Macbeth Quotations

Act 1 Scene 7- developed

“When you durst do it then you were a man” 

“I would while it was smiling in my face have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out had I so sworn as you have done to this”

AO1: LM perhaps intentionally emasculates him- compares him to helpless, fragile new-born who needs to be breastfed in juxtaposition to his seamless, effortless slashing ‘from the naval to the chops’ which encapsulates him as a crucial, ruthless, masculine warrior on battlefield who acts upon patriotic drive- advocates quintessential form of Scottish soldier

→Shakespeare portrays M’s ability to be easily reduced + manipulated by closest to him, implying corruptibility + softness from insubservient wife who leads powder dynamic

AO1/2: LM defies stereotypical Jacobean expectations of women through gruesome imagery of “active verbs “plucked”, “dashed” - subverts her feminine, nurturing role into cruelty + violence [insert context + AO2 through connotations]

AO1/2: LM draws M to idea of murder to prove masculinity, compelled to acquire power for higher status in a period where woman cannot gain a status relative to a man [insert context]

→Alternatively, perhaps aggressive, emotive language [insert AO2] could be empowerment, rather than emasculation by appealing to ethos with intention of being affectionate seen through her questioning and previous maternal, sorrowful side

→ Shakespeare utilises LM in order to foreshadow the destructive extents of unmanaged ambition in which will be met- ‘unseaming’ connotes grotesque, destructive brutality which further foreshadows his forthcoming absolute dissoluteness

Emasculation/gender context

→Shakespeare portrays a reversal in gender roles which will surprise + irritate a Jacobean audience as they were disturbed by the idea that woman can have power as part of a patriarchal society- resulted in women being subjugated as a result of their beliefs in natural order of women serving men, owed honour, love and had to obey as well as giving them conjugal rights with consequences of defiance being serious

→Blurs gender boundaries hence Jacobean audience interest stimulated by masculine persona

→This depiction occurs early on in play, staining manipulative impression of her character, causing disdain towards her character

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 1- evolved

“A dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed?”

AO1: Internal conflict progresses to large extent, suggesting his ambition was greatly repressed, as a result he is in state of mental turmoil on whether or not he has a fever due to excessive stress of ensuring his sin is concealed from the public or perhaps overbearing fear in opposing the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ and committing regicide as an established devout Christian early in the allegory [insert context]

AO2: mental turmoil further constructed through the use of tricolon, mirroring frenziful, disarrayed mind

AO1: Shakespeare perhaps portrays a mentally constructed dagger which is leading him to sin (through hallucinations as a result of great obsession & compulsion) or perhaps intends to portray the theme of ‘supernatural projection’- an actual, palpable dagger from the ‘witches due to the so-called, renowned witching hour, following the occurrence of this event at midnight’’

→ spur finally succeeds

DROK/’Great Chain of Being’ context

→For Jacobean audience, will highly appeal to their fear + horror of regicide + attempt to break ‘Great Chain of Being’ which is recognised as a blasphemous,  mortal sin, for which the culprit would go to hell as they were typically overwhelmingly Christian as a society

→Modern audience

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself”- developed Macbeth

AO1/2: suggests leans away from deadly sin which acts as representation of awareness of his fatal flaw yet also signifies presence of his morality & purity unshaken- significantly emphasised through the use of personal pronouns of “I”, to describe absence of spur, and “itself” to describe vaulting ambition, separating his character from evil intent

AO1/2: Metaphor of ‘spur’ (typically for horses to enable them to go faster) allows audience to gain raw insight behind state of internal conflict- although identifies that no rationality/ morality he also considers his driving forces through connotations of ‘spur’- ambition through desires

→This state is also signified by the staggered lines in which mirrors his conflicted mind

AO1/2: active verb “vaulting” enables creation of vivid imagery within reader, connoting reckless movements that go beyond limitations, foreshadowing imprudent + bloodthirsty extents which M will go due unrepressed ambition which Shakespeare explains to ‘o’erleap itself’ in a way in which is a paradox- although ambition is a forwards, driving force, it is the root cause of his downfall that is yet to unveil

