ACT IV Independent ReadingComplete this activity by Monday, Feb. 2290 pts.

Honors 12

Objective: To recognize and analyze the threads of falling action and resolution that lead to catharsis in a
Shakespearean plot.
Macbeth: Act IV Summary and Questions
Scene i: The three witches are creating a potion. Macbeth enters and demands the witches listen to him. The witches
then conjure different apparitions to speak to Macbeth, giving him further prophesies of the future. Not totally satisfied,
Macbeth asks about the original prophesy to Banquo and gets an unwanted answer. Lennox enters with the news that
Macduff has indeed gone to England Macbeth plots to kill his (Macduffs) wife and children, then.
Scene ii: At Macduffs castle. Lady Macduff isnt sure why her husband has fled she is afraid that he has turned traitor.
This she discusses with her son. A messenger enters to warn her that she is in danger. Murderers enter asking the
whereabouts of Macduff and call him a traitor. The son defends his fathers name and is stabbed. Lady Macduff is chased
out by the murderers and killed off stage.
Scene iii: Malcolm and Macduff discuss the situation and test each others loyalty regarding challenging Macbeth and
trustworthiness in their meeting. Macduff wants Malcolm to rule, but Malcolm thinks he is too evil himself worse even
than Macbeth. He then tells Macduff the reason for revealing these sins. Malcolm then tells Macduff about the King of
Englands special gift of curing illnesses. Ross then enters all the way from Scotland to give Macduff the news of
Scotland. He tells them that all of Scotland would fight against Macbeths troops if someone would only come and lead
them against Macbeth. Then he gives the sorry news of Macduffs familys death and Macduff is devastated. They ready
themselves to go to fight.

Questions3 points each unless noted

Scene 1
1. What do the witches add to their spell before Macbeth arrives? List ten of the
ingredients? What similarities do the ingredients have? (Tone)
2. The line something wicked this way comes refers to which character? Why
something and not someone?
3. How does Macbeth address the witch coven? (Echoes the greeting of Banquo to the
witches in Act I) What does Macbeth demand of the witches?
4. What must the witches add to conjure their masters? What is the significance of these two ingredients?
(Imagine that Macbeth drinks or eats from the spell to see and listen to the witches masters.)
5. Create a chart for notes on the three apparitions that appear to Macbeth: What does it look like? What
does it say? How does Macbeth react and how does he interpret it? (How does the prophecy come true
in Act V?) (15 pts)
6. Macbeth demands to know if Banquos children will be kings. What vision do the witches give him?
What does it mean? (Remember James I of England was related to Banquo.)
7. What is ironic about Macbeths statement that any be damned who trust the witches?
8. Where has Macduff gone? What does Macbeth conclude concerning Macduff?
Scene 2
9. Macduffs castle is called Fife. Lady Macduff, her cousin Ross and her oldest son (a
young child) discuss Macduffs absence. What is the point of Lady Macduffs
comparison of herself to a bird?
10. How does Lady Macduff define the term traitor to her son? What is his response?
How is the label of traitor subjective?
11. A messenger comes in and warns Lady Macduff that trouble is coming. How does she respond?

12. What happens to Lady Macduff and her child (children)? Who dies on stage? Writers purpose for this
death?
Scene 3England-- Remember that Malcolm has escaped to England after the murder of his father Duncan.
13. Look up Edward the Confessor who was the king of England at this time. How is he described? (6 pts)
14. Malcolm tests Macduff by pretending to be guilty of horrid sins? What is his purpose in revealing
these sins to Macduff?
15. What is Macduffs response to the news that his wife and children are dead? What is Malcolms advice?
How does Macduff respond?
Concluding Analysis10 pts each
A. How are the witches toying with Macbeth?
B. What is the purpose of the death performed on stage in this act?
C. Macduff serves as a foil for Macbethhow so? What other character revealed or referred to in Scene 3
contrasts Macbeth?

Resources:
Terms-- Foil from Literary Devices.net
In literature, a foil is a character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to
highlight the traits of the other character. The term foil, though generally being applied for a contrasting character, may also be used
for any comparison that is drawn to portray a difference between two things.
Terms--Catharsisfrom Encyclopedia Britannica online
Catharsis is the purification or purgation of the emotions (especially pity and fear) primarily through art. In criticism, catharsis is
a metaphor used by Aristotle in the Poetics to describe the effects of true tragedy on the spectator. The use is derived from the medical
term katharsis (Greek: purgation or purification). Aristotle states that the purpose of tragedy is to arouse terror and pity and
thereby effect the catharsis of these emotions.

Suggested format for Scene 1 apparition chart:

Appearance of apparition
How is it described in stage
directions?

The prophecy--What does it

say to Macbeth?

How does Macbeth interpret the

apparition?

After reading Act VHow does

the prophecy come true?