Macbeth Act 4 Study Guide
Name______________________________________________________ Period______
Scene 1
1. What is the first apparition?
a. What does it tell Macbeth?
b. What is Macbeth’s response to what the apparition tells him? (4.1.84)
2. What is the second apparition?
a. What does it tell Macbeth?
b. What does Macbeth decide to do about Macduff?
3. What is the third apparition?
a. What does it tell Macbeth?
b. What is Macbeth’s response?
4. Look at lines 4.1.115-117. What does Macbeth want to know?
a. What do the witches show him in response to his question?
b. What is the significance of what he sees?
c. What is Macbeth’s response to what he sees?
5. What news does Macbeth receive about Macduff?
6. What does Macbeth plan to do? (4.1.171-177)
Scene 2
7. Why is Lady Macduff upset with her husband? (4.2.8-16)
8. What is Ross’s opinion of Macduff?
9. Compare Lady Macduff and Lady Macbeth. How are they different? Similar?
10. After being warned of danger, Lady Macduff says something that is similar to the theme
of “foul is fair and fair is foul.” What does she say? (Write the quotation and cite it)
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Macbeth Act 4 Study Guide
Name______________________________________________________ Period______
Scene 3
11. Macduff comes to England to convince Malcolm to help him overthrow Macbeth. Why
might Malcolm not trust Macduff?
12. Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland by pretending that he would be a terrible
king. Macduff makes allowances for Malcolm’s sins, insisting he would still be better
than Macbeth. Summarize what they say in the following lines:
a. Malcolm 4.3.70-79
b. Macduff 4.3.80-90
c. Malcolm 4.3.91-99
d. Macduff 4.3.100-106
e. Malcolm 4.3.107-116
f. Macduff 4.3.120-132
13. What are the most important things that Malcolm reveals in his monologue? (4.3.133-156)
14. Summarize Ross’s report on the state of things in Scotland (4.3.189-198)
15. What does Ross tell Macduff in lines 4.3.240-241?
16. Describe Macduff’s initial response to learning the news.
17. What is the significance of this exchange?
Malcolm: Dispute it like a man.
Macduff: I shall do so, but I must also feel it as a man.
a. What does this show about Macduff?
b. How is his attitude towards manliness different from Lady Macbeth’s?
c. What does Macduff plan to do?
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