Act V of Macbeth - Summary & Key Quotes:

Act V, Scene 1: In Macbeth’s castle, a doctor and a gentlewoman discuss Lady

Macbeth’s strange behaviour. She has been sleepwalking and revealing her guilt. As
they watch, Lady Macbeth enters, rubbing her hands as if trying to wash them clean.
She speaks about the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and Lady Macduff, revealing her
deep-seated guilt and madness.

 Key Quotes:

o "Out, damned spot! out, I say!" (Lady Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1) – Lady
Macbeth tries to wash away imaginary bloodstains, a symbol of her
overwhelming guilt.

o "What’s done cannot be undone." (Lady Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1) – She

expresses regret, realizing that the consequences of their actions are
irreversible.

 Analysis:

o Lady Macbeth’s mental breakdown contrasts with her earlier confidence

and ruthlessness. Her obsession with washing her hands symbolizes her
inability to cleanse herself of the guilt associated with her and Macbeth’s
crimes. This scene reflects the theme of guilt and its destructive power, as
Lady Macbeth, who once manipulated her husband into murder, is now
consumed by the psychological consequences of those acts.

Act V, Scene 2: Scottish forces, led by noblemen including Angus, Lennox, and
Caithness, gather to confront Macbeth. They discuss how Macbeth is fortifying his
castle at Dunsinane but is losing the support of his followers, who now see him as a
tyrant. The army marches toward Birnam Wood.

 Key Quote:

o "Now does he feel his title / Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe /
Upon a dwarfish thief." (Angus, Act 5, Scene 2) – Macbeth is no longer
seen as a legitimate ruler but as someone who is unfit for the power he
holds.

 Analysis:

o This scene shows how Macbeth’s power is slipping away. His soldiers no
longer fight out of loyalty but out of fear. The comparison of Macbeth’s
title to ill-fitting clothing underscores his inability to handle the kingship,
which he obtained through illegitimate means. The theme of leadership
and legitimacy is prominent, as Macbeth is contrasted with Malcolm, the
rightful heir.
Act V, Scene 3: At Dunsinane, Macbeth tries to reassure himself with the witches’
prophecies, believing he is invincible. However, he is also deeply troubled by Lady
Macbeth’s deteriorating mental state. He demands that the doctor cure her, but the
doctor admits there is no remedy for her condition. Macbeth prepares for battle, still
clinging to the prophecies.

 Key Quotes:

o "I will not be afraid of death and bane, / Till Birnam Forest come to
Dunsinane." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 3) – Macbeth is still confident in the
apparitions’ words, believing he is invulnerable.

o "Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, / Pluck from the memory a
rooted sorrow?" (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 3) – Macbeth wants the doctor to
cure Lady Macbeth’s madness, reflecting his desperation as he loses
control over his life.

 Analysis:

o Macbeth’s overconfidence, based on his interpretation of the witches’

prophecies, blinds him to the reality of his situation. His insistence that
the doctor cure Lady Macbeth reveals his frustration with his inability to
control everything around him. The scene highlights the themes of power
and madness, showing how Macbeth’s mental state is becoming as fragile
as his wife’s.

Act V, Scene 4: Malcolm’s army, hiding in Birnam Wood, cuts down branches to use
as camouflage. This fulfils the witches’ prophecy that Birnam Wood would come to
Dunsinane. Malcolm, Macduff, and the army prepare to attack.

 Key Quote:

o "Let every soldier hew him down a bough, / And bear't before him."
(Malcolm, Act 5, Scene 4) – This tactic makes it seem as if the forest is
moving toward Macbeth’s castle, signalling the fulfilment of the prophecy.

 Analysis:

o The moving wood symbolizes the inevitability of Macbeth’s downfall. His

misinterpretation of the prophecy, combined with the clever strategy of
Malcolm’s forces, brings him closer to defeat. This scene illustrates the
theme of fate and how Macbeth’s belief in the witches’ words leads to his
undoing.
Act V, Scene 5: Inside Dunsinane, Macbeth learns that Lady Macbeth has died,
possibly by suicide. He reacts with weary indifference, expressing the futility of life.
Soon after, a messenger informs him that Birnam Wood appears to be moving toward
the castle. Realizing the witches’ prophecy is coming true, Macbeth prepares for
battle, but his confidence begins to crack.