[insert context]

“I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, innocent sleep, sleep wrapped in care…Macbeth shall sleep no more / You lack the season of all natures, sleep” - evolved Macbeth

AO1: ‘Sleep’ commonly utilised motif throughout play, serves as constant reminder that M. will posses an everlasting lack of peace which is connoted through elimination of sleep + will be constantly followed by regular episodes of hallucinations, overbearing guilt + opened pathway of paranoia due to pivotal point of murder

AO2: Frenziful state of mind constructed through excessive use of commas in the form of a tricolon, further emphasising his triggered moral compass & softness

AO1/3: Shakespeare translates his beliefs as warning to the Jacobean audience of the significance of blasphemous defiance of ‘DROK’, especially in unnatural scenario of Macbeth, manifesting their fears & anxieties in the form of fiction - [insert context]

AO2: constructed semantic field of maternally associated adjectives (as seen through innocent, care), heightens + reinstates significance of internal struggles from shame and regret

“From this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand…his babes”- Developed Macbeth

→Repetition of ‘firstlings’ reveals Macbeth’s impulsiveness and his new-founded tyranical persona - he has reached the final point of moral deterioration and his sense of morality completely diminishes, further emphasised through modal verb ‘shall’, connotes determined attitude towards intended recklessness

→He develops to no longer be doubtful, uncertain

→Hubiristic, gains the awareness to go to the extent of killing innocent babies which is paradoxical due to his established, embodied innocent, soft, paternal-like persona which was constantly equated to one of a new-born and criticised by his wife, resulting in reversal of gender roles (Macbeth as feminine wheras LM masculine)

→Constructed in the form of an [aside] hence audience gain a raw insight to his true intentions which he cannot mask (i.e. ‘from this moment’ as a pivotal point in which he resolves to assign himself to tyranny)

Context of unchecked ambition

→Jacobean audiences would be alarmed by calamitous dangers of unchecked ambition- play explores how Macbeth’s ambition leads to odious acts that he isn’t naturally inclined to commit as a Scottish general. Although he successfully kills Duncan through the drive of ambition that results from ‘witches’ prophecies’ fantasying the idea of power and advancement, he stews in guilt + paranoia which later develops to frantic, boastful madness

→Lady Macbeth pursues goals driven by ambition with greater determination though is unable to withstand repercussions of immoral acts (although she constantly rejects her femininity that comes with softness due to it being a ‘handicap’ she is unable to)

→M loses all, becomes spiritually empty and morally corrupt

“Brief candle…walking shadow…life…signifying nothing”- Developed Macbeth

AO1: Macbeth descends into Nihilism, discarding the meaning of life from his mind due to constant unhealthy chase + obsession w/ kingship, power + blood thirst enabling him to become heartless, inhumane

AO2: Metaphor of “brief” connotes that life is fleeting, insignificant

AO2: Metaphor ‘‘walking shadow’’ connoting that life to him is ephemeral, meaningless, lacks substance

SEMANTIC FIELD

AO2: Additionally, S further constructs phonology of sound through repetition of the sound “-ing”, emphasising theme of internal anger, struggle, regret through evoking uprise in urgency

→Contrasts to when he was initially established as a devout Christian who embodied morality, humanity, believed in the punishment of the afterlife and immediately turned to pray after murder, despite heinous sin, seeking refuge with remorseful ache evident through repetition “wherefore could I not pronounce amen”, connoting frenzy …

“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts…uns me here…fill me to toe-top to the direst cruelty ”- Lady Macbeth, Act 1

AO1: Transgressive- implies that femininity is viewed as a vulnerability + handicap hence wants to be unburdened from it & yearns for boldness + ruthlessness rather than typical nurturing traits, reflecting her insecurities on Macbeth when she refers to him as ‘soft’ & ‘maternal figure’ and intentionally emasculates him

