Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.
Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.
thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.
thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.
Harpier cries:—’Tis time, ’tis time.
Harpier cries:—’Tis time, ’tis time.
harpier cries:—’tis time, ’tis time.
harpier cries:—’tis time, ’tis time.
Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison’d entrails throw.—
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter’d venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i’ th’ charmed pot!
Round about the cauldron go; In the poison’d entrails throw.— Toad, that under cold stone Days and nights has thirty-one Swelter’d venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i’ th’ charmed pot!
round about the cauldron go; in the poison’d entrails throw.— toad, that under cold stone days and nights has thirty-one swelter’d venom sleeping got, boil thou first i’ th’ charmed pot!
round about the cauldron go; in the poison’d entrails throw.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron,
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
fillet of a fenny snake, in the cauldron boil and bake; eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog, adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
fillet of a fenny snake, in the cauldron boil and bake; eye
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron,
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg’d i’ th’ dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For th’ ingredients of our cauldron.
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark, Root of hemlock digg’d i’ th’ dark, Liver of blaspheming Jew, Gall of goat, and slips of yew Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse, Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips, Finger of birth-strangled babe Ditch-deliver’d by a drab, Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, For th’ ingredients of our cauldron.
scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, witch’s mummy, maw and gulf of the ravin’d salt-sea shark, root of hemlock digg’d i’ th’ dark, liver of blaspheming jew, gall of goat, and slips of yew sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse, nose of turk, and tartar’s lips, finger of birth-strangled babe ditch-deliver’d by a drab, make the gruel thick and slab: add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, for th’ ingredients of our cauldron.
scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, witch’s mummy, maw and gulf
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
double, double, toil and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron,
Cool it with a baboon’s blood.
Then the charm is firm and good.
Cool it with a baboon’s blood. Then the charm is firm and good.
cool it with a baboon’s blood. then the charm is firm and good.
cool it with a baboon’s blood. then the charm is firm and go
O, well done! I commend your pains,
And everyone shall share i’ th’ gains.
And now about the cauldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.
O, well done! I commend your pains, And everyone shall share i’ th’ gains. And now about the cauldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in.
o, well done! i commend your pains, and everyone shall share i’ th’ gains. and now about the cauldron sing, like elves and fairies in a ring, enchanting all that you put in.
o, well done! i commend your pains, and everyone shall share
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks!
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks!
by the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. open, locks, whoever knocks!
by the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way come
How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
What is’t you do?
How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is’t you do?
how now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! what is’t you do?
how now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! what is’t you
The witches' prophecies in Act 4 operate through equivocation — a rhetorical technique of speaking misleadingly while remaining technically truthful. The term had specific political resonance in 1606: the year before, the Gunpowder Plot had failed, and the subsequent trials revealed that Jesuit priests had used equivocation to avoid self-incrimination under oath (one could mentally reserve the 'true' meaning of a statement while speaking its false surface). The practice was widely condemned and associated with Catholic deception. Shakespeare's witches practice a supernatural version: their prophecies are technically true, carefully worded to produce false confidence. 'None of woman born' is literally true — Macduff wasn't 'born' but 'ripped.' 'Birnam Wood to Dunsinane' is literally fulfilled — soldiers carry branches. The equivocators are not wrong; they are weaponizing ambiguity. Macbeth's tragedy is that he chose to hear the comfortable meaning of each prophecy rather than the dangerous one.
A deed without a name.
A deed without a name.
a deed without a name.
a deed without a name.
I conjure you, by that which you profess,
(Howe’er you come to know it) answer me:
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;
Though bladed corn be lodg’d, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders’ heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do slope
Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature’s germens tumble all together,
Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.
I conjure you, by that which you profess, (Howe’er you come to know it) answer me: Though you untie the winds, and let them fight Against the churches; though the yesty waves Confound and swallow navigation up; Though bladed corn be lodg’d, and trees blown down; Though castles topple on their warders’ heads; Though palaces and pyramids do slope Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure Of nature’s germens tumble all together, Even till destruction sicken, answer me To what I ask you.
i conjure you, by that which you profess, (howe’er you come to know it) answer me: though you untie the winds, and let them fight against the churches; though the yesty waves confound and swallow navigation up; though bladed corn be lodg’d, and trees blown down; though castles topple on their warders’ heads; though palaces and pyramids do slope their heads to their foundations; though the treasure of nature’s germens tumble all together, even till destruction sicken, answer me to what i ask you.
i conjure you, by that which you profess, (howe’er you come
Speak.
Speak.
speak.
speak.
Demand.
Demand.
demand.
demand.
We’ll answer.
We’ll answer.
we’ll answer.
we’ll answer.
Say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths,
Or from our masters?
Say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths, Or from our masters?
say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths, or from our masters?
say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths, or from our
Call ’em, let me see ’em.
Call ’em, let me see ’em.
call ’em, let me see ’em.
call ’em, let me see ’em.
Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten
Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten
From the murderer’s gibbet throw
Into the flame.
Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten From the murderer’s gibbet throw Into the flame.
pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten from the murderer’s gibbet throw into the flame.
pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten her nine farrow; grease
Come, high or low;
Thyself and office deftly show!
