| The witches | Who does Macbeth go visit at the beginning of Act IV? |
| three signifies the unholy trinity (satan, antichrist, false prophet) Three people in Macbeth usually signifies bad things (three murderers, three witches, etc.) | What is the significance of the number three in Macbeth? |
| They discuss various countries/ethnicities, however none of them are christian. | In the witches poem, what are they talking about? What do they not mention? |
| intestines or bowels | What is a chaudron? |
| The tingling of my thumbs tells me someone wicked is coming. Doors, open and let them in. | What does this well known phrase by the second witch mean? “By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks. |
| He wants a prophecy that will tell him his children will be kings. | What does Macbeth demand from the witches? |
| First – Armed Head – says to beware of Macduff (indicates the war that Macduff has planed – Macbeth expects this) Second – Bloody child – says that none born of woman shall harm Macbeth (Reassures Macbeth) Third – child with crown – Says Macbeth will not be defeated until Birnam wood marches to fight him on Dunsinane Hill – Macbeth thinks that this will never happen and he will be king all of his natural life | What are the three apparitions? What do they tell Macbeth? How does Macbeth react to each of them? |
| They show him a line of eight kings followed by Banquo. They are Banquo’s heirs as kings. Macbeth is deeply troubled and upset that he will not have his sons at kings. | Besides the apparitions, what do the witches show Macbeth? How does he react to this? |
| harmful effect | What does pernicious mean? |
| Macbeth is no longer scene on stage with other characters until he is killed at the end of the play. | What changes with Macbeth from the end of Act IV scene I. |
| She believes that he was a coward and fled the country out of fear. | What does Lady Macduff think of her husband’s disappearance? |
| No one really knows who the messenger is, like the third murderer. He comes to warn Lady Macduff that he children will be killed along with her. | What is interesting about the messenger? What does he come to do? |
| Sorrow | What is the state at the end of Scene 2 and the beginning of Scene 3? |
| He says that he will make Macbeth look pure as snow, as he will be a much worse king. He says his sexual desires would never end, he says he will steal the noble’s lands, jewels, and if he had power he would throw the world in ruins. When Macduff says he is not even fit to live. To Malcolm his outburst proves his integrity. | How does Malcolm test Macduff? |
| Edward can apparently heal people who can’t be healed with modern medicine. It is said he gets this gift from heaven. | What can King Edward supposedly do? Where does he get this gift? |
| It is a pun, they were at peace but in their graves. | What literary device is used in “they were at peace when I did leave ’em”? What does this mean? |
| He says that he will take revenge on Macbeth. He wants to be the one to kill him. | How does Macduff react to the news? |
Macbeth act 4
August 5, 2019