AO2: Soliloquy w/ imperative verbs “come”,”fill” reflect urgency of rejection, heightening tension & revealing hubris (arrogance to believe can control evil forces)

AO2: ”‘toe-top full” implies that she wants to wholly eject any traces of emotion, morality, further implying that she isn’t cruel by nature]as she asks to be filled with it, foreshadowing that she cannot handle the consequences of this unnatural role henceforth leads to her downfall, ravaging her own as a result of innate, everlasting softness & guilt

AO2: ‘‘direst cruelty” connotes readiness to ruthlessly and aggressively embrace maximised cruelty →severity of ambition

→Power dynamic lead by her initially in the relationship - subjugation

Supernatural context

→ LM adresses supernatural outlines similarities between LM + supernatural - evil

→LM soliloquy reflects aspects of witches from “shal’t be”, foreshadowing evil + immorality consuming her early on novella inevitably intertwines her own path to damnation (fatal flaw)

→LM association w/ supernatural violates expected role as domesticated + passive woman, defying Jacobean societal expectations

→However inability to execute act of regicide expresses emotional frontline, suggests profound weakness in seemingly striking character which enough to toil confines of her mentality

“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”- Lady Macbeth

AO1/2/3: Insinuates willingness to imply femininity, gracefulness, dignity in her outward exterior but embody masculine traits internally- through juxtaposition of “flower” (connotes sincerity, gentleness) & “serpent" (religious connotations of devilish, duplicitous nature which prevails manipulative qualities through direct biblical reference devil tempting evil which ‘causes fall of man’ in Christian faith→ S utilises this to enable audience to construct links with supernatural, manifesting fear & fascination w/ witchcraft due to James I’s interest & blasphemous acts which lead to ruin)

AO1: Encourages husband to path of trickery + facade of conviviality but under his disguise his true nature should be fuelled with motivation of treason

AO2: S. presents this to translate lesson of deceitful appearances which don’t reveal true intent

AO3: Alternatively, could be viewed as direct reference to gunpowder plot- underlying link is made to appeal to Jacobean audience’s fears of treason and the consequences in which would follow the breach [context- DROK, GCOB)

→Reveals unrequited love →willing to venture relationship for ambitions/ advancement of power

“All perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”- Lady Macbeth

AO1/3: Patriarchal system: set for men, by men, at expense of women; women forced to portray themselves in a which they are not; expectation to perfume themselves for men, displaying a facade

AO2: semantic field: “sweeten”, “little”- connotes innocence + purity that mirrors that of an infant- conforming to Jacobean patriarchal societal norms in which women are subjugated as they’re believed to be negligible, “sweeten” as a deceptive device in order to veil effects of own ambition which led to tragedy

AO2: Shakespeare constructs her to commit suicide from regret of using own ambition + independent power hubristically, which leads her to become inclined to revert back to her “little, sweet” feminine form (S portrays to the Jacobean audience and perhaps the modern audience that women taught to use violence internally due to repression, men use it outwardly as a prime representation of manhood + courage)→tragedy

→Shakespeare uses Christianity to further express regret+fatal flaw: commits suicide as aware of God being omniscient + cannot escape her sins (warning from Shakespeare- consequences which follow regicide→ mental torment on earth, physical torment in afterlife), also utilises metaphor of potent stench to manifest permanency of guilt (a form of mental torment) through senses

“Out, damned spot: out I say!”- Lady Macbeth 

AO1: Shakespeare word choice of “damned” carries direct links w/ LM + M exploiting free will to commit regicide, signalling that their souls will go to hell

AO1/2/3: Shakespeare uses word choice “out” (imperative verb) as LM pleading evil spirits- paradoxical as she desperately pleas to be free from the overbearing idea of hell + cruelty, rather than commanding to be filled with it (juxtaposition) as well as “spot” used as a motif to portray her consciousness→ cannot bear idea of going to hell as ultimate sinner hence commits suicide and transfers idea of damnation to spot on her hand ——fate + destiny

