Act 5

Act 5

1. Scene 1

   • A doctor and gentlewoman are talking about lady Macbeth
     • The gentlewoman is one of Lady Macbeth's ladies-in-waiting, a close friend and Servan
       • The doctor asks if she has spoken while sleep walking. The gentlewoman had but didn't want to say what she said . She is obviously nervous about what she has overheard
   • Lady Macbeth is seen sleep walking and says "Out, damned spot: out I say" and "who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him"
     • Listening to Lady Macbeth the doctor realises that he and the gentlewoman are in danger.
       • They find out that her and Macbeth have already killed multiple people.

2. Scene 2

   • Noblemen are discussing the army advancing from England. Malcolm leads the army. The army is heading to Birnam Wood
     • Angus says that Macbeth is now starting to see the consequences of his actions: "Now do I feel / His secret murderers sticking on his hands"
       • Macbeths murders are metaphorically "sticking on his hands" because he cannot escape the consequences of his actions.

3. Scene 3

   • Macbeth is paying little care or attention to King Edwards arms as he still believes he is invincible because that is what the witches said.
     • "Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinaine, / I cannot taint with fear"
     • A worried servant comes in to tell Macbeth that there are 10,000 men.
       • Macbeth insults him for being scared
         • The moment contrasts with Macbeth's first meeting with the witches, where he did not believe them because he felt that witchcraft was evil.
   • Seyton confirms to Macbeth that the army is coming. Macbeth puts on his armour and prepares for a fight
     • "I'll fight, till from my bones my flesh be hacked"
   • The doctor tells Macbeth that lady Macbeth is troubled and Macbeth responds to that by asking him to cure Macbeth.
     • "Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, / Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow"
   • Because of his actions Macbeth has been abandoned by all of his thanes and even the servants of his own household. Macbeth also seems to have abandoned Lady Macbeth

4. Scene 4

   • The army is marching towards Macbeth. The army has reached Birnam Wood
   • Malcolm orders the soldiers to cut branches off the trees and hold them in front of them. This is a tactic to hide the size of the army

5. Scene 5

   • Macbeth enters the stage with his men. They are beating and flying their colours to show their ready.
     • The castle is well protected, so Macbeth still doubts that this will happen
     • They hear the sound of crying women
     • Seyton tells Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is dead
       • Macbeth is shocked by the information and talks about how life is "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"
     • Macbeth fels helpless and thinks that if he is going to die he should go out fighting.
   • The messenger arrives and tells him that Birnam wood is moving