Group work: Act IV

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Group work Act IV

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• Liguori Veronica
• Magonara Luca
• Maran Marco
• Milan Sara
• Stincone Valentina

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Short summary of Act

• Act IV starts with the three witches dancing and
  chanting around a caulron while making a spell.
  Macbeth enters and receives new prophecies spoken
  by apparitions. They tell Macbeth he will not be
  killed by anyone born of a womnn and that he need
  not worry until Burnam Wood moves towards his
  castle.
• In Scene two three murderers kill Lady Macduff
  and her son after Rosss visit. Hehad gone there
  to warn them about the danger. At the same time
  Malcolm is talking with Macduff about his nature.
  While they are talking, Ross arrives from
  Scotland bringing some news about Macduffs
  family. After the news, Macduff decides to kill
  Macbeth.

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Define function of Act

• The functions of Act IV are
• Developing plot
• Showing Macbeths conviction he is unbeatable
• Illustrating the death of Macduffs family gives
  to Macduff the strength to kill/revenge Macbeth

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List characters inhabiting Act IV

• The main characters described in the Act are the
  three witches, Macbeth, Lady Macduff, Macduff and
  the fate
• Secondary characters are Malcolm, Macduffs son
  and Ross.

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Explain why they are main characters

• Witches are important because they fortell
  Macbeth there would be no one to emulate
  him, for none woman born shall high
  Dunsinane Hill shall come against him.
  Moreover, they become agents of Macbeths
  madness, which turns out a crucial point for the
  whole play.
• It underlines Macbeths metamorphosis into a
  tragic hero.
• Madness will not just lead Macbeth to cruel
  murders, but to his own death,too. He will make
  fates will true Macbeth will kill Macduffs son
  and wife. Macduff will convert his suffering into
  the flame of enemity, killing Macbeth in the
  final battle.

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Illustrate the witches characterization and its
function

• The three witches have a sinister role they are
  introduced right from the beginning of the first
  scene when they are preparing a potion.The
  element wich suggest the idea to the reader are
  its ingredients frog,snake,dragon... common in
  the collective imaginary when thinking about
  witches.They confirm the presence of the
  supernatural in the play which apparently has a
  relevant role to define Macbeths destiny.

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Explain how Macbeth is characterized and why it
was built that way

• In Act IV Macbeth looks as if he were scared. His
  obsession for power, the regret for his murders
  start to torture him. So he needs more and more
  safety and visits the witches again to reach such
  goals and he is apparently satisfied but to tell
  the truth he is stressed.
• Macbeth makes the reader understand the end is
  not so far.

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Illustrate L. Macduffs characterization and
explain why it was built that way

• Lady Macduff look as a good woman who loves her
  children and her husband. As a matter of fact in
  the beginning of the second scene she appeares
  sad, disappointed and deceived by Macduff, but in
  the dialogue with Ross this side of Lady Macduff
  is no longer there and she looks stronger and
  angry with her husband. She is ready to start a
  new life with a new man. Therefore the readers
  first impression, disappears and she looks as an
  emancipate woman.

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Outline Malcoms characterization and explain
its function

• During the dialogue Malcolm appears almost humble
  as if he didn t want to become King, but he must
  in order to save the kingdom from terrible
  Macbeth.
• Later he will tell Macduff that is not a good
  man, greedy of power to confirm the sacrifice he
  did. He wants to be considered kind of a hero.

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Outline Macduffs characterizationand its function

• Macduff appears in the second scene as a coward
  because his wife complains he leaves her always
  lonely since he is scared to be killed by
  Macbeth.
• To tell the truth he looks the only one who
  wants to save the kingdom.

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Outline other characterizations

• Other characters like Ross, Lennox and the ghosts
  are not described in detail.

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Discuss Act Setting

• Act Iv is set in thre different places
• In the first scene Macbeth and the three Witches
  are in a dark cave surrounded by an atmosphere of
  mystery.
• In the second scene Lady Macduff, her Son, Ross
  and a murderer are in Macduffs castle.
• In the last scene Malcolm and Macduff are in
  Malcolms castle.
• The most important setting is in the first
  scene, because it creates the suityable
  atmosphere. As a matter of fact without, in our
  opinion, without such scene you would not get the
  same effect.

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Does Act IV create associations with the coming
or previous acts?

• The act creates associations with the coming Act,
  because in it the reason to continue the play
  are set .
• Macbeth does not behave that way even if the
  Witches dont fulfill their prediction. Moreover
  Macduff decides to take part in the war against
  Macbeth after his wifes murder.

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Possible audiences reaction in front of Act IV?

• Act IV, Scene I is full of mystery. Naturally the
  audience could be scared by the witches
  arrival.
• So, when the audience sees the cavern and the
  three witches accompanied by thunders, surely an
  intense silence will fall in the room. That's
  why, in our opinion, Shakespeare let the three
  witches declare their own gruesome poetry thanks
  to silence. To be more preciseif there were no
  silence in the room the poetry of the witches
  would not create the same mysterious effect on
  the public.
• However, generally speaking, the characters of
  Acty IV trigger a good reaction on the audience.
  Indeed Macduff's widow and her son are painful
  and poor, kind people in the eyes of the
  audience. In conclusion, we can say all
  characters in Act IV are interesting for the
  audience. It is surely an important act to
  evaluate charactersnature.

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Does this act teach a lesson?

• There is not a lesson.
• The Act anticipates the end in the first scene
  Lady Macbeth tries to wash her hands but blood
  does not go away and the the battle of Macbeth
  against Malcolm and Macduff begins. The problem
  to focus on is the right succession of the king.

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How is the female figure presented?

• In the Act the female figure is represented by
  Lady Macduff. She is Macduffs wife and appears
  only in Act IV, Scene II.
• She represents all the good people slaughtered by
  Macbeth. The speech with Ross is really the only
  moment in the entire play where her true
  character comes to surface.
• In this short passage you can see that she is
  shy, completely guileles, well intentioned and
  too trusting of those around her. She is the
  opposite of Lady Macbeth, even if they have got a
  trait in common her deep loyalty to her husband.
• Lady Macduff loves her family and is distressed
  at Macduffs departure she doesnt really think
  he is a traitor, she loves him and she is only
  angry because he left his family without telling
  them anything

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What reflection/s about contemporary society
does the act suggest?

• Characters in this act are like contemporary
  people because they are guided by passions.
  Macbeth believes in the supernatural, Macduff
  blindly believes in Macbeth etc.
• "Who takes advantage of such situations?" that's
  the question to be posed. In our opinion the
  three witches act as contemporary wizards (the
  ones appearing on TV) who take advantage of your
  weakness. 

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THE END THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION