Macbeth- Act 4 Reading Journals

- Act 4, Scene 1 opens with the witches- reminding the audience of the supernatural elements. They chant things using rhyme and then Hecat is reintroduced. Hecats attitude changes significantly from the first time she is introduced, she scolds them almost as if they are her children -'How did you dare to trade and traffic with Macbeth' to her praising their good work, again like they are her children- 'O well done! I commend your pains.' Macbeth then enters the scene and the witches magic up apparitions which is the first time that we see them do magic- although it is suggested in the past. 

-Although they prophesise his future again, this time it is more of a warning which Macbeth decides not to believe. This scares him so much that when Lennox enters he says to him 'give to the edge o'the sword his wife, his babes, and all the unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.' Macduff is in England so he can't protect his wife and children.

- Scene 2 shows that no time is wasted as it opens with Macduffs wife, his son and Ross. Already knowing the information we know, it is clear that this is going to be the scene where they are murdered. His wife says to Ross 'to leave his wife, to leave his babes, his mansion and his titles, in a place from whence himself does fly? He loves us not.' This almost foreshadows what is going to happen, as if she knows that something is going to happen as he has left everything he loves in a dangerous place. The murderers then enter, killing all of Macduff's family.

-Scene 3 is the last but the longest scene of the act. It shows Macduff being told that his family has been killed, but he almost does believe it. He repeats what Ross tells him- 'my children too?', 'my wife killed too?', 'all my pretty ones? did you say all?'. We know that there is going to be some sort of revenge because he says 'let grief convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it.'- It's clear that he is going to go after Macbeth, along with the prophecies, it is likely that he will kill him.