Macbeth - Act 4
Notes
scene 1:
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place –
scene 2:
place –
scene 3:
What is often different about this scene when the play is performed?
Purpose of the scene:
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Vocabulary – Act 4
_____ 1. pernicious A. lack of restraint
_____ 2. judicious B. tending to believe too readily
_____ 3. sundry C. greed
_____ 4. intemperance D. various
_____ 5. avarice E. showing good judgment
_____ 6. credulous F. evil
1. “…my poor country / Shall have more vices than it had before / More suffer, and _____ ways
than, ever / By him that shall succeed.”
2. “…there grows / In my most ill-composed affection such / A stanchless _____ that, were I
King, / I should cut off the nobles for their lands / Desire his jewels and this other’s house…”
3. Because of Macbeth’s treachery, Malcolm is not _____ when Macduff insists that he is honest
and not secretly serving Macbeth.
4. Malcolm pretends to have “boundless _____” and no self-control in order to test Macduff.
5. “Let this _____ hour / Stand aye accursed in the calendar!”
6. “But, for your husband, / He is noble, wise, _____...”
scene 1 – summary
scene 2:
1. Who is Lady Macduff?
What is her current temperment and why?
2. What is Ross afraid of in his attempts at consoling Lady Macbeth?
3. What is ironic about Lady Macduff’s statement in line 27?
What type of irony would this be?
4. In the exchange of words between Lady Macduff and her son, how is young Macduff portrayed?
What do they talk about?
5. What does the messenger tell Lady Macduff and why is she slow to react?
What happens to Lady Macduff and her son?
scene 3:
1. What is Malcolm’s primary concern when Macduff confronts him?
Why does the fact that Macduff left his family unprotected in Scotland give Malcolm doubts?
2. Of what 3 specific evils does Malcolm accuse himself? What rebuttal does Macduff give for each?
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3. Explain the events of Malcolm’s speech in lines 115-137.
4. What was the purpose of the doctor being included in this scene?
5. When Ross arrives, what does Macduff question him about first? Second? What are Ross’s replies?
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6. What is Macduff’s reasoning for not possibly being able to avenge Macbeth for the murder of his household?
What does he pray for?
7. What conclusion do Malcolm and Macduff come to by the end of this act?