In Act 5, scene 4, of Shakespeare's Macbeth, Malcolm (Duncan's oldest son, named to be the dead king's successor) has decided to attack Macbeth at Inverness. Upon defeating the tyrant who murdered his father, Malcolm plans to take back the throne and rid Scotland of its murderous king. In order to accomplish this, Malcolm gives strategic instructions to his men.
As they approach the castle, Malcolm and his army come to a wooded area that Menteith identifies as Birnam Wood. In order to camouflage their numbers and surprise Macbeth (covering the sizable force moving to engage him), Malcolm tells his soldiers to cut branches from the trees and use them to shield themselves. (It is in this way that Birnam Wood appears to move.)
MALCOLM:
Let every soldier hew him down a bough,
And bear't before him: thereby shall we shadow
The numbers of our host, and make discovery
Err in report of us. (V.iv.6-9)
Malcolm's plan is to show Macbeth's lookouts a false front so they will be unable to ascertain the true number of soldiers preparing to attack. The lookouts will provide Macbeth with a number smaller than the actual army advancing on Inverness. By the time Macbeth realizes the mistake, it will be too late for him to defend against such vast numbers, especially because (as Malcolm reports) aristocrats and commoners (everyone with a heart) have fled, abandoning Macbeth to his fate. (15-18)
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