Macbeth Act V Questions

Scene 1

1) What do the nurse (gentlewoman) and the doctor see?
      -Lady Macbeth sleep walking and talking

2) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!...will these hands never be clean.”
      -She is wondering why the blood (of Duncan) still resides on her hands.

3) What is wrong with Lady Macbeth at this point of the play?
      -She has gone crazy with the guilt of killing Duncan and what she has done to acquire the throne.

Scene 2

1) What happens in this scene? What new characters are introduced? Why?
     -The leaders of the army are discussing how mad Macbeth has become
     -New Characters: Menteith, Angus, Caithness
     -They are introduced to show how everyone, from the smallest least powerful peasant to the powerful lords are rising against Macbeth. No one of good and loyal qualities is truly on his side anymore.

2) What is the significance of the scene?
     -The Scotts are going to join w/ the English
     -Everyone, all Scottish people, are tired of Macbeth and want him gone

3) What is meant when Caithness says, “Some say he’d mad; others that lesser hate him do call it valiant fury”?
     -Haters: He's bonkers
     -Semi-Haters: He is just acting out and raging

Scene 3

1) How would you describe Macbeth’s attitude and mood in this scene?

     -Wreckless; beytrayed; dangerous; nervous

2) Why isn’t Macbeth afraid? Do his soldier’s seem afraid? Why or why not?
     -The prophecy says he can't be killed by woman-born (Malcolm) and till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane.

     -Soldiers are afraid for 2 reasons; Macbeth is going crazy and killing everyone, the English army is marching on them

Scene 4

1) What does Malcolm order the soldiers to do?

      -He has the soldiers cut down limbs of trees and hold them so it looks like a wood marching towards them.

Scene 5

1) What is meant when Macbeth says, “She should have died here-after”?

      -There is not time for her to die now, he is too busy to deal with it

2) What is the significant of the following quote, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is told no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.”

      -Life is meaningless, Death comes for them life is nothing but a prequel to death

Scene 6

1) What is important about this scene?
      -The army is now infront of the castle

      -Malcolm's uncle (Old Siward) is in charge of the army

Scene 7

1) Who does Macbeth kill in this scene? What is significant about this death?

      -Kills Young Siward
      -Significance= gives Macbeth more steam/courage, the chaos of battle

Scene 8

1) What happens in this scene?

      -Macbeth is killed by Macduff

2) Why does Macbeth lose heart in the fight against Macduff?
      -He learns that Macduff was not born, but ripped from his mother's womb.

Scene 9

3) Who is named king at the end of the play?

      -Malcolm