Macbeth, Act 4

Scene 1

• Opens with witches and a boiling cauldron
• Hecat enters and compliments the witches on their work
• Use of rhyming language by the witches - child-like, harmless - antithesis of what they represent
• Macbeth enters, questioning the witches' powers
• another prophecy - "Great Birnam Wood advances against him"
• witches show Macbeth three apparitions representing the prophecies

Scene 2

• Macduff has fled, leaving his wife and children
• Ross attempts to comfort Lady Macduff, and after he leaves, she tells her son his father is dead
• A messenger arrives warning Lady Macduff of danger, and that they should flee
• Lady Macduff, her children, and all the servants in the Macduff castle are killed

Scene 3

• Malcom tries to test Macduff's loyalty
• Ross enters, and at first tells Macduff that his family are well
• Ross confesses that Macbeth has murdered his wife and children
• Malcom urges him to turn grief into anger
• Macduff swears revenge on Macbeth