1. Act 4, scene 2 and 3

2.  At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:  Show an increased awareness of how plot and character are developed in the play  Be able to integrate quotes into their own sentences.  Contribute to group discussion of the text, by conducting a close analysis of key quotes.

3.  Take the following quotes, and integrate them in the sentences that correspond with them.... QUOTESENTENCE ‘To leave his wife, to leave his babes...He loves us not;’ Lady Macduff feels that her husband does not love her or their family enough. ‘He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows/ The fit o’th’reason’ Ross tries to convince Lady Macduff that her husband is a good person. ‘But cruel are the times, when we are traitors/ And do not know ourselves’ Ross is very confused about who to trust. 1) Lady Macduff feels that her husband does not love her or their family enough. This is highlighted by her dramatic speech: ‘To leave his wife, to leave his babes...He loves us not;’ 2) Ross tries to convince la 3)

5.  For this scene, we will need the following roles to be read (starting at line 63, after the messenger has entered):  Messenger  Lady Macduff  1 st Murderer  Son Questions 1)Why does the messenger come to warn Lady Macduff? Does he succeed? 2)What happens to Macduff’s family? 3)How do you feel about Macbeth, at this point?

6.  How does Macduff feel about Macbeth?  What has he gone to England to do?  How will be react, upon the news of what has happened to his family?  What do you predict for Macbeth’s future?

7.  Instead of reading through the entire scene (which is a bit long, and tedious!), we will work our way through key quotes....

8.  Macduff, as we know, fled to England to speak with Malcolm. When they meet, Macduff tries to convince Malcolm of his loyalty to him, by exposing Macbeths tyranny.  Does Malcolm initially believe Macduff? What you have spoke, it may be so perchance./ This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,/ Was once thought honest: you have loved him well;

10.  Macduff, angry that Malcolm will not believe him says.... Bleed, bleed, poor country!/ Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,/ For goodness dares not check thee... Fare thee well, lord:/ I would not be the villian that thou think’st/ For the whole space that’s in the tyrants grasp.. How does Macduff feel about Malcolm’s doubts? How does Macduff view himself?

11.  Malcolm is quick to try and calm Macduff down, asking him not to be offended...... I speak not as in absolute fear of you:/ I think our country sinks beneath the yoke,/ It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash/ Is added to her wounds... How does Malcolm feel about Scotland? When I shall tread upon the tyrant’s head,/ Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country/ Shall suffer more vices that it had before,/ More suffer and more sundry ways than ever,/ By him that shall succeed. Does Malcolm feel that defeating Macbeth will being good things back to Scotland?

12.  Malcolm believes that should be murder Macbeth, the people of Scotland (not knowing what a tyrant he really is) will esteem him as a ‘lamb’ who is carelessly slaughtered.

13. Not in the legions/ Of horrid hell can come a devil more damned/ In evils to top Macbeth. How does Macduff feel about Macbeth? Do you agree or disagree with his statement? I grant him bloody,/ Luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful,/ Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin that has a name.... Malcolm then agrees that Macbeth is.....

14.  Malcolm then tries to test Macduff, by claiming he is worse that Macbeth......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......Better Macbeth,/ That such an one to reign.

15.  Macduff tries to assure Malcolm that he can’t possibly be the womanizer he claims to be....... but Malcolm doesn’t stop there!...We have willing dames enough; there cannot be/ That vulture in you, to devour so many/ As will to greatness dedicate themselves......were I king,/ I should cut off the nobles of 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...

16.  Again, Macduff reassures Malcolm that, no matter how hungry for wealth he may get, Scotland has ‘foisons to fill up your will’.  Malcolm again adds fuel to the fire, saying he has no good qualities to make him king.

17.  Finally, Macduff gives up saying... Fit to govern!/ No, not to live. O nation miserable!... When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again... O my breast,/ Thy hope ends here! It is only after seeing Macduff break down that Malcolm believes in Macduff’s loyalty to him. After this, he informs Macduff that he will work with him to overthrow Macbeth. He informs Macduff that with the help of Siward, he’s amassed ten thousand ‘warlike men’ who are ready to fight.

18.  Towards the end of the scene, Ross enters.  Macduff asks about his wife and children; what will Ross say?  How do you suppose Macduff will feel about the loss of his wife and children?  What does his anger mean for Macbeth?

19. ...let grief/ Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it. Malcolm Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself;/ Within my sword’s length let him; if he ‘scape,/ Heaven forgive him too! Macduff

21.  What do you predict will happen to Macbeth?  What do you feel deserves to happen?

22.  Let’s continue our one-line summary of the scenes: