This is Act IV, scene i, when Macbeth visits the Witches
to demand that they answer his questions, so the prophecies are prompted by Macbeth
himself in this act, which differs from Act I, when the Witches accost Macbeth and
Banquo with their predictions.
The first apparition, an
"armed Head" that appears in response to Macbeth's thought,
says:
. .
.beware Macduff.Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me.
Enough.
In response, Macbeth
says:
. . .for
thy good caution, thanks.Thou hast harp'd my fear aright.
. .
So, Macbeth already
suspects that Macduff is his enemy.
The second appartition
is a bloody child. It says:
readability="11">
Be bloody, bold, and resolute. .
.
. . .for none of woman
born
Shall harm
Macbeth.
Macbeth
Then
live Macduff; what need I fear of
thee?
But Macbeth decides to
go ahead and kill Macduff, just to be sure that he cannot hurt him. (This, we find out
in the next scene, is not possible, since Macduff has fled to
England.)
The third apparition is a crowned child with a
tree in his hand who says:
readability="16">
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be
until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane
hill
Shall come against
him.
Macbeth
That
will never be.
Who can impress the forest, bid the
tree
Unfix his earth-bound root? . .
.
. . .and our high-placed
Macbeth
Shall live the lease of
nature.
So, Macbeth assumes
that, since trees can't grow legs and walk, he won't be defeated and killed in battle.
He tries to find out one more thing: "shall Banquo's issue ever/Reign in this
kingdom?" But the apparitions will offer no more information.
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