Macbeth

by: William Shakespeare

Act 5 Scene 5

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Original Text	Modern Text
MACBETH She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, 20Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player 25That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.	MACBETH She would have died later anyway. That news was bound to come someday. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. The days creep slowly along until the end of time. And every day that’s already happened has taken fools that much closer to their deaths. Out, out, brief candle. Life is nothing more than an illusion. It’s like a poor actor who struts and worries for his hour on the stage and then is never heard from again. Life is a story told by an idiot, full of noise and emotional disturbance but devoid of meaning.
Enter a MESSENGER	A MESSENGER enters.
Thou comest to use Thy tongue; thy story quickly.	You’ve come to tell me something. Tell me quickly.
MESSENGER Gracious my lord, 30I should report that which I say I saw, But know not how to do ’t.	MESSENGER My gracious lord, I should tell you what I saw, but I don’t know how to say it.
MACBETH Well, say, sir.	MACBETH Just say it.
MESSENGER As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought The wood began to move.	MESSENGER As I was standing watch on the hill, I looked toward Birnam, and I thought I saw the forest begin to move.
MACBETH Liar and slave!	MACBETH Liar and slave!
MESSENGER 35Let me endure your wrath, if ’t be not so. Within this three mile may you see it coming; I say, a moving grove.	MESSENGER Punish me if it’s not true. Three miles from here you can see it coming, a moving forest.

Read the Summary of Act 5, scenes 1–11

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