Download The Tragedy of Macbeth

Acts IV & V:
Denouement & Resolution
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Act Iv, Scene i
The events of ACT IV make up
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the denouement, which is somewhat
similar to falling action:
This act is concerned with the events that
result from the climax and lead toward
resolution of the main conflict.
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Act Iv, Scene i
“Double, double, toil, and
trouble….. trouble…..” (perhaps
most famous quote from
Macbeth)
• Macbeth is on his way to meet w/ the
weird sisters (3 witches) as promised at
the end of Act III.
• Note the imagery of darkness and
creepiness here as seen in Act I, scene 1.
• Language in this scene is rather
apocalyptic- dark, prophesying
destruction…..
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Act Iv, Scene i
“Double, double, toil, and
trouble….. trouble…..”
Witches are brewing a potion to make
apparitions (ghostly visions) appear to
Macbeth who wants answers as to what
his future holds. (He’s an insane mess).
Act Iv, Scene i
Macbeth to witches: “Show me
something….!”
Witches show 1st apparition of “Armed Head”- as stage
directions indicate- symbol of Maduff (Note he is in
England with Malcolm & King Edward preparing for war).
1st message/prediction: “Beware Macduff! Beware the
Thane of Fife!” (lines 71,72)
Act Iv, Scene i
Macbeth to witches: “Show me
something….!”
Witches show 2nd apparition of bloody child- as stage
directions indicate- symbolic of Macduff at birth
2nd message/prediction: …For none of woman born/
Shall harm Macbeth” (lines 80,1)
Act Iv, Scene i
Arrogant Macbeth now thinks that
no human being can hurt himwhy?- we are all “born of woman”….
To make entirely sure no one can hurt him and get a
guarantee of fate, he decides he will have to kill
Macduff….. (Recall the first prediction- Beware
Macduff…).
“But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,/ And take a
bond of fate. Thou shall not live.” (lines 83,4)
Act Iv, Scene i
3rd apparition: Crowned child w/ tree in
hand- symbolic of Malcolm
3rd message/prediction: “Macbeth shall never be
vanquished until Great Birnam Wood to high
Dunsinane Hill/ Shall come against him.” (lines 92,3)
What does this mean in everyday language?.....
[Macbeth can only be beaten by an army if the woods
surrounding his castle actually move toward him, which
seems to make no sense since a forest cannot move.]
Act Iv, Scene i
At this point, Macbeth feels confident
he will always be king, but the prophecy
of Banquo’s descendants becoming kings is still on his mind
He demands the witches answer:“Shall Banquo’s issue
ever/ reign in this kingdom? (lines 102,3)- Is B still a threat?
Witches show Macbeth an apparition of Banquo and
his descendants holding “scepters” (a wand or staff that a
king would hold, see pic in upper corner).
Act Iv, Scene i
Macbeth- horrified, enraged that Banquo’s
descendants will be kings….
“Horrible sight! Now I see ‘tis true;” (line 122)
Witches show Macbeth more than 8 kings, some hold 2
“scepters.”
(More than 1 country will be ruled by all
Banquo’s kids, or “issue”,- England, Ireland, & Scotland
will unite in the future).
Act Iv, Scene i
Witches vanish into thin air….
Lennox (random nobleman from previous acts) enters….
- tells Macbeth Macduff “fled to England.” (line 142)
Macbeth’s reaction: “The castle of Macduff I will
surprise;/ Seize upon Fife’ give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword/ His
wife, his babes,…” lines 150-3 (He’s gone off deep enddecides to murder Macduff’s entire family in cold blood).
Act Iv, Scene ii
New character introduced- Lady
Macduff, wife of Macduff
She is upset that her husband has fled- she has no
idea why he has left and gone to England.
“His flight was madness.” (line 4)
Ross and Lady Macduff’s son try to calm her down.
Act Iv, Scene ii
the land? (line
“What had he done to make him fly
the land?” (line 1)
Imagery of birds is used
throughout the first part of scene to describe how she
feels trapped and abandoned like a teeny little bird in
a nest. (This is also an extended metaphor; she also
compares her ‘fatherless’ son to a hungry bird).
Messenger come in- tries to warn her that she needs
to run…. (We do not know how he knows Lady
Macduff is in danger from Macbeth)…..
