MacBeth reading journal: Act Four

Scene One:

• Begins with the three witches saying a spell. There are four stresses in each line, but only seven sy-lla-bles ("DOUble, DOUble, TOIL and TROUble"-10), meaning that they must be speaking in "trochaic tetrameter". They also speak this way in Act One Scene One, but not in Act Three Scene Five where they are being told off for acting without Hecat's say so. I hadn't noticed this before, so thanks http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethfaq/witchmetre.html!
•  The weird sisters chant about mixing body parts together in their cauldron. Very unpleasant. None of the parts are from birds (birds are somehow significant in the play).
• 45 - "Something wicked this way comes". Second Witch talking about MacBeth. This objectifies MacBeth and by taking away his humanity by not calling him "someone", it makes him look more evil to the audience. It allows the audience to see MacBeth for what he really is: a tyranical king. Before the audience would been willing to overlook the murders as they felt emotionally connected to the great war hero who had been lead astrey by the women in his life, but when one of those women suddenly refers to him as an it, the audience's emotional attachment should disappear and they should be able to see that "something" for what it really is. Not a poor man who was manipulated from the shadows by supernatural beings (and his wife who wanders around the castle at night like a ghost, sleepwalking) but a man who has murdered the King and his best friend just to gain and hold on to power, despite being one of the most powerful men in the country anyway. He could have ignored the Weird sisters and Lady MacBeth, but he didn't because inside, he desired power.
• After 67 - The Witches conjour up an Armed head which tells MacBeth in line 70 to "beware MacDuff". MacBeth isn't too impressed with an armed head (shouldn't he be surprised by this?) telling him to beware MacDuff though and says so in line 73 "Thou hast harped my fear aright". He knew that already!
• After 75 - The Witches summon a Bloody child who tells MacBeth that "none of woman born shall harm MacBeth" This would make MacBeth feel invincible, as surely all humans are woman born.
• 83 - "Thou shalt not live" MacBeth about MacDuff. Why does he want him dead if he has nothing to fear from him. This is Shakespeare making doubly sure that the audience do not like MacBeth. He now murders friends for no reason
• After 85 - The witches bring forth a child crowned with a tree in his hand. This guy says that "MacBeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnan Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him". MacBeth is invulnerable until a forest walks up a hill
• 86 - MacBeth is frightened by the third apparition because it has a crown, which he sees as a threat to his rule.
• After 110 - MacBeth is treated to a show of eight kings and Banquo who is the last of the eight and is holding a mirror showing many more kings
• 111 to 123 - MacBeth is concerned. We can tell this from the fact that he stops rhyming and speaking in rhythm.
• 141 - MacBeth and the audience learn that MacDuff hath fled to England from Lennox
• 149 - "The castle of MacDuff I will surprise" and "give to the edge o' the sword his wife, his babes and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line" sez MacBeth. This is Shakespeare making trebly sure that the audience don't have any sympathy left for the tyrant MacBeth. It is interesting to note that MacBeth says this all with Lennox still on stage. This could show that MacBeth feels completely invincible.

Gothic elements in Scene One:

• Fear: (MacBeth is afraid of the crowned child and the line of eight kings because he sees them as a threat to his authority)
• The supernatural: (The Weird sisters make a potion, summon three apparitions and eight shadowy kings before vanishing)

 Scene Two:

• Enter Macduff's wife, her son and Ross. No sooner has MacBeth decided to murder MacDuffs family than we see that very slaughter... This play has pace. It's a slippery slope of destruction that will only end badly for everybody involved.
• MacDuff's wife and son don't have names in the script, seeming to imply that they are MacDuff's possessions or something.
• 1 - MacDuff's wife asks Ross "What had he (?) done to make him (MacDuff) FLY the land"! Birds fly...
• 9 - "for the poor wren, the most diminutive of birds, will fight, her young ones in her nest, against the owl". Earlier in the play, Shakespeare informs us of an owl killing a falcon after MacBeth kills Duncan. This is the second time that MacBeth has been refered to as an owl.
• 35 - Son calls himself a bird
• 46 - Wife calls MacDuff a traitor.
• 65 - Messenger tells Wife to run away.

 Gothic elements in Scene Two:

• Fear: (when the murderers enter)
• Weak female character [pretty much the only one in the play]: (Wife, although she does stand up to the murderers)

Scene Three:

• Malcom and MacDuff meet up in England
• 12-13 - "This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues, was once thought honest; you have loved him well" Malcom on MacBeth"
• We see MacDuff's reaction to his family and servant's slaughter. It might just be a modern thing, but I, personally, think that Malcom is extremely insensitive to his friend's utter dismay, telling MacDuff to take the murder of all his loved ones "like a man". If this is not just a modern thought, then it could be Shakespeare trying to show us that Malcom won't be a very nice new king when he is crowned as he is obviously only using MacDuff. When slaying monsters one must be careful to not become a monster oneself.