MacbethMacbeth

Act VAct V

Lady Macbeth has Lady Macbeth has been driven mad been driven mad by her sins (her by her sins (her guilt).guilt).

She stays in her She stays in her bed, rising only to bed, rising only to sleepwalk and sleepwalk and sleepwash, as it sleepwash, as it were.were.

In her sleep, she In her sleep, she washes her hands over washes her hands over and over, crying “Out, and over, crying “Out, damned spot! Out, I damned spot! Out, I say!” (5.1.36).say!” (5.1.36).

She talks to herself, She talks to herself, and within earshot of and within earshot of her maid and a doctor, her maid and a doctor, she reveals her she reveals her complicity in the complicity in the murders.murders.

Macduff and Malcolm, with the English army, gather Macduff and Malcolm, with the English army, gather at Birnam Wood.at Birnam Wood.

Other Scottish lords join them to fight Macbeth’s Other Scottish lords join them to fight Macbeth’s tyranny.tyranny.

Inside his castle, Inside his castle, Macbeth prepares for Macbeth prepares for battle, “sick at heart,” but battle, “sick at heart,” but nonetheless vowing to nonetheless vowing to fight until his “flesh is fight until his “flesh is hacked” from his bones.hacked” from his bones.

Those who stay with Those who stay with Macbeth do so only Macbeth do so only because of Macbeth’s because of Macbeth’s command, not out of love command, not out of love for the tyrannical, for the tyrannical, murderous king.murderous king.

Macbeth disregards Macbeth disregards the news of the the news of the opposing army.opposing army.

He learns that his He learns that his wife is dead, too, wife is dead, too, probably driven to probably driven to take her own life (but take her own life (but we are never clearly we are never clearly told this).told this).

Macbeth delivers the famous soliloquy:Macbeth delivers the famous soliloquy: ““Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,day, To the last syllable of recorded time;To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted And all our yesterdays have lighted foolsfools The way to dusty death. Out, out, The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,player, That struts and frets his hour upon That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a And then is heard no more. It is a taletale Told by an idiot, full of sound and Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,fury, Signifying nothing.”Signifying nothing.”

Nonetheless, Macbeth is resolute.Nonetheless, Macbeth is resolute. He is confident that the forest cannot move, and that He is confident that the forest cannot move, and that

every man must be born of woman, so he thinks that he every man must be born of woman, so he thinks that he has nothing to worry about.has nothing to worry about.

Malcolm orders his soldiers to cut boughs from the forest to Malcolm orders his soldiers to cut boughs from the forest to camouflage themselves and obscure their numbers. camouflage themselves and obscure their numbers.

Carrying the boughs before them, they march toward Carrying the boughs before them, they march toward Macbeth’s army, which sits on Dunsinane Hill.Macbeth’s army, which sits on Dunsinane Hill.

A messenger tells A messenger tells Macbeth something Macbeth something that seems that seems unbelievable: “…I unbelievable: “…I looked toward looked toward Birnam, and anon, Birnam, and anon, methought, The methought, The wood began to wood began to move.”move.”

Malcolm’s soldiers Malcolm’s soldiers are using tree are using tree boughs as boughs as camouflage.camouflage.

The scouts report The scouts report this to Macbeth, who this to Macbeth, who immediately sees immediately sees how this affects the how this affects the prophecy.prophecy.

Birnam Wood is Birnam Wood is coming to Dunsinane coming to Dunsinane Hill.Hill.

Macbeth raises the alarm and prepares to fight a Macbeth raises the alarm and prepares to fight a battle that he now knows he will lose.battle that he now knows he will lose.

One prophecy remains unfulfilled: Macbeth cannot One prophecy remains unfulfilled: Macbeth cannot die except at the hands of one who was not born of die except at the hands of one who was not born of woman.woman.

On the battle field, Macbeth kills Young Siward.On the battle field, Macbeth kills Young Siward. Old Siward tells Malcolm that Macbeth will be forced Old Siward tells Malcolm that Macbeth will be forced

to surrender without much fight since his men have to surrender without much fight since his men have defected to the other side.defected to the other side.

In the field, Macbeth In the field, Macbeth confronts and confronts and challenges Macduff.challenges Macduff.

Macbeth warns Macbeth warns Macduff that Macduff Macduff that Macduff is wasting time is wasting time fighting because fighting because Macbeth leads “a Macbeth leads “a charmed life” and charmed life” and cannot be defeated cannot be defeated by “one of woman by “one of woman born.”born.”

He remains confident He remains confident until he faces Macduff, until he faces Macduff, who reveals he was who reveals he was not born normally, but not born normally, but was “Untimely ripped was “Untimely ripped from his mother’s from his mother’s womb” (5.8.15-16) – a womb” (5.8.15-16) – a Caesarian delivery Caesarian delivery when such procedures when such procedures were uncommon and were uncommon and considered unnatural.considered unnatural.

Despite the fact that Despite the fact that the conditions of his the conditions of his defeat as foretold in defeat as foretold in the prophecies have the prophecies have arrived, Macbeth arrived, Macbeth vows to fight to the vows to fight to the end.end.

Placing his shield Placing his shield before him, Macbeth before him, Macbeth challenges Macduff, challenges Macduff, “lay on, Macduff; And “lay on, Macduff; And damned be him that damned be him that first cries, ‘Hold, first cries, ‘Hold, enough!’”enough!’”

Macbeth Macbeth valiently valiently tries to tries to defy the defy the prophecy, prophecy, but he but he cannot cannot and and Macduff Macduff kills him.kills him.

Malcolm, Old Siward, Ross, and their army enter Macbeth’s Malcolm, Old Siward, Ross, and their army enter Macbeth’s castle victoriously.castle victoriously.

Macduff enters carrying Macbeth’s head.Macduff enters carrying Macbeth’s head. Macduff hails Malcolm as king, points to Macbeth’s Macduff hails Malcolm as king, points to Macbeth’s

head, and announces that “the time is free.”head, and announces that “the time is free.”

Giving thanks to all and inviting them to his Giving thanks to all and inviting them to his coronation, Malcolm ends the play.coronation, Malcolm ends the play.

Order has been restored.Order has been restored.

And so, And so,

Macbeth’s Macbeth’s

destiny is destiny is

fulfilled.fulfilled. The witches The witches

are never are never

wrong.wrong.

In the play Banquo’s son doesn’t become In the play Banquo’s son doesn’t become king, but we have every reason to believe king, but we have every reason to believe that this would happen in the future. This that this would happen in the future. This would please James I, for whom ‘Macbeth’ would please James I, for whom ‘Macbeth’ was written, because it implies that he is was written, because it implies that he is the descendant of such a good man. the descendant of such a good man.