Act 5

Question 1

Summary

Answer 1

Lady M goes insane, talking in her sleep of the murders she and her husband have committed, and constantly tries to wash her hands. Macduff is told of the slaughter of his family, and vows revenge, riding to support Malcolm, who has raised an army to take the throne from the tyrant Macbeth. While in Birnam wood, the army camouflage themselves using leaves etc.
M receives news that Lady M has killed herself, and laments on the futility of life, before then becoming nervous that Birnam wood approaches Dunsinane - in fulfilment of the prophecy.
Macduff reveals he was born of a caesarean section, and then kills and beheads M

Question 2

S1 “Out…”

Answer 2

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say! […] The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands ne’er be clean? […] all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”(Lady M going insane)

Question 3

S1 “To bed…”

Answer 3

“To bed, to bed; there’s knocking at the gate. Come, come, come, come, give me your hand; what’s done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.” (Lady M going insane, mirrors Act 2 S2’s sleep motif, where she tells M to retire/go to bed)

Question 4

S1 “Unnatural deeds…”

Answer 4

“Unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles […] God, God forgive us all.” (Doctor seeing Lady M’s state, talks more of Chain of Being being broken, how none of this is natural, pleads to God for forgiveness)

Question 5

S3 “I have liv’d long enough…”

Answer 5

“I have liv’d long enough. My way of life
Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf […]
Honour, love, obedience, troops of friends
I must not look to have; but in their stead,
Curses, not loud but deep” (M realising he’s done for, but that he’s brought it on himself and he must continue)

Question 6

S5 “She should have died hereafter…”

Answer 6

“She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow and tomorrow, and tomorrow
creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our 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.” (M after hearing of Lady M’s suicide, depression and nihilism www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGbZCgHQ9m8 - well worth a watch for some analysis)