Macbeth Act V. Brief Synopsis - Act V At Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth has begun walking in her sleep. She enters in this state while her doctor and a waiting

MacbethAct V

Brief Synopsis - Act V

At Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth has begun walking in her sleep. She enters in this state while her doctor and a waiting lady watch in horror. As she walks, unconscious of the others, she gives vent to her guilt and anguish over the crimes she and her husband have committed.

Macbeth is deeply agitated over her disorder but is frenziedly preparing for the attack by the English invaders under Malcolm and the Earl of Northumberland, who have joined with rebellious Scottish forces.

Brief Synopsis - Act V continued …

Malcolm has his soldiers cut boughs from Birnam Wood to carry as camouflage in the assault. Thus, the prophecy “Till Birnam forest comes to Dunsinane” begins to be fulfilled.

Macbeth simultaneously learns that Lady Macbeth has died, possibly by suicide. In despair, he goes forth to battle and kills Young Siward, son the the Earl of Northumberland.

Brief Synopsis - Act V continued …

Macbeth then encounters Macduff, who destroys his last confidence by admitting that he was “from his mother’s womb untimely ripp’d” – “he was not of woman born.” (caesarean) With this part of the prophesy no longer the protection it seemed, Macbeth dies at Macduff’s hands.

Macduff brings the head of Macbeth to Malcolm and hails the son of the murdered Duncan as the new King of Scotland.

Quote 27

“My way of life is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age, as honor, love, obedience, troups of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, curses not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath, which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.” Speaker ____________________ Explanation

_______________________________________________

Macbeth

He will die early because of his evil deed. He will not have the friends and rest of old age.

Quote 28

“She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word.” Speaker _________________________________________________ Explanation ______________________________________________

Macbeth

If she would have died later, they would have at least had one more conversation together. OR If she would have died earlier, Lady Macbeth would have spared this pain.

Quote 29-MEMORIZE FOR EXTRA CREDIT

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all out yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Speaker__________________________________________________

_ Explanation_______________________________________________

Macbeth

People live and try to make meaning of their lives, but they are just players in the game for awhile and they have no significance afterwards.

Quote 30

“Of all men else I have avoided thee. But get thee back? My soul is too much charged with blood of thine already.” Speaker __________________________________________________ Explanation

_______________________________________________

“Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff!” Speaker __________________________________________________ Explanation_______________________________________________

Macbeth

Because he has killed his family he didn’t want to fight him.

Macbeth

He finds out Macduff is not born of woman and fights him in battle.

Study Guide Questions 1-2

Why, according to the doctor, is Lady Macbeth walking in her sleep? __________________________________________________________

_

In Scene 2, what opinion of Macbeth do the Scottish lords now hold? __________________________________________________________

_

She has a guilty conscience. “…Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles.” (lines 61-62)

They say he is mad, greedy, and a murderer.


Describe HOW and WHY Lady Macbeth dies. __________________________________________________________

Describe Macbeth’s plan for dealing with the attacking troops. He says that he would prefer to deal with the troops in a different way: why has he been forced to choose this plan instead? __________________________________________________________

_

Lady Macbeth dies because of her guilt. The popular opinion is she killed herself. OR She may have slept walked off the balcony.

Macbeth is forced to await the enemy in his castle because all of his troops have sided with Malcolm and Macduff and are attacking him. He would rather have met them on the battle field.


In Scene 5, Macbeth describes changes in his own personality. What are those changes? __________________________________________________________

In the speech in Scene 5 that begins, “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow …” (lines 19-28) how does Macbeth describe life? What metaphors does he use? __________________________________________________________

_

He no longer feels fear and his conscience has hardened with his murderous thoughts and deeds.

“A walking shadow,” “a poor player,” and “a tale told by an idiot” which all refer to life. This relates to the theme of false appearance within his character.


In Act IV, Scene 1, the first three apparitions shown Macbeth by the witches all referred, in reverse chronological order, to events in Act V. Find the things in Act 5 that correspond with the three apparitions in Act IV. ________________________________________________________

At the end of the play, what has become of Macbeth? __________________________________________________________

Macbeth would fall when Birnam Wood marched; Macduff is not born of woman (no man born of woman can harm Macbeth) ; Macduff kills Macbeths. (Beware Macbeth).

Macbeth dies by Macduff’s sword.

Act V

What does Lady Macbeth do while walking in her sleep? __________________________________________________________

What does Macbeth do when he learns of the invading English soldiers? __________________________________________________________

What is the doctor’s response to Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking? ___________________________________________________________

She puts on a nightgown, unlocks her closet, takes out paper, folds it and writes upon it. She then reads it and then sets it aside and returns to bed. She washes her hands “Out, damned spot!”

He disregards the danger because he doesn’t know it is Birnam Wood has marched.

He says she has a guilty conscience.

Act V continued …

How does Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane Hill? ___________________________________________________________

When he hears of Lady Macbeth’s death, how does Macbeth respond? ___________________________________________________________

When Macbeth learns that Birnam Wood seems to be moving toward Dunsinane, he begins to suspect something about the witches. What is it? ___________________________________________________________

___

The soldiers have camouflaged themselves by hiding behind Birnam wood.

She would have died after the battle anyway and life has little meaning anyway.

He begins to believe that the witches have played him false with ambiguous answers.

