THE SELE SCHOOL ENGLISH FACULTY

Macbeth Revision Scene Summaries and Quotes

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Act One; Scene One

Thunder and lightning crash above a Scottish moor.

Three witches, appear out of the storm.

In eerie, chanting tones, they make plans to meet again upon the heath, after the battle,

to meet Macbeth. As quickly as they arrive, they disappear.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Witch: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” – what seems good can be evil and vice

versa

Act One; Scene Two

The rebel Macdonald, battles viciously, but Macbeth managed to kill him and displayed

his head on the battlements.

When new Norwegian troops arrived Banquo and Macbeth fought on. Macbeth

captured the Thane of Cawdor and held him to ransom for ten thousand dollars from

the King of Norway.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Sergeant: “brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name” – his

courage in battle proved this

Sergeant: “unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps” – Macbeth could happily cut someone in half, that’s how fearless he was.

King Duncan: “O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!” – The King

has great respect for Macbeth

Act One; Scene Three

The Witches meet on the dark and lonely heath to wait for Macbeth. To pass the time they

exchange boasts about their evil deeds. Macbeth and Banquo come across the Witches and

we see immediately that Macbeth has a strange connection to the Witches, mimicking their

famous words spoken earlier in the drama: "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" . The

Witches address Macbeth as Glamis, Cawdor, and King of the Scots. Macbeth is startled by

what he sees clearly as a prophecy that he will be Scotland's next ruler. He is too stunned to

speak and so Banquo asks the Witches if there is any more to their premonition.

They talk in riddles, telling Banquo that he will be "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater" and

"Not so happy, yet much happier" (1.3.65-6). They also tell Banquo that even though he will

never himself be king, he will give birth to future kings of Scotland. Then the Witches

disappear into the darkness, despite the pleadings of Macbeth, whose shock has turned to

the lust for more information. Once alone, Macbeth and Banquo pretend not to believe

anything the Witches have said, but in secret they cannot help thinking that there is a little

truth to their words. Ross and Angus arrive and inform Macbeth that Duncan has appointed

him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth and Banquo are stunned by the turn of events, realizing that

part of the prophecy has come true, and Macbeth cannot help but focus on their other,

greater prediction that he will be king.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” – links back to

“fair is foul and foul is fair”

Banquo: “instruments of darkness” – this is how he describes the witches,

showing that he does not trust them.

Act One; Scene Four

Macbeth and Banquo reach King Duncan's castle and Duncan praises Macbeth for his loyalty

and bravery. He also embraces Banquo and thanks him for his courage during the rebellion.

He announces that he has decided to visit Macbeth's castle at Iverness, and that he has

chosen his son, Malcolm, to be the Prince of Cumberland and, therefore, the next king of

Scotland. This worries Macbeth – although he keeps this to himself. Macbeth decides to

leave early for his castle to make sure everything is perfect for the King's arrival. With

ambitious thoughts racing through his mind, Macbeth again finds himself desperate to be

king.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “Stars, hide your fires; // Let not light see my black

and deep desires” – he doesn’t want anyone to know his evil thoughts about

killing the king; he wants his true thoughts to be hidden.

Act One; Scene Five

In Inverness, Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth reads to herself a letter she has received from

Macbeth. The letter tells her about Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor and his meeting

with the witches. Lady Macbeth decides to convince her husband to do whatever is needed

to become King. A messenger enters and tells Lady Macbeth that the king is coming to stay.

Lady Macbeth delivers a famous speech where she asks the evil spirits to take away her

femininity and turn her evil. Macbeth enters, and he and his wife discuss the king’s visit.