Act Iv, Scene ii
is
Irony of Macduff’s son speech: he
is a little boy trying to show an
adult some common sense….
She is disgusted w/ Macduff; this
little boy is a voice of wisdom as he
tries to convince her that his father
is not dead AND is not a cowardly
traitor…
Act Iv, Scene ii
Food for thought: how is
Lady Macduff different from
Lady Macbeth?....
Lady Macduff - quick to assume
Macduff is a traitor who
abandoned his family….
Act Iv, Scene ii
Murderers kill her son on stage- audience
assumes they go on to kill entire familybloodbath…..
[Exit LADY MACDUFF crying “Murder!”
followed by MURDERERS.]
Consider the murder of Macduff’s sonHow is it a reversal of a previous plot
point?
Act Iv, Scene iiI
Action shifts from Scotland to England.
Malcolm to Macduff: “This tyrant [Macbeth] ….you
have loved him well;/He hath not touched you yet…”
(lines 12,3)- shows his suspicion toward Macduff.
(Malcom’s thoughts: You were once very close...Maybe
you will hand me over to Macbeth….)
Act Iv, Scene iiI
“Angels are bright still, though the
brightest fell:/ line 22- note the hidden
allusion to Lucifer
Malcolm is using a metaphor here: Macduff could be a
backstabber who appears to be an honest “angel”- just
like Lucifer (God’s angel who turned into Satan himself)
Malcolm’s thoughts: If Lucifer could betray God, why
should I trust you?
Personification- “I think our country sinks beneath the
yoke;/ It weep, it bleeds…” lines 39, 40
Act Iv, Scene iiI
This is a very tricky scene…
When Malcolm learns Macduff left his family
behind unprotected (“in rawness”) in Scotland,
he figures Macduff must be loyal to Macbeth.
….After all, how could he leave his family
behind? If Macduff was disloyal to Macbeth,
Macbeth would hunt down Macduff’s family as
punishment….(lines 25-30)
Act Iv, Scene iiI
Malcolm goes on to test Macduff to
see if he is still loyal to Macbeth…
Malcolm’s words in lines 50-54 paraphrased:
When I come to power, I will be even more evil than
Macbeth….He will seem like a “lamb.” (I am capable of
every sin there is- great greed for power, lust, etc…)
Macduff says Duncan (Malcolm’s father) “was a most
sainted king”…. (line 109), talks kindly of the queen too
Act Iv, Scene iiI
Malcolm comes to trust
Macduff, most likely b/c of his kind words
about his late parents (esp his mom  ).
Malcolm goes on to say he was only trying
to mislead Macduff to test him with his
“false speaking.” (line 130)
Act Iv, Scene iii
Macduff learns of the complete slaughter
of his entire family from Ross; he blames
himself. (see quote below)
“And I must be from thence.” line 213
Malcolm to Macduff: Be a man! Now
Macbeth’s time has come! Instead of
focusing on grief at your family’s
murder, be strong! Use your grief as a
motivator to take Macbeth down….. Off
to Scotland we go!
Act v, Scene i
Lady Macbeth has officially gone
off the deep end, suffering a mental breakdown.
Her sleepwalking shows her tormented conscience
over Duncan’s murders and all the evil that came
from it. Her ruthlessness is coming undone….
While sleepwalking, she states, “Out, damned spot!”
(She is referring to Duncan’s blood on her hands).
Act v, Scene i
Lady Macbeth’s maid
[Gentlewoman]: “She has spoke what she should not, I
am sure of that…”
She figures that Lady Macbeth must have something to
confess….
Doctor: “Infected minds/ To their deaf pillows will
discharge their secrets.” (73,4) He knows Lady
Macbeth is tormented over “an unnatural deed.” (72,3)
Notice that he even calls upon God….
He figures she may have ‘skeletons in the closet.’…..
Act v, Scene ii
•
New characters introduced:
Menteith & Caithness (noblemen)
Siward- head general of English army
English army AND Macbeth’s Scottish nobleman
(Malcolm, Lennox, etc) are heading twrd Dunsinane, the
site of Macbeth’s castle….
