LRJ #4 Macbeth Act 4

The scene in act four where Lady Macduff is enraged about her husband leaving her and her child, and she wonders very much that where did he go, and she wonders why she left if he had everything there, “To leave his wife, to leave his babes, His mansion, and his titles in a place From whence himself does fly?” (4.2.6-8). She wonders why would he leave his mansion, his kids, and his title as a husband. The purpose was to show that Lady Macduff is a strong character, who strongly believes that Macduff is a traitor, and that he is dead “Sirrah, your father’s dead; and what will you do now? How will you live?” “As birds do, mother.. With what I get, I mean; and as do they.” (4.2.31-34), but also it is to show that Macduff’s son is a wise and intelligent kid, to everything his mother says about his father he’s has something to quickly say that will not make his father seem not like a traitor. “If he were dead, you’d weep for him: if you would not, it were a good sigh that I should quickly have a new father” (4.2.62-64) on response that he gives to his mother is saying that if his father were dead she would be crying and so she is not crying to it must mean that she has a new husband. It affects the play very greatly because they are murdered by Macbeth’s murderers so yet he sends them to kill Macduff’s family also.

Macduff in this act shows that he wants to get Malcolm to return to the kingdom and rule again because Macbeth is destroying everything, so he testes Malcolm to see his attributes, but Malcolm plays along with it and he acts that he doesn't know anything about being a ruler, “But I have none. The king-becoming graces, As justice, verity temperance...” (4.2.65-66) Malcolm goes on and on about what he can’t do as a ruler. Macduff shows that he is very disappointed in Malcolm “fit to govern? No, not fit to live.” he means this as that Malcolm is so useless that he doesn't deserve to be a king, nor to be alive.

In this act Macbeth has changes a whole lot, now he has no repentance on what all the things he has done, but not he demands to know about what is against him and what will come against him in the future, “That will never be done. Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earthbound root?” (4.1.94-95) what the apparitions told him he wants to know what the meaning of the forest, and that who is going to move it around. He is now wanting to remain being the king and not be apprehended by anyone, that is why he killed Macduff’s family, to not let Macduff get in the way, but he did the exact opposite, Macduff wanted revenge.