As he looks forward to Macbeth's hospitality, the King says that he is a 'a peerless kinsman' (1.4.58). Meanwhile, the King and Banquo have been talking about him, and the King is saying how much he enjoys praising Macbeth. With that thought, Macbeth disappears from the scene. What could he be talking about, except murder? 'Let that be' he says, because he wants the thing done, even if afterwards, 'when it is done,' his own eye would be afraid to look at what his hand had done.

His own eye should 'wink,' that is, blind itself to what his own hand wants to do. He wants the stars to go out, so that no one can see what it is he wants, not even himself. Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. The eye wink at the hand yet let that be, Let not light see my black and deep desires: He says to himself: Stars, hide your fires The throne of Scotland was not strictly hereditary, but it should be no big surprise to Macbeth that the King would name his son heir.) As soon as he thinks this thought about Malcolm, it's obvious that it's a murderous thought. (This is something that Macbeth should have thought of before. Of course he means that Malcolm, too, is now between him and the throne. As he is leaving, we hear him thinking to himself, 'The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step / On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, / For in my way it lies' (1.4.48-50). No sooner said than done, and Macbeth hurries away. Macbeth replies that he'll be glad to have the King as a guest, and that he'll go immediately to tell his wife.

The King promises that others will receive honors, too, and then tells Macbeth that he is coming to visit him at Inverness, the location of Macbeth's castle, Dunsinane. Overcoming his tears, King Duncan now announces that his oldest son, Malcolm, is heir to throne, and has therefore been given the title of Prince of Cumberland. Finally, the King says to everyone, 'My plenteous joys, / Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves / In drops of sorrow' (1.4.33-35). Banquo graciously replies 'There if I grow, / The harvest is your own' (1.4.32-33), meaning that if Banquo grows in the King's heart, the King will have himself to thank, for being a good king. He hugs him and tells him that he will hold him in his heart. King Duncan, after telling Macbeth that there are more rewards in store for him, turns to Banquo and thanks him, too. Macbeth appears sincere as he delivers these noble sentiments, but in two or three minutes we'll overhear him as he thinks about killing both the King and his son. Then Macbeth, speaking for every subject of the King, says that they only do what they should when they do everything they can to ensure the King's safety and show their love for him. That is, it's payment enough to know that he did the right thing as a loyal servant of the King.

Macbeth answers with heroic modesty that 'The service and the loyalty I owe, / In doing it, pays itself' (1.4.22-23). The King greets Macbeth as 'worthiest cousin!' (1.4.14) and says in several different ways that he can't thank him enough. Just as the King is commenting on the fate of the former Thane of Cawdor, in comes the new Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth, along with Banquo, Ross, and Angus. In other words, you can't tell a book by its cover. The King comments that he an 'absolute trust' in the man, but 'There's no art / To find the mind's construction in the face' (1.4.11-12). Cawdor confessed his treason, asked the King's forgiveness, and went to his death willingly, so that 'Nothing in his life / Became him like the leaving it' (1.4.7-8).

Malcolm tells him that the rebel Thane of Cawdor has just been executed, and that he had a good death. When we see the King and the members of the royal circle, the King is asking 'Is execution done on Cawdor?' (1.4.1). King Duncan thanks Macbeth for his heroic service, then announces that Malcolm is heir to the throne.Įnter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, and Attendants: Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus.King Duncan is told of the execution of the rebel Thane of Cawdor. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, and Attendants.Detailed Summary of Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4

Macbeth act 1 scene 4 summary