 Key Quotes:

o "She should have died hereafter; / There would have been a time for such
a word." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5) – Macbeth reacts coldly to Lady
Macbeth’s death, showing his emotional numbness.

o "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour
upon the stage, / And then is heard no more." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5) –
Macbeth reflects on the meaningless and brevity of life, expressing
nihilism and despair.

o "I 'gin to be aweary of the sun." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5) – Macbeth is

tired of life, showing his growing acceptance of death.

 Analysis:

o Lady Macbeth’s death marks the final collapse of Macbeth’s personal life.
His reaction reveals the deep sense of hopelessness that has overtaken
him. The speech about life being a “walking shadow” is one of the most
famous in the play, encapsulating Macbeth’s existential despair. The
theme of fate comes full circle as Macbeth realizes he has misunderstood
the prophecies, but it is too late to avoid his downfall.

Act V, Scene 6: Malcolm and his army reach Dunsinane and prepare to attack.

 Key Quote:

o This scene is primarily focused on the military preparations for the final
confrontation and contains little dialogue of thematic importance.

 Analysis:

o The army’s approach signals the beginning of the end for Macbeth, who is
now isolated and doomed. This scene builds tension as Malcolm's forces
close in on the tyrant.
Act V, Scene 7: The battle rages outside Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth fights fiercely,
clinging to the witches’ prophecy that no man born of a woman can kill him. He kills
young Siward, but continues to fight with a sense of inevitability.

 Key Quote:

o "They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, / But, bear-like, I must fight
the course." (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 7) – Macbeth compares himself to a
bear tied up for baiting, showing his awareness of his trapped, desperate
situation.

 Analysis:

o Macbeth is still trying to defy fate, but his desperation is evident. His
brutal killing of young Siward shows that he still possesses physical
strength, but he is now fighting more out of pride than any real hope of
survival.

Act V, Scene 8: Macduff confronts Macbeth and reveals that he was not “born of a
woman” in the traditional sense, but was delivered by caesarean section. Macbeth
realizes the prophecy has been fulfilled in a way he did not expect. Despite knowing
he is doomed, Macbeth refuses to surrender and fights to the death. Macduff kills him.
Malcolm is declared king, and peace is restored to Scotland.

 Key Quotes:

o "Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb / Untimely ripped."
(Macduff, Act 5, Scene 8) – Macduff reveals the truth that makes him the
exception to the witches’ prophecy.

o "Hail, King! for so thou art." (Macduff, Act 5, Scene 8) – Malcolm is hailed
as the new king, restoring order to Scotland.

 Analysis:

o Macbeth’s final realization that the prophecies were twisted and deceptive
is the ultimate irony. His belief in his invincibility led him to take
increasingly reckless actions, but in the end, he could not escape fate.
Macduff, representing justice and loyalty, avenges his family and brings
Macbeth’s tyranny to an end. Malcolm’s crowning marks the restoration of
the natural order, as the rightful heir takes the throne.
Key Themes in Act V:

 Guilt and Madness: Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene is a powerful

demonstration of the impact of guilt. Her earlier strength crumbles under the
weight of her conscience, and her madness is a result of the psychological
burden she can no longer bear.

 Fate vs. Free Will: Macbeth’s belief in the witches’ prophecies leads him to
make destructive choices, but his fate is sealed by his own actions. The
prophecies come true in unexpected ways, showing that Macbeth’s attempts to
control his destiny only hastened his downfall.

 Ambition and Destruction: Macbeth’s unchecked ambition led to his rise, but
it also causes his destruction. By the end of the play, Macbeth is a hollow figure,
consumed by his own aspirations, which ultimately bring about his death.

 Restoration of Order: Malcolm’s ascension to the throne restores the rightful

order to Scotland, emphasizing the theme of legitimate rule versus tyranny.
Macbeth’s death marks the end of the chaos he created.

Act V brings all the major themes of the play to a head, concluding with Macbeth's
defeat and the restoration of peace. Macbeth’s tragic flaw—his overreaching ambition
—leads to his destruction, while Malcolm’s coronation reestablishes moral and political
order.