act five Flashcards
1
Q
summary
A
- The action of the play speeds up dramatically in this act and lots of loose ends are tied up. Guilt has taken its toll of Lady Macbeth who has begun sleepwalking and trying to rub stains from her hands. The doctor is unable to help her.
- Malcolm and a group of Scottish Lords are outside Macbeth’s castle waiting for English troops to bolster their army. In an attempt to disguise numbers, each man cuts down a branch and plans to march towards the castle with a branch in front of them.
- Lady Macbeth, at her wits end, kills herself, but Macbeth seems numb to the news, focusing more on the imminent attack from Malcolm. He believes the prophecy and still feels safe in the knowledge that he cannot be harmed by any man born a woman. Macbeth finally encounters Macduff and learns he was born a Cesarean section. They leave the stage fighting. In the final scene, Macduff leaves the castle carrying the severed head of Macbeth, a clear statement that he has defeated the tyrant- this marks the downfall of Maceth and is the first step in restoring the natural order.
