-Act 5, Scene 1 is a very important scene for Lady Macbeths character. This is because we really see her with a mental illness, establishing her as a human character, rather than a 'fiend-like queen.' It is demonstrated that she isn't coping as she sleep walks, the Doctor asks 'when was it when she last walked?'. She then enters herself, sleepwalking but also giving away her true emotions. She says 'out, damned spot!'- this implies a spot of blood that she can't get off her hand, alluding to the murders that she partook in. She then goes back to bed but not without convincing the audience of her remorse, making us confront our own morals about whether or not we should feel sympathy for her character.
-Scene 2 is shorter, Menteth, Cathness, Angus, Lennox and Soldiers are all talking of the battle ahead. Describing 'those (Macbeth) commands move only in command, nothing in love' suggesting that everyone is scared of him and that perhaps if they get the chance, they will desert him. This is an important scene because we truly see what others opinions of him are and the true extent to which they hate him. This almost detaches us from his character, allowing us to weigh up what we really think of him.
-Scene 3 shows Macbeth throwing his weight around a bit, he insults the Servant at any chance he can get. He calls him a 'cream-faced loon', a 'lily-livered boy', 'whey-face'- emphasising his belief that he is untouchable. He was told that 'none of women born shall harm' him- meaning he thinks he cannot be harmed and so shall never die. He wants his armour on but when Seyton says 'tis not needed yet' Macbeth says 'I'll put it on' which is strange because even though he doesn't need it, he wants to wear this heavy armour. This could suggest that he's being brave and getting motivated for the battle or that he is a coward and trying to cover himself up and protect himself from everyone. As an after thought, he asks 'how does your patient?' meaning his wife. He simply says 'cure her of that', with no emotion what so ever, as if he doesn't really care. This makes us dislike Macbeth more as we have started to feel sympathy for his wife.
-Scene 4 is a short scene, Malcolm wants the soldiers to dress as part of 'the wood of Birnan' to camouflage them in battle. We know that this was one of the prophesies that Macbeth doesn't believe, suggesting that all the others will come true.
-In Scene 5, Macbeth is told that Lady Macbeth is dead. He gives an emotionless and detached response saying- 'she should have died hereafter'- implying that she was always going to die anyway. He has a bleak tone throughout this scene, says that 'life's but a walking shadow.' It almost sounds as thought he has given up with his cause and ultimately his life. After this, he is told that 'the wood began to move', proving that the prophecies are beginning to come true, perhaps making him fearful.
-Scene 6 displays much death, Macbeth kills Young Seyward and then he meets Macduff. Macbeth tries to fight Macduff but then he says 'I will not yield', demonstrating that he perhaps shows some remorse and realising when he is beaten. Macduff then kills him but then re-enters with Macbeths head, indicating that he may not be any better than Macbeth as he has so gruesomely killed and slaughtered him. At the end of the scene, we hear that Lady Macbeth 'by self and violent hands took off her life', implying that she has committed suicide. We only feel more sympathy for her because she was so riddled with guilt and to some extent feel sympathy for Macbeth as he death was very brutal.
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