Macbeth Act V Quotes

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1. Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two:
why, then ‘tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky…
…Yet who would have thought the old man
to have had so much blood in him?
Speaker: Lady Macbeth
Audience: Herself
Meaning/Significance: Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and delusional. She thinks there is blood on her hands and tries to rub it off. She remembers the previous murders and says that Duncan’s murder had much more of an impact than his death. Blood is a symbol of guilt and how you can never be exonerated for your sins. Lady Macbeth has changed from then strong, determined partner in the murders to the wavering, psychotic partner. Her remark that Duncan had so much blood shows how his murder set off a chain reaction that involved other murders and the turning of Macbeth’s countrymen on him. This is the only time that a major character does not speak in verse and has his or her lines capitalized. This suggests that something is out of order, foreshadowing her suicide. She once believed that simple water could wash away the blood, but as evident in her lines, it is not.
Location: Act V, Scene i, Line Numbers 36–37 40–41

2. Infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.
More needs she the divine than the physician.
Speaker: Doctor
Audience: Gentlewoman
Meaning/Significance: The Doctor says that delusional people will let loose all their secrets. He then says that she needs God more than physical help. This alludes to Lady’s Macbeth quote that Macbeth should keep his face straight and not let his emotions get the best of him. She ironically breaks that statement by confessing. However, she did not do it awake, suggesting how she feels consciously that she is to remain strong and a strong partner in her marriage.
Location: Act V, Scene i, Line Numbers 73–75

3. Now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.
Speaker: Angus
Audience: Menteith, Caithness, Lennox, and soldiers
Meaning/Significance: Angus says that Macbeth’s title does not and never did fight him. This shows the theme of kingship and how not everyone is fit to rule other people. Macbeth was never in the line to the throne, showing how he was not destined to be a king. He ruth-lessly secures power through murders, showing his incompetence as king. The robe simile shows how Macbeth’s ambition is to great for one single man.
Location: Act V, Scene ii, Line Numbers 20–22

4. …“Fear not, Macbeth; no man that’s born of woman
Shall e’er have power upon thee.”
Speaker: Macbeth quoting the Second Apparition
Audience: Doctor and attendants
Meaning/Significance: Macbeth repeats the Second Apparition’s prophecy to remind him that he is invincible because everyone was “born of woman.” However, he fails to realize the C-section babies are not “born” in the natural way. He finally is listening to the prophe-cies, albeit wrongly. His inability to fully understand the prophecies is his tragic flaw.
Location: Act V, Scene iii, Line Numbers 6–7

5. Let every soldier hew down a bough
And bear ‘t before him. Thereby shall we shadow
The number of our host, and make discovery
Err in report of us.
Speaker: Malcolm
Audience: Siward, Macduff, Siward’s Son, Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and soldiers
Meaning/Significance: Malcolm has a plan that he and his soldiers will cover themselves with trees and hide their numbers. He is fulfilling the Third Apparition’s prophecy, one that Macbeth had considered impossible and had thus dismissed it. The strangeness of what would appear to be a forest moving would be enough to confound any person, let alone Macbeth’s deranged mind. Malcolm is beginning to show himself more as an able king, as he is making military strategies and taking leadership.
Location: Act V, Scene iv, Line Numbers 4–7

6. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
Speaker: Macbeth
Audience: Himself and Seyton
Meaning/Significance: Macbeth says that life is useless and has a lot of commotion but doesn’t mean anything. He renounces life as superfluous. His famous monologue comes af-ter the death of his wife, so it is natural that Macbeth is sad. Macbeth says that his pursuit of power was worthless because life is trivial. It effectively marks the end of Macbeth when he admits that it doesn’t matter if he lives or dies.
Location: Act V, Scene v, Line Numbers 26–28

7. If this which he avouches does appear,
There is nor flying hence not tarrying here.
I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun,
And wish th’ estate o’ th’ world were now undone.
Speaker: Macbeth
Audience: Himself and Messenger
Meaning/Significance: Macbeth says that if the messenger is true about Birnam Wood com-ing to Dunsinane Hill then it would fulfill the last prophecy and mark Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth now recognizes that the prophecies all become true, albeit too late. Macbeth is tired of the sun, meaning he would rather work in the night, where his murders have oc-curred. Macbeth states that he is now weary of life and realizes that since everyone even-tually dies, death is not to be feared.
Location: Act V, Scene vi, Line Numbers 47–50

8. The devil himself could not pronounce a title
More hateful to mine ear.
Speaker: Young Siward
Audience: Macbeth
Meaning/Significance: Young Siward says that Macbeth’s name is so grotesque that it hurts him. This is an example of a David and Goliath story. Macbeth is Goliath and is a very admi-rable fighter. Young Siward is David and is trying to stand up to injustice. Macbeth’s victory shows how much of a monster he has become. This mirrors England’s position when it has often been the underdog (Spanish Armada) but has come out on top.
Location: Act V, Scene vii, Line Numbers 8–9

9. Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb
Untimely ripped.
Speaker: Macduff
Audience: Macbeth
Meaning/Significance: Macduff tells Macbeth that he was not “born” but rather came into this world by a C-section. He thus fits the last prophecy and able to harm Macbeth. This fo-reshadows how he will kill Macbeth. Macbeth now realizes that this battle will most likely cause him to die.
Location: Act V, Scene viii, Line Numbers 13–16

10. Some must go off; and yet, by these I see,
So great a day as this is cheaply bought.
Speaker: Siward
Audience: Malcolm, Ross, Thanes, and soldiers
Meaning/Significance: Siward says that in battle, some soldiers must die; however, in this battle, not very many people died, making their victory even better. Siward is also referring to Macbeth because he, the tyrant, is now dead and they have not lost many soldiers. This is also dramatic irony because he has not learned that his son has died, accentuating the David and Goliath battle between him and Macbeth.
Location: Act V, Scene viii, Line Numbers 36–37

11. My thanes and kinsmen,
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland
In such an honor named.
Speaker: Malcolm
Audience: Siward, Ross, Macduff, Thanes, and soldiers
Meaning/Significance: Malcolm rewards his soldiers with titles that had previously only been from England. This shows how Scotland and England are now cooperating together, mirroring King James union of Scotland and England when he was crowned king of England. Malcolm also has developed into a worthy king, as he has developed a rewards system.
Location: Act V, Scene viii, Line Numbers 62–64

12. Seyton!—I am sick at heart.
When I behold—Seyton, I say!—This push
Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now.
Speaker: Macbeth
Audience: Himself and Seyton
Meaning/Significance: Macbeth calls for Seyton and says that the battle will either prove his kingship or dethrone him. “Seyton” is a pun of Satan, and Macbeth calling him suggests that he is asking the Devil for help. The long dashes typically show double entendres in Shakes-pearean plays, so Macbeth’s line can either be interpreted as him calling for Seyton and saying that the battle is pivotal or that he when he beholds Satan he becomes sick at heart. This suggests a change in his character.
Location: Act V, Scene iii, Line Numbers 19–21