READ STUDY GUIDE: Act V, scenes i–xi |
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Act V, Scene iv:
Country nearDunsinane: a Wood in view.
Country nearDunsinane: a Wood in view.
| [Enter, with drum and colours, Malcolm, old Siward and his Son,Macduff, Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox, Ross, and Soldiers,marching.] |
| MALCOLM: |
| Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand |
| That chambers will be safe. |
| MENTEITH: |
| We doubt it nothing. |
| SIWARD: |
| What wood is this before us? |
| MENTEITH: |
| The wood of Birnam. |
| MALCOLM: |
| Let every soldier hew him down a bough, |
| And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadow |
| The numbers of our host, and make discovery |
| Err in report of us. |
| SOLDIERS: |
| It shall be done. |
| SIWARD: |
| We learn no other but the confident tyrant |
| Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure |
| Our setting down before't. |
| MALCOLM: |
| 'Tis his main hope: |
| For where there is advantage to be given, |
| Both more and less have given him the revolt; |
| And none serve with him but constrained things, |
| Whose hearts are absent too. |
| MACDUFF: |
| Let our just censures |
| Attend the true event, and put we on |
| Industrious soldiership. |
| SIWARD: |
| The time approaches, |
| That will with due decision make us know |
| What we shall say we have, and what we owe. |
| Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate; |
| But certain issue strokes must arbitrate: |
| Towards which advance the war. |
| [Exeunt, marching.] |
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