Question

At the end of the play, Malcolm calls Macbeth and Lady Macbeth "this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen". What does Malcolm mean by this?

They both died heroically in battle.
They both were good-hearted rulers.
They were both evil and caused chaos.
They died peacefully in their sleep.

Answer 1

Malcolm is stating that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were evil characters who caused chaos, leading to their downfall.

Step-by-step explanation:

At the end of Shakespeare's play, when Malcolm refers to Macbeth as 'this dead butcher' and Lady Macbeth as 'his fiendlike queen,' he means that they were both evil and caused chaos throughout the play. This characterization comes after Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's ruthless ambition led them to murder King Duncan, among other atrocious acts, to ascend to power. Their actions brought turmoil and tragedy to Scotland, ultimately leading to their own downfall.