Macbeth tells his wife that Duncan plans to leave the next day, but Lady Macbeth declares

that the king will never see tomorrow. She has already decided that he must die.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Lady Macbeth: “I fear thy nature; // It is too full o' the milk of

human kindness” – She is concerned that Macbeth is too nice to kill the King

Lady Macbeth: “Art not without ambition” – She acknowledges that

Macbeth is ambitious

Lady Macbeth: “Come, you spirits…… unsex me here” – She

speaks directly to the evil spirits asking them to take away her femininity

Lady Macbeth: “direst cruelty!” – She wants the evil spirits to fill her with

this

Lady Macbeth: “take my milk for gall” –milk is a symbol of innocence

and purity whereas gall is a horrible acidic substance

Lady Macbeth: “O, never // Shall sun that morrow see!” – She

decides that the King won’t see tomorrow – because he will be dead

Lady Macbeth: “look like the innocent flower, // But be the

serpent under't.” – She tells Macbeth to look like he is a good man on the surface

but to do evil deeds without anyone knowing

Act One; Scene Six

Duncan, the Scottish lords, and their attendants arrive outside Macbeth’s castle. Duncan

praises the castle’s pleasant environment, and he thanks Lady Macbeth for her hospitality.

She replies that it is her duty to be hospitable since she and her husband owe so much to

their king. Duncan then asks to be taken inside to Macbeth, whom he professes to love

dearly.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

King Duncan: “our honour'd hostess!” - The King loves and respects

Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth: “twice done and then done double” – Lady

Macbeth is two-faced, saying that they will double over backwards to make sure the King is

looked after. (The audience know this is not true)

Lady Macbeth: “at your highness' pleasure” – again Lady Macbeth

lies, letting the King think that he will be well looked after.

Act One; Scene Seven

Inside the castle, Macbeth paces by himself, thinking over his idea of killing Duncan. He says

that the deed would be easy if he could be certain that it would not result in terrible

consequences. He is willing to risk going to Hell but realizes that something terrible could

happen to him in on earth. He then considers the reasons why he should not to kill Duncan:

Macbeth is Duncan’s kinsman, subject, and host; moreover, the king is universally admired

as a good ruler. Because of all these things, Macbeth finds it hard to motivate himself. He

faces the fact that there is no reason to kill the king other than his own ambition, which he

realizes is an unreliable guide.

Lady Macbeth enters and tells her husband that the king has dined and that he has been

asking for Macbeth. Macbeth says that he no longer intends to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth,

outraged, calls him a coward and questions his manhood. He asks her what will happen if

they fail; she promises that as long as they are bold, they will be successful. Then she tells

him her plan: while Duncan sleeps, she will give his chamberlains wine to make them drunk,

and then she and Macbeth can slip in and murder Duncan. They will smear the blood of

Duncan on the sleeping chamberlains to cast the guilt upon them. Astonished at the

brilliance and daring of her plan, Macbeth tells his wife that he hopes that she will only give

birth to male children. He then agrees to proceed with the murder.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “I am his kinsman and his subject” – Macbeth

acknowledges that he owes loyalty to the King

Macbeth: “I have no spur // To prick the sides of my intent” –

he cannot think of any real motivation to kill Duncan

Macbeth: “only // Vaulting ambition” – except for his ambition

Macbeth: “We will proceed no further in this business”Macbeth

seems to be the one in control here – he tells his wife that they will NOT kill the king

Lady Macbeth: “Was the hope drunk // Wherein you dress'd

yourself?” - Lady Macbeth suggests that he has lost his original courage

Lady Macbeth: “Art thou afeard…?”- she tries to make him feel like a

coward

Lady Macbeth: “When you durst do it, then you were a man” – she appeals to his sense of manhood, suggesting that if he were a REAL man, then he

would kill Duncan

Lady Macbeth: I “know // How tender 'tis to love the babe

that milks me” – a softer side to Lady Macbeth – she says that she knows how

wonderful it is to have a baby breastfeeding

Lady Macbeth: “pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, //

And dash'd the brains out” - back to her cruel side; if she had promised to kill

her child, she would do it, even if it meant tearing the child away from her bosom and

bashing its head in.

Macbeth: “If we should fail?” - Macbeth shows fear and caution – he needs

reassurance

Lady Macbeth: “screw your courage to the sticking-place,

And we'll not fail” - she tells him that as long as he is brave, they can’t fail

Macbeth: “False face must hide what the false heart doth

know.” - this links back to the first scene and to the theme of deceit

Act Two; Scene One

Banquo and his son Fleance walk in the torch-lit hall of Macbeth’s castle. Banquo tells his

son he wishes to stay awake because his sleep has lately been filled with bad dreams.

Macbeth enters, and Banquo is surprised to see him still up. Banquo says that the king is

asleep and mentions that he had a dream about the “three weird sisters.” When Banquo

suggests that the witches have revealed “some truth” to Macbeth, Macbeth claims that he

has not thought of them at all since their encounter in the woods. He and Banquo agree to

discuss the witches’ prophecies at a later time. Banquo and Fleance leave.

Macbeth has a vision of a dagger floating in the air before him, its handle pointing toward

his hand and its tip aiming him toward Duncan. Macbeth tries to grasp the weapon and fails.

He wonders whether what he sees is real or a hallucination. Continuing to gaze upon the

dagger, he thinks he sees blood on the blade, then abruptly decides that the vision is just a

manifestation of his unease over killing Duncan. The night around him seems thick with

horror and witchcraft, but Macbeth stiffens and decides to do his bloody work. A bell tolls—

Lady Macbeth’s signal that the guards are asleep—and Macbeth strides toward Duncan’s

chamber.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “I think not of them” – An example of Macbeth’s deceit – he lies

to banquo

Macbeth: “art thou but // A dagger of the mind,” – Thinking of

murder has definitely unsettled Macbeth’s mind. He thinks he may be hallucinating

Macbeth: “” - Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going”

– this clearly tells the audience that Macbth had already made up his mind – this imagined

dagger is pointing him towards the king’s room, yet he had decided to go anyway

Macbeth: “it is a knell //That summons thee to heaven or to

hell.” – these final words make it absolutely clear to the audience that Macbth is about

to ill Duncan.

Act Two: Scene Two

Having drugged the guards of Duncan's chamber, Lady Macbeth now meets her husband in

the lower courtyard as he emerges from the king's room itself. Macbeth's conscience is

clearly disturbed by what he has done, and once more his wife criticizes his lack of firmness.

The success of their plot is also in jeopardy because Macbeth has brought the daggers with

him. Lady Macbeth returns to the scene of the murder in order to place the daggers and to

smear the king's sleeping servants with blood, a deed that presents her with none of the

horror that now affects Macbeth. As the scene closes, we hear, with the Macbeths, a loud

and persistent knocking at the door.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Lady Macbeth: “I have drugg'd // their possets,” – shows Lady

Macbeth takes control – drugging the guards drinks

Lady Macbeth: “Had he not resembled // My father as he

slept, I had done't.” – Suggests a more humane, softer side to Lady Macbeth. She

could not kill Duncan herself because he looked like her father.

Macbeth: “This is a sorry sight.” – Macbeth immediately feels regret for

murdering the King

Lady Macbeth: “A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.” – Lady

Macbeth scolds him for this; she clearly feels no regret

Macbeth: “I could not say 'Amen,'” – He feels as though he has gone

against God

Macbeth: “'Sleep no more!” – again, this shows his guilt as he feels he will

never be able to sleep again

Macbeth: “I am afraid to think what I have done;” – another

example og Macbeth’s guilt

Lady Macbeth: “Infirm of purpose!” – Lady Macbeth scolds Macbeth for

freezing and not doing the job properly. She will have to complete the task

Lady Macbeth: “I shame // To wear a heart so white.” - showing

her power over Macbeth, Lady Macbeth says she would be ashamed to be such a coward as

he is

Act Two: Scene Three

The knocking continues, but the porter does not immediately open the door. Instead, he

plays a game with himself in which he imagines himself as the porter of hell and jokes about

the kind of sinners he might let in. Eventually, however, he opens the door to Lennox and

Macduff, who have been commanded to call upon the king to arrange the royal departure.

It is early morning, and most of those in the castle are still asleep. One who is not is

Macbeth, and he directs Macduff to the king's chamber. Only a moment passes before the

news breaks: King Duncan has been murdered.

On hearing the terrible revelation, the Macbeths act beyond suspicion, but Macbeth admits

to having killed the guards of the King's chamber — not part of the original plan — and Lady

Macbeth faints. The assembled thanes of Scotland resolve to avenge the act of treason.

Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, thinking suspicion might fall on them for murdering

their father, plan to flee to England and Ireland.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Lennox: “The night has been unruly” – the murder of the king had caused

nature to go wild

Macbeth: “‘Twas a rough night.” – as above – but ironic, because Macbeth

knows the true horror of the night

Macduff: “O horror, horror, horror!” – the words used to announce the

death of the king

Macbeth: “O gentle lady,” – it is ironic that Macduff calls her this and suggests

that as a woman, she is too sensitive to hear the truth

Lady Macbeth: “What, in our house?” – Lady Macbeth finds it easy to lie

Macbeth: “I do repent me of my fury, // That I did kill them.”

– Macbeth has killed the guards, telling everyone that it was a result of his anger that they

killed the king. The audience know that he has done it to cover his guilt.

Act two; Scene Four

Ross, a thane, walks outside the castle with an old man. They discuss the strange and

ominous happenings of the past few days: it is daytime, but dark outside; last Tuesday, an

owl killed a falcon; and Duncan’s beautiful, well-trained horses behaved wildly and ate one

another. Macduff emerges from the castle and tells Ross that Macbeth has been made king

by the other lords, and that he now rides to Scone to be crowned. Macduff adds that the

chamberlains seem the most likely murderers, and that they may have been paid off by

someone to kill Duncan. Suspicion has now fallen on the two princes, Malcolm and

Donalbain, because they have fled the scene. Macduff returns to his home at Fife, and Ross

departs for Scone to see the new king’s coronation.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Old Man: “this sore night”; “'Tis unnatural” – nature is behaving in a

very strange way since the death of the king.

Act Three; Scene One

Banquo suspects Macbeth but gains comfort from the second part of the Witches'

prediction — that his own children will be kings. Having announced his intention to go riding

with Fleance, Banquo is persuaded by the Macbeths to return later that evening to their

new palace at Forres for a special feast. However, Macbeth realizes that the Witches'

prophecy regarding Banquo represents a threat to his own position. Unable to endure the

thought of Banquo's descendants claiming his position, Macbeth summons two hired

murderers and confirms with them prior arrangements for the killing of Banquo and

Fleance.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Banquo: I fear, // Thou play'dst most foully for't: - Banquo suspects

that Macbeth has committed a terrible deed to become King

Macbeth: bloody cousins – this is how Mavcbeth refers to Malcolm and

Donalbain to reinforce the idea that they are guilty

Macbeth: Our fears in Banquo // Stick deep; - Macbeth is scared that

Banquo could discover his guilt

Macbeth: a fruitless crown - Macbeth realises that if Banquo’s sons become

Kings, then his never will “fruitless” – he will not bear kings (like trees bear fruit)

Act 3; Scene 2

This short scene allows the audience once more into the private thoughts of the murderous

couple, while holding the action momentarily in suspense. As the hired killers make their

way toward Banquo, Macbeth and his wife meet secretly. His wife attempts to soothe his

troubled mind but ironically feels the same doubts herself. Killing the king has provided

them with many more difficulties than they first envisioned. To the astonishment of his

wife, Macbeth reveals his plan to murder Banquo.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Lady Macbeth: “what's done is done” – again Lady Macbeth tells

Macbeth that there is no point dwelling on what they have already done.

Macbeth: “We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it” - We have

only dealt with one thing, there are more obstacles that we have not dealt with

Lady Macbeth: “Be bright and jovial among your guests to-

night” – you must put on a happy face tonight

Macbeth: “make our faces vizards” – our faces must be masks to hide our

true thoughts

Macbeth: “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck” - The

roles are beginning to reverse – Macbeth is reassuring Lady Macbeth and telling her not to

worry about Banquo’s murder

Act Three: Scene Three

It is dusk, and the two murderers, now joined by a third, linger in a wooded park outside the

palace. Banquo and Fleance approach on their horses and dismount. They light a torch, and

the murderers set upon them. The murderers kill Banquo, who dies urging his son to flee

and to avenge his death. One of the murderers extinguishes the torch, and in the darkness

Fleance escapes. The murderers leave with Banquo’s body to find Macbeth and tell him

what has happened.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Banquo: “O, treachery!” – One of the last things Banquo says alive, sums up

Macbeth’s whole behaviour.

Third Murderer: “the son is fled” – Makes it clear to the audience that

Fleance escapes, so Banquo’s son can still become King.

