scene i: sleepwalking scene

• This scene reveals Lady Macbeth as she really is behind the false face.

• As strong as she was, she is not able to bear the burden of what has happened.

Purposes of sleepwalking scene:

Reveals breakdown of her character

Prepares audience for her deathCreates pity for her

Lady Macbeth considers three events during her

sleepwalking:

Duncan’s murderThe banquet sceneMacduff massacre

Scene ii: expository material given

England ScotlandMalcolm MenteithMacduff Angus

Siward Caithness Lennox Ross

These men will join forces at Birnam Wood.

scene iii: purposes

Reveals Macbeth’s faith in the apparitions

Show his frequent change of mood

“I am sick at heart. . .which the poor heart would fain

deny.”

• Macbeth loses heart• Creates some

sympathy• Remorseful about his

way of life

Macbeth demonstrates a hysterical tone when he speaks with the doctor while showing impatience with Seyton.

scene iv

•Forces have merged at Birnam Wood

•Equivocal meaning of apparition is revealed

• Macbeth takes refuge and waits for the attack. He is forced by the deserters to stay within the castle walls.

scene v: soliloquy

“I have almost forgot the taste of fears….”

Macbeth regrets that he has

become so brutal that the cries of women do not move him.

“She should have died hereafter….”

Macbeth’s final commentary on life:

“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time,”

• The future promises monotonous repetition. . .

•The past merely illustrates death’s power.

“And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death.”

“Out, out, brief candle! “

•He wishes his life were over quickly.

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more:

•Life is meaningless and short.

. . . it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

•His life has meant nothing; his actions have all been futile.

“I ‘gin to be aweary of the I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun, /sun, /And wish the estate o’ th’ And wish the estate o’ th’ world were undone.”world were undone.”

•Macbeth is tired and ready to end it all.

•He regrets what has happened.

scene vi

scene vii

•The death of young Siward encourages Macbeth.

•He clings to the message that he need not fear any man born of woman.

•Macbeth’s men have surrendered the castle.

scene viii

•Macbeth has tried to avoid Macduff: he feels the guilt sorely now.

•Macduff reveals the equivocal meaning of the message: he was “from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.”

• Siward learns of his son’s death and reacts only with pride that his son dies a soldier’s death.

• Malcolm shows more compassion for the loss.

Macduff presents Macbeth’s head to Malcolm and hails him

as king.

1. Changes “thanes” to “earls” to honor the English

2. Invites exiles to return3. Invites everyone to the

coronation

Malcolm’s first actions as king of Scotland: