Act IV Questions

6, Lady Macduff is angry that Macduff has left her saying “Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.” She meant that he left her in the castle without protection. Later when she is bathing her son discusses about traitors and honest men. Her son reply’s with a witty comment stating “Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars and swearers enow to beat the honest men and hang up them.” His statement is pretty clear but he means that the traitors and liars could defeat the honest men because there are many more traitors and liars then honest men.  Her son also states that Macduff is not dead because “If he were dead, you’ld weep for him.” She loves MAcduff and would miss him dearly. During this scene, Macduff’s castle is being invaded.  When they intrude on Lady Macduff she states that “I hope in no place so unsanctified where such as thou mayst find him.” Meaning that Macduff is not a traitor but a good man who deserves to go to heaven. These intruders will not find him because he is not here. Lady Macduff and her son are killed.

How does Macduff’s reaction to the deaths of his wife, children, and servants contrast to information about him in Scene II? What does Malcolm encourage Macduff to do?

Macduffs reaction tells us that there is also a soft part of him that is very compasionate and feels pain. It show us a side of a man that loves his family dearly.  Malcolm urges Macduff to turn the pain he feels into anger toward macbeth he  this comming after he has tested the lloyality of macduff in the previous scene.

5. "To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done"

Macbeth is really saying that from now on, as soon as he decides to do something he is going to act immediately. In fact, he will start following up his thoughts with actions right away. He is saying to raid Macduff’s castle, then seize the town, and kill his wife, and anyone else unfortunate enough to stand in line for his inheritance. He does not want to lose his sense of purpose.

10. After Macduff discovers that his wife and children are dead he does not become immediately stricken. At first he continues to talk and ask questions then Malcom states “Take comfort. Let’s cure this awful grief by taking revenge on Macbeth." Macduff then becomes emotional and goes into shock saying “ All my pretty little children? Did you say all? Oh, that bird from hell! All of them? What, all my children and their mother dead in one fell swoop?”  Malcom continues to tell his to turn his grief into anger at Macbeth and fight stronger.

11. What the line “ The night is long that never finds the day” in a more comprehensible terminology means “ A new day will come at last. "  He is saying that the night has been long and it feels like tomorrow will never come.

MALCOLM

This tune goes manly.
Come, go we to the king. Our power is ready;
Our lack is nothing but our leave. Macbeth
Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above
Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you may.
The night is long that never finds the day.

3. When Macbeth asks if Banquo’s issue will ever reign, what is he shown?

After that Macbeth sees a baby being born and then a child saying "Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn. The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." Meaning that only someone born by c section can harm him; meaning Macduff.

In Act 2 Scene 1 Macbeth is talking to Banquo.
BANQUO:
All's well.
I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
To you they have show'd some truth.(25)
BANQUO:
All's well.
Last night, I dreamed about the three weird sisters.
They have shown some truth to you.
MACBETH:
I think not of them:
Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
We would spend it in some words upon that business,
If you would grant the time.

Macbeth says he does not think of the three sisters, when he really does. To have trust in them he must have thought about them.