Macbeth -The Symbolism of Hands in the play.

Madhur Mahajan

ACT IV – Hands

Second witch: By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks! (IV.i.44-47)

It is dark and the three witches are circling around their cauldron hissing and spitting. They chant spells and add bizarre ingredients to their stew. Hecate is amazed by the witches work and thus materializes and compliments it. “By the pricking of my thumbs” the second witch is trying to covey that a sudden pain in the body; for eg: pricking of thumbs, indicate that an evil has arrived. "Something wicked this way comes," indeed, and they're delighted. Macbeth—at least, the wicked Macbeth—is in part their own creation. It is ironic how at first the witches were looking out for Macbeth to tell him about their prophecy and how now Macbeth is looking for them. and the witches summon apparitions to tell Macbeth exactly what he wants to hear: that he's invulnerable.

Scene effects: Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand. (IV.i.)

Suddenly a thud of thunder is heard and he third apparition appears, in the form of a child with a crown on his head and a tree in his hand. He is a ghost in the form of a child who tries to inspire Macbeth, also telling him that no one except great Birnam Wood can ever defeat him. The significance of the tree in his hand is that he said that Macbeth can only be killed by woods and the irony is that later in the book a bunch of people cut down the trees and march to Macbeth's castle while holding up the trees to conceal themselves, making it look like the woods are attacking the castle. The child holding the tree in his hand denotes that Macbeth can only be killed because of a tree like the one in his hand. The apparition is inspiring Macbeth to fight but at the same time is also trying to tell him the reason that can probably lead to his death.

Scene effects: A show of eight kings. (the eight king) with a glass in his hand, and Banquo last. (IV.i.)

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Scene effects: A show of eight kings. (the eight king) with a glass in his hand, and Banquo last. (IV.i.)

The reason the apparition shows the eight kings is to bring to fruition the prophecy the witches gave to Banquo in which his sons will become the king. Only the eighth king is carrying a glass in his hand and is followed by Banquo’s ghost. There are two ways in which the significance of this can be analyzed, the glass carried by the king in his hand can also be interpreted as a mirror as it reflects an image, Banquo’s ghost who is right behind the king can be seen on the glass carried by him. Secondly, Macbeth is guilty of killing Banquo and now starts seeing him everywhere. In his next speech, he tells all the eight kings that they all look like Banquo and then when he looks at the eight kings, he can see many more men who looking like kings of multiple countries. He thus draws the idea of them being Banquo’s sons and that the prophecies were coming true. Macbeth is now even more scared which leads him to panic and can possibly cause him to make a foolish decision.

Macbeth: Time,thou anticipatest my dread exploits:
The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
Unless the deed go with it; from this moment
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. (IV.I.164-174)

Macbeth starts to express his new found confidence in this act. Macbeth's decision to attack Macduff further illustrates Macbeth's descent into insanity, where once he was afraid and worried of killing the king, he now seems almost eager. He says "the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand". This is a sharp contrast to the cautious Macbeth of earlier acts. His act of treason against the king made him doubly anxious of acts of treason against him. This is also a turning point for Lady Macbeth -- later in the play, we see her confused and angry at the senseless killing, which she believes to be unnecessary. The irony in this act is that Lady Macbeth was a ruthless woman in the beginning of the play, but we see her change too. Now she is filled with guilt, and is more caring than Macbeth.

Malcolm: Be not offended:
I speak not as in absolute fear of you.
I think our country sinks beneath the yoke;
It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds: I think withal
There would be hands uplifted in my right;
And here from gracious England have I offer
Of goodly thousands: but, for all this,
When I shall tread upon the tyrant's head,
Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor country
Shall have more vices than it had before,
More suffer and more sundry ways than ever,
By him that shall succeed. (IV.iii.47-59)

When Macduff tries to persuade Malcolm to lead the fight against Macbeth, Malcolm is very cautious at first, thinking that it might be possible that Macduff is an agent of Macbeth, intent on luring Malcolm to his destruction. However, Malcolm does say that he knows that Scotland is suffering, and that were he to invade Scotland, This means that men would raise their hands (and swords) to support his right to the throne of Scotland. In this speech the use of hands is in a completely different manner in which is in the context of men willing to fight against Macbeth for Malcolm. This speech shows Malcolm expressing his power in front of Macduff. Malcolm was a traitor and is now proud that he has more power than Macbeth. Malcolm always wanted to be the king of Scotland and now that he was strong than Macbeth, he could actually fulfill his dream.

Malcolm: Well; more anon.--Comes the king forth, I pray you?

Doctor: Ay, sir; there are a crew of wretched souls
That stay his cure: their malady convinces
The great assay of art; but at his touch--
(Such sanctity hath heaven given his hand)--
They presently amend. (IV.iii.159-165)

In this scene Malcolm and the Doctor are talking about King Edward and the Doctor is telling Malcolm about the power that was granted to King Edward from heaven through which he can treat sick people by just touching them with his hand. The doctor in this speech is trying to convey that the king of England is so holy and virtuous that his touch can heal the sick and in Scotland anyone who opposes the king dies. “Hand” in this speech, is used to denote the sacred and spiritual characteristic of King Edward.

“Hand” is an important motif in this book which can be used to express many different things. The context in which the word “hand” is being used in this act keeps changing as we read through it. At first “hand” was used to denote and signify an evil approach and as we read through the act we came to a point in which the word “hand” was used to state the pure and divine power of King Edward through which he could heal sick men with a single touch. The meaning or context of the word “hand” gradually changed in the act. It was first used as a symbol to make Macbeth aware of the reason of his death and it was then used as a way to carry an object to scare Macbeth. It was then used as a sign of courage and then later on as a symbol for power. “Hand” in this act was basically used to show the difference between the prophecies that were declared by the witches and power which leads to control. In the previous acts hand was used to show the difference between fate and choices made by people which is quite similar to this act. In the book Macbeth and other men try to show their power by making their own choices but in the end the prophecies come true. Macbeth tries his very best to avoid Banquo’s children to become the king but in the end fails to do so. He was really influenced by the prophecies that he went on to kill king Duncan to be the next king of Scotland hence ruining Scotland and the lives of people who lived in it. The prophecies and fate takes control over everything in the end and it can’t be changed by altering some decisions and expressing power as in the end Macbeth is killed and Banquo’s son becomes the king which was all said in the prophecies. The prophecies were the reason of this whole tragedy. Not only did Macbeth ruin Scotland and the lives of the people who lived in it but he also lost his beloved wife with who he shared a bond. Later on in the book, Macbeth had become so stone hearted that he did not even care of the death of his wife and in fact also said that it was really inconvenient for him. If only had the prophecies not been there; Macbeth would have lived a normal life. Even though he did try to control and change fate but failed to do so because fate wins over everything in the end and is not possible to change.

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