Macbeth Apparition Analysis

In act four scene one of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth sees four apparitions, a scene meant to foreshadow his ultimate demise, ironically, as it is also the scene in which Macbeth becomes convinced of his safety and invincibility. Through the use of metaphor, Shakespeare foreshadows Macbeth’s death at the hands of Macduff, while Macbeth’s use of rhetorical questions conveys his sense of security in his kingship and life. In this scene, Shakespeare uses the apparitions as a metaphor for Macbeth’s impending failure and doom in order to foreshadow Macbeth’s fall from power. The first ghost to appear is an armed head who the witches claim “knows [Macbeth’s] thought,” who tells Macbeth to “Beware the Thane of Fife (Shakespeare 4.1.78-79,82)!” This

The ghost is said to know Macbeth’s thoughts, but Macbeth is the sole person who can know his own thoughts, further supporting that the ghost is a metaphor for the actual Macbeth. Because the ghost represents Macbeth, and fears Macduff himself, the apparition implies that Macbeth should fear Macduff. Due to the fact that the ghost tells Macbeth to fear Macduff, the ghost foreshadows Macbeth’s eventual death at his hands. The second apparition is a bloody child who says that Macbeth should “Laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth (4.1.90-92).” This spirit is a metaphor for Macduff, as he was born via cesarean section, therefore born covered in blood, as the spirit appears. The ghost tells Macbeth that no one who was born of a woman can harm him. Therefore foreshadowing the fact that Macduff kills him, because as shown by the appearance of the ghost, Macduff was not born of woman, and thus can harm Macbeth. When the third apparition, a child holding a tree while wearing a crown, appears, it says that “Macbeth shall never vanquished be