Act V

Scene i

A doctor and a gentlewoman discuss Lady Macbeth's ill health, and then witness the Lady's strange behaviour, which includes sleepwalking and an imagined inability to wash her hands thoroughly.

Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth's deranged episode to emphasise the self-destructive consequences of her ambition. Her previous strength now dissipates into madness and guilt - she feels unable to wash her victim's blood off her hands, a commonly used metaphor for guilt.

Scene ii

Some Scottish noblemen meet on their way to join Malcolm, Macduff and the English army. They exchange information, including that Macbeth has fortified Dunsinane and that the people he commands are only following orders, rather than doing things out of loyalty to him. They make their way to Birnam Wood.

This short scene depicts increasing dissent against Macbeth and refers to two places that the third apparition mentioned: Birnam Wood and Dunsinane. Shakespeare plays with dramatic irony here.

Scene iii

Macbeth defaults (returns in desperation) to the information from the apparitions to reassure himself against the impending attack. A servant enters to give news about the combined army. Macbeth asks after his wife and the doctor says she is not physically ill but mentally ill. Macbeth thinks the doctor has not thoroughly examined her, therefore cannot find the right cure. The doctor's last words to himself express his wish to leave the castle and never return.

Macbeth remains buoyed with false confidence although the enemy army approaches with a strong force. His comments about his wife's health seem callous and dismissive. The doctor's remarks seem to echo the sentiment of the noblemen in the previous scene, that people are following orders rather than serving Macbeth of their own accord.

Scene iv

The troops gather at Birnam Wood. Malcolm commands each soldier to cut a branch from the wood to hide their numbers. They march towards Dunsinane Castle.

Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, as the third apparition foretold. Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony in such a short scene heightens the narrative tension. It also shows how Macbeth has been fooled by the apparition's equivocation; Macbeth thought of a literal forest moving so his interpretation gave him a false sense of security.

Scene v

Macbeth expresses his confidence that the battle will be won. His officer, Seyton, informs him of Lady Macbeth's death. Macbeth reflects briefly on her and the meaninglessness of life now that he has lost everything and his castle is under siege. A servant reports that he sees trees moving toward the castle. Macbeth realises that the apparition's prophecy has come true, which gives him renewed, though fatalistic, courage.

Macbeth's confidence begins to falter when he hears of Lady Macbeth's death. Despite Lady Macbeth's recent descent into madness, Macbeth seems to miss her previous strength. He laments that he does not have time to mourn her and poignantly notes that life is now brief and irrelevant. Here the audience sees how much he has lost to his blind ambition: he now has no wife and no heir, and is soon to lose his kingdom. After this realisation, the audience sees shades of nobility, the old Macbeth, when he resolves to fight fate.

Scene vi

Malcolm's army throw away their branches and the fight begins.

Scene vii

Macbeth fights young Siward, the Earl of Northumberland's son, and kills him. Macduff chases Macbeth, who retreats into the castle. Macbeth's army surrenders.

Scene viii

Macbeth considers and rejects the idea of suicide. Macduff finds Macbeth and they fight. Macbeth repeats the second apparition's prophecy and Macduff tells him that he was born via caesarean. Macbeth realises he has been fooled by the ambiguity of the prophecy but refuses to yield to Macduff. They continue to fight. Macduff kills Macbeth.

Shakespeare uses his last piece of dramatic irony by having the first and second prophecy undo Macbeth by Macduff's hand. The audience understands Macbeth's despotism, but can also admire his pride in his refusal to take the easy way out and surrender.

Scene ix

Siward views his son's death as a valiant one. Macduff joins the party with Macbeth's head and hails Malcolm as the rightful claimant to the throne. Malcolm accepts the role by promoting the noblemen and outlining some of the things he will do, including recalling those who have left the country in fleeing Macbeth's tyranny. They go to Scone for Malcolm's coronation.

Shakespeare uses the result from the battle in favour of the rightful ruler to symbolise the restoration of order.