Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 4

The forest begins to move · William Shakespeare

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Previously, in Act 5, Scene 3

Macbeth dismisses reports of the advancing army because he trusts the witches' assurances. Seyton confirms that a large force is approaching, and Macbeth calls for his armor. Hearing of Lady Macbeth's illness, Macbeth asks the doctor to cure her troubled mind and Scotland's disease.

SCENE IV. Country near Dunsinane: 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 handThat 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 shadowThe numbers of our host, and make discoveryErr in report of us.

This verb means hiding by blurring how the army looks. The second phrase aims to make Macbeth's scouts report wrongly, so a man misled by appearances is misled again.

The moving wood fulfils a prophecy Macbeth read as manly invulnerability.

The soldiers’ leafy disguise will make Birnam Wood appear to move towards Dunsinane.

Malcolm freely chooses a practical military tactic which unknowingly brings the prophecy about Birnam Wood towards fulfilment. The moment joins human choice with apparent destiny.

In Holinshed's account of Macbeth's overthrow, Malcolm's soldiers cut boughs in Birnam wood and carry them as camouflage while advancing on Dunsinane. Malcolm's order takes over that stratagem and states its concealing purpose: hiding the army's true size from Macbeth's scouts.

The branches will conceal the army’s true size, deliberately creating a misleading appearance for Macbeth’s scouts.

SOLDIERS

It shall be done.

SIWARD

We learn no other but the confident tyrantKeeps still in Dunsinane, and will endureOur 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 censuresAttend the true event, and put we onIndustrious soldiership.

SIWARD

The time approaches,That will with due decision make us knowWhat 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.