Come, high or low; Thyself and office deftly show!
come, high or low; thyself and office deftly show!
come, high or low; thyself and office deftly show!
Tell me, thou unknown power,—
Tell me, thou unknown power,—
tell me, thou unknown power,—
tell me, thou unknown power,—
He knows thy thought:
Hear his speech, but say thou naught.
He knows thy thought: Hear his speech, but say thou naught.
he knows thy thought: hear his speech, but say thou naught.
he knows thy thought: hear his speech, but say thou naught.
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff;
Beware the Thane of Fife.—Dismiss me.—Enough.
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife.—Dismiss me.—Enough.
macbeth! macbeth! macbeth! beware macduff; beware the thane of fife.—dismiss me.—enough.
macbeth! macbeth! macbeth! beware macduff; beware the thane
Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
Thou hast harp’d my fear aright.—But one word more.
Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; Thou hast harp’d my fear aright.—But one word more.
whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; thou hast harp’d my fear aright.—but one word more.
whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; thou hast h
He will not be commanded. Here’s another,
More potent than the first.
He will not be commanded. Here’s another, More potent than the first.
he will not be commanded. here’s another, more potent than the first.
he will not be commanded. here’s another, more potent than t
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
macbeth! macbeth! macbeth!
macbeth! macbeth! macbeth!
Macbeth was written approximately 1606, soon after James I acceded to the English throne. James was famously obsessed with witchcraft — he had written a treatise called Daemonologie (1597) and attended the witch trials of the North Berwick witches, who were accused of using sea-storms to try to sink his ship. The play's witch scenes are in direct dialogue with James's beliefs: the witches are malevolent, they use real practices from contemporary witch-hunting literature, and they are ultimately defeated. The vision of the eight kings in 4-1 is a direct compliment to James: he claimed descent from Banquo (a historical fiction, but a politically important one), and the eighth king's mirror showing 'many more' could be made to reflect James's own descendants. The Globe audience would have understood immediately. Shakespeare was flattering his new patron while writing the most psychologically sophisticated play of his career.
Had I three ears, I’d hear thee.
Had I three ears, I’d hear thee.
had i three ears, i’d hear thee.
had i three ears, i’d hear thee.
Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.
be bloody, bold, and resolute. laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm macbeth.
be bloody, bold, and resolute. laugh to scorn the power of m
Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.
Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? But yet I’ll make assurance double sure, And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live; That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, And sleep in spite of thunder.
then live, macduff: what need i fear of thee? but yet i’ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate. thou shalt not live; that i may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, and sleep in spite of thunder.
then live, macduff: what need i fear of thee? but yet i’ll m
Listen, but speak not to’t.
Listen, but speak not to’t.
listen, but speak not to’t.
listen, but speak not to’t.
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.
be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: macbeth shall never vanquish’d be, until great birnam wood to high dunsinane hill shall come against him.
be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who fre
That will never be:
Who can impress the forest; bid the tree
Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good!
Rebellious head, rise never till the wood
Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac’d Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
To time and mortal custom.—Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art
Can tell so much, shall Banquo’s issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?
That will never be: Who can impress the forest; bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good! Rebellious head, rise never till the wood Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac’d Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time and mortal custom.—Yet my heart Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art Can tell so much, shall Banquo’s issue ever Reign in this kingdom?
that will never be: who can impress the forest; bid the tree unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements, good! rebellious head, rise never till the wood of birnam rise, and our high-plac’d macbeth shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath to time and mortal custom.—yet my heart throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art can tell so much, shall banquo’s issue ever reign in this kingdom?
that will never be: who can impress the forest; bid the tree
Seek to know no more.
Seek to know no more.
seek to know no more.
seek to know no more.
I will be satisfied: deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
I will be satisfied: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know. Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
i will be satisfied: deny me this, and an eternal curse fall on you! let me know. why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
i will be satisfied: deny me this, and an eternal curse fall
Show!
Show!
show!
show!
The final decision of Act 4 scene 1 — to kill Macduff's wife and children — is the moment critics point to when they say Macbeth crosses from tragic hero to tyrant. The previous murders had logic, however twisted: Duncan for the crown, Banquo for security, the grooms to suppress evidence. The murder of Macduff's family serves no strategic purpose (Macduff is already in England), harms people who have done nothing against Macbeth, and targets children. Macbeth's own phrasing reveals the transformation: 'the firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.' He has eliminated the reflective space between impulse and action. This was the space where his conscience lived. By resolving to bypass it entirely, he is engineering his own dehumanization — moving from the tortured man who couldn't kill without going mad to someone who kills without thinking. The next scene will show us what that looks like from the outside: Lady Macduff and her son, talking about ordinary life.
Show!
Show!
show!
show!
Show!
Show!
show!
show!
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;
Come like shadows, so depart!
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart!
show his eyes, and grieve his heart; come like shadows, so depart!
show his eyes, and grieve his heart; come like shadows, so d
Thou are too like the spirit of Banquo. Down!
Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:—and thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
A third is like the former.—Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this?—A fourth!—Start, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to th’ crack of doom?
