Macbeth quotes (whole play)

themes of: ambition, heroic, weak, guilty, deception, supernatural, natural order, tyranny, downfall (ending)

Brave, Valour (heroic)

Brave Macbeth, Like Valour’s minion 1.2 Captains report

• The Epithet ‘Brave Macbeth’ is the first description of Macbeth in the play and so starts him off with a heroic first impression

• simile ‘like valour’s minion’ conveys Macbeth as committed and courageous

• noun ‘minion’ presents Macbeth as an obedient soldier, which is quite ironic as he ends up killing the king

Lion (heroic)

Lion 1.2 Captains report

• symbol/connotations of: bravery, strength and royalty

• dominant characters of their environment

• lions = predator → power against enemies

Smoked (heroic)

(macbeth’s sword) Smoked with bloody execution 1.2 Captains report

• shows off Macbeths skill on the battlefield, could possibly be foreshadowing his future violence/mercilessness

• at the start of the play he is unafraid of blood unlike in Act 2, where he tries desperately to clean his hands from blood. Right now he is merciless and feels no guilt for simple battle murder, but with regicide he feels immense guilt. Shakespeare could be using this contrast in guilt to help show Jacobean society how different and immoral regicide is from simple murder

seated heart (weak - fear)

make my seated heart knock at my ribs 1.3 thinking about killing the King

• "knock at my ribs" vividly portrays the violent, unsettling sensation of his heart feels, just thinking about killing the King, it’s against his good moral nature

• used to convey the horror and unease that Macbeth feels as he contemplates the possibility of murder to fulfill his ambition

Milk (weak - feminine)

too full o’er the milk of human kindness 1.5 Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth’s letter

• Lady Macbeth uses this metaphor to describe Macbeth as too full of human kindness, this gives us the impression that Macbeth had a solid moral compass at the start of the play, he wouldn’t do something as ill moral as regicide. He currently doesn’t have the motivation to kill Duncan

• ‘milk’ connotes purity and innocence, which is quite strange to describe a masculine man. Perhaps Shakespeare challenges gender stereotypes of Jacobean England to explore men’s weaknesses and how there are different types of strength than just physical

• this contrasts with him later being full of “scorpions”

Coward (weak - fear)

Coward 1.7 Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth

• Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s masculinity in order to convince him, she knows that his manhood is one of his weaknesses as he constantly tries to prove himself

• In his domestic relationship with Lady Macbeth, he appears quite submissive towards

• This presentation of Macbeth greatly contrasts the ‘Brave Macbeth’ from before

• Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s strong masculine character previously presented in the beginning to try convince him

Green and Pale (weak - feminine)

Green and Pale 1.7 Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth

• green connotes fear, Lady Macbeth is trying to imply that Macbeth is just too scared to kill Duncan

• pale connotes sickness, Lady Macbeth is trying to imply that Macbeth isn’t brave enough to kill Duncan

• It would have been seen as feminine to be afraid of violence, and so with this perhaps Lady Macbeth is trying to emasculate Macbeth

?→ cat (weak - fear)

lion → poor cat 1.7 Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth

• poor cat shows how submissive Macbeth is to Lady Macbeth

• This really contrasts with him being described as a ‘lion’ from before, cats are domestic lions, this reflects the change in our impression of Macbeth

• lions are viewed as brave, while cats are easily scared “scaredy cat”

man (weak - feminine)

I dare do all that may become a man 1.7 Lady Macbeth convincing Macbeth

• shows us that Macbeth is desperate to become undoubtedly a man, but his toxic understanding of manhood helps convince him to commit regicide

• “all”, shows he is willing to do absolutely everything to appear strong and manly

• Shakespeare could be using Macbeth’s drive to be masculine to criticise the violent stereotypes and toxic masculinity of Jacobean England

Stay .. tell me ? (ambition)

Stay… tell me more 1.3 Macbeth & Banquo meets the witches

• imperative verb ‘stay’ displays Macbeth as authoritative but also eager to hear more, he’s almost ordering the witches around, trying to collaborate with them. His fear and weariness is discarded because of his ambition

• ‘tell me more’, shows how he’s intrigued by the witches and the news they bring, he doesn’t appear skeptical but automatically believes them unlike Banquo. Probably because they’re feeding his ambitions

• Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition early on in the play to show how it grows throughout and becomes his downfall

happy prologues (ambition)

as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme

1.3 Macbeth & Banquo meets the witches

• theatre imagery could be used to show how Macbeth desires and excitement to be centre stage, he wants all the power and glory that he thinks comes with being King

• Perhaps theatre imagery could also imply that Macbeth’s dreams are unrealistic

• ‘swelling act’ could be seen as mirroring his growing ambition. He’s already imagining himself becoming King in the close future

• “swelling” connote spreading of disease, perhaps reflecting how Macbeth’s ambition is leading him to his demise

Stars (ambition)

Stars hide your fires 1.4 Duncan declares Malcolm as next King

• Macbeth telling the stars to stop shining could be foreshadowing his controlling Kingship, he’s trying to disrupt the natural order of things

• verb ‘hide’ displays how Macbeth is becoming more secretive now, if the stars stop shining then the night will be even darker then normal. This allows Macbeth to be sly and act without anyone seeing. He’s hiding from God and starting to roam in the dark abyss

Desires (ambition)

Let not light see my black and deep desires 1.4 Duncan declares Malcolm as next King

• ‘light’ could be referring the God, and that he wants to distance himself from God so he can’t witness his great sins of regicide.

