1. Macbeth ACT V
NOtes

2. Macbeth Act V, scene i
A servant and doctor witness Lady Macbeth sleep walking. While asleep Lady Macbeth tries to wash the blood from her hands, talks of Duncan’s murder, Banquo’s ghost, and MacDuff’s murdered wife.
The scene demonstrates the remorse that is driving Lady Macbeth crazy.

3. ACT V, scene ii
The nobles who should be loyal to Macbeth have changed sides and march to Birnam Wood to meet Malcolm and his army.

4. ACT V, scene iii
Macbeth is confident Malcolm can not hurt him because Malcolm was born of woman.
He is acting angry and irrational.
When the doctor reports Lady Macbeth’s “illness,” Macbeth does not seem concerned.
Macbeth seems to understand that he is facing the consequences of his actions, but vows to die fighting.

5. ACT V, scene iv
Malcolm, Siward, Macduff, Young Siward and their army meet in Birnam Wood.
Malcolm commands the soldiers to cut down branches from the trees and hold them up in the front lines of the army to mask their numbers.
Birnam Wood is marching to Dunsinane Castle.

6. ACT V, scene v Macbeth is preparing for war.
Lady Macbeth kills herself and when Macbeth hears news of it, he speaks of how short life is and how useless…
Macbeth finds out that Birnam Wood is coming to the castle.
He hangs onto the prophesy that no man “of woman born” can hurt him and rushes into battle.

7. ACT V, scene vi-vii
Malcolm’s army has reached the castle and prepares to attack.
In scene vii, Macbeth is on the battlefield. He fights with Young Siward and kills him.
Malcolm’s army breaches the castle.

8. ACT V, scene viii MacDuff finds Macbeth on the battlefield.
Macbeth doesn’t want to fight MacDuff because he has already spilled so much of MacDuff’s family’s blood already.
When Macbeth tells MacDuff of the prophesy protecting him, MacDuff reveals that his mother died before he was born and he was taken from her body via C-section.
They fight and MacDuff kills Macbeth and beheads him.
Siward laments his son’s death, but calls him a hero for dying on the battlefield.
Malcolm claims the throne.