Macbeth Quotes Review

Flashcards to aid in studying key quotes and themes from Macbeth for the AQA GCSE English Literature exam.

In Act 1 Scene 1, the witches begin the play by saying '__', which sets an eerie atmosphere for the play.

when the battle's lost, and won

Theme: The duality and complexity of fate and the supernatural.

The phrase '__' suggests that there are always two sides to the same event, as in a battle with victory and defeat.

fair is foul, and foul is fair

Theme: The blurring of moral boundaries and the nature of reality versus appearance.

'Brave Macbeth' presents him as a __ warrior who is loyal to his King and country.

courageous

Theme: Honor and bravery in the face of conflict.

The captain praises Macbeth's bravery for his '___' portraying him as a skilled warrior in battle.

brandish'd steel, which smoked with bloody execution

Theme: The glorification of violence and the warrior culture.

The captain compares Macbeth to a __, suggesting strength, courage, and authority.

lion

Theme: power + ambition

lion associated w/ strength, courage + authority

→ puts M in positive light, highlights his position as a respected + admirable hero, loyal to his country

→ foreshadows M’s ferocity + determination for ultimate power that is revealed in later acts

→ unchecked ambition leads him to a dark path of tyranny + cruelty + ultimately to his tragic downfall

lion as an ironic metaphor for his violence + brutality, contrasting with other animal symbols used later in play:

M “full of scorpions is my mind”

LM “be the serpent”

Macbeth's curiosity with the witches is revealed when he says, '_, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.'

stay

Theme: The allure of ambition and the desire for knowledge.

Banquo questions, '__, can the devil speak true?' indicating his skepticism about the witches' prophecies.

what

Theme: appearance + deception, fate + free will

contrast to M

B is skeptical, doubts reliability of prophecies

Religious imagery of devil suggests evil, corruption + deception, which Jacobeans believed supernatural to be

Question serves as a reflection for moral complexities associated w/ supernatural- believed to be evil forces

CONTEXT- King James I passed act against witchcraft in 1604

Macbeth feels 'why do you dress me in ___' reflecting his feelings of insecurity regarding kingship.

borrowed robes

Theme: power +ambition

Gaining the title thane of Cawdor causes M to be more Intrigued w/ prophecies, feeling ambitious for the role of king

verb “borrowed” suggests sense of discomfort, insecure- contrasts to his controlling, tyrannical char he becomes because of ambition

Shakespeare provokes audience to question if M’s downfall was the consequence of fate

Link to end of act 5- “His title hang loose upon him, like a giants robe upon a dwarfish theif”

Macbeth has ‘stolen’ his status- break DROK (kings appointed by god)

The phrase 'as happy prologues to the swelling act of the _ theme' suggests the anticipation of upcoming events and establishes a dramatic tone for the story.

imperial

Theme: ambition

“Swelling act” refers to dramatic + sig unfolding of an important event (prophecy)

reveals M’s ambition for power- leads him to his pursuit of the throne + tragic consequences that follow

The quote ' stars, hide your fires, let not light see my _______' reveals Macbeth's ambition for power.

black and deep desires

Theme: power + ambition, appearance + deception

worried that he cannot claim throne as D announced Malcolm as heir

M wishes for supernatural darkness (hide your fires- acting like witch)

stars connotes fate + destiny beyond human control- M appeals to universe of Hod to conceal his dark desires as he has morals + guilty conscience

juxtapos of light-truth and goodness + black (darkness)- secrecy and deception

Contrast to LM- outwardly reaches to supernatural “Come you spirits, unsex me here….”

The phrase 'too full of the milk of _ kindness' suggests Lady Macbeth views Macbeth's compassion as a weakness.

human

Theme: masculinity + femininity

“milk” gives nurturing, feminine qualities to M, suggesting he is weak + vulnerable like a woman- contrasts w/ cruel + ruthless tyrant he becomes

takes advantage of M’s weaknesses + manipulates him to committing regicide- ultimate sin + breaks GCOB + commit sacrilege against DROK

alludes to LM’s ruthless ambition later in play

The quote 'Come you spirits, ____' shows Lady Macbeth's desire to rid herself of feminine qualities that she associates with weakness.

unsex me here

Theme: masculinity, power + ambition,

calls on evil spirits (w/ imperative “Come”) + associates herself w/ supernatural forces - acting like a witch

willing to call supernatural forces for her to change her gender to a man as she is desperate for power, highlighting her ambition- wants to get rid of any compassion empathy + weaknesses given to femininity during Jacobean era

seeks for power to dom husband- influencing his choices + manipulating him into betraying a good king- REGICIDE→ DROK, GCOB

Shakespeare perhaps explores a woman's capacity for power + suggests consequences of subverting gender roles, which lead to terrible consequences

The phrase 'take my milk for _' reflects Lady Macbeth's desire to transform her nurturing qualities into something more sinister and ruthless.

gall

Theme: masculinity, power + ambition

milk suggests femininity + nurturing qualities that LM rejects, replacing with “gall” (poison), metaphor for dangerous traits eg deception

embraces evil, reveals extreme extent of here determination to fulfil ambition

HOWEVER

rejection of natural qualities resulted in terrible psychological consequences drives her descent into madness- foreshadowing her downfall

Shakespeare possibly suggests danger of too much ambition + possessing evil traits as if the poison LM holds has acted upon herself

The phrase 'look like the innocent flower, but ______' suggests the theme of deception and appearance vs reality.

