Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1, Lady Macbeth's Bedroom, Dunsinane Castle. Here are two new characters, a doctor and a gentlewoman, who is Lady Macbeth's assistant. The gentlewoman has seen Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. She got out of bed, wrote a letter, and then went back to bed. All the while she was asleep.
The doctor wants to know what Lady Macbeth said, but the gentlewoman didn't. won't tell him she's overheard something she shouldn't know the gentlewoman wants the doctor to hear for himself oh here's lady macbeth she's sleep-walking she looks like she is washing her hands she says out damn spot out i say act five scene one line thirty five there isn't any real blood on her hands But she acts as if she can't wash her hands clean from blood. Then the sleepwalking Lady Macbeth says, Who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?
Act 5, Scene 1, Line 39 and 40. She's still sleepwalking. She smells her hands. Here's the smell of the blood still.
All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten. This little hand. Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 50 and 51. She imagines that even if she tried to cover up the blood smell with perfume, it would not work. This next quote is quite famous. What's done cannot be undone.
Act 5, Scene 1, Line 68. The doctor says that Lady Macbeth needs God more than medicine. Her problems are not physical. but spiritual and moral. Because she is involved with murder somehow, he tells the gentlewoman to take away anything that Lady Macbeth could use to kill herself.
Act 5, Scene 2. The Scottish Countryside. A group of Scottish soldiers are marching toward Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane Hill. They talk about who is arriving from England to help defeat Macbeth. Malcolm, the Prince of Cumberland, King Duncan's eldest son.
There is Malcolm's uncle, Old Seward, and Young Seward, his son, and Macduff. The Scottish soldiers hope to meet up with the English forces at a forest called Burnham Wood. Flashback.
Do you remember when the witches showed Macbeth some apparitions? The third apparition was of a child wearing a crown and holding a tree in his hand. He told Macbeth, You will never be defeated until Burnham Wood moves up to Dunsinane Castle. Well, here's that important quote again. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until great Burnham Wood.
To high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him. Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 92 and 93. The soldiers talk about Macbeth calling him the tyrant. A tyrant is a cruel leader. Act 5, Scene 3. Inside Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane.
Here is Satan, Macbeth's servant. He has nothing to do with Satan, the devil. He has an unfortunate name and an unfortunate boss.
Many of Macbeth's soldiers are deserting him. He doesn't want to hear about them. No more reports about who is leaving. Macbeth believes 100% in the witch's prophecies. He is confident that no one will defeat him.
He quotes what the witches told him. Macbeth says, Till Burnham Wood removed to Dunsinane, I cannot taint with fear. Act 5, scene 3, lines 2 and 3. A servant arrives with some news. 10,000 English soldiers are approaching.
Macbeth calls for his armor. He wants to put it on, even though it's too early to get ready for the actual battle. Macbeth has been a warrior all his life, and he will feel more prepared. wearing his armor. He is ready to die fighting.
Macbeth says, I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked. Act 5, scene 3, line 32. Macbeth asks the doctor for an update on Lady Macbeth's health. The doctor says that Lady Macbeth is suffering from hallucinations.
Macbeth orders the doctor to cure his wife and also to cure the land, Scotland, of its disease. The doctor is glad to be leaving the castle and says he will not return for any amount of money. Act 5, Scene 4. The country...
near Burnham Wood. Malcolm, Macduff and the English soldiers have joined forces with the Scottish soldiers. Malcolm tells every soldier to cut down a tree branch in the forest of Burnham Wood, hold it in front of himself and by this method the soldiers still in Macbeth's castle will not be able to clearly know the number of attacking English and Scottish soldiers.
Act 5 Scene 5. Inside Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth says the castle walls are very strong and that attackers will not get in and they'll have to starve to death outside the castle walls. The cries of women are heard.
Macbeth says, I have almost forgot the taste of fears. Act 5. Scene 5. Line 9. Macbeth has forgotten what dreadful things are like. He used to be afraid of a shriek in the night or a ghost story. Macbeth says, I have supped full with horrors, meaning I have eaten or experienced so many real horrors.
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, cannot once startle me. I am used to horrible events. So nothing startles me anymore.
Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 12 to 14. Macbeth is told that his wife is dead. The play doesn't say how she died. It's implied that she jumped to her death.
Macbeth says she should have died hereafter. Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 17. There are two possible meanings here. She should have had a longer life, but also we're getting ready for battle and so I can't properly mourn for her.
Macbeth pauses from preparing for the attack with one of his most famous speeches. He says, tomorrow and all tomorrows lead to the end of time. He compares life to a series of four images. Macbeth compares dying to a candle losing its flame. Out, out, brief candle.
Life's but a walking shadow. Macbeth compares life to a poor actor who performs on the stage for an hour and then you don't hear anything about him. Life is a poor player, an actor, who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.
He says life is a tale told by an idiot. full of sound and fury signifying nothing. The theme of this speech is Life is Meaningless.
A messenger arrives and says that he saw the forest of Burnham Wood moving toward the castle. Macbeth begins to doubt the prophecies. He orders his soldiers to fight outside the castle. He says, at least we'll die with armor on our backs.
Act 5, Scene 6. Outside Dunsinane Castle. Malcolm, the Seawards, and Macduff lead the army to Macbeth's castle. Malcolm orders all the soldiers to drop the tree branches as they're so close to the castle. Malcolm announces that the Seawards are going to lead the first attack. Act 5, Scene 7. Macbeth is confronted by young Seaward.
Macbeth kills the young warrior and says, You were born from a woman. Macbeth is still hanging on to the witch's prophecies. Macduff doesn't want to fight ordinary soldiers.
He says that the ghosts of his family will haunt him if he doesn't kill Macbeth. Act 5, Scene 8. Macduff catches up to Macbeth. Macbeth says he doesn't want to see Macduff because he already killed Macduff's family. Macduff continues to be a man of few words. He says, I have no words.
My voice is in my sword. Act 5, scene 8, line 7. Macbeth says, I bear a charmed life which must not yield to one of woman born. Act 5, scene 8, lines 12 and 13. Macduff has news for him.
He says, Macduff. was from his mother's womb untimely ripped. Act 5, scene 8, line 15. Well, what does that mean? Macduff's mother had a cesarean birth.
He was cut out of his mother's womb. Macduff kills Macbeth offstage. Old Seward is told that his son was killed by Macbeth.
The old man is sad, but content that his son died. A Soldier's Death. Macduff enters carrying Macbeth's head and says that Malcolm is the new King of Scotland.
Hail King, for so thou art. Act 5, Scene 9, Line 19. King Malcolm! King Malcolm!
Malcolm grants everyone who fought a new royal title. They will all become earls. He invites everyone to scone. The ancient place where kings of Scotland are officially crowned.
This concludes the tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Subscribe, share, reduce the pain of Shakespearean study everywhere.