Macbeth Summary ACT 4
Macbeth Summary ACT 4 Scene 1
The scene is set amidst thunder and lighting, where the three witches appear encircling a boiling cauldron. They are having some sort of feast, adding unusual bizarre things in the cauldron, leg of a lizard, fur of a bat, tongue of a dog etc. Macbeth enters the scene and demands to know more about his future. Witches summons spirits to answer Macbeth’s demand.
A floating head, warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff, then a child spirit tells him, that he can’t be killed by anyone born from a woman, another child spirit reveals Macbeth, that he shouldn’t worry until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Finally, a line of eight crowned king appeared followed by Banquo’s ghost, which horrified Macbeth and he demands to know more about it, but witches vanish.
Lennox enters the scene and tells Macbeth that Macduff has left for England. Macbeth plans to get Macduff’s wife and children killed.
Macbeth Summary ACT 4 Scene 2
The scene shifts to Macduff castle, where Macduff’s wife feels betrays because his husband left his family alone amidst all sorts of dangers. Lady Macduff in great distress declares that her husband is dead, but her son argued that he isn’t dead. A messenger rushes in to inform Lady Macduff, that she should escape because her life is in danger. Murderers entered and killed her son and chased Lady Macduff in order to kill her.
Macbeth Summary ACT 4 Scene 3
This scene is set outside Edward’s palace, where Malcolm and Macduff are talking with each other. Malcolm doubts Macduff, that he is an agent of Macbeth because his family is still in Scotland. In order to test Macduff, Malcolm tells that he is incapable to become the King and lists all the vices that he possess. Initially, Macduff disagrees with Malcolm, but later he is heartbroken by listening to the vices like greed, lust and violence. Macduff cries “Oh Scotland, Oh Scotland”, as he sees the dark future of his state. Madcuff passed the the test by Malcolm, and later embraced him, saying that he was lying in order to test his loyalty.
Later in the scene, Ross enters and advised Malcolm to return to Scotland, in order to cure their motherland of the disease, that it is suffering in Macbeth’s rule. Malcolm declares that he will go there with ten thousand soldiers and support by the English king. Ross also reveals the sad of Lady Macduff and her children death, which broke Macduff. Malcolm consoles Macduff and suggested him to turn his sorrow into rage. Macduff is now determined to avenge the death of his family.