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Act 4

Text of Book

Act 4, page 1

Act 4, page 2

Act 4, page 3

Questions

1) What is the main idea of Act 4?

2) Macbeth says:

"That will never be;
Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
Unfix his earth–bound root?"
Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 95–97

What does "impress" mean in this passage?

3) Macduff says:

"Not in the legions
Of horrid hell can come a devil more damned
In evils to top Macbeth."
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 54–56

What does "legions" mean in this sentence?

4) Macduff says:

"When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,
Since that the truest issue of thy throne
By his own interdiction stands accurst,
And does blaspheme his breed?"
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 105–108

What does "issue" mean in this passage?

5) Macbeth says:

"The castle of Macduff I will surprise,
Seize upon Fife, give to th'edge o'th' sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line."
Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 150–154

What does "trace" mean in this passage?

6) Malcolm tells Macduff:

"Be this the whetstone of your sword; let grief
Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it."
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 228–229

What does "blunt" mean in this passage?

7) Malcolm tells Macduff:

"Be comforted:
Let's make us medicines of our great revenge,
To cure this deadly grief."
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 214–218

What does "medicines" mean in this passage?

8) The witches conjure up apparitions that tell Macbeth 3 things.

Which 3 things did the apparitions tell Macbeth?

9) After his meeting with the witches, Macbeth says:

"infected be the air whereon they ride,
And damn'd all those that trust them!"
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 137–138

Which word best describes his statement?

10) Why is Lady Macduff angry with her husband?

11) The witches put ingredients into a cauldron to conjure up the apparitions.

What are the ingredients mainly?

12) The 2nd Witch says,

"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes:"
Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 44–45

To whom does "Something wicked" refer?

13) What does Malcolm mean in this quote?

"…but there's no bottom, none,
In my voluptuousness: your wives, your daughters,
Your matrons and your maids, could not fill up
The cistern of my lust, and my desire
All continent impediments would o'erbear
That did oppose my will. Better Macbeth,
Than such an one to reign."
Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 61–66

14) What is Malcolm saying when tells Macduff the quote below?

"With this there grows
In my most ill–composed affection such
A stanchless avarice that, were I king,
I should cut off the nobles for their lands,
Desire his jewels and this other's house,
And my more–having would be as a sauce
To make me hunger more, that I should forge
Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal,
Destroying them for wealth."
Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 75–84

15) What news does Ross go to England to deliver to Macduff?

16) Were there any events that weren't clear to you?