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Macbeth: Act I, Scene 4

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Macbeth
Act I, Scene 4

Forres. A room in the palace.

Mermaid theatre set design for Macbeth

Mermaid theatre set design for Macbeth

C. Walter Hodges, 20th century

  1. Flourish. Enter King Duncan, Lennox, Malcolm, Donalbain, and
  2. Attendants.

Duncan

1 - 2
  1. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not
  2. Those in commission yet return’d?

Malcolm

3 - 12
  1.                                   My liege,
  2. They are not yet come back. But I have spoke
  3. With one that saw him die; who did report
  4. That very frankly he confess’d his treasons,
  5. Implor’d your Highness’ pardon, and set forth
  6. A deep repentance. Nothing in his life
  7. Became him like the leaving it. He died
  8. As one that had been studied in his death,
  9. To throw away the dearest thing he ow’d,
  10. As ’twere a careless trifle.

Duncan

13 - 24
  1.                              There’s no art
  2. To find the mind’s construction in the face:
  3. He was a gentleman on whom I built
  4. An absolute trust.
  5. Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Rosse, and Angus.
  6.                    O worthiest cousin!
  7. The sin of my ingratitude even now
  8. Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before,
  9. That swiftest wing of recompense is slow
  10. To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserv’d,
  11. That the proportion both of thanks and payment
  12. Might have been mine! Only I have left to say,
  13. More is thy due than more than all can pay.

Macbeth

25 - 30
  1. The service and the loyalty I owe,
  2. In doing it, pays itself. Your Highness’ part
  3. Is to receive our duties; and our duties
  4. Are to your throne and state children and servants;
  5. Which do but what they should, by doing every thing
  6. Safe toward your love and honor.

Duncan

31 - 36
  1.                                  Welcome hither!
  2. I have begun to plant thee, and will labor
  3. To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo,
  4. That hast no less deserv’d, nor must be known
  5. No less to have done so, let me infold thee
  6. And hold thee to my heart.

Banquo

37 - 38
  1.                            There if I grow,
  2. The harvest is your own.

Duncan

39 - 49
  1.                          My plenteous joys,
  2. Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves
  3. In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes,
  4. And you whose places are the nearest, know
  5. We will establish our estate upon
  6. Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
  7. The Prince of Cumberland; which honor must
  8. Not unaccompanied invest him only,
  9. But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine
  10. On all deservers. From hence to Enverness,
  11. And bind us further to you.

Macbeth

50 - 53
  1. The rest is labor, which is not us’d for you.
  2. I’ll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful
  3. The hearing of my wife with your approach;
  4. So humbly take my leave.

Duncan

54
  1.                          My worthy Cawdor!

Macbeth

55 - 60
  1. Aside.
  2. The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
  3. On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
  4. For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires,
  5. Let not light see my black and deep desires;
  6. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
  7. Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.
  1. Exit.

Duncan

61 - 65
  1. True, worthy Banquo! He is full so valiant,
  2. And in his commendations I am fed;
  3. It is a banquet to me. Let’s after him,
  4. Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome:
  5. It is a peerless kinsman.
  1. Flourish. Exeunt.
Costume design for Banquo

Costume design for Banquo

C. Walter Hodges

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