Group work: Act IV
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Liguori Veronica
Magonara Luca
Maran Marco
Milan Sara
Stincone Valentina
Short summary of Act
Act IV starts with the three witches dancing and chanting around a
caulron while making a spell. Macbeth enters and receives new
prophecies spoken by apparitions. They tell Macbeth he will not be
killed by anyone born of a womnn and that he need not worry until
Burnam Wood moves towards his castle.
In Scene two three murderers kill Lady Macduff and her son after
Ross’s visit. Hehad gone there to warn them about the danger. At
the same time Malcolm is talking with Macduff about his nature.
While they are talking, Ross arrives from Scotland bringing some
news about Macduff’s family. After the news, Macduff decides to kill
Macbeth.
Define function of Act
The functions of Act IV are:
Developing plot
Showing Macbeth’s conviction he is unbeatable
Illustrating the death of Macduff’s family gives to
Macduff the strength to kill/revenge Macbeth
List characters inhabiting Act IV
The main characters described in the Act are the
three witches, Macbeth, Lady Macduff, Macduff
and the fate
Secondary characters are Malcolm, Macduff’s
son and Ross.
Explain why they are main characters
Witches are important because they fortell Macbeth: “… there would
be no one to emulate him…”, “… for none woman born shall high
Dunsinane Hill shall come against him…”. Moreover, they become
agents of Macbeth’s madness, which turns out a crucial point for the
whole play.
It underlines Macbeth’s metamorphosis into a tragic hero.
Madness will not just lead Macbeth to cruel murders, but to his own
death,too. He will make fate’s will true: Macbeth will kill Macduff’s
son and wife. Macduff will convert his suffering into the flame of
enemity, killing Macbeth in the final battle.
Illustrate the witches characterization
and its function
The three witches have a sinister role: they are
introduced right from the beginning of the first
scene when they are preparing a potion.The
element wich suggest the idea to the reader are its
ingredients: frog,snake,dragon... common in the
collective imaginary when thinking about
witches.They confirm the presence of the
supernatural in the play which apparently has a
relevant role to define Macbeth’s destiny.
Explain how Macbeth is characterized and
why it was built that way
In Act IV Macbeth looks as if he were scared. His
obsession for power, the regret for his murders
start to torture him. So he needs more and more
safety and visits the witches again to reach such
goals and he is apparently satisfied but to tell the
truth he is stressed.
Macbeth makes the reader understand the end is
not so far.
Illustrate L. Macduff’s characterization and
explain why it was built that way
Lady Macduff look as a good woman who loves her
children and her husband. As a matter of fact in the
beginning of the second scene she appeares sad,
disappointed and deceived by Macduff, but in the dialogue
with Ross this side of Lady Macduff is no longer there and
she looks stronger and angry with her husband. She is
ready to start a new life with a new man. Therefore the
reader’s first impression, disappears and she looks as an
emancipate woman.
Outline Malcom’s characterization and
explain its function
During the dialogue Malcolm appears almost
humble as if he didn’ t want to become King, but he
must in order to save the kingdom from terrible
Macbeth.
Later he will tell Macduff that is not a good man,
greedy of power to confirm the sacrifice he did. He
wants to be considered kind of a hero.
Outline Macduff’s characterizationand its
function
Macduff appears in the second scene as a coward
because his wife complains he leaves her always
lonely since he is scared to be killed by Macbeth.
To tell the truth he looks the only one who wants to
save the kingdom.
Outline other characterizations
Other characters like Ross, Lennox and the ghosts
are not described in detail.
Discuss Act Setting
Act Iv is set in thre different places:
In the first scene Macbeth and the three Witches are in a dark
cave surrounded by an atmosphere of mystery.
 In the second scene Lady Macduff, her Son, Ross and a
murderer are in Macduff’s castle.
 In the last scene Malcolm and Macduff are in Malcolm’s castle.
 The most important setting is in the first scene, because it
creates the suityable atmosphere. As a matter of fact without, in
our opinion, without such scene you would not get the same
effect.

Does Act IV create
associations with the coming or
previous acts?
The act creates associations with the coming Act,
because in it the reason to continue the play are
set .
Macbeth does not behave that way even if the
Witches don’t fulfill their prediction. Moreover
Macduff decides to take part in the war against
Macbeth after his wife’s murder.
Possible audiences’ reaction in front of Act
IV?
Act IV, Scene I is full of mystery. Naturally the audience
could be scared by the witches’ arrival.
So, when the audience sees the cavern and the three
witches accompanied by thunders, surely an intense
silence will fall in the room. That's why, in our opinion,
Shakespeare let the three witches declare their own
gruesome poetry: thanks to silence. To be more precise:if
there were no silence in the room the poetry of the witches
would not create the same mysterious effect on the public.
However, generally speaking, the characters of Acty IV
trigger a good reaction on the audience. Indeed Macduff's
widow and her son are painful and poor, kind people in the
eyes of the audience.
In conclusion, we can say all characters in Act IV are
interesting for the audience. It is surely an important act to
evaluate characters’nature.
Does this act teach a
lesson?
There is not a lesson.
The Act anticipates the end: in the first scene Lady
Macbeth tries to wash her hands but blood does
not go away and the the battle of Macbeth against
Malcolm and Macduff begins. The problem to focus
on is the right succession of the king.
How is the female figure
presented?
In the Act the female figure is represented by Lady Macduff. She is
Macduff’s wife and appears only in Act IV, Scene II.
She represents all the good people slaughtered by Macbeth. The
speech with Ross is really the only moment in the entire play where
her true character comes to surface.
In this short passage you can see that she is shy, completely
guileles, well intentioned and too trusting of those around her. She
is the opposite of Lady Macbeth, even if they have got a trait in
common: her deep loyalty to her husband.
Lady Macduff loves her family and is distressed at Macduff’s
departure: she doesn’t really think he is a traitor, she loves him and
she is only angry because he left his family without telling them
anything
What reflection/s about
contemporary society does the act suggest?
Characters in this act are like contemporary people
because they are guided by passions. Macbeth believes in
the supernatural, Macduff blindly believes in Macbeth etc.
"Who takes advantage of such situations?": that's the
question to be posed. In our opinion the three witches act
as contemporary wizards (the ones appearing on TV) who
take advantage of your weakness.
THE END… THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION