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William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon to a fairly prosperous family. He attended the local grammar school, studying Latin and classical literature. At age 18, he married Anne Hathaway. They had a daughter and then twins, a boy and a girl.

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1. Shakespeare is recognized as the most influential writer in the English language.

2. Shakespeare’s plays are often grouped based on when they were written.

3. In the early 1590s, he wrote history plays and comedies.

4. Between 1600 and 1607, he wrote his greatest tragedies, including Macbeth.

5. After Shakespeare died, his plays were published in an edition known as the First Folio.

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It is believed that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth largely to please King James I. The Scottish-born king claimed to be descended from an 11th-century historical figure named Banquo. In Macbeth, the Witches predict that Banquo will sire a long line of kings. James’s interest in witchcraft—he wrote a book on the subject in 1597—may explain the prominence of the Witches in the play. The play also addressed James’s fears of assassination; he had survived several attempts on his life.

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1. Dramatic Irony (results when the audience knows something that a character does not know)

2. Soliloquy (a speech given by a character alone on stage, revealing private thoughts, feelings, and motivations.)

3. Aside (a character’s remark, either to the audience or to another character, that no one else on stage is supposed to hear. Like a soliloquy, an aside reveals a character’s secret thoughts.)

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How The Witches are portrayed in this production?

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A cave. In the middle, a boiling cauldron

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The witches are stirring up a magical stew to bring trouble to humanity.

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At Macduff’s castle, Lady Macduff feels betrayed by her husband for leaving them behind. She talks with her young son, trying to comfort him. Suddenly, a messenger arrives to warn her to escape, but it's too late. Macbeth’s hired murderers enter, kill her son, and chase after Lady Macduff to murder her too.

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The witches in a cave, in the middle, a boiling cauldron.

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Act 4, Scene 1 – The Witches’ Prophecies 🔮

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Act 4, Scene 1 – The Witches’ Prophecies 🔮

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Macbeth visits the witches.

The apparitions give him three new warnings:

1. "Beware Macduff."

2. "None of woman born shall harm Macbeth."

3. "Macbeth will not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.

A line of kings descended from Banquo appears, haunting Macbeth."

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Macbeth is in his castle, hearing reports that his enemies are approaching. He puts on a brave front, trusting the witches’ prophecy that no man born of a woman can harm him. However, he becomes angry and impatient. He demands his armor, even though the battle hasn’t started yet.

A doctor tells him Lady Macbeth is very ill, but Macbeth brushes it off, saying she must cure herself.

This scene shows Macbeth's growing desperation, false confidence, and emotional collapse.

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Lady Macduff is angry and confused because her husband has fled to England, leaving her and their children behind. She feels abandoned and betrayed, not understanding his decision. Her young son tries to cheer her up with playful conversation.

Suddenly, a messenger arrives, warning Lady Macduff to flee immediately because danger is approaching. But it’s too late — murderers sent by Macbeth burst in.

They kill the boy in front of his mother, and the scene ends in chaos as the murderers chase after Lady Macduff, implying that she too is killed.

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Macbeth visits the three witches to learn more about his future. They summon three apparitions: the first warns him to beware of Macduff; the second tells him that no man born of a woman can harm him; and the third says he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth feels invincible, but still decides to kill Macduff’s family to eliminate any threat. This shows how much darker and more ruthless Macbeth has become.

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Macbeth approches the witches for them to tell him how to secure his power so they evoke three apparitions to answer what he commanded.

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📖 Summary of the Scene:

Ross has arrived with devastating news for Macduff:

Macduff's wife, children, and servants have all been killed on Macbeth’s orders.

At first, Macduff can’t believe it, and when he realizes it’s true, he is overwhelmed with grief.

He feels guilt for having left them unprotected.

He expresses his pain using powerful metaphors, calling Macbeth a "hell-kite" who killed all his “pretty chickens” in one swoop.

Malcolm encourages Macduff to turn his grief into revenge against Macbeth.

He tells him to “dispute it like a man,” but Macduff insists that he must also feel his sorrow like a man, showing his emotional depth.

Malcolm urges him to use his sorrow as a "whetstone" (a sharpening tool) to sharpen his sword of vengeance.

The scene ends with both agreeing to fight Macbeth and restore order to Scotland.

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Macduff can see no relief for Scotland's suffering under a tyrant who has no right to they throne( untitled). The rightful heir(truest issue), Malcom, bans himself from throne (by his own interdiction) because of his evil. Malcom's vives slander his parents(blaspheme his breed) his saintly father and his mother who renounced the world for her religion.