Macbeth- trying to secure Birnam Wood (remember the
witches’ prophecies…)
Act v, Scene ii
Macbeth’s subjects are no
longer very loyal to him; he
senses this.
Angus:“Those he [Macbeth] commands move
only in command,/Nothing in love…”(lines
19,20)
Macbeth realizes his power is fast declining. His
authority and character are severely threatened.
Act v, Scene iiI
Macbeth as forces approach his
castle- arrogant (thinks he
cannot be beaten since Malcolm was “born of
woman”) but still nervous.
Macbeth:“The heart I bear/ Shall never sag with
doubt nor shake with fear.” (lines 9,10)
Act v, Scene iiI
Lines 22-28: Macbeth states to
Seyton (his officer) that he sees
his life has come to ruins, he can have no peace,
and he must make peace with dying….The
consequences of his actions seem clear to him.
“My way of life/ Is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf,/
And that which should accompany old age,/ As honor,
obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have;
but, in their stead,/ Curses….
Act v, Scene iV
[cut]
Malcolm: “Let every soldier hew
[cut] him down a bough [branch]/
And bear ‘t before him. Thereby shall
we shadow/ The numbers of our
host.”
The plan is for soldiers to disguise/camouflage
themselves as they approach Macbeth’s castle at
Dunsinane. They will put branches on their bodies to
look like trees. In this way, Birnam Woods ‘moves.’
Macbeth has been misled by his interpretation of 2nd
prophecy/apparition!
Act v, Scene V
Macbeth on the approaching
soldiers:
Let them come! They will fall to
disease or fighting among
themselves! (They are their own
worst enemy).
(Macbeth seems to forget what it is like to feel feartragic hero/tragic flaw).
His reaction to Lady Macb’s death in his monologue:
“Life’s but a walking shadow…” (lines 17-28)metaphor.
Meaning: We are only here but for a little while. Life
is like an sad actor and a completely meaningless, sad
story. His view of life is now very bleak….
Act v, Scene V, VI
Macbeth- hears the woods have
begun “to move.” He vows to fight.
Scene VI- establishes idea that there is glory and
honor to be had in fighting to the death, to the very
end. Notice that Macbeth- the king himself- will
actually be fighting on the battlefield.
Also, the scene builds suspense…..
Act v, Scene Vii, VIII
of
Macbeth has killed Young Siward, son
son of Siward, head of the English forces.
Macbeth wants to avoid fighting Macduff
b/c of the witches’ prophecy. Also, he has
shed too much Macduff blood already (his
family). (lines 5,6)
Was Macduff really “born of woman”?
(see lines 15,16)- Nope!
He was born by Caesarean section. A male
surgeon delivered him. His mother died in
the process.
Act v, Scene VIi
Macduff slays Macbeth…. [stage
directions]
Siward’s reaction to his son’s death:
He died an honorable, ‘manly’ death
(fighting for the king). He takes comfort in
this. To die for a good cause was one of the
highest honors a man could reach.
Malcolm vows to repay his followers for their loyalty
to his father’s cause. He gives them new title: earl.
Act v, Scene VIiI
Malcolm: emerges as hero, new king
Lady Macbeth- “fiendlike queen”
Macbeth- “dead butcher”
kennings
Audience is told Lady Macbeth committed suicidepresumably.
- Beginning of new era of peaceful rule
Macbeth Plot Review
Act I: Exposition
Inciting Incident/Exciting Force
Act 2: Rising Action/Complication
Act 3: Climax
Act 4: Denouement/Falling Action
Act 5: Resolution
Macbeth was a real Scottish king.
He was not a tyrant, ruled peacefully for 14 years.
He did kill King Duncan in battle (with Siward’s
help).
4. …and he also killed King Duncan’s dad! Yikes!
5. Malcolm eventually killed Macbeth….
6. There is debate about whether or not Banquo
actually existed: historians who say he did exist claim
that his descendants are the Stuarts of England.
1.
2.
3.
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth as a response to the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605- a warning to anyone who
would rise up against a king…..
English Catholics who felt they were being
persecuted by the Protestant monarchy (James I)
plotted to blow him up. They were discovered and
then tortured. …

Why might Shakespeare have portrayed
Macbeth as a tyrant?

Why might Shakespeare have portrayed
Banquo as noble, or loyal to the king?