TPTT The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT IV
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle.
SCENE III. England. Before the King's palace.
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle.
Enter LADY MACDUFF, her Son, and ROSS
LADY MACDUFF
      What had he done, to make him fly the land?
ROSS
      You must have patience, madam.
LADY MACDUFF
      He had none:
      His flight was madness: when our actions do not,
5     Our fears do make us traitors.
ROSS
      You know not
      Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
LADY MACDUFF
      Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
      His mansion and his titles in a place
10    From whence himself does fly? He loves us not;
      He wants the natural touch: for the poor wren,
      The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
      Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
      All is the fear and nothing is the love;
15    As little is the wisdom, where the flight
      So runs against all reason.
ROSS
      My dearest coz,
      I pray you, school yourself: but for your husband,
      He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
20    The fits o' the season. I dare not speak
      much further;
      But cruel are the times, when we are traitors
      And do not know ourselves, when we hold rumour
      From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
25    But float upon a wild and violent sea
      Each way and move. I take my leave of you:
      Shall not be long but I'll be here again:
      Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
      To what they were before. My pretty cousin,
30    Blessing upon you!
LADY MACDUFF
      Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.
ROSS
      I am so much a fool, should I stay longer,
      It would be my disgrace and your discomfort:
      I take my leave at once.
Exit
LADY MACDUFF
35    Sirrah, your father's dead;
      And what will you do now? How will you live?
Son
      As birds do, mother.
LADY MACDUFF
      What, with worms and flies?
Son
      With what I get, I mean; and so do they.
LADY MACDUFF
40    Poor bird! thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime,
      The pitfall nor the gin.
Son
      Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
      My father is not dead, for all your saying.
LADY MACDUFF
      Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?
Son
45    Nay, how will you do for a husband?
LADY MACDUFF
      Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.
Son
      Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.
LADY MACDUFF
      Thou speak'st with all thy wit: and yet, i' faith,
      With wit enough for thee.
Son
50    Was my father a traitor, mother?
LADY MACDUFF
      Ay, that he was.
Son
      What is a traitor?
LADY MACDUFF
      Why, one that swears and lies.
Son
      And be all traitors that do so?
LADY MACDUFF
55    Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged.
Son
      And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?
LADY MACDUFF
      Every one.
Son
      Who must hang them?
LADY MACDUFF
      Why, the honest men.
Son
60    Then the liars and swearers are fools,
      for there are liars and swearers enow to beat
      the honest men and hang up them.
LADY MACDUFF
      Now, God help thee, poor monkey!
      But how wilt thou do for a father?
Son
65    If he were dead, you'ld weep for
      him: if you would not, it were a good sign
      that I should quickly have a new father.
LADY MACDUFF
      Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!
Enter a Messenger
Messenger
      Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
70    Though in your state of honour I am perfect.
      I doubt some danger does approach you nearly:
      If you will take a homely man's advice,
      Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.
      To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;
75    To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
      Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
      I dare abide no longer.
Exit
LADY MACDUFF
      Whither should I fly?
      I have done no harm. But I remember now
80    I am in this earthly world; where to do harm
      Is often laudable, to do good sometime
      Accounted dangerous folly: why then, alas,
      Do I put up that womanly defence,
      To say I have done no harm?

Enter Murderers

85    What are these faces?
First Murderer
      Where is your husband?
LADY MACDUFF
      I hope, in no place so unsanctified
      Where such as thou mayst find him.
First Murderer
      He's a traitor.
Son
90    Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd villain!
First Murderer
      What, you egg!

Stabbing him

      Young fry of treachery!
Son
      He has kill'd me, mother:
      Run away, I pray you!
Dies
Exit LADY MACDUFF, crying 'Murder!' Exeunt Murderers, following her
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