Macduff has finally convinced Malcom of his honesty. Malcoms explains that his caution( modest wisdom) resulted from his fear of Macbeth's tricks.

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In here Macduff learns that Macbeth has murdered his wife and children.
The news devastates him and turns his grief into a deep desire for revenge. This moment marks the emotional turning point where Macduff becomes fully committed to defeating Macbeth.

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Macbeth, the three witches and Hecate

This image have a warrior with a dagger, he is looking at the three witches, on the left there are ghost appearing from the smoke. Around the witches there are skulls that symbolize death.

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Macbeth, the Three Witches and Hecate, 1805 by John Boydell

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The murder of Macduff’s family occurs in this scene, that takes place at Macduff’s castle at Fife. Macbeth sends murderers to kill Lady Macduff, her son, and other members of her household. Macbeth took this decision because his fear about Macduff’s loyalty increase because of the witches’ prophecies and Macduff’s decision to go to England. 

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Ross visits Macduff wife and son to justify why he flight to England and left his family alone and defendless. After being warned to flee by a messenger, Lady Macduff and her son get killed by some murderes on Macbeth’s demand.

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Macbeth sees a vision of eight kings descended from Banquo.

This confirms that Banquo’s heirs will rule, not Macbeth’s this making him feel fear and anger.

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KEY FACTS ABOUT ACT IV — "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 

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KEY FACTS ABOUT ACT IV — "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 

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1. THE WITCHES AND THEIR PROPHECIES (Scene 1)

Macbeth visits the three witches to learn his fate.

They show him three apparitions:

1. An armed head warning him to beware Macduff.

2. A bloody child saying “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

3. A crowned child with a tree telling him he will not fall until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.

2. MACBETH'S INCREASING TYRANY

After hearing the prophecies, Macbeth decides to kill Macduff’s family, showing how ruthless he has become.

3. MACDUFF AND MALCOM IN ENGLAND (Scene 3)

Macduff goes to England to ask Malcolm for HELP in overthrowing Macbeth.

Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty by pretending to be unfit to rule.

When Macduff proves his honesty, Malcolm agrees to fight Macbeth with the help of English forces.

Ross arrives with the tragic news of the murder of Macduff’s family, fueling Macduff’s desire for revenge.

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Images

"Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and cauldron bubble"

The cauldron is the creation of something bad. That the future of macbeth is cooked. Bubbling, boiling, and grotesque ingredients suggest corruption and disorder in nature.

The Three Apparitions

First Apparition: An armed head

A helmeted head = Macbeth's own fate

Second Apparition: A bloody child

Symbol: A bloody child = Macduff, born by Caesarean section.

Third Apparition: A child crowned, with a tree in his hand

Symbol: The crown = the rightful heir; the tree = camouflage the army will use, fulfilling the prophecy.

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Key elements in Act IV include the continued use of supernatural forces, particularly the witches and their prophecies, which drive Macbeth's actions and feed his paranoia. Dramatic irony is also present, since the audience knows more about the consequences of Macbeth's choices than he does.

Dramatic elements in Act IV - Examples

Irony: "Fathered he is, and yet he's fatherless." - Lady Macduff (Scene 2)

Foreshadowing: "Beware Macduff; / Beware the Thane of Fife." - First Apparition (Scene 1)

Metaphor: "be this the whetstone of your sword" - Malcolm (Scene 3)

Parallelism: "Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." - Witches' Chants (Scene 1)

Allusion: "pour the sweet milk of concord into hell" - Macduff (Scene 3)

- Alana Barrera

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“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.”

1. Chant-like rhythm:
The witches speak in a special meter (trochaic tetrameter), which sounds like a spell and creates a magical, eerie mood.

2. Symbolic ingredients:
The grotesque items (like “eye of newt” and “finger of a strangled baby”) represent evil, chaos, and moral corruption.

3. Purpose in the play:
The scene sets the stage for Macbeth’s arrival and reflects how his mind and fate are "boiling" with ambition and destruction.

4. Main theme:
The song shows how the supernatural influences Macbeth and mirrors his moral downfall.

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Setting: The snowy, barren mountains emphasize the harshness of the situation in Scotland under Macbeth’s rule.

Malcolm’s Position: He’s facing away from us, looking out at the land. This suggests contemplation and a focus on the future rather than the past. He’s thinking about what needs to be done to restore order.

