Unit 7: Act 4 – Macbeth’s bloody kingdom
Assessment focus: A01, A03. A04
Suggested number of lessons: 2-3
Resources:
Outcomes:
Resource sheet 13: Pageant & politics
Resource sheet 14: Malcolm reborn
Resource sheet 15: Malcolm & Macduff
 To understand the different function and ‘feel’
of scenes within the same act
 To understand the key ideas in Act 4 Scene
3, and learn about Macduff and Malcolm
 To explore the notion of kingship in relation
to major characters
►Initial work
Act 4 is incredibly varied in tone and dramatic effect. Once students have had a chance to
read the scenes from Act 4, start by asking them to consider how very different each
scene is.
▲ Activity 1: In small groups ask students to look at Resource 13: Pageant and politics.
Discuss the questions and then feed back answers. The final task on the sheet, which can
be completed in this session or as homework, may need to be modelled in terms of
building a succinct and fluent summary of the key events.
►Focused work
The focus for this session is on the ‘difficult’ Act 4 Scene 3 – often seen as such because
of its length, and for the fact that ‘nothing happens’ until the end.
▲ Activity 2: As a way of helping students navigate through the scene’s initial long
dialogue, distribute Resource 14: Malcolm reborn. Students should work in pairs to find
appropriate quotations to support the flow diagram, and then add them to the supplied
speech bubbles. Once this is done they can reread the rest of the scene. Some students
might create their own flow diagram for the remainder of the scene.
▲ Activity 3: Once students have completed Activity 2, ask them to discuss in the same
groups the questions in the boxes below.
What have we learned about Malcolm from this scene?
Consider:

what has happened to him

how he tests Macduff

what he tells Macduff has already been done
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What have we learned about Macduff?
Consider:

how he is tricked by Malcolm

his desire to do battle on behalf of ‘Scotland’

how he has left his wife and children behind
▲ Activity 4: The above discussion can be turned into a longer, written response which
compares and contrasts the two characters. You may wish to use Resource 15: Malcolm
and Macduff to plan the essay with students. Suggest that they begin the essay with a
brief introduction describing views of kingship in Shakespeare’s time, and what it meant to
be a ruler. This will ensure that A04 is addressed. Useful websites for background reading
on this are listed below.
 Aim High
The assignment on Malcolm and Macduff can be extended into a wider consideration of
the nature of kingship, taking into account the way Duncan and Macbeth are presented. It
could refer, briefly, to the historical Macbeth, and the tribalism that dominated Scottish
ruling life, and then deal with each character’s strengths and faults in an even-handed
way.
 Moving On
Make sure all students have absorbed the key information from Act 4 Scene 1 which will
be so crucial to the later scenes. You may wish to ask students to recall the prophecies in
Act 1 Scene 3, so they can measure to what extent they come true by the end of the play.
 Check the web
The Royal Shakespeare Company website has an interesting section on ‘kingcraft’ in
Macbeth. See http://www.rsc.org.uk/macbeth/about/essay.html This will be useful for the
coursework assignment in Unit 15.
Summary of key learning
 An appreciation of the overall structure of the play, and how scenes can have different
moods, pace and effects
 An understanding of the dialogue between Macduff and Malcolm, and what it reveals about
the two men and their respective characters.
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Resource Sheet 13:
Pageant and politics
Task 1: In your group, discuss the following questions about the events and ideas in Act 4.
Variety and range
Every scene in this Act is different in tone and action.

Which scene has magic and music, predictions and visions?

Which scene has a long conversation about the state of Scotland between two men
(mostly)?

Which scene shows a defenceless mother and her children brutally slaughtered?

In what different ways would these scenes have appealed to a contemporary
audience?
Information and action
Act 4 Scene 1 is full of new information that will have a bearing on later events.

Who is Macbeth told he must ‘beware’ of?

Why do the witches say that Macbeth should ‘laugh to scorn the power of man..’?

The witches say Macbeth will be safe until what happens?

All these things should comfort Macbeth and make him feel he is safe from his
enemies, but the witches have one last vision to show him. What is it? Why does it
shock him?

The scene ends with Macbeth making a decision. What is it?
Reflection and distance
The final, long scene of Act 4 takes place outside Scotland.

Who does Macduff meet with?

Why has he come to see him, and to England?

What do we learn about the state of Scotland from what is said?

Ross appears towards the end of the scene. What news does he have for Macduff?

How does the scene end, and what is going to happen next?
Task 2: Write an account of Act 4 in which you summarise the main plot developments. In
your summary, try to find ways of describing the different ‘feel’ of each scene.
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Resource Sheet 14:
Malcolm reborn
The flow diagram below represents the path of the conversation between Malcolm and
Macduff. Add suitable quotations next to the boxes.
Macduff tries to
persuade Malcolm to
act now to save
Scotland, but
Malcolm won’t
commit just yet.
Hold fast
the mortal
sword..
…what I can
redress, As I shall
find the time to
friend, I will.
Macduff
Malcolm
…
Malcolm questions Macduff’s
actions – how come he is safe?
How come he has left his wife
and children?
Macduff despairs – thinking
that Malcolm won’t help
…
…
Malcolm explains that he might
be just as bad – worse even –
than Macbeth as a ruler
…
Macduff refuses to
believe it.
…
Malcolm lists all Macbeth’s
faults, but then says he is worse,
especially when it comes to
women.
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…
Macduff, hardly believing his
ears, says that there will be lots
of women keen on him, if that’s
what he wants…
Malcolm says that’s not all – he
would also be greedy and take
everyone’s money and land.
…
Macduff says this is worse than
lust, but balanced against his
other qualities, would be almost
acceptable.
…
…
Malcolm says he has no
qualities! If he were king he
would create chaos and
confusion.
…
Macduff is defeated. He tells
Malcolm that all hopes for
Scotland’s futures are at an end,
and prepares to leave.
…
Malcolm reveals that he had
been testing Macduff to see if he
was to be trusted, and that he had
pretended to be sinful He reveals
that an army is already
marching against Macbeth, and
that it will soon join them.
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Resource Sheet 15:
Malcolm and Macduff
Use the planning sheet below for making notes and preparing a coursework assignment to
answer the title: Who would make a better king – Malcolm or Macduff?
Introduction Seventeenth century notions of ‘kingship’ and the qualities of
rulers; some comment on why audiences of the day would have
been interested in these matters
Malcolm &
Macduff’s
actions
Their contribution to the action of the play – what they do/have
done to them; how this might prepare them for kingship
Macduff
Key ideas about his character: what he says/does
Views about his qualities and weaknesses in respect of
leadership; how he might be viewed as similar or different from
Malcolm
Character adjectives
Key quotations (scene/line references)
Malcolm
Key ideas about his character: what he says/does
Views about his qualities and weaknesses in respect of
leadership; how he might be viewed as similar or different from
Macduff (and Macbeth?)
Character adjectives
Key quotations (scene/line references)
Conclusion
A summary of the two men – their similarities and differences; who
is best suited for ruling a kingdom?
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