Act 5, Scene 1

In a chamber at Dunsinane Castle, a doctor speaks with Lady Macbeth’s attendant, a gentlewoman who has become deeply concerned by her mistress’s strange behavior. She has summoned the doctor to observe Lady Macbeth, who has been walking in her sleep. As they discuss her condition, Lady Macbeth enters, carrying a candle. Though her eyes are open, she is entirely unaware of her surroundings and is lost in a trance-like state. She begins rubbing her hands, as if washing them, and speaks aloud, reliving the night of Duncan’s murder. The doctor and gentlewoman watch in shock as she cries out about her inability to cleanse herself of bloodstains, exclaiming, “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”

As she continues, Lady Macbeth reveals her guilt over other murders as well, mentioning Banquo and Lady Macduff, further alarming the onlookers. Her fragmented, guilt-ridden speech reveals the deep psychological torment that has been building since the murder of Duncan. Finally, she leaves, still oblivious to the others, and returns to bed. The doctor, disturbed by what he has witnessed, concludes that Lady Macbeth’s condition is beyond medical help, stating that “unnatural deeds / Do breed unnatural troubles.” He advises the gentlewoman to keep a close watch over her mistress and, realizing the gravity of what he has seen, leaves without further comment.

Analysis

This scene marks the final appearance of Lady Macbeth, now a shadow of the powerful and determined woman introduced in the early acts of the play. Her descent into madness is Shakespeare’s portrayal of the toll that guilt and suppressed emotion have taken on her. Once the driving force behind Duncan’s murder, Lady Macbeth now bears the consequences of her ambition, haunted by visions and unable to escape the stains of blood on her hands. Her compulsive handwashing symbolizes her deep-seated guilt and desire for absolution, as she relives the moments of betrayal and violence that now dominate her subconscious.

In her sleepwalking state, Lady Macbeth’s honesty and vulnerability are laid bare. She speaks more openly to the imagined Macbeth than she ever did when they were face-to-face, revealing the true extent of her guilt and her role in the murders. Her statement about the “perfumes of Arabia” not being enough to mask the bloodstains signifies her awareness that nothing can erase her actions or relieve her guilt. Unlike earlier in the play, where she scorned Macbeth’s remorse, Lady Macbeth is now consumed by her own culpability, unable to reconcile her ambition with the horror of the crimes committed.

This scene is also a poignant counterpoint to Macbeth’s own journey. While Macbeth’s ambition drives him deeper into violence and tyranny, Lady Macbeth is gradually destroyed by the very guilt she once mocked. Her descent into madness reflects the theme of unnatural actions breeding unnatural consequences, as noted by the doctor. The imagery of blood and fragrance speaks to the play’s exploration of guilt as a pervasive, inescapable force. For Lady Macbeth, the sleepwalking and compulsive handwashing reveal a mind fractured by the psychological burden of her deeds, reinforcing the idea that some actions cannot be undone or forgotten.

The doctor’s remark, “More needs she the divine than the physician,” highlights the spiritual dimension of Lady Macbeth’s suffering, suggesting that her malady is not physical but moral, rooted in her conscience. His decision to remain silent about what he has witnessed underscores the horror and helplessness surrounding Lady Macbeth’s condition, as even those around her recognize that she is beyond earthly aid. This tragic portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s mental collapse foreshadows the downfall that awaits Macbeth and the restoration of moral order after the turmoil they have unleashed.