Act 5, Scene 4 Summary

An expedition, near Birnam wood, marches towards Dunsinane. It is composed of Malcolm with General Siward and his son, young Siward, Macduff, Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox, Ross, and Soldiers. Malcolm suggests that each soldier saws off a bough and carries it before himself as camouflage to hide their numbers. Although many have revolted, Macbeth stays in Dunsinane, in his castle, thinking he will somehow triumph.

Act 5, Scene 4 Analysis

The suspense builds as the audience first gets a glimpse of how cleverly the witches have deceived Macbeth. But, instead of telling the audience definitively, Shakespeare relies on Malcolm's suggest to use the branches from Birnam would to camouflage the soldiers.