincible because no man can kill him and the wood will never move. He finally asks if Banquo’s children will be kings still, but the spirits won’t answer him.
The witches show him a vision of a line of kings. Fleance is following. All are looking like him.
The witches vanish. Lennox meets Macbeth and tells him Macduff has fled.
Macbeth decides to order an attack on Macduff’s castle and kill his family: ‘give to th’ edge o’th sword / His wife, his babes’.

Act 4, Scenes 2-3

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 4, Scenes 2 and 3:

Act 4, Scene 2 - Lady Macduff's fears

Lady Macduff is at home with her sons, speaking to Ross. She wants to know why Macduff has fled Scotland without speaking to her. She is worried that they will now look like traitors to Macbeth.
Lady Macduff feels like she has lost her husband. She tells her son that his father is dead. She tells him that Macduff was a traitor.
A messenger arrives and tells them that they need to leave because danger is on its way.
Lady Macduff says that she has done nothing wrong.

Act 4, Scene 2 - The murders

A murderer enters. He demands to know where her husband is.
They argue and the murderer kills her son: 'He has killed me, mother.'
As he is dying, he begs his mother to run away. Lady Macduff runs off stage, with the murderers chasing her.

Act 4, Scene 3

Malcolm is talking to Macduff in England. Malcolm tries to pretend he has many poor qualities that would not make him a good king. This is to test Macduff to make sure that he would be loyal to Malcolm and not side with Macbeth.
Macduff clearly shows his hatred of Macbeth and joins Malcolm's cause.

Act 4, Scene 3 - Macduff learns of the murders

Ross arrives and reluctantly tells Macduff that his family is dead: 'Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes / Savagely slaughtered.'
For Macduff, this has now become a mission of personal revenge against Macbeth.
Linking back to fate and tragedy, Macbeth may have caused his own death at this point – his murder of Lady Macduff and her son mean that Macduff only wants revenge now.
Ultimately, Macbeth may have been killed anyway, but this act of violence against Macduff’s family definitely sealed his fate.

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3Characters

3.1Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain

3.1.2Ambition & Fate

3.1.3Relationship

3.1.4Unstable

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo

3.3.2The Witches

3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4King Duncan

3.3.5Macduff

3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

Jump to other topics