SCENE 16: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE CASTLE
NARRATOR: Dunsinane Castle: nighttime. Lady Macbeth’s servant is worried andhas summoned a doctor to the queen’s rooms…
SERVANT: Just here, Doctor.
DOCTOR: This is where the queen walks?
SERVANT: Every night.
DOCTOR: And you think she’s asleep each time?
SERVANT: I’m sure of it. She says things - but look! Here she comes! Watch!
DOCTOR: Her eyes are open!
SERVANT: But they do not see.
DOCTOR: What’s she doing now?
SERVANT: Every night she goes to the bowl on the table there.
DOCTOR: She’s washing her hands. But there’s no water!
SERVANT: She’s talking to herself. We can get closer - she does not see us.
LADY MACBETH: Out damned spot! Out, I say! Hell is murky!
DOCTOR: We’re hearing things we shouldn’t.
LADY MACBETH: Will these hands never be clean?
SERVANT: Heaven knows what she really knows.
LADY MACBETH: The smell of blood is still there.
DOCTOR: This isn’t an illness I can cure.
LADY MACBETH: I tell you Banquo’s dead and buried…
DOCTOR: So that’s it? Banquo?
LADY MACBETH: …he can’t come out of the grave!
SERVANT: And you say you can’t cure her?
DOCTOR: She needs a priest not a doctor.
SERVANT: God forgive us all!
DOCTOR: We must go. And you had better forget what we just heard - or we’re alldead.
SCENE 17: THE HEATH NEAR DUNSINANE
FX: Soldiers marching, distant trumpet sounds. Drums.
NARRATOR: In England Malcolm and Macduff raise a great army. It marches northto Dunsinane and prepares to do battle with the Macbeth, whosecrimes now include the murder of Macduff’s wife and children. Angusand Lennox meet on the heath. They too have raised an army and areready to fight Macbeth…
FX: Horses approach, are reined in.
LENNOX: What news, Angus?
ANGUS: The English army is near, Lennox, led by Malcolm and Macduff. They havecome for revenge!
LENNOX: And we shall join them. Poor Macduff - he knows his family are all dead?
ANGUS: He’s vowed to kill Macbeth.
LENNOX: You think Macbeth ordered their deaths?
ANGUS: I know it. Macbeth is mad. His murders stick to his hands!
LENNOX: Onward to Birnam Wood! We’ll meet our new allies there!
FX: Their horses gallop away.
SCENE 18: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE CASTLE
NARRATOR: At Dunsinane Castle, Macbeth gets ready to lead his army into battle.The room is busy as soldiers and servants rush around.
MACBETH: Birnam Wood cannot come to Dunsinane. It’s impossible – do you allunderstand?
NARRATOR: A soldier arrives with news…
BODYGUARD: My lord…
MACBETH: Yes! What is it?
BODYGUARD: The English army comes near, my lord!
MACBETH: All right then! Put on my armour! And you there - yes you, skulking - what doyou want with me?
DOCTOR: My lord, your wife…
MACBETH: Who are you?
DOCTOR: The doctor, my lord. Your wife, sir, is sick…
MACBETH: What’s the matter with her?
DOCTOR: She is…troubled…
MACBETH: She’ll be fine. Come on! And let usgo!
DOCTOR: My lord…
MACBETH:I’m not scared of death - till Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. To the battle!
SCENE 19: THE HEATH NEAR DUNSINANE
FX: Two great armies mingle. Horses. Trumpets. Marching.
NARRATOR: The moment has come. The army of Malcolm and Macduff unites withthat of Angus and Lennox…
MALCOLM: Lennox! Angus! You are welcome to the fight.
LENNOX: Malcolm! It is good to see you. All of Scotland rises up against Macbeth.
ANGUS: Macduff! We heard the news of your family.
MACDUFF: Aye. The time has come, Angus. My wife and children will be avenged!
MALCOLM: And my father too!
LENNOX: Macbeth and his men are in Dunsinane. We will lay siege to the castle.
MACDUFF: We have all the thanes with us. You there - what is your name?
SIWARD: Siward, my lord.
MALCOLM: Are you ready for the fight?
SIWARD: The tyrant must die, my lord Malcolm.
MALCOLM: Good man! Now this forest before us – how is it known?
SIWARD: It is called Birnam Wood, my lord.
MALCOLM: Lennox! Tell the troops to cut down the trees and hold the branches in frontof them - the enemy won’t know how strong we are!
LENNOX: Come lads!
FX: Horses head off at a gallop
7: Preparing for battle
Night in Dunsinane Castle. Lady Macbeth's servant has summoned a doctor to witness her mistress sleep-walking. It is clear that Lady Macbeth is deeply troubled.
In England Malcolm and Macduff have raised an army that then marches north to battle with Macbeth. Lennox and Angus have also raised an army which they intend to unite with Malcolm and Macduff. In Dunsinane Castle Macbeth prepares to fight, confident that he is invincible. He is informed by the doctor that Lady Macbeth is 'troubled' but Macbeth dismisses the news.
The army of Malcolm and Macduff unites with that of Angus and Lennox. They swear vengeance on Macbeth for his crimes. A young noble called Siward identifies a nearby forest as Birnam Wood and Malcolm commands the soldiers to disguise themselves with branches so that Macbeth will not see the strength of their force.
Teacher Notes
This series provides various opportunities to meet Key Stage 2 National Curriculum requirements, including study of a significant author, reading techniques such as prediction, drawing inferences, clarification and summary; and drama and writing opportunities - including poetry performance, descriptive writing, persuasive writing, letter writing, newspaper article writing, poetry and play scripts.
It could be used as an introduction to the play, consolidation of key aspects or for revision of the plot and characters.
More detail on how to use this series, including detailed lesson plans, can be found in the Teacher's Notes PDF.
Teacher's Notes (pdf) document
Information and guidance on using the content
This series is relevant for teaching English at KS2, in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and at Second Level in Scotland.
5. A trap for Banquo. video
Macbeth sends assassins to kill Banquo and Fleance. Later he sees Banquo's ghost.
6. Something wicked this way comes. video
Macbeth returns to the Weird Sisters. They tell him to beware of Macduff.
8. Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. video
Malcolm's army attacks Dunsinane and Macbeth is confronted by Macduff.
