A4S3

• Act 4 Scene 3 of Macbeth is one of the longest scenes in the play
• School Literature exam
• The scene is important for setting up a real alternative to Macbeth, establishing a character who is strong enough to tackle him
• Malcolm shows immense caution and tests Macduff to see if he can trust him
• Malcolm contrasts with his father, showing that false men find it easy to lie
• Macbeth becomes astute at lying over time with practice
• There is a suggestion that Macbeth has sent spies to trick Malcolm into coming back to Scotland to be killed
• Malcolm denounces himself as greedy, lustful, and violent to gauge Macduff's reaction
• Malcolm describes what a good king should be like, contrasting with Macbeth's rule
• Malcolm talks about King Edward the Confessor, who was seen as connected to God and capable of miracles
• Shakespeare portrays Edward as gentle, noble, and religious, contrasting with Macbeth's murderous and barbaric nature
• In this scene, Macduff learns that his family has been murdered
• The characters of Malcolm and Macduff are developed for the audience to believe in their attempt to recapture the crown from Macbeth