Macbeth Act 5

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Scene 1 - Lady Macbeth sleepwalks

First time audience sees Lady Macbeth since things have started to go wrong - her character has completely changed

She's been driven mad by guilt and fear:

Carries a candle and "has light by her continually" - she's afraid of the dark

It's ironic because in Act 1, Scene 5 she welcomes darkness: "Come, thick night"

Night now reminds her of the evil she's done

She tries to wash imaginary blood off her hands: "Out, damned spot!"

Handwashing symbolises her guilt, and contrasts with her attitude in Act 2, Scene 2

"A little water clears us of this deed"

The way her language changes also reveals her guilty conscience:

Her speech changes from smooth and fluent blank verse to disjointed prose - shows her troubled state of mind

Her speech is uncertain: "The Thane of Fife had a wife - where is she now?"

Use of questions shows her mental confusion and contrasts with her domineering language in Act 1, Scene 7

The Doctor says "unnatural deeds/Do breed unnatural troubles"

Lady Macbeth has upset the natural balance by doing evil things

Reminds the audience of the unnatural things reported in Act 2, Scene 4

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Scene 2 - Thanes prepare for battle

Scottish Lords are preparing to attack Macbeth

Scene builds tension of the battle

They plan to meet the English army near Birnam Wood

Reminder of the Witches' prophecy, and hints that Macbeth might be defeated

Shakespeare uses imagery to extend metaphors which have been running throughout the play:

Health - lords use imagery to describe as unwell

Caithness talks about "the sickly weal" (wound) and refers to Malcolm as "med'cine" that will heal the country

Nature - Lennox describes Malcolm as the "sovereign flower"

He also wants to "drown the weeds" (get rid of Macbeth)

Compares Macbeth to a weed as he's preventing anything else from growing and destroying the land

Clothing - Angus describes Macbeth as a "dwarfish thief" wearing a "giant's robe"

Responsibility of being King is too great for Macbeth

Writer's Techniques - Imagery

Angus describes Macbeth's "murders sticking on his hands"

Reminds audience of Lady Macbeth trying to wash blood from her hands

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Scenes 3+4 - Everyone prepares for battle

Like the rest of the scenes in Act 5, Scenes 3 and 4 are very short

Short scenes increase pace and add to drama

Macbeth's soliloquy suggests he's beginning to despair even though he thinks he's invincible

"I have lived long enough"

Admits that everything he's done is worthless

But when he talks to others he's overconfident, giving orders like "Give me my armour", and calling his servants "lili-livered"

Contrast reflects his unstable state of mind

Macbeth shows signs of going mad - tells Seyton to help him put his armour on and then almost straight away he says "Pull't off" - unbalanced and confused

His mental state matches Lady Macbeth's - the doctor says she's "troubled with thick coming fancies"

Meanwhile, Malcolm tells his soldiers to cut down branches from Birnam Wood to disguise their numbers

Audience sees that the Witches have tricked Macbeth, and that his defeat seems inevitable

English army calmly discuss their battle plan - they're in control

Contrasts with Macbeth's frenzied behaviour in Scene 3

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Scene 5 - Lady Macbeth dies

Macbeth alternates between arrogance and despair in these scenes - shows how confused he is

At the start of the scene, he's boasting and full of bravado

Says that he's "supped full with horrors", so nothing can frighten him

His attitude changes when he's told that his wife is dead:

Realises all his terrible acts had no purpose - "Signifying nothing"

Describes life as a "shadow" and a "candle" - fleeting and unreal

Compares life to a "poor player" (actor) - sees life as meaningless

Language reflects bitterness - "petty"/"fools"/"idiot"

When Macbeth finds out that Birnam Wood is moving towards his castle

He realises that the Witches have tricked him: "the fiend/That lies like truth"

Shows how he was too trusting of the Witches - ironic considering his betrayal of Ducan, who trusted Macbeth

Macbeth decides to attack approaching army - it's a brave decision and a reminder of the fearless warrior that Macbeth was in Act 1

Writer's Techniques - Language

Macbeth's language is sad and reflective

Show how he's not a monster - still has a human side that regrets what he's done

Interpretations of Lady Macbeth's death

"she should have died hereafter;"

1. Should have died after the battle when there would be time to mourn properly

2. Should have waited for Macbeth, seeing that his death is so near

3. Would have died at some time anyway

4. Should have died after the battle for now, with her gone, he knows he shall not win

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Scenes 6 and 7 - The Attack

Malcolm's army march toward Macbeth's castle and Macbeth is surrounded

Malcolm meet Young Siward and kills him - death gives Macbeth confidence

Macbeth is still clinging to the idea that he's invincible and chooses to trust the Witches' prophecies, even though the prediction about Birnam Wood has come true

Writer's Techniques - Stagecraft

There are a lot of entrances and exits in Scene 7, which add to the confusion of the battle

They also add tension - Macduff is searching for Macbeth and enters the scene just after Macbeth exits

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Scene 8 - Macbeth and Macduff fight

Macbeth and Macduff meet but Macbeth doesn't want to fight

He feels guilty about killing Macduff's family - "my soul is too much charged/With blood of thine already" - he's still got some humanity

Macbeth still thinks he can't be harmed by anyone "of woman born" but Macduff reveals he was born by C-section

Macbeth accepts that he's misled by the Witches and says "be these juggling fiends no more believed"

Macbeth is trapped but he refuses to back down, even though he knows he's doomed

This is a return to the brave warrior of Act 1, and shows that he's best fighting one on one rather than having people murdered

Theme - Fate and Free Will

All the Witches' prophecies have come true

The prophecies are partly self-fulfilling because Macbeth has brought about his own downfall through his actions

The audience feels relieved when Macbeth dies - shows how evil he has become

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Scene 9 - Malcolm becomes king

Macbeth is dead and Malcolm has won

Malcolm is concerned about missing members of his army - caring nature contrasts with Macbeth's cruelty and ruthlessness

Siward discovers that his son's been killed, but he's not upset

Thinks that it's an honour that his son died protecting Scotland - shows how desperately they wanted to overthrow Macbeth

Macduff enters with Macbeth's head

The play begins and ends with a battle and a traitor being beheaded - gives play a circular structure

Theme - Kingship

At the end of the play, the natural order is restored

Malcolm is the rightful King and will be guided by God - he says "by the grace of Grace,/We will perform in measure, time and place"

Writer's Techniques - Symbolism

Siward only cares that his son died bravely "like a man"

Malcolm says that "He's worth more sorrow" - this shows that he's realised that being a man means more than just being violent and aggressive