Apparition In Macbeth Act 1

In Act 4 Scene 1 of the Shakespearean play, “Macbeth” sought out the three witches from Act 1 Scene 3. He wanted to know what the consequences were for his royal future that Fleance had escaped having his throat slit along with his father, Banquo. The witches called forth four apparitions. The first apparition was an armed head. The second apparition was a bloody child. The third and final apparition was a crowned child who held a tree in his hand. All three of these apparitions have an effect on the actions of Macbeth.
The first apparition is an armed head, which apparently presents Macduff, who will come to Scotland at the head of the army. Macbeth tries to question that Macduff is planning to come back to Scotland with an army, but the first witch tells him that the apparition knows what he is thinking, so he should be quiet and just listen. The witch is right about the apparition knowing Macbeth’s thoughts, his thoughts cry out, “Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. Enough.” (Shakespeare 125). This apparition is foreshadowing that Macbeth should beware of Macduff and keeps

The bloody child tells Macbeth to “Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn/ The power of man, for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth.” (Shakespeare 125). This quote from the play means that no man that was naturally born from woman can harm Macbeth. Macbeth was relieved and gained much more confidence by hearing this apparition, because he thought that each individual was naturally born from a woman and that being born naturally by a woman he cannot be defeated. But, little did Macbeth know there was one person in the city that was not born through a natural birth. The bloody child symbolizes the individual that was born of an unnatural birth. Now, this can foreshadow that Macbeth could be murdered by the individual who was not born naturally. Macbeth’s own self- confidence will lead him to his own