Key Quotes from Shakespeare's Macbeth

What does Macbeth question about blood in his quote, 'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?'

He questions whether any amount of water can cleanse him of his guilt.

What does Banquo imply in his quote about the prophecies, 'Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promised, and, I fear, Thou play'dst most foully for't'?

He suggests that Macbeth has achieved the titles foretold by the witches but suspects he did so through treachery.

What is Macbeth's fear expressed in the quote, 'Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear'?

He fears that the earth will witness his guilt and actions.

What does the quote 'Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...our days creep by until the end of time, lighting the way to death like candles leading us to bed' convey about life?

It reflects the idea that life is a slow, inevitable march towards death.

What metaphor does Macbeth use in the quote 'Out, out, brief candle. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more'?

He compares life to a brief candle and a poor actor, emphasizing its transience and futility.

What does Macduff mean when he says, 'Tyrant, show thy face! If thou be'st slain and with no stroke of mine, my wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still.'?

He expresses his desire for vengeance against Macbeth and fears the consequences of not avenging his family.

What does Macbeth mean by 'Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock...But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in'?

He feels trapped by his guilt and the consequences of his actions.

What does the quote 'There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled' signify in Macbeth's context?

It symbolizes the danger posed by those who have been removed or escaped, like Banquo.

What does Macbeth imply with 'The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons you to heaven to hell.'?

He acknowledges that the bell signals Duncan's death, leading him to a fate of heaven or hell.

What does the Witches' quote 'Fair is foul and foul is fair' suggest about their nature?

It indicates a theme of deception and the blurring of moral boundaries.

What does Duncan mean by 'There's no art, To find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.'?

He reflects on the difficulty of judging a person's true intentions based on their appearance.

What is the meaning of Lady Macbeth's quote 'Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under 't'?

She advises Macbeth to appear innocent while hiding his true, malicious intentions.