Warm-up – write and share a response Macbeth Reading 10 Date: Objectives Read Macbeth Act 5 scene 5-9 Understand what’s going on in the story. Mark important quotes and complete exercises. Warm-up – write and share a response Is it hard to admit you were wrong about something? Why? Can you give any examples?

Today’s Reading Act 5, Scene 5, (3 minutes) Macbeth hides in his castle, slowly becoming aware how much trouble he is in. Act 5, Scene 6, (1 minutes) Malcolm orders the first wave to attack the castle. He shall be in the second wave. Act 5, Scene 7 (2 min) Macbeth fights, still clinging to the ‘no man born of a woman can hurt him’ prophecy. Act 5, Scene 8 (2 min) Macbeth and Macduff do battle. Scene 9 (3 min) – We examine the results of the battle. Audiobooks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vnsRqRA2vo Starts at 12.00

Notes – Act 5 Scene 5 Just as Malcolm had predicted, Macbeth decides to stay in his castle and try to outlast the opposing army. Macbeth hopes that they will die of hunger and disease if he can defend long enough. He wishes he had more soldiers to meet Malcolm on the field of battle but they have deserted him. Seyton enters and tells Macbeth that Lady Macbeth has committed suicide. This devastates Macbeth, who sees no point in anything anymore. One of the most famous quotes in the play is then about life: “It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing”. (Act 5, scene 5) News that Birnam wood is approaching the castle shocks and depresses Macbeth further, who wishes to die fighting now.

Notes – Act 5 Scene 6 and 7 Scene 6 shows Malcolm leading the army. He sends Seyward and Young Seyward (his son) to charge the castle first. He and Macduff shall then follow. In scene 7, Macbeth has no option now but to fight but he takes comfort in the witches prophecies still. Macbeth defeats the younger soldier which boosts his confidence further. Macduff hunts for Macbeth. He is so obsessed with Macbeth that he ignores all other enemies. He wants vengeance for his family and refuses to fight the mercenaries before him. Seyward (old) reports to Malcolm about the battle. Macbeth’s troops are surrendering without much of a fight because they are not loyal to him. Victory is assured.

Notes – Act 5 Scene 8 Macbeth considers suicide, as Roman generals would do if they lost a battle, but immediately refuses to do so. He still sees other people he would rather hurt than himself. Macduff enters and finds Macbeth, who remembers that he ordered Macduff’s family killed. Macbeth starts the fight full of confidence but this is lost when Macduff reveals that he was prematurely delivered by Caesarean section (C.section) Macbeth admits his bravery is gone, that he will no longer think about the witches and their prophecies and he tries to stop the fight. Macduff calls him a coward however and says that they will parade him around for everyone to see. Macbeth fights bravely to the end then and dies.

Notes – Act 5 Scene 9 Few of Malcolm's soldiers died but Young Seyward was one of them. Ross and Malcolm try to console his father by telling him his son fought with honour and bravery. Seyward is happy however that Young Seyward’s wounds were in his front; meaning that he faced his enemy head on. He feels his son died like a man and therefore there is nothing to be sad about. Macduff enters with Macbeth’s severed head and asks the thanes to recognise Malcolm as the new king. Malcolm’s first act is to reward the thanes with titles and honours (much as his father did at the start of the play). He makes them ‘earls’ though and they become the first noblemen of Scotland. There is the sense that things might repeat themselves and that one of these noblemen may one day try to overthrow Malcolm.

Time for Reflection - pair work Write down the quote below and what you think about it. “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, Act 5, Scene 5) “Write and perform a scenario / story about the following, based on what happened in the play but about yourself. The time for you to be punished for your misdeeds has come and one of the people affected by your actions is the person to tell you this. You are confident that you will avoid all punishment but then the person in front of you says something to take all that confidence away. They celebrate that you are getting what you deserve.

Cooldown What do you think would have happened to Macbeth if he had surrendered? Do you think this is why he chose to fight, knowing Macduff would beat him?