• ‘black’ connotes evil, corruption and connects with witchcraft and the supernatural

• adjective ‘deep’ could be portraying his desires as rooted within him and how he’s capable of such sinful things like regicide but also reflect how far his morality is falling, it’s getting further away from the light of God.

Vaulting (ambition)

Vaulting ambition, o’erleaps itself, fall on th’other 1.7 Macbeth decides not to kill Duncan

• Shakespeare uses this imagery of a horse vaulting to demonstrate the dangers of his ambition. When he goes to far (regicide), he will end up destroying himself.  

• Shakespeare includes Macbeths ambition to present him as a tragic hero with this tragic flaw/hamartia, and showing how it will end up being his downfall. It also shows the consequences of committing regicide, as King James I was nearly assassinated in the 1605 gunpowder plot, Shakespeare is helping demonstrate how sinful it is to kill the king through Macbeth’s downfall.

Neptune’s ocean (guilt)

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?

2.2 Macbeth meets Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan

• ‘all great Neptune’s ocean’, Shakespeare uses the magnitude of the ocean to help portray the extent of Macbeth’s guilt

• Water is used in christianity to cleanse people from sin, but Macbeth is unable to cleanse himself because of the magnitude of his crime, he’s beyond salvation. Shakespeare does this to show that Macbeth has no hope of redemption.

• The reference of ‘Neptune’ roman god of the sea, instead of God could be showing how Macbeth is now leaning towards paganism and witchcraft

Murder sleep (guilt)

Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep 2.2 Macbeth meets Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan

• This could be viewed as Macbeth murdering the sleeping Duncan or it may be that he’s murdered/lost his own sense of peace. After this incident he’s never going to be at ease or peaceful. This serves as part of his punishment for committing regicide.

Sleep (guilt)

Macbeth shall sleep no more 2.2 Macbeth meets Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan

• Macbeth’s mind is too overwhelmed with guilt and fear that he’s never going to be able to sleep. He is now in constant turmoil

• It could possibly be that he’s now going to be more involved in the night and dark

‘Amen’ (guilt)

‘Amen’ Stuck in my throat 2.2 Macbeth meets Lady Macbeth after killing Duncan

• Macbeth repeatedly trying to say ‘Amen’ reflects his desperation in seeking forgiveness from God, but now that he can’t, his connection from God seems to have been severed

• Macbeth is now damned to hell and rejected by God after going against God and the Divine Right of Kings

• Imagery of it stuck in his throat, shows how suffocating and painful it feels to suffer without the support of God

innocent flower (deception)

Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it 1.5 Lady Macbeth suggests they kill Duncan

• simile ‘like the innocent flower’ presents Macbeth as deceptive, as he conceals his true nature and becomes growingly duplicitous

• the imagery of a flower and serpent could reflect the commemorative medal James I had made after the gunpowder plot which also includes flowers and a serpent. Shakespeare could do this to reflect the duplicitous nature of the people attempting to assassinate King James I

false (deception)

false face must hide what the false heart must know 1.7 Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan

• ‘false’ and ‘hide’ shows how Macbeth is now duplicitous and becoming deceiving, like the devil. Macbeth plans to disrupt the great chain of being just because of his desire to be King, only for personal gain

• Unlike Macbeth at the start of the play - who was fighting against a traitor for his country, he is now going against his country by committing treason in order to gain more power

• the difference between his heart and face shows the difference between Macbeth’s appearance and the reality of his character

vizards (deception)

make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are 3.2 Macbeth fears threats

• vizards are black masks, with this they are hiding/concealing peoples faces and intentions. With this quote Macbeth is showing his growing deception and secrecy

• “Disguising what they are” could be implying that his heart is no longer good but now full of darkness and corruption, hiding away the ugly truth of what he’s become

fruitless (natural order)

“Fruitless crown” “barren sceptre” 3.1 Macbeth fears Banquo

• “Fruitless” is the opposite of fruitful, which is associated with God and how he asked people to reproduce. This could reflect how his crown feels less because he can’t pass it down to his lineage.

• “barren” reflects Macbeth’s hollow feelings, even after becoming King he still feels unfulfilled, he’s still hungry for more power. He now desires eternal power

fate (natural order)

come fate into the list 3.1 Macbeth fears Banquo

• this quote highly contrasts to 1.3 “without my stir”, where Macbeth decides not to challenge fate, while now he’s deciding to go against natural order and God’s will/plan

• Macbeth is now becoming controlling of nature, just like 1.4 “stars hide your fires”. This is an insight to Macbeth’s controlling kingship

wicked dreams (supernatural)

wicked dreams abuse the curtained sleep 2.1 Macbeth goes to kill Duncan

• “wicked dreams” is an oxymoron and emphasises the unusual nature of Macbeth disobeying natural order

• the adjective “curtained” could be used to display Duncan as unaware and innocent and help signify how horrible this murder is.

