Study Questions—ACT 5

Scene 1

1) What do the nurse (gentlewoman) and the doctor see?

They see Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, talking about the choices her husband has made.


2) What does Lady Macbeth mean when she says, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!...will these hands never be clean.”

She sees blood on her hands from killing Duncan and feels that her hands will never be clean from the sins she has committed.


3) What is wrong with Lady Macbeth at this point of the play?
Lady Macbeth has started to go crazy just like her husband because she feels so guilty about what they did.


Scene 2

1) What happens in this scene? What new characters are introduced? Why?

In this scene the soldiers are on their way to kill Macbeth and let Malcolm reign as king. Menteith, Caithness and Angus are soldiers introduced because they give us prospective of the soldiers.


2) What is the significance of the scene?

This scene tells what the soldiers are doing and who is leading them, as well as what everyone thinks of Macbeth.


3) What is meant when Caithness says, “Some say he’d mad; others that lesser hate him do call it valiant fury”? Some are saying Macbeth is crazy, but people who dont hate him as much call it brave anger.

Scene 3

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

He is trying to keep his cool, but calls for an army anyway and asks Seyton to get his armor because he is ready to fight.


2) Why isn’t Macbeth afraid? Do his soldier’s seem afraid? Why or why not?

Macbeth isn't afraid because the witches told him he could only be killed by someone not born from a mother or if they trees get up. So he's not worried because trees can't walk and everyone is born from a mother.


Scene 4

1) What does Malcolm order the soldiers to do?
He orders them to disguise themselves as trees, so that Macbeth thinks less men are coming.


Scene 5

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

He is saying that she should have died after the battle was over so he would be able to mourn her.


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.”
It's saying that life is an illusion and we all just go by the days slowly until we die and it means nothing.


Scene 6

1) What is important about this scene?
Malcolm gives the order for the soldiers to start the fight.


Scene 7

1) Who does Macbeth kill in this scene? What is significant about this death?
Macbeth kills the Siward's son. He was born of a woman so Macbeth thinks that what the witches said was true and he is free from harm.


Scene 8

1) What happens in this scene?

Macduff comes into the castle and kills Macbeth.


2) Why does Macbeth lose heart in the fight against Macduff?

Macduff wasn't born of a woman, he was delivered by C-section, so he can harm Macbeth.


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

Malcolm