Macbeth Reading Journal: Act Five

Scene 1:
Lady Macbeth brings great distress as she sleep walks and talks in her sleep about the treachery her and Macbeth have committed. "Out, dammed spot! Out, I say!" She hallucinates of the blood on her hands from her murders showing she is perpetuated by guilt. All these occurrences show she has clearly gone mad from guilt. "The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now?" The Thane of Fife being Macduff and his wife having been murdered, it may show Lady fears for her own safety by the tyrannical Macbeth asides from feeling guilt.
Scene 2:
The Lords and the English Army march on towards Birnan Wood and make their battle plan against Macbeth. Macbeth's treacheries are clear to the Lords "His secret murders sticking on his hands;" and they denounce his followers "Those he commands move only in command, Not in love." They have the impression that Macbeth has swum out his depth "Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him like a giant's robe Upon a dwarfish thief."
Scene 3:
Falsely confident from the prophecies told by the apparitions, Macbeth courageously prepares for battle, unwavering at the oncoming battle; whilst also showing little concern towards Lady's worsening condition.
Scene 4:
At Birnan Wood, Malcolm discusses battle plans; they will carry shrubbery as they advance to hide their numbers...they are moving Birnan Woods.
Scene 5:
Macbeth rallies his forces showing he is still a fierce soldier. After hearing a woman cry, Macbeth claims to have forgotten the feeling of fear and that to hear a scream in the night would have shaken him once before but he has seen so many horrors now, nothing stirs him; lines 9-16. These few lines make the following remarks on life less shocking. Macbeth ultimately calls all his actions in life pointless and brief because death is the final result of everything "To the last syllable of recorded time;" Macbeth calls life a walking shadow, possibly the shadow of death in accordance with the idea that death is the true face of everything. "a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage" may suggest that Macbeth believes he has been a tool of the Witches. The last line of Macbeths mini-speech "Signifying nothing." fully encompass the message by Macbeth, life, his deeds and even the speech he just gave are summarised as nothing. Macbeth is informed the woods are moving. "There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. I 'gin to aweary of the sun." this is a direct reference to the Greek myth of Icarus who flew too close to the sun and suffered for it, Macbeth knows there is no escape and is tired of his reign.
Scene 6:
Macbeth kills Lord Seyward's son reinforcing his belief he cannot be killed by a man woman-born. Malcolm and Seyward enter the castle. "Why should I play the Roman fool and die" this line spoken by Macbeth may refer to Julius Caesar who was brutally murdered by his followers. Macduff finds Macbeth and reveals to him he "was from his mother's womb Untimely ripped.” they fight and Macbeth is killed. Macduff meets with the other Lords carrying Macbeth's severed head. Malcolm proclaims a new reign and grants his Thanes the title of Earls, an English term; symbolising a new era and prosperity between once enemies.