Clothing and Crown: His royal cloak and crown hint at his rightful position as king, though at this point he has not yet taken the throne. It signals destiny and legitimacy, even if he must still fight for it.

Symbolism in Act 4 Context: In the image visually represents that transition—from hiding and planning to acting as a leader ready to reclaim his homeland.

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Lady Macduff, Ross and Lady Macduff's son.

Lady Macduff is questioning about why her husband fled.

She is upset and disagrees with the decision of her husband. Ross does not have the bravery to talk about Macduff's actions, and

Lady Macduff thinks Macduff is dead.

Some murderers enters the room and kills Lady Macduff's son.

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In tris Scene Malcolm and Macduff talks about Macbeth and how he is evil.

Malcolm analize Macduff seeing has passion trying to see of he is evil,

Macduff understands and by showing his passion and how he have had dark thoughts,

Both of them go in peace until Ross appears to give bad news to Macduff…

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Macbeth= becoming more paranoid and ruthless.

Macduff= his grief becomes motivation for revenge.

Malcolm= shows wisdom in testing loyalty

“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

• Purpose in the play: Sets a dark, supernatural tone before Macbeth arrives, Shows the witches’ power and influence over events.

• Why it matters: The hypnotic rhythm makes it feel like a song or spell, drawing the audience into the witches’ world and hinting that something dangerous is coming.

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William Shakespeare - The Song of the Witches (from Macbeth)

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Macbeth against the conflicts around him

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In Act IV of "The tragedy of Macbeth", the main conflict is "Macbeth’s deepening paranoia and descent into tyranny", driven by his desire to secure his power after hearing new prophecies from the witches. The central conflict in Act IV is Macbeth’s fight against perceived threats to his throne, which pushes him further into moral corruption and sets up the rebellion that will ultimately destroy him.

Internal conflict:
He struggles with fear and insecurity after hearing the witches’ new visions. Even though some prophecies seem favorable, he becomes obsessed with controlling fate and eliminating any threats, especially Banquo’s descendants and Macduff.

External conflict:
He orders the murder of Macduff’s family in an act of cruelty and desperation, which turns Macduff into his determined enemy. This escalates the opposition against him in Scotland and England.

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Act 4, Scene 1 of Macbeth is the infamous “cauldron” scene, where Macbeth visits the three witches to secure his political future.

The witches conjure apparitions:

1. An armed head warns him to beware Macduff.

2. A bloody child assures him no man born of a woman can harm him.

3. A crowned child holding a tree tells him he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane.

They also show him a vision of Banquo’s descendants as future kings, confirming the prophecy that Banquo’s line will inherit the throne.

Setting:

A dark, isolated cavern with a boiling cauldron at its center; the atmosphere is eerie, filled with supernatural elements and ritualistic chants, heightening the sense of foreboding.

Characters:

1. The Three Witches – Manipulative, cryptic, and in full control of the encounter.

2. Macbeth – Now fully reliant on supernatural counsel, driven by ambition and paranoia.

3. Apparitions – Symbolic visions: the armed head, the bloody child, the crowned child with a tree, and the line of Banquo’s descendants.

Theme:

Ambition and Overconfidence – Macbeth clings to the witches’ words as a guarantee of power.

Deceptive Appearances – The prophecies are true but misleading, concealing the fatal truth.

Fate vs. Free Will – Macbeth’s choices are shaped by prophecy, yet his downfall comes from his own interpretation and actions.

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In this production, the witches from Macbeth are portrayed in a very unusual and unsettling way.They are dressed in long, black robes with white veils that hide their faces, giving them a mysterious and almost inhuman look. They are also walking on tall stilts, which makes them appear unnaturally tall and looming, creating an intimidating presence. Each holds a book, possibly symbolizing spells or prophecies.

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In this act, Macbeth becomes far more reckless and bloodthirsty. After hearing the witches’ new prophecies, he places absolute trust in what they say and decides to kill Macduff and his family without hesitation, which is a sign that he no longer needs persuasion from Lady Macbeth to commit murder. On the contrary, Lady Macbeth herself is almost absent in this act, showing us that there might be a shift in power between them.

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“From this moment, the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” (Act IV, Scene 1)

This line is important because it shows Macbeth’s decision to act on impulse, letting ambition and paranoia guide him without any hesitation, moral awareness or necessity of being influenced by his wife.

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Shakespeare _ Macbeth Act 4 Audiobook (Dramatic Reading) (online-video-cutter.com)