→Presents allegory to Jacobean audience that if they attempt to plot on king James I, defying ‘GCoB’ they will suffer consequences of fate alike LM (impaired metal wellbeing through hallucinations reflected through her visions & inability to sleep which carries heavy depths of guilt, despite her volition to connect + interact w/ supernatural)

-Excessive use of grammar reflective of frenzied, disarrayed mind, evoking sense of urgency within audience

-Guilt reflects her innate softness + femininity as a result of her not having the power in her own right therefore assigns act of regicide to M. in order to feel acquisition of power [insert conext]

-Utilises hamartia/ tragedy to highlight significance of Divine Right of Kings

“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm/ The instruments of darkness tell us truths”- Banquo 

“What can the devil speak true?”

-”Instruments of darkness”→metaphor presents his awareness of Ws as a facade (appearance vs reality) w/ “instruments” deliberately utilised to connote playfulness, manipulation, deception paired with “darkness” to uncover underlying evil & manipulative intent →relishes the idea of uprise of moral corruption & decline of spirituality to urge M to reason

-Adverb ”Oftentimes”→ethos →uncovers B’s pure intent + integrity present as he warns M from W’s motives speaking from maturity and wisdom as a Scottish general, whilst M is captivated by ‘promises’ →situates him as foil (restraint + skeptic vs. submission)

“Fly, good Fleance, fly!” - Banquo

→Motif throughout play after a death- used it as a representation of virtue & dignity but specific repetition of “fly” implies overwrought tone, affection, heedful attitude 

→Closing line to his character (final line)- semantic field of “fly” and “good” connotes righteousness, ambition; foil to Macbeth as dies with a bright, hopeful purpose/ fate contrasting to Macbeth’s nillhism 

-”Fly” symbol of escape from accumulated evil throughout the play, dies with a well-rounded purpose 

“O, I could play the woman with mine eyes”- Macduff

→Foil to MB- contrasts Macbeth’s emasculation and lack of masculinity as he embodies emotive, expressive, softness, vulnerabilities which mirrors that of modern masculinity and defies stereotypical Jacobean expectations - implied through “woman” in which gave off implications of emotional instability in JE

→MB supresses mournful side by masking w/ bloodthirst, tyranny

“Bleed, bleed, poor country!”- Macduff

-Foil to MB- mourns result of personal revenge

-Anaphora emphasis on severe state, w/ blood connoting distress, trauma, tragedy →positions him as patriotic which mirrors to MB’s previous patriotic persona whom has now elvoved into a selfless tryant

-Repetitive use of commas makes his statement lengthy and frantic - reflective of vast lengths of bloodthirst and moral degeneration of MB

“Fair is foul, foul is fair”- Witches’

-Chiasmus conveys cyclical structure → phrase opened with “fair”, providing an insight into his plausible, worthy heroic figure whom murders solely on the battlefield (a representation of his capacity for patriotism and integrity). Though “foul” representative of potency Scotland is placed under as a result of slaughterous reign 

-Inversion, rythmical structure, trochaic tetrameter constructs an ominous, eerie setting→establishes overall thematic mood of play 

→defiance of iambic pentameter reflective of intention to divert ‘natural order’

CONTEXT- supernatural, natural order

“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier”- Witches’

-Paradoxical language in the form of oxymorons (lesser/ greater/ happy/ not so happy) which reveals underlying manipulative, perplexing intent of the Ws → bring rise to uncertainty which is crucial device to leading MB astray →gives inclination to expel and diminish forthcoming obstacles and revives ambition - views everything as a threat which impairs moral compass→cascading effect of disarray in order to maximise his chances of ambitious idea of King 

Context 

Banquo: “O treachery!”

“In the great hand of God I stand”

“I fear thou play’dst moust foully for’t”

Duncan: “O valiant cousin! Worthy gentlemen”

“What he hat lost, noble Macbeth hath won!”

“See, see our honour’s hostess”