Seizing Macduff's Castle
Why do you think Shakespeare includes Act 4, scene 2 in the play? We have never met Macduff's family, and we don't know Macduff particularly well. Why is this scene important to our understanding of the play's central characters and themes?
posted by Kristin L at 2:53 PM
24 Comments:
I would say that Shakespeare includes this scene so that the audience gets to meet Macduff's family before Macbeth has him murdered. Also this makes the image of Macbeth even darker because Macbeth is ordering the executions of innocent people.
I believe Act 4 scene 2 was put in and is important to the play because it emphasizes the underlying message of the play; witch is “nothing is what it seems”. Lady Macduff jumps to conclusions about her husband fleeing the country and pushes her belifes on her son. I think that it is interesting in this play that characters are often exact opposites of what other characters perceive them as. For example, Lady Macbeth seems to be sweet and innocent to most but is actually a ruthless killer. Also to others Macduff seems to be a traitor and a coward but in reality he is a hero and courageous.
I think that the scene 3 of Act 4 was put in mainly to show that Macbeth has not changed. He is still making sure that he has power, as king, and that nothing will ever stop him from having that power.
Another reason Shakespeare put this scene in was to show another way for Macbeth to LOSE his power. Once Macduff finds out about his family, he could go back and hurt Macbeth. This is so the reader knows Macduff isnt going to hurt Macbeth for no reason.
I agree with Nathan in that I think Shakespeare put this scence in befor Macbeth has Macduff killed. I think having the famiy become part of the scence makes you lose all thoughts on murder and then when you least expect it Macduff will be murdered.
I think Shakespeare puts this scene in to show what Macbeth has become, how he can't stop killing people. He is now killing Macduff and his family. I can see him killing Macduff in some ways, but to also kill his family is becoming insanity.
Like Ms. Kakos said earlier about Macduff being the alternative Macbeth plays in here. We see how his wife is and his son, and we can compare Lady Macbeth to Lady Macduff.
I agree with Nathan. Showing the family and how innocent they are makes Macbeth seem even more crazy and murderous. Getting to know the family brings a little heart into them before they are killed so that you feel bad and not liking Macbeth. Lady Macduff was harsh to her son but you still got to see that they were just people. The murder was quick and the Son wanted the best for his mother like Banquo wanted for his son.
I think Shakespeare added Macduffs family in because they end up getting killed my the murders Macbeth sends, which are meant to kill Macduff. Lady Macduff lied to her son about his fathers purpose for leaving and because of that they end up dead. This also shows that Macbeth is not thinking at all and is acting impulsivly like he said he was going to. Macbeth has already killed many innocent people and this is just showing he doesnt care anymore and will kill anyone.
I agree with Nathan that including this scene made Macbeth look even darker then he already is. Also this scene has a bit of foreshadowing that this is going to make Macduff extremely upset.
I think Shakespeare includes Act 4 Scene 2 in the play because it shows Macbeth's willingness to do absolutely anything for the throne. This scene makes Macbeth seem insane and contributes to his downfall as king. I also think this scene is included because it introduces us to Macduff's family and is in a way foreshadowing what is to happen next. I think Macduff and his wife will soon play a larger role in the plot and this introduction was key.
I think that Shakespeare adds in this scene because it adds to idea of Scotland falling apart. Ever since Macbeth became king, everything has fallen apart. There have been murders and traitors. Everyone is bad, and now it introduces the fact that Macduff is a traitor, and when they try to find him, they just end up killing an innocent wife and son. The supposedly "honest men" that are supposed to kill the "liars and swearers", end up killing the truly "honest".
I think Shakespeare put this part of the play in to show that Macbeth is truly addictied to murder that he now wants Macduff killed. I also think another reason he added this scene in is because it shows that Macbeth will do anything at this point to become king.
I think that he added this scene in because he wants to build up the intensity and then he wants to make you mad. The reason that he would make you mad is because he is going to make the family of Macduff suffer by killing Macduff. The family will then be killed because they will know who killed Macduff and Macbeth does not want anyone to know that he has been doing all of the murders therefore he will kill the family.
I totally agree with Nathan, this is just to build up Macbeth as a very evil character. If the audience never met Macduff's family it would be just another death. Meeting them will add some more power behind it.
I think Shakespeare added this scene in because it will give Macduff something more to fight for. He already knows that Macbeth is behind the murder of Duncan; it would make sense that Macbeth murdered Macduff's family as well. It is interesting, however, that Lady Macduff becomes upset enough with Macduff to tell their son that he is dead. In a way, Macbeth killed them before Macduff had the chance to see what his family (or really his wife) thought of him. It just adds another twist into the plot.
We meet MAcduff family, because shakespeare wanted his audience to realize that the only true evil is found inside MAcbeth himself. Macbeth is like toxic flamable fumes, and Lady Macbeth is the match. If not for his seductive wife, Macbeth would never had been abel to followthrough with his murderous thoughts about his beloved king. The ordered killing of an innocent family reveals Macbeths extreme illness, his lack of self control surpasses anyone in the play. His actions to gain supreme authority are not justified by anything.
I think that he put the scene in the play to show that Macbeth is still power crazy and he still wants to remain in power. It also shows that Macbeth can’t control his actions, he can’t stop killing people and now he is not feeling guilty about it anymore.
I think that Macduff’s family is in it to show a different side to Macduff and to show more of Macbeth’s evil side. Also to show that Macduff is a more caring man and could possibly be a better king.
I think Act 4 Scene 2 was added to deepen our thoughts that Macbeth isn't innocent anymore. Now that Macbeth has that taste of power, nothing will stand in his way. It is also meant to deepen the impact of the killing of them on the reader. If you have an emotional tie to a character it makes you upset when they die.
I think that Its important because it shows how badly Macbeth wants to get back at MacDuff by killing his family which can have a huge impact on Macduff.
Shakespeare includes this act in order to emphasize Macbeth’s ruthlessness and the irony of appearances throughout the play. Macbeth, knowing that Macduff wouldn’t be present still orders his wife and son to be murdered. After the witches’ third prophecy, Macbeth begins to seem more evil and without regard of the consequences his actions will bring. The beginning of the play emphasized Macbeth’s indecisiveness and reluctance toward murder. By including Act IV Scene II, Shakespeare effectively conveys Macbeth’s change is personality. This change also underlines ongoing motif of appearances contradicting true motives or values. Lady Macduff presses her son to believe his father fled the country, she believes him to be a coward and a traitor. This misperception of Macduff’s true, valiant intentions is yet another example of perception vs. reality. Shakespeare included Act IV scene II in order to re-emphasize important points such as those.
I beleive this scene has been put in here to show how Macbeth has started killing, and now that he has started he cant really stop. I also agree with nathan with that they are introducing his family because something is going to hsppen to Macduff.
I think that Shakespeare includes Act 4 scene 2 because it continues the current theme of undermining and lying. Lady Macduff lies to her son that his father was a traitor. Macduff lies to his family the real reason he fled. It also continues Macbeth's character because he has lost so much control, that he orders murders all over the place to cover up what he has done.
I think that Shakespeare includes this scene just to show that Lady Macduff and his son are actually like any other person and it makes the reader feel bad for them if they have actually met both of them. It makes the murder more real and more shameful on Macbeth's part.
The scene is important because we know what Macduff is trying to do and I think that Macduff is going to try to take the throne and he will try tokill his family.
I think they put him in there so it makes macbeth look like an evil person for killing so many innocent people. And because they wnated some extra people in act 4 scence 2
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