Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 3 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Macbeth is alternating between instructing Seyton to ready him for battle and ordering the doctor to cure Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking. A stage direction has been added before the doctor’s last line.Macbeth. Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it.[To SEYTON.] Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff.Seyton, send out. [To Doctor.] Doctor, the thanes fly from me.[To SEYTON.] Come, sir, dispatch. [To Doctor.] If thou couldst, doctor, castThe water of my land, find her disease,And purge it to a sound of pristine health,I would applaud thee to the very echo,That should applaud again.—[To SEYTON.] Pull’t off, I say.—[To Doctor.] What rhubarb, cyme, or what purgative drug,Would scour these English hence? Hear’st thou of them?Doctor. Ay, my good lord; your royal preparationMakes us hear something.Macbeth. [To SEYTON.] Bring it after me.I will not be afraid of death and bane,Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.[DOCTOR looks perplexed by Macbeth’s request and stealthily sidles away.]Doctor. [Aside.] Were I from Dunsinane away and clear,Profit again should hardly draw me here.
A
He is wary of Macbeth and concerned for his own safety.B
He thinks that he should discuss Macbeth’s request with others.C
He is confused by Macbeth and needs to think about what he has been told.D
He feels the urgency of Macbeth’s request and wants to comply with it.