Be the serpent under’t

Theme: appearance + deception

juxtapos of flower-purity + innocence, serpent- deception + evil→ suggests deception to achieve goals, reveal manipulative nature of LM

→ foreshadows deceptive char that M becomes (betray friends + kings, hiding truths from his “dearest partner in crime”)

LM as a powerful char- dom + influences husband to break restraints from gender expectations

CONTEXT- Jacobeans were Christians + in genesis the serpent represents devil, tempts Adam + eve to disobey god + sin against him → acting of betrayal led to fall of humanity, similar to tragic eventful downfall of M + LM

The phrase 'his virtues will plead like ___' reflects M weighing up the reasons for and against the murder of Duncan during his soliloquy.

angels

Theme: KINGSHIP

religious imagery of angels symbolise divinity and purity as M acknowledges D as a good king

M struggles w/ the conflict between morality + his unchecked ambition for power, recognising the act of regicide + challenging DROK

CONTEXT- Jacobeans believed in the doctrine of the DROK→ suggesting kings were especially anointed by God

CONTEXT- ultimate sin in Jacobeans society→ regicide - break GCOB + DROK

Shakespeare appeals to King James I by showing that regicide is wrong through the whole play

The phrase '______ which overleaps itself' reflects Macbeth's desire for power that ultimately leads to his downfall.

vaulting ambition

Theme: fate + free will, ambition

"vaulting ambition" → M’s Hamartia (fatal flaw) as a Tragic Hero, ultimately leads to his downfall

"overleaps" suggests that his hunger for greater power in excessive amounts is reckless + self-destructive

suggests that ambition can be dangerously excessive and might result in one's destruction

CONTEXT- Shakespeare warns his audience against dangers in the pursuit of power, especially as James' life was threatened by the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.

LM telling M to “live a _” presents her as a manipulative character.

coward

Theme: ambition

challenges M’s masculinity + calls him a "coward", hurting M’s pride especially as a member of the Jacobean society which greatly valued power and bravery

criticises his reluctance to seize opportunity for greatness→ suggests his hesitance is a sign of fear/weakness

The quote “like the ____” highlights M as weak and cowardly.

poor cat

Theme: AMBITION, masculinity (LM)

LM's use of the simile of a cat further emphasises M’s cowardliness → he has ambitions but is too afraid to fulfil them

greatly contrasts w/ metaphor of lion in A1

LM subverts typical Jacobean gender roles + asserts her dominance over the more submissive M

The quote “___ the brains out” highlights the extent of LM’s brutality in order to achieve her ambitions.

dash’d

Theme: ambition, masculinity

shows LM’s commitment to her pursuit in power, determined to achieve her goals even if it involves acts of extreme violence

baby connotes innocence + purity, which LM brutally + ruthlessly destructs

unnatural for LM to be associated w/ aggression + brutality as they are connected to masculinity- women in Jacobean society were meant to be subservient + had no autonomy

FORESHADOWS later events where LM + M murder a good king, a loyal friend, defenceless women + children

The phrase “a dagger of ____” represents M’s inner conflict + mental turmoil as he contemplates the murder of D

the mind

Theme: ambition, guilt

KEY MOMENT IN PLAY AS IT IS HIS FIRST HALLUCINATION

dagger imagery → violence, conflicted thoughts about murder, highlights his guilt as he is confronted w/ the same image he will use to kill D

not a physical object, manifestation of his overwhelming thoughts about committing REGICIDE

connects to “Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle to my hand?”

→ shows deterioration of his state of mind + influences witches + LM have had on him

→ supernatural as bad, harmful

CONTEXT- regicide→ ultimate sin, breaks GCOB + DROK

'Sleep no more' indicates that Macbeth has lost his peace and will suffer from __ and guilt.

paranoia

Theme: The psychological consequences of guilt.

'This tyrant, whose sole name _ our tongues.' reflects the suffering caused by Macbeth's rule.

blisters

Theme: Tyranny and its moral implications.

Macbeth states, 'Upon my head they placed a __ crown,' indicating his feelings of insecurity in his kingship.

fruitless

Theme: The fragility of power.

Lady Macbeth's guilt is revealed when she repeatedly cries, '___,' as she tries to wash away imaginary blood.

out, damned spot!

Theme: The enduring nature of guilt.

'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean… rather __,' emphasizes the extent of Macbeth's guilt.

multitudinous ocean incarnadine

Theme: The overwhelming nature of guilt.

'I am in blood stepped so far' signifies that blood no longer represents guilt but the __ of his violent actions.

tyrannical rule

Theme: The acceptance of evil and moral decay.

'A little water clears us of this deed' shows Lady Macbeth's denial of the __ consequences of their actions.

moral

Theme: The illusion of innocence and the consequences of ambition.

'The Lord's anointed __' portrays Duncan as sacred, as he was anointed by God, emphasizing Macbeth's sin.

temple

Theme: The sanctity of kingship and violence against the divine.

The 'dark night strangles the travelling lamp' symbolizes how goodness is being __ by Macbeth's tyranny.

corrupted

Theme: The triumph of evil over good.

'They eat each other' represents how unnatural events occur due to Macbeth's __ act of regicide.

unnatural

Theme: The disruption of the natural order.

'Too full of the milk of __ kindness' suggests Lady Macbeth views Macbeth's compassion as a weakness.

human

Theme: Gender roles and perceptions of strength.

'I will not yield' creates sympathy for Macbeth as it reminds us of his earlier __ bravado.

heroic

Theme: The tragic hero's fall.

'This dead butcher and his __ queen' depict how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have become devoid of humanity.

fiend-like

Theme: The loss of humanity through ambition.