Active Reading Notes of ACT IV (MACBETH)

Scene i:
- The three witches are mixing the cauldron when Hecate stops and congratulates them on their work
- A witch warns "something wicked this way comes" and Macbeth appears, demanding to hear a prophecy
- The first one is of a head warning him against Macduff, which he says he already knows
- Second a bloody child appears and says “none of woman born / shall harm Macbeth”
- Third a crowned child holding a tree tells him that he is safe and secure until "Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill"
- Fourth a line of 8 kings walks by, with Banquo in the end and carrying a mirror. Macbeth demands to know the meaning but the witches do not give him any hints
- The witches vanish and then Lennox appears, telling Macbeth that Macduff fled, whose castle Macbeth plans to attack and kill his women and children and anyone else
Scene ii:
- In Lady Macduff's castle, Lady Macduff asks Ross why her husband has fled, which he responds that she needs to just trust his judgement
- Lady Macduff does not respect this response, and after Ross regretfully leaves asks her son how he will live without a father. The son is clever and knows that his father is not dead, and answers this
- A messenger enters and tells Lady Macbeth she needs to flee, but she refuses to, saying that she has done "no wrong"
- Murderers enter and ask where Macduff is and Lady Macduff answers "I hope, in no place so unsanctified/ Where such as thou mayst find him."
- One murderer insults Macduff and his son stands up for him and gets stabbed and begs his mother to run away
- Scene ends with Lady Macduff running from the murderers
Scene iii:
- Malcolm tries to test Macduff's loyalty by telling him every reason that Malcolm feels that he himself is unjust to govern Scotland, saying that he is even worse then Macbeth
- Macduff first disagrees with him, saying it is not possible for anyone to be more evil then Macbeth but eventually cried "O Scotland, Scotland" after Malcolm continues to list his vices
- He says that Malcolm is not fit to govern, or even fit to live
- Macduff's loyalty to his country makes Malcolm trust him and he no longer fears that Macduff was secretly working for Macbeth
- Ross arrives and tells them of the state of Scotland, saying it gets worse every minute because of Macbeth
- When asked, he tells Macduff that his children and wife are well, but later goes back on his word and tells Malcolm and Macduff that both their families have been slaughtered by Macbeth's men
- Macduff starts to greatly grieve and Ross recommends that he turns his grief into violence so that he can take down Macbeth