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Topic: Act V Questions

Cite a detail or three from the text when discussing your response to the following:

Act V
Scene I
Lady Macbeth says in her sleepwalking, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!… Yet who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him?” What is she doing and to what is she referring?

Lady Macbeth also says, “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” How does her statement echo, ironically, a previous speech by Macbeth?

Scene II
Describe Macbeth as a ruler. Note, in particular, the imagery.

Scene III
How does the doctor describe Lady Macbeth’s illness?

Scene IV
How is one of the witches’ prophecies coming true?

Scenes V, VI, VII, and VIII
Explain Macbeth’s main point in his “tomorrow” soliloquy.

Why does Macduff consider himself not of “woman born”? Why does Macbeth fight Macduff, since Macbeth’s “charmed life” is broken?

How does Lady Macbeth die?

Why is it appropriate that the individual who kills Macbeth is Macduff?

By whom and to whom is the following statement made? What is the occasion? “Hail, King! for so thou art.”

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2 Reply by nrochford (edited by nrochford 2012-04-02 14:56:41)

  • nrochford
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Re: Act V Questions

Scenes V, VI, VII, and VIII

Explain Macbeth’s main point in his “tomorrow” soliloquy.

Macbeth’s main point in the tomorrow soliloquy is that he never wants to deal with the situations at that moment but at a later date, unlike the previous more manly version of Macbeth that was willing to confront problems as they arose.


Why does Macduff consider himself not of “woman born”?

He doesn’t consider himself of women born because he was born of a c-section.

Why does Macbeth fight Macduff, since Macbeth’s “charmed life” is broken?

Macbeth comes to realize that all of the prophecies that were told are beginning to come true. Not in the was that he expected though. With Macduffs army using the trees as camouflage this made true the prophecies of Burnam Wood coming to Dunisane. Once Macbeth realized that Macduff was born of c-section he discarded the prophecies of the witches and resorted to that which he had left. With his life in ruin and nobody left to be with him, the thanes gone and his wife dead, the prophecies mean nothing. He resorts to what he knows best and picks up a sword. Now that he doesn’t believe in the prophecies he has no reason not to fight.

How does Lady Macbeth die?

Lady Macbeth commits suicide under the immense subconscious guilt that corrupts her mind and causes her to sleep walk.

Why is it appropriate that the individual who kills Macbeth is Macduff?

It would seem appropriate as Macduff is not born of woman and this corresponds with the prophecies of the witches. It is also revenge and justice for Macbeth sending people to kill Macduffs women and child

By whom and to whom is the following statement made? What is the occasion? “Hail, King! For so thou art.”

Macduff makes the statement to Malcom after the fight and the beheading of Macbeth.

3 Reply by dpottle

  • dpottle
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Re: Act V Questions

Act V Questions
Cite a detail or three from the text when discussing your response to the following:


Act V

Scene I
 Lady Macbeth says in her sleepwalking, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! Yet who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him?” What is she doing and to what is she referring?



She was hallucinating thinking she has the blood of Duncan on her hands. The blood of Duncan on her hands, she was trying to wash away the blood and the guilt that came from killing Duncan; the guilt that consumed her and caused all the sleepwalking and hallucinations.
Lady Macbeth also says, “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” How does her statement echo, ironically, a previous speech by Macbeth?

Macbeth: With all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand. Reference to the quote that is said by Lady Macbeth now. That is her subconscious conscience contradicting her conscious mind.




Scene II 
Describe Macbeth as a ruler. Note, in particular, the imagery.



MENTEITH
What does the tyrant?
CAITHNESS
Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies:
Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain,
He cannot buckle his distemper'd cause
Within the belt of rule.


Some people believe he was a tyrant but it depends where they are and what they were to the king. The lower ranks could believe he was a tyrant but people in the higher rank would bow down to him.



Scene III 
How does the doctor describe Lady Macbeth’s illness?

This disease is beyond my practise: yet I have known
those which have walked in their sleep who have died
holily in their beds.

Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:
More needs she the divine than the physician.
God, God forgive us all! Look after her;
Remove from her the means of all annoyance,
And still keep eyes upon her. So, good night:
My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight.
I think, but dare not speak.

The doctor believes that he cannot treat what lady Macbeth has, it’s beyond his training and cannot fix it. He just asks god to fix what she has.



Scene IV
 How is one of the witches’ prophecies coming true?

SIWARD

We learn no other but the confident tyrant
Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure
Our setting down before 't.


Let every soldier hew him down a bough
And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow
The numbers of our host and make discovery
Err in report of us.




the wood of birnam
bring the wood to Macbeth for the prophecy until the wood gets there.