Act 5, Scene 2 — Macbeth — Study Shakespeare

The argument Scottish lords — Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox — are marching to join Malcolm's English army at Birnam Wood. They report that Macbeth is fortifying Dunsinane, that his commanders serve him through fear and not love, and that he is called 'the tyrant' openly.

Enter, with drum and colours Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox and

Soldiers.

MENTEITH ≋ verse MENTEITH

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,

His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff.

Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes

Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm

Excite the mortified man.

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff. Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm Excite the mortified man.

the english power is near, led on by malcolm, his uncle siward, and the good macduff. revenges burn in them; for their dear causes would to the bleeding and the grim alarm excite the mortified man.

the english power is near, led on by malcolm, his uncle siwa

ANGUS ≋ verse ANGUS

Near Birnam wood

Shall we well meet them. That way are they coming.

Near Birnam wood Shall we well meet them. That way are they coming.

near birnam wood shall we well meet them. that way are they coming.

near birnam wood shall we well meet them. that way are they

CAITHNESS CAITHNESS

Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother?

who knows if donalbain be with his brother?

LENNOX ≋ verse LENNOX

For certain, sir, he is not. I have a file

Of all the gentry: there is Siward’s son

And many unrough youths, that even now

Protest their first of manhood.

For certain, sir, he is not. I have a file Of all the gentry: there is Siward’s son And many unrough youths, that even now Protest their first of manhood.

for certain, sir, he is not. i have a file of all the gentry: there is siward’s son and many unrough youths, that even now protest their first of manhood.

for certain, sir, he is not. i have a file of all the gentry

MENTEITH MENTEITH

What does the tyrant?

what does the tyrant?

CAITHNESS ≋ verse CAITHNESS

Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies.

Some say he’s mad; others, that lesser hate him,

Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain,

He cannot buckle his distemper’d cause

Within the belt of rule.

Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies. Some say he’s mad; others, that lesser hate him, Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain, He cannot buckle his distemper’d cause Within the belt of rule.

great dunsinane he strongly fortifies. some say he’s mad; others, that lesser hate him, do call it valiant fury: but, for certain, he cannot buckle his distemper’d cause within the belt of rule.

great dunsinane he strongly fortifies. some say he’s mad; ot

ANGUS ≋ verse ANGUS

Now does he feel

His secret murders sticking on his hands;

Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach;

Those he commands move only in command,

Nothing in love: now does he feel his title

Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe

Upon a dwarfish thief.

Now does he feel His secret murders sticking on his hands; Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach; Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in love: now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe Upon a dwarfish thief.

now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands; now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach; those he commands move only in command, nothing in love: now does he feel his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief.

now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands; n

MENTEITH ≋ verse MENTEITH

Who, then, shall blame

His pester’d senses to recoil and start,

When all that is within him does condemn

Itself for being there?

Who, then, shall blame His pester’d senses to recoil and start, When all that is within him does condemn Itself for being there?

who, then, shall blame his pester’d senses to recoil and start, when all that is within him does condemn itself for being there?

who, then, shall blame his pester’d senses to recoil and sta

CAITHNESS ≋ verse CAITHNESS

Well, march we on,

To give obedience where ’tis truly ow’d:

Meet we the med’cine of the sickly weal;

And with him pour we, in our country’s purge,

Each drop of us.

Well, march we on, To give obedience where ’tis truly ow’d: Meet we the med’cine of the sickly weal; And with him pour we, in our country’s purge, Each drop of us.

well, march we on, to give obedience where ’tis truly ow’d: meet we the med’cine of the sickly weal; and with him pour we, in our country’s purge, each drop of us.

well, march we on, to give obedience where ’tis truly ow’d:

LENNOX ≋ verse LENNOX

Or so much as it needs

To dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds.

Make we our march towards Birnam.

Or so much as it needs To dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds. Make we our march towards Birnam.

or so much as it needs to dew the sovereign flower, and drown the weeds. make we our march towards birnam.

or so much as it needs to dew the sovereign flower, and drow

[_Exeunt, marching._]

The Reckoning

A short connective scene, military in tone, functioning as a chorus. It updates us on the political situation (the resistance is organized, the armies are converging) and on the social reality: Macbeth is now called 'the tyrant' openly by Scottish lords, no longer even a contested king. The language these lords use about him — 'his pestered senses recoil and start'; 'those he commands move only in command, nothing in love' — contrasts with their own voluntary march. They serve Malcolm because they want to; Macbeth's men serve because they must. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate authority runs through every line of the scene.

If this happened today…

Officers in an army that has turned against its own general. They're marching to join the coalition forces. One says: 'I hear he's barricaded himself in the compound.' Another: 'His own men are only there because they have to be — not one of them would stay if they could leave.'

Continue to 5.3 →