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Study Notes

Act 4 sc 1 Study Notes
Act 4 Witches' Predictions
Act 4 sc 1 Commentary 1
Act 4 sc 1 Commentary 2

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'Discuss the portrayal of the Supernatural in Act 4 scene 1.'

  • Explain how you would want the witches to play their parts and what you would suggest to the audience about the supernatural world
  • Discuss the extent to which supernatural elements in this scene contribute to its meaning and theatrical appeal

Introduction:  Mention the theme and how it refers to the set scenes
Act 4 scene I deals with the final degeneration of the tragic hero, Macbeth, into the rash 'butcher' who orders the killing of Macduff's wife and children.  Unlike Act 1 where the witches sought him out, in this scene, Macbeth seeks the witches to assure his future safety "To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus..".   The audience have overheard the witches concoct a plan to destroy him in Act 3 scene 5 and so we are prepared for the dramatic irony of his arrival.  Macbeth has progressed from doubting the witches' supernatural power to total confidence and the audience has to believe that the power of the supernatural is enough to destroy him totally. 

Main point 1: HOW Shakespeare uses setting to prepare the audience to pick up on other textual clues in characters' speech
  • Setting- "Desolate place" -barren = unnatural landscape is a metaphor for the isolation of Macbeth
  • Thunder / Lightening = metaphor for evil, darkness and chaos - the darkening of Macbeth's soul. Make-believe atmosphere of witches' chanting add to the atmosphere of suspense and horror. The appearance of the witches is again announced by thunder symbolising the forces of chaos they unleash
  • Night time "midnight hags" - evil

Main point 2:  HOW Shakespeare uses plot and character portrayal to show the power of supernatural
  • Macbeth's changing states of mind.  He is now a king but places his trust not in God but in the forces of evil. Safety and prosperity (money + heir to throne) are his concerns but he allows the evil powers to take him on an emotional rollercoaster (reaction to 4 predictions) which tells him that he has sacrificed everything for nothing and he despairs. Doesn't care about destruction. Macbeth wants them to 'unsay' their prophecy about Banquo.  At the end of the scene we hear that Macduff has fled to England and the accuracy of this prediction strengthens Macbeth's trust in the other prophecies.
  • Rash and violent - nothing to live for or to fear, kills innocent people (Macduff's family).
  • Physical representations of the supernatural =  witches- visual tricks of their appearance
    Chanting - sinister - atmosphere of horror and suspense; Exotic ingredients - predator and innocent prey; Fate has a hand in events. Act 3 scene 5 line 29; audience belief in power of witches.

Main point 3:  HOW Shakespeare uses language to convey the power of the supernatural
  • unnatural images = Witches cauldron.  Forces of evil in control
  • The apparitions represent weapons, blood and the crown.
  • Major point- effect on Macbeth's use of language. Demanding language "How now you black and midnight hags".  He believes that he is in control but supernatural powers are in control. Macbeth's wild and poetic language contrasts with the staccato language of the witches.  Compare with 1.1.16
    Control imagery; Occult language; Destruction images; Chaos.  Images are shocking. Baby = Nature - Macduff = the baby and the restoration of order, only Macbeth cannot understand images of order any more as he has been possessed by evil

Conclusion
This should sum up the fact that Shakespeare uses language and visual images of supernatural to re-enforce this themes in this scene.  Second climax in play providing a turning point and completes the destruction of a tragic hero.

Further commentary

Macbeth 4.I by Rodger Burnich © 1995