Act Three: Scene Four

The Banquet scene. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen, followed by their court.

Macbeth talks to the first murderer at the doorway. Macbeth speaks to him for a moment, learning

that Banquo is dead and that Fleance has escaped. The news of Fleance’s escape angers Macbeth—if

only Fleance had died, he thinks, his throne would have been secure.

When Macbeth goes to sit at the table, he sees Banquo’s ghost in his chair. Horror-struck, Macbeth

speaks to the ghost, which is invisible to the rest of the company. Lady Macbeth makes excuses for

her husband, saying that he occasionally has such “visions” and that the guests should simply ignore

his behaviour. Then she speaks to Macbeth, questioning his manhood and urging him to snap out of

his trance. The ghost disappears, and Macbeth recovers. As he offers a toast, however, Banquo’s

ghost reappears and shocks Macbeth into further reckless outbursts. Continuing to make excuses for

her husband, Lady Macbeth sends the alarmed guests out of the room as the ghost vanishes again.

Macbeth mutters that “blood will have blood” and tells Lady Macbeth that he has heard from a

servant-spy that Macduff intends to keep away from court, behaviour that verges on treason. He

says that he will visit the witches again tomorrow in the hopes of learning more about the future and

about who may be plotting against him. He resolves to do whatever is necessary to keep his throne.

Lady Macbeth says that he needs sleep, and they retire to their bed.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “never shake // Thy gory locks at me.” – Macbeth

speaks aggressively to Banquo’s ghost.

Lady Macbeth: “Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus” –

Lady Macbeth calmly takes control and tries to explain away Macbeth’s strange behaviour.

Lady Macbeth: “Fie, for shame!” – Like earlier in the play Lady Macbeth

tells her husband that he should be ashamed of himself.

Macbeth: “Avaunt! and quit my sight!” – again, Macbeth commands

the ghost and these emotional outbursts are very alarming for his guests.

Lady Macbeth: “go at once.” – Controlling the situation again, Lady Macbeth

commands the guests to leave before they witness any more strange behaviour from their

king.

Macbeth: “I am in blood // Stepp'd in so far that, should I

wade no more, // Returning were as tedious as go o'er” –

Macbeth acknowledges that he is so guilty now, that it is easier to continue to be bad, than

to try to make up for his terrible crimes.

Act Three; Scene Five:

Upon the stormy heath, the witches meet with Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. Hecate

scolds them for meddling in the business of Macbeth without consulting her but declares

that she will take over as supervisor of the mischief. She says that when Macbeth comes the

next day, as they know he will, they must summon visions and spirits whose messages will

fill him with a false sense of security and “draw him on to his confusion”. Hecate vanishes,

and the witches go to prepare their charms.

Act Three; Scene Six:

That night, somewhere in Scotland, Lennox walks with another lord, discussing what has

happened to the kingdom. Banquo’s murder has been officially blamed on Fleance, who has

fled. Nevertheless, both men suspect Macbeth, whom they call a “tyrant,” in the murders of

Duncan and Banquo. The lord tells Lennox that Macduff has gone to England, where he will

join Malcolm in pleading with England’s King Edward for aid. News of these plots has

prompted Macbeth to prepare for war. Lennox and the lord express their hope that

Malcolm and Macduff will be successful and that their actions can save Scotland from

Macbeth.

Act Four; Scene One:

In a dark cavern, a bubbling cauldron hisses and spits, and the three witches suddenly

appear onstage. They circle the cauldron, chanting spells and adding bizarre ingredients to

their stew. Hecate materializes and compliments the witches on their work. In fulfilment of

the witch’s prediction, Macbeth enters. He asks the witches to reveal the truth of their

prophecies to him. To answer his questions, they summon horrible apparitions, each of

which offers a prediction to allay Macbeth’s fears.

First, a floating head warns him to beware Macduff; Macbeth says that he has already

guessed as much. Then a bloody child appears and tells him that “none of woman born /

shall harm Macbeth”. Next, a crowned child holding a tree tells him that he is safe until

Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Finally, a procession of eight crowned kings walks

by, the last carrying a mirror. Banquo’s ghost walks at the end of the line. Macbeth demands

to know the meaning of this final vision, but the witches perform a mad dance and then

vanish. Lennox enters and tells Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth decides

to send murderers to capture Macduff’s castle and to kill Macduff’s wife and children.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Second Witch: “By the pricking of my thumbs, // Something

wicked this way comes.” – the fact that Shakespeare makes the evil witches

describe Macbeth as “wicked”, emphasises just how despicable he is.

