Reading Notes: Macbeth

Act 4, Scene 3 

Malcom wants to cry, and Macduff wants to kill somebody. Malcom suggests that Macduff will hand him over to Macbeth to win his favor, but Macduff says he is not a traitor. They try to think of a way to take him down, but Malcom thinks he would make no better leader as he cant keep his hands of of women and Macduff thinks he can learn to hide it from the public - but Malcolm can't stop talking down on himself. Macduff makes a speak so inspiring that Malcolm decides he will let him guide him and that he is trustworthy.
Their conversation is interrupted by a doctor who speaks of one curing by touch, and eventually Ross follows. Ross speaks of the great fall of the nation under Macbeths rule. He then reveals that Macduff's wife and children have been slaughtered. Malcom uses this info to fuel Macduff into killing Macbeth. They end the scene by deciding to go fight Macbeth.

Act 5, Scene 1

Doctor and a man speak of Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking. As they discuss it, she walks in appearing to be washing her hands, speaking of secrets and blood on her hands.

Act 5, Scene 2

Tension rises in the rebel army, they speak of how insane Macbeth has become.

Act 5, Scene 3

Macbeth is freaking out, yelling at servants and putting on armor before the battle has arrived. He learns his wife is sleepwalking. He barks orders at anyone within shouting distance, saying he has no fear until the army is past Birnam Wood.

Act 5, Scene 4 

The men are past Birnam Wood. They hide behind shrubbery to hide their numbers from the spies Macbeth surely has watching. They march.

Act 5, Scene 5

Macbeth brags that if only so many men hadn't deserted him then they would meet the opposing army to fight, but they can wait them out. He finds out his wife has died, and barely has an afterthought about it saying it would have happened eventually. A messenger tells him the forest is moving! Macbeth decides he has had enough of this thing called life, and wishes that if he dies he dies in armor and chaos.

Act 5, Scene 6 

Short and sweet, the rebels prepare for battle.

Act 5, Scene 7 

Macbeth kills a man, referencing how the only one he cares for is the one not born of a woman. Macduff swears he will be haunted forever if he is not the one who kills Macbeth.

Act 5, Scene 8

Macbeth and Macduff come face to face, Macbeth brags on how charmed his life is and how Macduff is worthless to try fighting him as he can be killed by no man born of a woman - this is when Macduff reveals he was born via cesarean. Macbeth, frightened, says he will not fight Macduff. But as we cut scenes to the rebellious army who has won, in walks Macduff with Macbeth's head.

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And so ends the tale of Macbeth. A once noble man turned merstyrant with power and greed, a once doting husband who ended a man that could not care less about the suicide of his wife. Were the witches to blame, or would he found his way to his moral demise without them?