Act 5 Scene 1 Summary At night in

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Act 5 Scene 1

Act 5 Scene 1

Summary At night, in the king’s palace at Dunsinane, a doctor and a gentlewoman

Summary At night, in the king’s palace at Dunsinane, a doctor and a gentlewoman discuss Lady Macbeth’s strange habit of sleepwalking. Suddenly, Lady Macbeth enters in a trance with a candle in her hand. Bemoaning the murders of Lady Macduff and Banquo, she seems to see blood on her hands and claims that nothing will ever wash it off. She leaves, and the doctor and gentlewoman marvel at her descent into madness.

Things to focus on: Evidence of Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness and why this

Things to focus on: Evidence of Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness and why this happened to her. What does this reveal about her? The contrast between her behaviour and how she conducted herself earlier in the play

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say” In the weeks and months since Macbeth’s brutal

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say” In the weeks and months since Macbeth’s brutal murder of Lady Macduff, Lady Macbeth’s mental state has deteriorated alarmingly and she has taken to sleepwalking every night. In her sleep, she remembers fragments of the events surrounding the murders of Duncan, Banquo and Macduff’s family. She constantly looks at and rubs her hands as though she is trying to clean them. She is no longer the confident, assured, calm and composed woman we have seen in earlier scenes. She is destroyed by the weight of the guilt engulfing her. Her speech has been reduced to incoherent rambling: there seems to be no logical connections between her thoughts or memories. The devastation of her mind is so complete that is unable to even remember events in their correct order.

As she sleepwalks, she seems to be conversing with her husband about the killing

As she sleepwalks, she seems to be conversing with her husband about the killing of Duncan, Banquo and Macduff’s family. She seems obsessed with the idea that she has the blood of her husband’s victims on her hands and that this blood will stain them permanently. She expresses her alarm that she will never be free of the guilt and remorse that she feels over the role that she has played in her husband’s murders. She feels responsible for her husband’s descent into tyranny and madness, and the death and destruction he has caused since becoming king. As a result, she feels that her punishment will be eternal damnation in Hell when she dies. Until then, she will have to endure the hell that she and her husband have created for themselves, where they are both tortured by guilt and insanity.

Her behaviour is in stark contrast to her words immediately after Macbeth’s killing of

Her behaviour is in stark contrast to her words immediately after Macbeth’s killing of Duncan, where she quickly dismissed her husband’s feelings of doubt and guilt over the murder by assuring him that these feelings would disappear as soon as he washed the blood clean from his hands (in Act 2 Scene 2). Therefore, it is ironic that in this scene it is her who is tormented by the sight of blood. It is ironic that the guilt and remorse over killing Duncan has grown worse and worse in Lady Macbeth’s mind, tormenting her and causing her to lose her sanity.

Techniques Monologue Characterisation Symbolism

Techniques Monologue Characterisation Symbolism

Act 5 Scene 2

Act 5 Scene 2

Summary Outside the castle, a group of Scottish lords discusses the military situation: the

Summary Outside the castle, a group of Scottish lords discusses the military situation: the English army approaches, led by Malcolm, and the Scottish army will meet them near Birnam Wood, apparently to join forces with them. The “tyrant, ” as Lennox and the other lords call Macbeth, has fortified Dunsinane Castle and is making his military preparations in a mad rage.

Act 5 Scene 3

Act 5 Scene 3

Summary Macbeth strides into the hall of Dunsinane with the doctor and his attendants,

Summary Macbeth strides into the hall of Dunsinane with the doctor and his attendants, boasting proudly that he has nothing to fear from the English army or from Malcolm, since “none of woman born” can harm him (IV. i. 96) and since he will rule securely “[t]ill Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane” (V. iii. 2). He calls his servant Seyton, who confirms that an army of ten thousand Englishmen approaches the castle. Macbeth insists upon wearing his armor, though the battle is still some time off. The doctor tells the king that Lady Macbeth is kept from rest by “thick-coming fancies, ” and Macbeth orders him to cure her of her delusions (V. iii. 40).

Things to focus on: Macbeth’s deluded and irrational thoughts and behaviour as he prepares

Things to focus on: Macbeth’s deluded and irrational thoughts and behaviour as he prepares for battle

“The mind I sway by and the heart I bear shall never sag with

“The mind I sway by and the heart I bear shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear” The English army, led by Malcolm and Macduff approaches the royal castle. Macbeth is outnumbered, his allies are deserting him and he is facing certain defeat. Despite this, he still believes that he has no reason to fear defeat or death, or to doubt his chances of victory. He continually refers to the witches’ prophecies as evidence of his impending victory over Malcolm, and the prophecies fill him with courage and reassurance. He is clearly filled by self-delusion and irrational overconfidence and is not willing to countenance the prospect that the witches’ prophecies will be fulfilled and thus signal his defeat and destruction.

When he is given reports of the English army’s approach, he dismisses the news

When he is given reports of the English army’s approach, he dismisses the news with scorn and contempt. He clearly does not feel threatened by them, despite the overwhelming odds against him, as he trusts the witches’ prophecies which seem to promise him invulnerability. He does not doubt that he will be victorious, and arrogantly dismisses any news to the contrary, thus emphasising the deterioration of his mental state.

Techniques Dialogue Characterisation

Techniques Dialogue Characterisation

“cast the water of my land, find her disease, and purge it to a

“cast the water of my land, find her disease, and purge it to a sound and pristine health” When discussing Lady Macbeth’s illness with her doctor, Macbeth pleads with him to diagnose the sickness that is afflicting Scotland tell Macbeth what he can do to nurse his country back to health. This demonstrates Macbeth’s self-delusion as he does not, or refuses to, acknowledge that his tyrannical rule has caused the pain, suffering, death and destruction of Scotland. He does not take responsibility for the damage and chaos that his illegitimate, violent and murderous reign has unleashed upon the country. Macbeth does not seem to understand or realise that the only remedy for Scotland, the only way for Scotland to regain its health, is for his brutal kingship to be brought to an end by Malcolm. His refusal or inability to accept responsibility for what has happened to Scotland is yet more evidence of his deteriorating mental state.

Techniques Dialogue Characterisation

Techniques Dialogue Characterisation

Act 5 Scene 4

Act 5 Scene 4

Summary In the country near Birnam Wood, Malcolm talks with the English lord Siward

Summary In the country near Birnam Wood, Malcolm talks with the English lord Siward and his officers about Macbeth’s plan to defend the fortified castle. They decide that each soldier should cut down a bough of the forest and carry it in front of him as they march to the castle, thereby disguising their numbers.