Macbeth Act V
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 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.” Macbeth Speaker ____________________ Explanation _______________________________________________ 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.” Macbeth Speaker _________________________________________________ Explanation ______________________________________________ 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 29MEMORIZE 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.” Macbeth Speaker___________________________________________________ People live and try to make meaning of their Explanation_______________________________________________ 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.” Macbeth Speaker __________________________________________________ Explanation _______________________________________________ Because he has killed his family he didn’t want to fight him. “Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff!” Macbeth Speaker __________________________________________________ Explanation_______________________________________________ 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? She has a guilty conscience. “…Unnatural deeds do breed __________________________________________________________ _unnatural troubles.” (lines 61-62) In Scene 2, what opinion of Macbeth do the Scottish lords now They sayhold? he is mad, greedy, and a murderer. __________________________________________________________ _ Study Guide Questions 3-4 Describe HOW and WHY Lady Macbeth dies. Lady Macbeth dies because of her guilt. The popular __________________________________________________________ opinion is she killed herself. OR She may have slept walked off the balcony. 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? 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. Study Guide Questions 5-6 In Scene 5, Macbeth describes changes in his own personality. What are those changes? He no longer feels fear and his conscience has hardened __________________________________________________________ with his murderous thoughts and deeds. 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? walking shadow,” “a poor player,” and “a tale told by “A __________________________________________________________ an _ idiot” which all refer to life. This relates to the theme of false appearance within his character. Study Guide Questions 7-8 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. ________________________________________________________ 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). At the end of the play, what has become of Macbeth? Macbeth dies by Macduff’s sword. __________________________________________________________ Act V What does Lady Macbeth do while walking in her sleep? __________________________________________________________ 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!” What does Macbeth do when he learns of the invading English soldiers? __________________________________________________________ He disregards the danger because he doesn’t know Birnam Wood has marched. it is What is the doctor’s response to Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking? He says she has a guilty conscience. ___________________________________________________________ Act V continued … How does Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane Hill? The soldiers have camouflaged themselves by hiding __________________________________________________________ _behind Birnam wood. When he hears of Lady Macbeth’s death, how does Macbeth respond? She would have died after the battle anyway and life has little meaning anyway. __________________________________________________________ _ When Macbeth learns that Birnam Wood seems to be moving toward Dunsinane, hewitches beginshave to suspect He begins to believe that the played something about the witches. What is it? 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. True or False What was unusual about Macduff’s birth? He was born via caesarean birth. __________________________________________________________ _ Once Macbeth hears about Macduff’s birth and Macduff aggressively pursues Macbeth, what does Macbeth decide to do?and fights Macduff. Macbeth goes ahead __________________________________________________________ _ Act V continued … What does Macduff do at the end of the play? __________________________________________________________ Macbeth dies and gets his head cut off. _ Why does the gentlewoman in Scene 1 refuse to repeat Lady Macbeth’s sleep-talk to the Because there are no witnesses todoctor? confirm her story. __________________________________________________________ _ Study Questions 1-3 How does Macbeth try to reassure himself? Macbeth tries to reassure himself by remembering the __________________________________________________________ _witches prophesies. As Macbeth’s anxiety grows, what does he command theMacbeth doctor to do? 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? Macbeth kills Macduff’s family. __________________________________________________________ _ What reward will be given to those who were loyal to Scotland’s new lawful king? The thanes andand 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? The Gentlewoman. __________________________________________________________ Who reveals that Lady Macbeth is dead? Seyton. __________________________________________________________ Who reveals that Birnam Wood is approaching the castle? A messenger. __________________________________________________________ _ Study Questions 10-11 Who is Scotland’s new and lawful king? Malcolm __________________________________________________________ Who is the thane of Fife? Macduff is the thane of Fife. __________________________________________________________ Act V - Quiz Act V Quiz C ____ 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 Act V Quiz continued … D 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 Act V Quiz continued … 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” Act V Quiz continued … B 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 Act V Quiz continued … A 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 Act V Quiz continued … C 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 Act V Quiz continued … D 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 Act V Quiz continued … 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 Act V Quiz continued … A 9. All of the following images occur repeatedly in the ____ play except a. eggs b. daggers c. woods d. children Act V Quiz continued … C 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 . . .” Act V Quiz continued … B 11. reveals murders of Lady Macduff ____ a. Seyton and the King b. Lady Macbeth D 12. reveals that Lady Macbeth has ____ c. the Messenger hallucinations d. the Doctor A 13. reveals that Lady Macbeth is dead e. Malcolm ____ C 14. reveals that Birnam Wood is approaching ____ the castle ____ 15. reveals that his supporters will be made E Earls Act V Quiz continued … 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: •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. • Young Siward dies a noble death; he is slain while fighting and is an admired, fearless Soldier. •Macduff slays Macbeth in the field after revealing that he, Macduff, was “untimely” taken from his mother’s womb.
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