Macbeth by William Shakespeare ~ Macbeth Quotes

"Noble Macbeth"
"Brave Macbeth"
"worthy gentleman"
"valiant"

Noble Warrior ~ Act 1 Scene 2 ~ This emphasizes how Macbeth is the ideal man to be at the start of the play because Macbeth is courageous, honourable, masculine, heroic, strong and powerful.

"Murder"

Macbeth's Ambition ~ Act 1 Scene 3 ~ Macbeth is beginning to think about murdering Duncan and the '(aside)' this leads him to lie and be decisive and sly.

(aside) "black and deep desires"

Macbeth's Ambition ~ Act 1 Scene 3 ~ The adjective 'black' suggests evil and death. The alliteration of 'deep desires' emphasizes the desire to be king and the desire to kill Duncan. This is the unleash of uncontrolled ambition.

"Vaulting ambition"

Macbeth's Ambition ~ Act 1 Scene 3 ~ This metaphor of how Macbeth has the desire to jump up, to have more power and to get higher up the hierarchy.

"subject" and "host"

Conscience VS Coward ~ Act 1 Scene 7 ~ In this scene, Macbeth is indecisive to whether he should or shouldn't commit regicide. Macbeth feels that he shouldn't kill the king because he is his "subject" and therefore Macbeth should be honourable and loyal. Macbeth said that Duncan is his "host" and therefore he should look after and protect Duncan and not murder him.

"we will proceed no further"

Conscience VS Coward ~ Act 1 Scene 7 ~ Macbeth makes up his mind and tells Lady Macbeth that "we will proceed no further". Lady Macbeth then persuades Macbeth by calling him a coward and telling him to become a man.

"Amen"

Macbeth's Emasculation ~ Act 2 Scene 2 ~ This is after Macbeth has murdered Duncan. He feels so much guilt that he can't bring himself to say "Amen" because he has just committed sin and therefore lost all contact with God.

Macbeth's Emasculation ~ Act 2 Scene 2 ~ "Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor. Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.".

Macbeth becomes paranoid and has a psychological breakdown because he says "Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor. Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.".The repetition of 'shall sleep no more' emphasizes how he has lost control. The imperative 'shall' emphasizes how Macbeth will never sleep again. The caesura is used to show that Macbeth is taking a pause and this emphasizes how Macbeth lost control.

"blood will have blood"

Growing Confidence ~ Act 3 ~ This emphasizes the bloody path that Macbeth takes as he becomes more confident and powerful. Here, Macbeth is referring to murdering Banquo.

"full of scorpions is my mind"

Growing Confidence ~ Act 3 ~ This is a metaphor of guilt and this emphasizes how Macbeth is paranoid as he see the "ghost of Banquo".

"Come, seeling night"

Growing Confidence ~ Act 3 ~ Macbeth echos what Lady Macbeth says in her 'Unsex me' speech. This is significant because this shows how the relationship of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has changed and it also shows how Macbeth is more powerful.

1. "beware Macduff"
2. "none of woman born shall kill Macbeth"
3. Macbeth will be safe until "Burnam Wood" goes to "Dunsinane"

Cruel Tyrant ~ Act 4 ~ In this Act, Macbeth goes back to visit the witches, they tell him a further 3 prophesies:
1. "beware Macduff"
2. "none of woman born shall kill Macbeth"
3. Macbeth will be safe until "Burnam Wood" goes to "Dunsinane"
This makes Macbeth feel invincible however, he is twisting the prophesies to make it suit him. Macbeth feels undefeatable, but to make sure, he kills Macduff's family.

"tyrant"

Cruel Tyrant ~ Act 4 ~The noun 'tyrant' means to be cruel, evil and power-hungry and abuse of power. This emphasizes how Macbeth has gone from a 'noble' warrior to a cruel tyrant.

Dead "butcher"

Act 5 ~ The noun 'butcher' emphasises how Macbeth murders, slaughters people like cattle and carves up people like meat - this emphasises how Macbeth is violent and a tyrant.

"She should of died hereafter"

Act 5 ~ Macbeth says "She should of died hereafter". Macbeth says that Lady Macbeth died at the wrong time and should have died at another time, this emphasises how he does not care and the breakdown in relationship.