Macbeth Quotes and Themes

witches • paradox • appearance vs reality

Fair is foul and foul is fair.

chance • king • without my stir

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir.

Lady Macbeth • ambition • ruthlessness

Art not without ambition, but without / The illness should attend it.

Glamis • Cawdor • promised • kingship

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be / What thou art promised;

kindness • weakness • Macbeth

Too full o' th' milk of human kindness

Lady Macbeth • appearance vs reality • deception

Look like th' innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't.

manhood • manipulation • murder

When you durst do it, then you were a man.

spur • vaulting • ambition • Macbeth

I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition

justice • consequences • poisoned chalice

This even-handed justice commends th'ingredience of our poisoned chalice to our own lips.

Macbeth • guilt • cleansing • oceans

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?

hands • blood • heart white • cowardice

My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.

Macbeth • guilt • consequences • sleeplessness

Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep'

scorpions • mind • paranoia • guilt

O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!

Banquo • ghost • guilt • denial

Thou canst not say I did it; never shake / Thy gory locks at me.

blood • stepped • trapped • no return

I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far

heart • hand • impulse • violence

The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand.

damned spot • guilt • madness • Lady Macbeth

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!

Arabia • perfumes • blood • guilt

All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.

stars • fires • light • black desires

Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires.

deed • know myself • identity • guilt

To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.

sleep • no more • guilt • peace

Macbeth shall sleep no more.

king • safely • paranoia • insecurity

To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus.

snake • scorch'd • not kill'd • threat

We have scorch'd the snake, not kill'd it.

Banquo • ambition • power • prophecy

Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all.

Malcolm • good kingship • virtues

The king-becoming graces, / As justice, verity, temperance, stableness.

Macduff • tyranny • consequences • Scotland

Bleed, bleed, poor country!