Macbeth Act 4 Summary

Act 4, Scene 1

• The Witches gather in a cavern to cast a spell in a bubbling cauldron.

• Hecate, the goddess of Witchcraft, appears and congratulates the Witches before departing.

• Macbeth enters and demands answers from the Witches.

• They summon three apparitions:

  • First Apparition: An armed head warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff.

  • Second Apparition: A bloody child tells Macbeth no one born of a woman shall harm him.

  • Third Apparition: A crowned child holding a tree states he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.

• Macbeth feels reassured but orders the murder of Macduff to ensure his own safety.

• He then inquires about Banquo's descendants; the Witches say he should not ask, but he demands the answer.

• A vision of eight kings appears, suggesting Banquo's offspring will rule.

• Frustrated by the disappearing Witches, Macbeth vows to kill Macduff's family, marking a violent shift in his character as he embraces tyranny.

Act 4, Scene 2

• Lady Macduff is in her castle discussing Macduff's absence with the Thane of Ross.

• She feels abandoned and disheartened, believing her husband has fled.

• A messenger warns them to leave, but Lady Macduff refuses, believing they have done no harm.

• Macbeth's murderers arrive and kill Lady Macduff and her son.

• A poignant quote emerges: "I am, in this earthly world, where to do harm is often laudable; to do good sometimes accounted dangerous folly."

• This highlights the tragic consequences of innocence and the evil of Macbeth's rule.

Act 4, Scene 3

• Macduff meets with Malcolm, Duncan's son, to discuss Scotland's suffering due to Macbeth's tyranny.

• Malcolm tests Macduff by dishonestly claiming he possesses various vices, including lust and greed.

• Macduff becomes distressed when Malcolm claims he would disrupt peace in Scotland, leading to Malcolm revealing he was only testing Macduff's loyalty.

• They decide to invade Scotland with an army from England.

• Ross arrives with the devastating news of the murders of Macduff's family, breaking Macduff emotionally.

• Malcolm uses personification to describe Scotland's suffering, stating it "weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds."

• This emphasizes Macbeth's cruelty, solidifying his role as a tyrant as they prepare for retaliation.