Macbeth — Act 5, Scene 1in modern English, side by side
Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle · Doctor, Gentlewoman, Lady Macbeth
Macbeth has gone to prepare for war against the approaching English army, leaving Lady Macbeth behind at Dunsinane. Her waiting-woman has called in a doctor to secretly observe the queen, who has begun walking and talking in her sleep.
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Enter a Doctor of Physic and a Waiting-Gentlewoman
Doctor
I have two nights watched with you, but can perceive no truth in your
report.
I've stayed up with you for two nights now, and I can't confirm a word of your report.
When was it she last walked?
When did she last sleepwalk?
Gentlewoman
Since his Majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her
bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper,
fold it, write upon’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to5
bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.
Ever since his Majesty went off to war, I've watched her get out of bed, throw her nightgown around her, unlock her writing cabinet, take out paper, fold it, write on it, read it over, seal it, and then go back to bed — and all of it while she was fast asleep.
Doctor
A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of
sleep, and do the effects of watching.
What a serious breakdown of nature — to receive the benefit of sleep while doing everything a waking person does.
In this slumbery agitation,
besides her walking and other actual performances, what, at any time,
have you heard her say?10
In this restless sleep of hers, besides walking around and the other things she has actually done, what have you ever heard her say?
Gentlewoman
That, sir, which I will not report after her.
Things, sir, that I will not repeat after her.
Doctor
You may to me; and ’tis most meet you should.
You can repeat them to me — in fact, you really should.
Gentlewoman
Neither to you nor anyone; having no witness to confirm my speech.
Not to you, and not to anyone, since I have no witness to back up what I'd say.
Enter Lady Macbeth with a taper
Gentlewoman
Lo you, here she comes!
Look, here she comes!
This is her very guise; and, upon my life, fast
asleep.15
This is exactly how she always is — and I swear on my life, she's fast asleep.
Observe her; stand close.15
Watch her. Keep out of sight.
Doctor
How came she by that light?
Where did she get that candle?
Gentlewoman
Why, it stood by her:
It was right beside her.
she has light by her continually; ’tis her
command.
She keeps a light next to her at all times — those are her orders.
Doctor
You see, her eyes are open.
You see — her eyes are open.
Gentlewoman
Ay, but their sense are shut.20
Yes, but they see nothing.
Doctor
What is it she does now?
What is she doing now?
Look how she rubs her hands.
Look how she rubs her hands.
Gentlewoman
It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands.
That's a habit of hers, making that hand-washing motion.
I
have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.
I've seen her keep it up for a quarter of an hour.
Lady Macbeth
Yet here’s a spot.
There's still a spot here.
Doctor
Hark, she speaks.25
Listen — she's speaking.
I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my25
remembrance the more strongly.
I'll write down what she says, to fix it more firmly in my memory.
Lady Macbeth
Out, damned spot! out, I say!
Out, damned spot! Out, I say!
One; two.
One — two —
Why, then ’tis time to do’t.
well then, it's time to do it.
Hell is murky!
Hell is dark!
Fie, my lord, fie!
Shame on you, my lord — shame!
a soldier, and afeard?
A soldier, and afraid?
What need we
fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?
Why should we fear anyone finding out, when no one has the power to call us to account?
Yet who
would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?30
— But still, who would have thought the old man would have so much blood in him?
Doctor
Do you mark that?
Did you hear that?
Lady Macbeth
The Thane of Fife had a wife.
The Thane of Fife had a wife.
Where is she now?—
Where is she now? —
What, will these hands
ne’er be clean?
What, will these hands never be clean? —
No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that:
No more of that, my lord, no more of that.
you mar all
with this starting.
You'll ruin everything with this flinching.
Doctor
Go to, go to.35
Dear, dear.
You have known what you should not.35
You have known something you never should have.
Gentlewoman
She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that:
She has said something she shouldn't have, I'm sure of that.
heaven knows what
she has known.
Heaven knows what she has known.
Lady Macbeth
Here’s the smell of the blood still:
The smell of the blood is still here.
all the perfumes of Arabia will
not sweeten this little hand.
All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.
Oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh!
Doctor
What a sigh is there!40
What a sigh that was!
The heart is sorely charged.40
Her heart is carrying a terrible burden.
Gentlewoman
I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole
body.
I wouldn't carry a heart like that in my chest for all the royal dignity of her whole body.
Doctor
Well, well, well.
Well, well, well.
Gentlewoman
Pray God it be, sir.
Pray God it is well, sir.
Doctor
This disease is beyond my practice:45
This disease is beyond my skill to treat.
yet I have known those which have45
walked in their sleep, who have died holily in their beds.
Still, I have known people who walked in their sleep and yet died holy deaths, peacefully in their beds.
Lady Macbeth
Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale.
Wash your hands. Put on your nightgown. Don't look so pale.
I tell you
yet again, Banquo’s buried;
— I'm telling you again: Banquo is buried.
he cannot come out on’s grave.
He cannot come out of his grave.
Doctor
Even so?
Is that so?
Lady Macbeth
To bed, to bed.50
To bed, to bed.
There’s knocking at the gate.50
There's knocking at the gate.
Come, come, come, come,50
give me your hand.
Come, come, come, come — give me your hand.
What’s done cannot be undone.
What's done cannot be undone.
To bed, to bed, to
bed.
To bed, to bed, to bed.
_Exit._
Doctor
Will she go now to bed?
Will she go to bed now?
Gentlewoman
Directly.
Right away.
Doctor
Foul whisp’rings are abroad.55
Ugly rumors are going around.
Unnatural deeds55
Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.
Unnatural deeds breed unnatural troubles: infected minds will pour out their secrets to their pillows, which cannot hear them.
More needs she the divine than the physician.—
She needs a priest more than she needs a doctor.
God, God, forgive us all!
God, God forgive us all!
Look after her;
Look after her.
Remove from her the means of all annoyance,60
And still keep eyes upon her.
Take away anything she might use to hurt herself, and keep your eyes on her constantly.
So, good night:
And so, good night.
My mind she has mated, and amaz’d my sight.
She has stunned my mind and amazed my eyes.
I think, but dare not speak.
I have thoughts I don't dare say out loud.
Gentlewoman
Good night, good doctor.
Good night, good doctor.
_Exeunt._
Famous lines in this scene
“Out, damned spot! out, I say!” line 27
Sleepwalking, Lady Macbeth tries to scrub an imaginary bloodstain from her hand. The woman who once claimed 'a little water clears us of this deed' now finds guilt impossible to wash away. It is the play's most famous image of conscience returning as compulsion — her buried remorse acting itself out every night.
“all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” line 38
Even all the sweet scents of the exotic East, she says, could not cover the smell of blood she still senses on her hand. It mirrors Macbeth's earlier cry that all of Neptune's ocean couldn't wash his hands clean: guilt, once truly felt, is permanent, and no remedy can remove it.
“What’s done cannot be undone.” line 51
A despairing echo of her earlier, brisker 'what's done is done.' The phrase she once used to dismiss guilt returns in her sleep as hopelessness: the murders cannot be reversed, and neither can what they have done to her. Many essays mark it as the moment her practicality collapses into despair.
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