• verb “abuse” show how Macbeth is now abusing his strength and no longer using it for the good of his country, but now uses it for selfish reasons that will harm others

scorpions (supernatural)

full of scorpions is my mind 3.2 Macbeth fears of threats

• “scorpions” connote poison, deadly and pain

• this metaphor greatly contrasts with when he was “full o’er the milk of human kindness” (1.5). Macbeth has now lost his purity and been tainted and corrupted by the supernatural

• the imagery of his mind being full could portray how his mind is now plagued with malevolence and thoughts of murder

• this imagery of corruption could help present Macbeth’s paranoia as infinite, small stings

• Contrast between milk → scorpions enhances the idea of the natural order being ruined from regicide

night (supernatural)

come, seeling night 3.2 Macbeth fears of threats

• similar to “Come thick night” - Lady Macbeth 1.5

• Macbeth is now embracing the powers of the supernatural and darkness. He is completely separate from light and goodness after being damned to hell

• He’s ready to inflict more violence and murder

black agents (supernatural)

night’s black agents 3.2 Macbeth fears of threats

• contrasts to “valour’s minion” 1.2, instead of siding with the country and others he is now aligning himself with the supernatural and causing chaos

in blood (tyranny)

I am in blood stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more 3.4 Banquo’s Ghost appears at the banquet

• Imagery of river of blood could symbolise Macbeth’s commitment to blood shed, also contrasts with “Neptune’s oceans” (2.2), showing how he’s surrounded himself with crime

• Blood is no longer a symbol of guilt that Macbeth fears “wash this blood clean from my hand” (2.2) He no longer want’s to be cleansed but embraces it

• He feels he’s gone too far in to sin that he’s beyond salvation

blood (tyranny)

blood will have blood 3.4 Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost appears at the banquet

• shows how Macbeth is trapped in a vicious cycle of violence, he no longer avoids blood

• Macbeth is now consumed by bloodlust, desperately trying to maintain his power he sacrificed his soul for

bleed, bleed (tyranny)

bleed, bleed, poor country! 4.3 Macduff and Malcolm discuss Macbeth’s rule

• Macbeth is causing Scotland to suffer, he’s causing his country harm instead of protecting it

• He’s caused chaos, he has bad kingship

• personification of Scotland helps to highlight the pain Macbeth is causing

_____-sceptered (tyranny)

bloody-sceptered 4.3 Macduff and Malcolm discuss Macbeth’s rule

• Macbeth usurped the throne through violence and disrupted the natural order

• the blood on the sceptre could represent Macbeth’s corruption, he’s abused his power as King to try gain unlimited power, ruining the sanctity of the throne

Devilish _____ (tyranny)

Devilish Macbeth 4.3 Macduff and Malcolm discuss Macbeth’s rule

• contrast to 1.3 ‘Brave Macbeth’, Macbeth is now viewed as an evil leader instead of a brave soldier who fought against evil.

• He’s ‘devilish’ in the way he abuses his power for personal gain, is always desperate for more power, and commits crimes and violence to get his way

never sag… shake with fear (ending)

Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear 5.3 Macbeth is told the English army is coming for him

• small redeeming aspect of Macbeth is his bravery, he’s not scared or hiding away. This creates a small bit of sympathy towards him, which helps heighten the audience’s sadness for his end

leaf (ending)

the yellow leaf 5.3 Macbeth is told the English army is coming for him

• Macbeth refers to himself as this ‘yellow leaf’, this metaphor creates an image that Macbeth’s reign is coming to an end, or it could be him becoming old and weak.

• The noun ‘leaf’ implies that this is a natural occurrence and unlike Macbeth’s act of regicide, this death of a king will not go against natural order, but restore it

first cries (ending)

Lay on, Macduff ,and damned be him that first cries 5.8 Macbeth and Macduff fight to the death

• Macbeth is brave enough to face Macduff like a man even after realising the witches have tricked him. He wants to die like a soldier - in battle, trying to act like he once did without the interruptions of the supernatural world

fiends (ending)

these juggling fiends no more believed 5.8 Macbeth and Macduff fight to the death

• Macbeth finally realises that the witches tricked and manipulated him

Dead (ending)

Dead Butcher 5.8 Macbeth is slain by Macduff

• Macbeth has turned from ‘Brave Macbeth’ a soldier who fought for his country, into this ‘dead butcher’ whose reputation is full of crime, cruelty, and death.

• The noun ‘butcher’ describes him as this brutal murderer

• Shakespeare gives Macbeth a tragic ending to show the audience the extent of consequences that come with trying to go against The Divine Right of Kings, and using Witchcraft