Act V continued …

When Macbeth realizes that most of his men have deserted him, he kills a man called Young Siward.

or False

What was unusual about Macduff’s birth? __________________________________________________________

_

Once Macbeth hears about Macduff’s birth and Macduff aggressively pursues Macbeth, what does Macbeth decide to do? __________________________________________________________

_

True

He was born via caesarean birth.

Macbeth goes ahead and fights Macduff.

Act V continued …

What does Macduff do at the end of the play? __________________________________________________________

_

Why does the gentlewoman in Scene 1 refuse to repeat Lady Macbeth’s sleep-talk to the doctor? __________________________________________________________

_

Macbeth dies and gets his head cut off.

Because there are no witnesses to confirm her story.

Study Questions 1-3

How does Macbeth try to reassure himself? __________________________________________________________

_

As Macbeth’s anxiety grows, what does he command the doctor to do? __________________________________________________________

_

Macbeth tries to reassure himself by remembering the witches prophesies.

Macbeth tells the doctor to cure her. (purge her, use drugs, scour the English for a cure.

Study Questions 4-6

Why does Macduff declare that he must kill Macbeth? __________________________________________________________

_

What reward will be given to those who were loyal to Scotland’s new and lawful king? __________________________________________________________

_

Macbeth kills Macduff’s family.

The thanes and kinsmen shall be earls, the first ever in Scotland to have this title. Bring back all those who were exiled during Macbeth’s reign.

Study Questions 7-9

Who reveals that Lady Macbeth has hallucinations? __________________________________________________________

Who reveals that Lady Macbeth is dead? __________________________________________________________

Who reveals that Birnam Wood is approaching the castle? __________________________________________________________

_

The Gentlewoman.

Seyton.

A messenger.

Study Questions 10-11

Who is Scotland’s new and lawful king? __________________________________________________________

Who is the thane of Fife? __________________________________________________________Macduff is the thane of Fife.

Malcolm

Act V - Quiz

We’re almost done!

Act V Quiz

____ 1. The gentlewoman in Scene 1 refuses to repeat Lady Macbeth’s sleep-talk to the doctor because

a. the words are mumbled and impossible to understand

b. Lady Macbeth forbade her to reveal the murders to anyone

c. there is no witness to confirm the truth of the gentlewoman’s words

d. she thinks that only the doctor will believe her

C

Act V Quiz continued …

____ 2. The “damned spot” to which Lady Macbeth refers is

a. Macbeth’s predicament

b. a beleaguered castle

c. Birnam Wood

d. Duncan’s bloodstain

D


____ 3. Macbeth tries to reassure himself that Malcolm and Macduff are not a threat to him

because they

a. are far away in England

b. do not have the military power that he has

c. have fled because of fear

d. are both “of woman born”

D


____ 4. As Macbeth’s anxiety grows, he commands the doctor to

a. let Lady Macbeth rest for a few days

b. cure Lady Macbeth

c. medicate Lady Macbeth with hemlock

d. analyze Lady Macbeth’s rambling

B


____ 5. Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s death shows that he

a. thinks life is a meaningless path to death

b. is anguished because he cares about her deeply

c. expects to win the battle without her support

d. understands why she incited him to murder and then went mad

A


____ 6. Macduff declares that he must kill Macbeth because

a. the witches predicted that he would

b. no one else can conquer Macbeth

c. he must avenge his family members’ murders

d. Macbeth otherwise will win the battle

C


____ 7. Macbeth finally realizes that the witches and apparitions

a. told him the truth

b. were figments of his imagination

c. were committed to his best interests

d. deceived him with ambiguous messages

D


____ 8. The play ends with the thanes acknowledging who as Scotland’s new and lawful king?

a. Macduff

b. Ross

c. Donalbain

d. Malcolm

D


____ 9. All of the following images occur repeatedly in the play except

a. eggs

b. daggers

c. woods

d. children

A


____ 10. Which of the following quotations from the play contains figurative language?

a. “Look, how she rubs her hands.”

b. “Of all men else I have avoided thee.”

c. “Life’s but a walking shadow.”

d. “Of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen . . .”

C


____ 11. reveals murders of Lady Macduff a. Seyton and the King b. Lady Macbeth

____ 12. reveals that Lady Macbeth has c. the Messengerhallucinations d. the Doctor

____ 13. reveals that Lady Macbeth is dead e. Malcolm____ 14. reveals that Birnam Wood is approaching

the castle ____ 15. reveals that his supporters will be made

Earls

D

A

C

E

B


16. Are the deaths of Lady Macbeth, Young Siward, and Macbeth in Act V inevitable? Choose one of these three characters. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph describing the circumstances of his or her death, and explain whether you think the death was or was not inevitable and why.

Act V Quiz continued …Possible Answers to 16:

• Young Siward dies a noble death; he is slain while fighting and is an admired, fearless Soldier.•Lady Macbeth is driven mad by her

guilt and dies; •Macbeth hears women wailing over her death, and then• Seyton tells him the queen is dead. •Macduff slays Macbeth in

the field after revealing that he, Macduff, was “untimely” taken from his mother’s womb.

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Macbeth Act V. Brief Synopsis - Act V At Dunsinane, Lady Macbeth has begun walking in her sleep. She enters in this state while her doctor and a waiting