Act 4, Scene 1 Summary

The scene opens with the three witches working on their charms and concoction. They are seen adding an array of unusual ingredients to their concoction. Hecate appears and congratulates them for their good work. Just as she had predicted, Macbeth arrives and commands the witches to predict his future. The witches ask Macbeth if he would like to hear his future or see it directly. He chooses to see, and they summon apparitions to answer Macbeth’s questions, each of which appears to allay his fears.

First, the disembodied head of a warrior urges Macbeth to be wary of Macduff. The second apparition, that of a bloodied child, predicts that “none of woman born/shall harm Macbeth.” Though this momentarily assures Macbeth that he does not have to fear Macduff, he decides to kill him to be absolutely safe. The third apparition, that of a child with a crown on his head and a tree in his hand, proclaims that Macbeth will never be defeated until Birnam Wood marches to fight him at his stronghold in Dunsinane Hill.

Macbeth is pleased with these predictions. When he demands to know whether Banquo’s heirs will be kings, the third apparition presents him a vision of eight kings marching in single file, with the last one holding a mirror followed by Banquo’s ghost. This “horrible sight” enrages Macbeth. Once the witches disappear, Lennox enters to convey the news that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth now swears to raid Macduff’s castle, kill his wife, children, and anybody else unfortunate enough to trace his bloodline through Macduff.

Act 4, Scene 1 Analysis

This scene has two important parts. The first is the witches’ elaborate rituals and the ingredients they drop in their bubbling cauldron—body parts and entrails of gruesome animals. This indicates the creation of a monster, and also hints at the nature of the man (Macbeth) they are about to meet. In other words, Macbeth is no longer human, but a monster in the making.

The second part is Macbeth’s encounter with the witches. The witches once again offer Macbeth three prophecies, and Macbeth is left to decipher what his destiny holds for him. The witches seem more “weird” and sinister this time. The witches’ demeanor makes the audience wonder if they are independent agents mischievously interfering with human affairs or if they are agents of fate, merely stating the inevitable. The word “weird” has etymological roots in the Anglo-Saxon word wyrd, which means “fate” or “doom,” and the three witches bear a striking resemblance to the Fates—prominent characters from Greek mythology. Perhaps their prophecies are meant to bring turmoil and confusion to the minds of the people they share the prophecies with. The turmoil in turn might impel people to work toward the fulfillment of the prophecies. After all, Macbeth was loyal to Duncan, and he might not have thought of killing him if he hadn’t met the witches.

On the other hand, it is possible that the witches are able to see the future. After all, when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane at the end of the play, there are soldiers holding branches, and these soldiers couldn’t possibly have heard of the prophecy. Macbeth’s decision to kill Macduff’s family to ensure his own political survival is also an equally important development.

Act 4, Scene 2 Summary

Lady Macduff and Ross are engaged in conversation in her castle. She is distraught to learn that her husband has escaped, leaving her with no details of his plan. Ross comforts her by saying that she must trust him. She tells their son that his father has died, but he refuses to believe her. A messenger arrives and tells her that she and her son must leave the castle at once since their lives, too, are in danger. However, she doesn’t leave the castle. When they arrive, one of the murderers disparages Macduff. Macduff’s son is dismayed by the murderer’s words and rebukes the murder and calls him a liar. Though Macduff’s son is killed, Lady Macduff manages to flee the castle, but the audience knows that she, too, will be killed by the murderers.

Act 4, Scene 2 Analysis

This scene explores the notion of loyalty. Lady Macduff questions her husband’s loyalty to their family when she finds herself abandoned by him. She states that even a tiny wren would protect his offspring spiritedly and concludes that her husband “wants the natural touch,” meaning he lacks human kindness. This reminds the audience of how Lady Macbeth had rebuked her husband earlier for being too kind and hesitant. When she talks to their son privately, she tells him that Macduff has acted dishonestly. The son, though naive, tells Lady Macduff that the world is full of dishonest people.

The murders of Lady Macduff and her young son also mark Macbeth’s descent into madness: he kills the two of them not for political gain or to wipe out an enemy, but merely out of his petty desire to harm Macduff.

Act 4, Scene 3 Summary

The scene opens in King Edward’s palace. Malcolm and Macduff are in conversation, and Malcolm tells him that he is not sure about Macduff’s loyalty for Scotland. He decides to test Macduff’s loyalty and claims that he (Malcolm) struggles with lust, violence, and greed. Malcolm debases himself in an attempt to decipher Macduff’s true intentions. Macduff, however, bemoans the fate of Scotland and says that lust, violence, and greed are the evils that had driven him out of his country in the first place.

Malcolm is pleased to hear this and embraces Macduff as an ally. Meanwhile, a doctor appears and declares that a crew of wretched souls awaits King Edward’s healing touch. At this, Malcolm explains to Macduff that the king has the miraculous power of curing diseases.

Ross arrives in England and initially tells Macduff that his family is well. He urges him to return to Scotland, and Macduff states that he will return only with the ten thousand soldiers offered by the English king. Ross now breaks down and reveals how Macbeth has treacherously killed his wife and children. Grief-stricken, Macduff swears revenge on Macbeth.

Act 4, Scene 3 Analysis

This scene, much like the previous one, also focuses on themes such as loyalty and bravery. The scene can be divided into two parts. The first part involves Malcolm testing Macduff. He does so by claiming to be of poor character in order to gauge Macduff’s true intentions. Malcolm claims that as a future king, he (Malcolm) would be afflicted with the same vices that characterize Macbeth. He further states that he is inordinately lustful and will be no better than the tyrannous Macbeth. He claims to possess no nobility, and also states that he is not suited for kingship. This declaration evokes great passions in Macduff who bemoans his country’s fate, thereby proving that his ultimate loyalty is toward his country, not the tyrannous Macbeth. Malcolm is deeply pleased by Macduff’s response.

In the second part of the scene, the focus shifts from the political to the personal. When Ross tells Macduff that Lady Macduff and their son have been murdered, Macduff’s determination to oust Macbeth takes on a personal motive. Malcolm encourages Macduff to avenge his family’s death; he urges Macduff to “Dispute it like a man,” and Macduff answers, “I shall do so, / But I must also feel it as a man.” While Malcolm’s idea of masculinity is similar to Lady Macbeth’s, Macduff seems to believe that emotions—grief, in particular—and masculinity are not mutually exclusive.