Question

In Act V of The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, why does Macbeth believe that Malcolm cannot harm him?

Answer 1

Answer:

The missing options available for this question are:

1. . He knows that he is a much better swordsman than Malcolm.
2. He knows that Malcolm would not be able to approach the castle from Birnam Wood.
3. He is overconfident in his ability to fight against Malcolm and his army.
4. He believes the witches’ prophecy that no man born of a woman can harm him.

The correct answer of the question is option 4.

Explanation:

The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare first performed in 1606. This play is also known as 'Macbeth'. This is the shortest of Shakespeare's tragedy written without subplot in Five acts. The play is about Macbeth's blind ambition of becoming a king.

The story is foreshadowed with the appearance of three witches or weird sisters. They prophesy for Macbeth and his friend Banquo:

1. Macbeth will become thane of Cawdor.
2. king of Scotland
3. And, descendant of Banquo will be kings.

Macbeth in his ambition of becoming the king, plans to murder the now king, King Duncan and eventually executes it and becomes the new king of the Scotland. Worried with the third prophesy of witches, he kills his friend Banqou also. After Banqou's death, his ghost scares Lady Macbeth and is driven into madness. Then three witches comforts Macbeth who is fearful that he will not be killed by a man born of a woman. So, in Act V, when Malcolm approaches his kingdom, Macbeth remains unafraid that Malcolm can harm him because he is a human. But, Malcolm was born of 'cesarean section', meaning 'not born of a woman'.

so, the correct option is 4.

Answer 2

Because the witches said no one can harm him unless the woods moved to the castle.