Another yet!—A seventh!—I’ll see no more:—
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more; and some I see
That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry.
Horrible sight!—Now I see ’tis true;
For the blood-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.—What! is this so?
Thou are too like the spirit of Banquo. Down! Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:—and thy hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first. A third is like the former.—Filthy hags! Why do you show me this?—A fourth!—Start, eyes! What, will the line stretch out to th’ crack of doom? Another yet!—A seventh!—I’ll see no more:— And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass Which shows me many more; and some I see That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry. Horrible sight!—Now I see ’tis true; For the blood-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his.—What! is this so?
thou are too like the spirit of banquo. down! thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:—and thy hair, thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first. a third is like the former.—filthy hags! why do you show me this?—a fourth!—start, eyes! what, will the line stretch out to th’ crack of doom? another yet!—a seventh!—i’ll see no more:— and yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass which shows me many more; and some i see that twofold balls and treble sceptres carry. horrible sight!—now i see ’tis true; for the blood-bolter’d banquo smiles upon me, and points at them for his.—what! is this so?
thou are too like the spirit of banquo. down! thy crown does
Ay, sir, all this is so:—but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?—
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights.
I’ll charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antic round;
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.
Ay, sir, all this is so:—but why Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?— Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites, And show the best of our delights. I’ll charm the air to give a sound, While you perform your antic round; That this great king may kindly say, Our duties did his welcome pay.
ay, sir, all this is so:—but why stands macbeth thus amazedly?— come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites, and show the best of our delights. i’ll charm the air to give a sound, while you perform your antic round; that this great king may kindly say, our duties did his welcome pay.
ay, sir, all this is so:—but why stands macbeth thus amazedl
Where are they? Gone?—Let this pernicious hour
Stand aye accursed in the calendar!—
Come in, without there!
Where are they? Gone?—Let this pernicious hour Stand aye accursed in the calendar!— Come in, without there!
where are they? gone?—let this pernicious hour stand aye accursed in the calendar!— come in, without there!
where are they? gone?—let this pernicious hour stand aye acc
What’s your Grace’s will?
What’s your Grace’s will?
what’s your grace’s will?
what’s your grace’s will?
Saw you the Weird Sisters?
Saw you the Weird Sisters?
saw you the weird sisters?
saw you the weird sisters?
No, my lord.
No, my lord.
no, my lord.
no, my lord.
Came they not by you?
Came they not by you?
came they not by you?
came they not by you?
No, indeed, my lord.
No, indeed, my lord.
no, indeed, my lord.
no, indeed, my lord.
Infected be the air whereon they ride;
And damn’d all those that trust them!—I did hear
The galloping of horse: who was’t came by?
Infected be the air whereon they ride; And damn’d all those that trust them!—I did hear The galloping of horse: who was’t came by?
infected be the air whereon they ride; and damn’d all those that trust them!—i did hear the galloping of horse: who was’t came by?
infected be the air whereon they ride; and damn’d all those
’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word
Macduff is fled to England.
’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word Macduff is fled to England.
’tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word macduff is fled to england.
’tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word macduff is f
Fled to England!
Fled to England!
fled to england!
fled to england!
Ay, my good lord.
Ay, my good lord.
ay, my good lord.
ay, my good lord.
Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits:
The flighty purpose never is o’ertook
Unless the deed go with it. From this moment
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool:
But no more sights!—Where are these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are.
Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits: The flighty purpose never is o’ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. And even now, To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool; This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool: But no more sights!—Where are these gentlemen? Come, bring me where they are.
time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits: the flighty purpose never is o’ertook unless the deed go with it. from this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand. and even now, to crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: the castle of macduff i will surprise; seize upon fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line. no boasting like a fool; this deed i’ll do before this purpose cool: but no more sights!—where are these gentlemen? come, bring me where they are.
time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits: the flighty purpo
The Reckoning
The great theatre scene of the play. The cauldron speech is Shakespeare at his most deliberately theatrical — a catalog of horror that is also a recipe, a ritual, a spectacle. Then Macbeth arrives and the scene becomes something more disturbing: the delivery of prophecies that are technically true and functionally deceptive. Each apparition tells Macbeth something he wants to hear. Together they produce exactly the overconfidence Hecate designed in 3-5. The irony is total: the armed head warns him about Macduff, which Macbeth should take seriously; the bloody child says no man of woman born will harm him, which he takes as absolute protection; the crowned child says he won't be conquered until Birnam Wood moves. He treats the last two as guarantees and the first as a mere precaution. He is building a false fortress out of equivocal prophecy. The vision of Banquo's royal descendants — eight kings stretching to the crack of doom — destroys him temporarily; his response is to kill Macduff's family immediately, which is the action that will destroy him morally and ultimately bring the resistance to full force.
If this happened today…
A criminal on trial gets three consulting opinions. First: 'Your main enemy will come for you — be careful.' Second: 'No one born by normal means can harm you.' Third: 'You won't be caught until the physically impossible happens.' He hears #2 and #3 as guarantees, ignores the danger in #1, and goes home feeling invincible. His lawyer watches with dread.