Question

assignment
macbeth: act 4 summary and close readi...
henry smith
how do you think the witches new prophecies will come true?
open-ended question
how do you think the witches new prophecies will come true?
type your answer here
rewatch

Explanation:

The witches' prophecies in Macbeth Act 4 are deliberately ambiguous, and they will come true through ironic, literal misinterpretations by Macbeth:

1. "Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife": Macduff will directly kill Macbeth, fulfilling this warning when he confronts Macbeth in battle.
2. "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth": Macduff was born via cesarean section, so he is not "of woman born" in the literal sense Macbeth assumes, allowing him to wound and kill Macbeth.
3. "Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until / Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come against him": Malcolm's army will cut down branches from Birnam Wood and carry them to Dunsinane, making it appear the wood is moving to the castle, fulfilling this prophecy literally.

Answer:

The witches' Act 4 prophecies will come true through ironic, literal loopholes that Macbeth fails to recognize:

1. The warning about Macduff will be fulfilled when Macduff directly kills Macbeth in battle.
2. The "none of woman born" prophecy will be satisfied because Macduff was delivered via cesarean section, not a traditional vaginal birth, so he is not "of woman born" in the narrow sense Macbeth believes.
3. The Birnam Wood prophecy will come true when Malcolm's army carries cut branches from Birnam Wood to Dunsinane, making the wood appear to march against the castle.