Macbeth: “answer me” – Macbeth uses imperatives – he has the confidence to

make demands of the witches. He repeats this later.

First Apparition: “beware Macduff”

Second Apparition: “none of woman born // Shall harm

Macbeth.”

Third Apparition: “Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until

//Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill // Shall come

against him.”

Act Four; Scene 2:

At Macduff’s castle, Lady Macduff accosts Ross, demanding to know why her husband has

fled. She feels betrayed. Ross insists that she trust her husband’s judgment and then

regretfully departs. Once he is gone, Lady Macduff tells her son that his father is dead, but

the little boy perceptively argues that he is not. Suddenly, a messenger hurries in, warning

Lady Macduff that she is in danger and urging her to flee. Lady Macduff protests, arguing

that she has done no wrong. A group of murderers then enters. When one of them speaks

badly of Macduff, Macduff’s son calls the murderer a liar, and the murderer stabs him. Lady

Macduff turns and runs, and the pack of killers chases after her.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Lady Macduff: “will fight, // Her young ones in her nest,

against the owl.” - Shakespeare creates a contrast between Lady Macduff and Lady

Macbeth. He uses animal imagery in her dialogue, where she says how she will try to

protect her children. This contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s “I have given suck…” speech.

Ross: “He is noble, wise, judicious,” – Shakespeare is reminding the

audience through Ross that Macduff is an honourable man, so the audience will be behind

him.

Act Four; Scene Three:

Outside King Edward’s palace, Malcolm speaks with Macduff, telling him that he does not

trust him since he has left his family in Scotland and may be secretly working for Macbeth.

To determine whether Macduff is trustworthy, Malcolm rambles on about his own vices. He

admits that he wonders whether he is fit to be king, since he claims to be lustful, greedy,

and violent. At first, Macduff politely disagrees with his future king, but eventually Macduff

cannot keep himself from crying out, “O Scotland, Scotland!”. Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland

leads him to agree that Malcolm is not fit to govern Scotland and perhaps not even to live.

In giving voice to his true feelings about Malcolm, Macduff has passed Malcolm’s test of

loyalty. Malcolm then retracts the lies he has put forth about his supposed shortcomings

and embraces Macduff as an ally. A doctor appears briefly and mentions that a “crew of

wretched souls” waits for King Edward so they may be cured. When the doctor leaves,

Malcolm explains to Macduff that King Edward has a miraculous power to cure disease.

Ross enters. He has just arrived from Scotland, and tells Macduff that his wife and children

are well. He urges Malcolm to return to his country, listing the woes that have befallen

Scotland since Macbeth took the crown. Malcolm says that he will return with ten thousand

soldiers lent him by the English king. Then, breaking down, Ross confesses to Macduff that

Macbeth has murdered his wife and children. Macduff is crushed with grief. Malcolm urges

him to turn his grief to anger, and Macduff assures him that he will inflict revenge upon

Macbeth.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Malcolm: “black Macbeth” – links to Shakespeare’s theme of light and

darkness, where black

Malcolm: “Devilish Macbeth”

Ross: “your wife and babes // Savagely slaughter'd” – Ross breaks

the news to Macduff that his family has been murdered. The alliteration helps to emphasise

the hideous nature of Macbeth’s crimes.

Macduff: “I could play the woman with mine eyes” – Macduff

wants to cry but recognises that this is a female trait that he should not show. Links to the

gender expectations of the time.

Malcolm: “Macbeth // Is ripe for shaking” – Shakespeare uses imagery

of nature to suggest that Macbeth is now in a vulnerable position to fall from power. (Like a

ripe fruit falls from a tree)

Act Five; Scene One:

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.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Doctor: “Look, how she rubs her hands.” – In her madness, Lady

Macbeth believes that her hands are covered in blood.

