Summary
Highlights
The battle concludes with Malcolm's victory. Macduff presents Macbeth's head to Malcolm, who is then hailed as the new king of Scotland. Malcolm delivers a speech, honoring those who fought for him and outlining his intentions to restore Scotland, contrasting his noble leadership with Macbeth's tyranny. He describes Macbeth as a "dead Butcher" and Lady Macbeth as his "fiend-like Queen," highlighting their brutal reign and evil nature. The play concludes with Malcolm inviting everyone to his coronation at Scone, emphasizing the tragic downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as a warning against betrayal and dabbling with dark powers.
Lady Macbeth is observed sleepwalking by a doctor and a gentlewoman. She exhibits disturbing behavior, hallucinating blood on her hands and recalling the murders of Duncan, Lady Macduff, and Banquo. Her famous line, "Out, damned spot!" reveals her guilt and connects to the play's motif of blood and the theme of guilt. This scene dramatically contrasts with her earlier confidence and reveals her descent into madness, caused by her inability to cope emotionally with her crimes.
Scottish Lords, including Angus and Lennox, discuss the approaching English army led by Malcolm. They note Macbeth's isolation and lack of support from his own soldiers as he fortifies his castle. The lords then depart to join forces with Malcolm near Burnham Wood.
Macbeth, inside Dunsinane, remains overconfident, clinging to the witches' prophecies that "none of woman born can harm him" and he will rule "till Burnham Wood comes to Dunsinane." He dismisses the news of Lady Macbeth's illness, further showcasing his instability and detached state.
Near Burnham Wood, Malcolm instructs his soldiers to cut down tree boughs to disguise their numbers as they advance towards Dunsinane. This strategic move foreshadows the fulfillment of one of the witches' prophecies.
Macbeth, becoming increasingly unstable, receives news of Lady Macbeth's death. He delivers his famous "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" soliloquy, expressing the meaninglessness of life. A messenger then informs him that Burnham Wood is indeed moving towards the castle, causing Macbeth to realize the witches' deceit but resolve to die as a soldier. This soliloquy highlights Macbeth's profound despair and nihilistic view of existence, using the motif of time and the metaphor of a walking shadow to convey his emptiness.
Malcolm and his troops, hidden by the tree boughs, arrive at the castle. Burnham Wood has effectively come to Dunsinane, fulfilling the prophecy.
During the battle, Macbeth remains confident due to the prophecy that "none of woman born shall harm him." He kills Young Siward, the son of the English Lord Siward. Macduff then enters, enraged and seeking Macbeth.
Macduff confronts Macbeth, who initially avoids him. Macbeth continues to trust the prophecy until Macduff reveals he was "from his mother's womb untimely ripped," meaning he was born by Caesarean section and thus not "born of woman" in the traditional sense. This revelation exposes the witches' equivocation and devastates Macbeth. Despite a brief moment of hesitation, Macbeth chooses to fight, but is ultimately killed by Macduff, fulfilling another prophecy.