Act Four

SCENE ONE: toil and trouble

This scene shows that Macbeth has wholly given himself over to evil

It can be compared to 1.3 – Macbeth’s destiny is in question, prophecies are given, and the 3W vanish before he’s done questioning them

There is a resemblance between Macbeth and the 3W – all are wicked and unnatural

The 3W again speak in trochaic tetrameter, which is employed for ‘enchanted verse’ – this is opposed to Shakespeare’s usual iambic pentameter (which, oddly, Hecate uses – perhaps this is cheeky Middleton again)

‘Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog’ – the ingredients are all body parts – Macbeth is no longer a ‘complete’ man

Macbeth arrives super-confident and bold, flippantly demanding answers – he even wants to hear his future through their Fates (with a capital F!)

His witty response to the second apparition calling his name three times (‘if I had three ears, I’d hear three’), shows his arrogance and lack of fear (and respect)

The final ‘show’ of Banquo’s heirs ‘does sear mine eyeballs’ – Macbeth is appalled (‘will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?’)

‘And damn’d all those that trust them!’ – an ironic line; Macbeth has trusted the 3W throughout and has acted on their every word

‘I will … give to the edge o' the sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him’ – Macbeth is a true monster – he doesn’t even hesitate to kill an innocent family

‘No boasting like a fool; this deed I'll do before this purpose cool’ – Macbeth still knows what he’s doing is bad

SCENE TWO: the third crime

This scene is thrillingly horrific (and often omitted in modern performances) – it shows the wickedness which Macbeth has fallen into and how his loss of humanity is complete

‘He wants the natural touch’ – Lady Macduff believes her husband lacks human kindness (an ironic echo of Macbeth being ‘too full’ of it)

‘I am so much a fool, should I stay longer’ – does Ross know more than he is letting on?

The charming conversation between Macduff and her son makes the impending tragedy seem even worse

‘Poor monkey!’ – strengthens the son’s innocent image

The son’s spirited defence is unsurprising – ‘thou liest, thou shag-haired villain’ (cf. ‘thou liest, abhorrent tyrant’) – it also reminds us of the justice that must prevail

‘Run away, I pray you!’ – who could kill such a nice kid?

At the end of the day, the family’s murder is unforgivable – they’re not in Macbeth’s way at all!

SCENE THREE: setting up the final act

Opening dialogue between Malcolm and Macduff is tiresome, but shows how good Scotland could be under the virtuous Malcolm

‘This tyrant … hath not touch'd you yet’ – dramatic irony i.e. neither knows of the fate of Macduff’s family

‘Had I power, I should pour the sweet milk of concord into hell, uproar the universal peace, confound all unity on earth’ – Malcolm daringly tests the loyalty of his newest recruit

‘Strangely-visited people … he cures’ – King Edward is using a supernatural ability (or ‘heavenly gift of prophecy’) for good (by restoring order to nature), in contrast to the 3W and the order-upsetting Macbeth

‘Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes savagely slaughtered’ – Macduff has now been given a personal cause for vengeance

He will ‘dispute it like a man’ but also ‘feel it like a man’ – true manhood involves emotion, feeling, and love