Lady Macbeth: “Out, damned spot!” – She refers to the spots of blood that

she thinks she can see on her hands. The exclamation highlights her lack of control.

Lady Macbeth: “will these hands ne'er be clean?” – The blood

symbolises her guilt; the fact that she can keep seeing it, shows that her conscience can

never be clear.

Lady Macbeth: “all the // perfumes of Arabia will not

sweeten this little // hand.” – Her language here is very feminine and far more

like the language you would expect to see from a woman at the time.

Act Five; Scene Two:

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.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Caithness: “Some say he's mad” – this is how people feel about Macbeth

Act Five; Scene Three:

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 and since he will rule securely “[t]ill Birnam Wood remove to

Dunsinane”. He calls his servant Seyton, who confirms that an army of ten thousand

Englishmen approaches the castle. Macbeth insists upon wearing his armour, 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.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd” – he

has no intention of backing down.

Macbeth: “Cure her of that.” – Macbeth demands the doctor to cure his wife.

He is so full of self-importance that he thinks he can get anyone to do anything just by giving

an order.

Act Five; Scene Four:

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.

Act Five; Scene Five:

Within the castle, Macbeth blusteringly orders that banners be hung and boasts that his

castle will repel the enemy. A woman’s cry is heard, and Seyton appears to tell Macbeth

that the queen is dead. Shocked, Macbeth speaks numbly about the passage of time and

declares famously that life is “a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying

nothing”. A messenger enters with astonishing news: the trees of Birnam Wood are

advancing toward Dunsinane. Enraged and terrified, Macbeth recalls the prophecy that said

he could not die till Birnam Wood moved to Dunsinane. Resignedly, he declares that he is

tired of the sun and that at least he will die fighting.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macbeth: “I have almost forgot the taste of fears;” – With his

many sins, Macbeth has almost forgotten how to feel fear; this is a huge contrast from the

start of the play.

Messenger: “The wood began to move.” – the army have camouflaged

themselves with branches from the woods and as they move, it looks as though the wood

itself is moving.

Macbeth: “I gin to be aweary of the sun,” – Macbeth is losing hope and

beginning to realise that the witches have tricked him.

Act Five; Scene Six:

Outside the castle, the battle commences. Malcolm orders the English soldiers to throw

down their boughs and draw their swords.

Act Five; Scene Seven:

On the battlefield, Macbeth strikes those around him vigorously, insolent because no man

born of woman can harm him. He slays Lord Siward’s son and disappears in the fray.

Macduff emerges and searches the chaos frantically for Macbeth, whom he longs to cut

down personally. He dives again into the battle. Malcolm and Siward emerge and enter the

castle.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Young Siward: “The devil himself could not pronounce a title

// More hateful to mine ear.” – As was suggested when Macbeth revisited

the witches in Act Four, Shakespeare appears to be alluding to the fact that Macbeth is more

evil than the witches and the devil.

Act Five; Scene Eight:

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Macbeth at last encounters Macduff. They fight, and when

Macbeth insists that he is invincible because of the witches’ prophecy, Macduff tells

Macbeth that he was not of woman born, but rather “from his mother’s womb / Untimely

ripped”. Macbeth suddenly fears for his life, but he declares that he will not surrender. They

exit fighting.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Macduff: “Macduff was from his mother's womb // Untimely

ripp'd.” – Macbeth discovers that Macduff was born by caesarean which was unusual

and may have been considered unnatural at the item (not of ‘woman born’)

Act Five; Scene Nine:

Malcolm and Siward walk together in the castle, which they have now effectively captured.

Ross tells Siward that his son is dead. Macduff emerges with Macbeth’s head in his hand and

proclaims Malcolm King of Scotland. Malcolm declares that all his thanes will be made earls,

according to the English system of peerage. They will be the first such lords in Scottish

history. Cursing Macbeth and his “fiend-like” queen, Malcolm calls all those around him his

friends and invites them all to see him crowned at Scone.

QUOTES TO LEARN:

Stage Direction: “Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's

head” – the audience find out that Macbeth has been defeated VISUALLY by seeing his

head in Macduff’s hand. This creates real drama.

Malcolm: “this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,” –

beautifully sums up how the people viewed the Macbeths towards the end of his reign.