Macbeth - Act 4, Scene 1

By: Priyanka, Nadia, Nina, Jordan & Josh

Thematic Significance

Performance Decisions

1) Nature and Un-Natural

- “eye of newt, toe of frog” (4.1.14)

This represents how unnatural the witches are, and how deceitful they can be

-“Something wicked this way comes” (4.1.62)

This is when the witches are talking about MacBeth coming.

This represents how twisted, and un-natured MacBeth has become

3) Fear

-MacBeth wants to know if Banquo’s sons will ever become king, and so the 8 kings that he saw were actually representing King James (The ruler of England at the time) and how the lineage came back down to Banquo

- Lennox tells MacBeth that MacDuff has fled to England. MacBeth is furious because he missed his earlier opportunity to have killed and decides to attack MacDuff’s castle and anyone connected to him

2) Fate

- The three apparitions:

- The First Apparition: floating head that tells MacBeth to stay caution of MacDuff

- The Second Apparition: bloody child that says that no man of a woman will ever harm MacBeth

- The Third Apparition: Child wearing a crown holding a tree and says that he will not be defeated until The Great Birnham wood marches in Dunsinane Hill

Apparitions - Dramatic Significance

- Contribute to suspense of the play and mess with Macbeth's head

- Macbeth and audience are certain these predictions will come true

- Foreshadow what will happen next in the play

- First two apparitions create certainty and reassurance for Macbeth

- Third spirals him out of control in hearing he may lose his throne

- First apparition appears as a knights head

- Second apparition appears as a bloody child

- Third apparition appears as a child wearing a crown, holding a tree

The Witches - Dramatic Significance

- Witches casting a spell creates a suspenseful, spooky atmosphere

- By the ingredients being put into the cauldron (eg.eye of newt, toe of frog) it can be assumed that the witches are creating a monster.

- Can represent Macbeth himself as he is turning into a monster

- Witches speak in rhyming couplets - "Double, Double, toil and trouble,/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble" (4.1.10)

- Entire play is based on witches pophesies and therefore are made so that they are remembered by the audience

- Witches speech can be seen as twisted nursery rhymes

Dramatic Significance

Act 4, Scene 1 of Macbeth can be split into two parts for dramatic significance:

1. The Witches casting their spell

2. The Apparitions

This scene allows the audience to see that Macbeth has become obsessed with the throne, power and ambition & is now fully corrupted.

Scene Summary

The Witches

Character Development

- This scene begins in an isolated area with thunder. The three witches enter and begin chanting and casting spells

- Macbeth asks about his future and the witches show Macbeth through a series of apparitions.

- 1st Apparition - a knights head warning Macbeth to beware of Macduff

- 2nd Apparition - a bloody child tells Macbeth someone born of a woman shall never harm him

- 3rd Apparition - A child wearing a crown with a tree in his hand tells him that he won't conquer until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane

- Macbeth asks the apparition if Banquos children will be king and the response is an image of eight kings where Banquo's descendants are in the line

- Macbeth is horrified and the witches disappear

- Lennox enters to warn Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England

- Macbeth plans to murder Macduff's family

characters in this scene:

- The Witches

- Macbeth

- Lennox

- Isolated place, thunder in the background indicating the witches are there.

- Apparitions (prophesies) about Macbeth's future.

-'Black and midnight hags'.

- -“Double, double, toil and trouble,/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” (4.1.10-11).

- Body parts in the cauldron make them especially mysterious and supernatural

-"Eye of the newt, toe of the frog" (4.1.14) recipes.

- Most dangerous characters in the play

- Speak in malicious, almost comical, nursery rhyme. Use of rhyming couplets differentiate them from other characters who use blank verse

- Tremendously powerful and utterly wicked.

- Their knowledge of the future is used to weave threads of human destiny and to toy with Macbeth.

3) Crown - Macbeth is still the King

Lennox

1) Purple Background- Sets a gloomy mood especially since the witches are present in this scene

4) Holding the Crown- This symbolizes Macbeth's fear for losing the status of King and becoming overruled by others.

Character Development

Macbeth

2) Thunder Effects - The witches only appear when there is thunder to speak with Macbeth

5) Comic Relief- We added some humorous effects to the scene because our perception of the witches is humorous, sarcastic and tricky. ex. Pink horse, giggles, "I'm not dancing", "Keeping up with the Kraftsmens"

7)Blurry Dream effect- To show the ghostlike illusions Macbeth's was seeing. ex. Apparitions and Eight Kings

6) Big Green Bin- The cauldron where the witches casted their spells

Character Development

10) Black Clothes- Macbeth and the witches are both wearing black to symbolize how they are both evil and bad characters who have done terrible things (villain-like characters).

8) Deep Voice- The deep voice was used to represent the character was not human. ex. First Apparition

9) Macbeth's Tone of Voice- Macbeth is very frustrated in this scene and is scared about the future so his tone of voice is more bold, loud and demanding. Also when he is shown the eight kings his voice is lower and more light to symbolize his fear and worry.

- Scottish nobleman who helps Macbeth

- Talks with Macbeth after he has seen the witches

- "Macduff is fled to England" (4.1.141)

- This gives Macbeth the idea to murder Macduffs family.

- Macbeth revisits the witches by his own will.

- Portrays his hubris and excessive pride

- Macbeth is bold and believes he himself is invincible

- Once again he doesn't understand that fate is inevitable

- Asks the witches questions

- Apparitions and prophesies of this visit with the witches will entail tragic fall in his future

- He lacks the ability to rule without being a tyrant

- "Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs." (4.1.112)

- "What, will the line strtch out to th'crack of doom?" (4.1.116)

Macbeth - Act 4, Scene 1