Back at Dunsinane, Macbeth is getting a little overconfident. Dunsinane is well fortified, and he thinks he can wait out any attempt at a siege. The feeling is short-lived, though. He finds out that his wife has died, and that Birnam Wood is, in fact, marching to Dunsinane. Or, at least, thousands of soldiers carrying tree branches are. Macbeth vows to fight to the death.
Macbeth
Hang our flags on the outer walls. Everyone’s screaming “The enemy’s coming!” Our castle’s more than strong enough to withstand a siege. They can camp there until they die of hunger and disease. If they were not reinforced with the soldiers who deserted me, I could have met them face to face and sent them packing back to England.
What’s that noise?
Seyton
It’s women crying, my good lord.
Macbeth
I’ve almost forgotten what fear feels like. There was a time when my blood would turn cold from a scream in the night, and my hair would stand on end from a frightening story. But now, I’ve seen my fill of horrors, and atrocities similar to my own murderous thoughts don’t faze me.
Why were they crying?
Seyton
The queen, my lord, is dead.
Macbeth
She should have died in the future. There was a time when the “future” meant something. But now, day after day drags along to the end of time, serving no purpose but to show the way for us fools to our dusty death. Snuff out our brief lives, which last no longer than candles! We are nothing more than moving shadows, bad actors who strut and rage for an hour on the stage and then are never heard from again. Life is nothing but a tale told by an idiot that’s full of sounds and passion but means nothing.
You’ve come to make a report, let me have it.
Messenger
My gracious lord, I should tell you exactly what I saw, but I don’t know how to do it.
Macbeth
Well, try.
Messenger
I was standing watch on the hill, and when I looked toward Birnam Wood, I thought I saw the forest start to move.
Macbeth
Liar and slave!
Messenger
Punish me if it isn’t true! It’s less than three miles away, you can see the moving forest coming.
Macbeth
If you’re lying, I’ll hang you from the nearest tree until you die of hunger. If you’re telling the truth, I don’t care if you do the same to me. I’m losing my confidence and beginning to doubt the double-talking of those devils whose lies sounded like truth. “Don’t be afraid, until Birnam forest comes to Dunsinane.” – yet now a forest comes towards Dunsinane! Get your weapons and let’s go out to fight! If what he says is true, there won’t be any escape or waiting it out here. I’m getting weary with life and wish all this could just be undone. Ring the alarm bell! Blow, wind. Come, ruin! At least I’ll go down fighting.
