GCSE English Literature- Macbeth quotes

Macbeth quotes on ambition and power

• “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” (A1, S3)

• “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (A1, S4)

• “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition” (A1, S7)

• “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” (A3, S1)

• “Life … is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” (A5, S5)

“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” (A1, S3)- Macbeth analysis

• “Chance”- fate, destiny- predetermined (great chain of being, divine right of kings)

• Rep. “chance”- uncertainty of fate

• “Crown”- Foreshadow later choice and desire for power

• “Why”- moral dilemma

• "Chance" is personified, as if destiny is an active force. He briefly considers passivity, thinking the crown might fall into his lap. But this thought masks his latent ambition. Shakespeare uses this moment to tease Macbeth’s inner conflict—he wants power, but also wants to avoid the guilt of chasing it.

• Classic moral limbo.

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition” (A1, S7)- Macbeth analysis

• soliloquy

• “No spur”- lack of motivation to act upon ambition- direct contrast to later, still has awareness of immorality of regicide

• “Spur”- metaphor for Macbeth having no other driving force other than ambition, stagnation

• Ramification of desires (ambition), internal struggle

• Macbeth admits he has no just reason to kill Duncan—only “vaulting ambition,” which he compares to a rider over-jumping his target and falling. The metaphor shows ambition as uncontrollable and self-destructive, foreshadowing his downfall. Shakespeare highlights ambition as Macbeth’s tragic flaw, showing he’s aware it may ruin him, but gives in anyway.

“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” (A3, S1)- Macbeth analysis

• soliloquy

• “fruitless crown”-  emptiness of Macbeth’s kingship, realisation that owner does not bring fulfillment or security, crown symbolizes ambition achieved but without rewards anticipated.

• “barren scepter”- “scepter”- symbol of authority and power, described as “barren,”- Macbeth’s reign devoid of legitimacy,  futility of his ambition, recognises that he cannot enjoy or maintain power.

• “Gripe”- conveys a sense of grasping or clutch, indicating Macbeth’s desperation to retain his ill-gotten power, internal struggle and fear of losing what he has gained, paranoia and tyranny.

• disillusionment that comes with unchecked ambition, achieving desires does not bring the satisfaction he expected, but rather a sense of emptiness and fear.

“Life … is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” (A5, S5)- Macbeth analysis

• Macbeth describes life as chaotic, pointless, and absurd

• metaphor of a story told by an “idiot” to reflect his total disillusionment.

• alliteration and auditory imagery of “sound and fury” highlights life’s noise and chaos, but also its emptiness—he sees no purpose after losing power, love, and control. 

• bleak surrender to nihilism.

Lady Macbeth quotes on ambition and power

• “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (A1, S5)

• “When you durst do it, then you were a man” (A1, S7)

“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (A1, S5)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• “Come, you spirits”- Lady Macbeth invokes supernatural forces to assist her in achieving her ambitions, reference to “spirits” suggests desires for external, unnatural assistance, indicating that her ambition exceeds her moral boundaries.

• “unsex me here”- demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s rejection of traditional feminine qualities such as compassion and nurturing, believes that to achieve her ambitious goals, she must cast off these traits and adopt what she perceives as masculine qualities—ruthlessness and aggression.

• Reflects Lady Macbeth’s internal conflict- recognizes her gender and societal expectations hinder her ambition, so she calls upon supernatural forces to strip her of her femininity.

• highlights Lady Macbeth’s unwavering ambition and willingness to reject societal norms and morality to gain power, shows belief that ambition requires cruelty, which she associated with masculinity.

“When you durst do it, then you were a man” (A1, S7)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• Lady Macbeth weaponises masculinity, linking murder to manhood. 

• Conjunction “If” implies he’s less of a man if he backs down, she challenges Macbeth’s pride, manipulating him through gender expectations. 

• “Durst”- mocks Macbeth for his lack of masculinity and dares him to kill Duncan

• Her control flips traditional gender roles, showing how power is fluid and performative

Banquo quotes on ambition and power, supernatural

• “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not” (A1, S3)

• “Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t.” (A3, S1)

“If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not” (A1, S3)- Banquo analysis

• “seeds of time”- metaphor refers to fate as something that grows like seeds, with unpredictable outcomes, curious about the witches’ prophecies but remains cautious and does not act on them, unlike Macbeth.

• in contrast with Macbeth, Banquo’s moral integrity remains intact, while Macbeth’s ambition leads him to try and control his destiny.

• “Seeds”- may reference Macbeth’s growing ambitions, as his ambition later “grows” and engulfs him into tyranny.

“Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t.” (A3, S1)- Banquo analysis

• “Thou hast it now”- Banquo reflects on how Macbeth has achieved the witches’ prophecies, but he suspects that Macbeth has committed immoral acts to attain his position.

• “Foully”- Banquo’s suspicion highlights moral corruption Macbeth has succumbed to, while Banquo himself remains honorable and does not act on the prophecies for personal gain.

Macbeth quotes on supernatural

• “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (A1, S4)

• “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” (A2, S1)

“Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (A1, S4)- Macbeth analysis

• “Stars, hide your fires”-  Macbeth’s desire for darkness to conceal his intentions, awareness of moral implications of ambitions, hide true self from both the world and his own conscience.

• Rhyming of “fires” and “desires” creates imagery of a spell, foreboding tone of the rest of the play

• “Let not light see”- The imagery of light represents truth and morality- plea for darkness indicates a wish to shroud his ambition in secrecy, inner conflict, lengths he is willing to go to achieve his desires.

• “Light” symbolises God and purity, commanding God, Macbeth is placing himself above God in the Great Chain of Being, showcasing his ambitious nature and his desire to promote himself in society.

• “black” and “deep”- convey sinister nature of his ambitions, intensity of his desire for power, not merely ambition but dark, morally corrupt longing.

• Internal struggle- grapples with the consequences of his aspirations, aware that fulfilling desires requires heinous actions.

“Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” (A2, S1)- Macbeth analysis

• soliloquy

• Question mark-  questions reality of the dagger, unstable and troubled mental state- psychological turmoil 

• “which I see before me”- visual imagery, Macbeth is in a hallucination, grappling with the weight of his ambition symbolises imminent regicide- blurred line between reality and hallucination

• “the handle toward my hand”- invitation to murder; the dagger guides him toward committing the act- ambition pulling him towards desires

• internal struggle between his ambition and his conscience, desire for power manifests as a supernatural influence that compels him to act.

• ambition becomes a driving force, moral conflict he faces as he contemplates murder.

Lady Macbeth quotes on supernatural

• “Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell [...] nor Heaven peep through” (A1, S5)

• “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (A1, S5)

“Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell [...] nor Heaven peep through” (A1, S5)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• Lady Macbeth calls on the dark forces to hide her wicked deeds.

• “Thick night” and “smoke of Hell” are Gothic, hellish images, showing her desire to shut out light, truth, and morality.

• She wants Heaven (i.e., divine judgement) blinded, revealing how she rejects conscience in favour of ruthless ambition.

• It’s a chilling moment of moral inversion. 

“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (A1, S5)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• “Come, you spirits”- Lady Macbeth invokes supernatural forces to assist her in achieving her ambitions, reference to “spirits” suggests desires for external, unnatural assistance, indicating that her ambition exceeds her moral boundaries.

• “unsex me here”- demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s rejection of traditional feminine qualities such as compassion and nurturing, believes that to achieve her ambitious goals, she must cast off these traits and adopt what she perceives as masculine qualities—ruthlessness and aggression.

• Reflects Lady Macbeth’s internal conflict- recognizes her gender and societal expectations hinder her ambition, so she calls upon supernatural forces to strip her of her femininity.

• highlights Lady Macbeth’s unwavering ambition and willingness to reject societal norms and morality to gain power, shows belief that ambition requires cruelty, which she associated with masculinity.

Malcolm quotes on ambition and power, supernatural, violence, justice, gender and order

“The dead butcher and his fiend-like queen” (A5, S9)

“The dead butcher and his fiend-like queen” (A5, S9)- Malcolm analysis

• Significance of the line being in the final scene, highlighting the legacy of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth being one of ridicule and brutality, where Malcolm becomes King and restores society from its corruption, making the witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s heir manifested

• Malcolm reduces Macbeth to a mere “butcher”, implying he is a man who kills without remorse or honour.

• Lady Macbeth is described as “fiend-like”, suggesting she is inhuman and consumed by evil.

• Together, this final line summarises their complete moral decay.

• Metaphor – “butcher”: Dehumanises Macbeth; presents him as a cold, mechanical killer, stripped of his earlier nobility.

• Adjective – “fiend-like”: Has demonic, supernatural connotations; aligns Lady Macbeth with the witches and the theme of the unnatural.

• Juxtaposition – “fiend-like queen”: Contrasts royal status with demonic evil; royalty is corrupted by ambition and immorality.

• Definite article – “the dead butcher”: Suggests this is how history will define them: as symbols of cruelty, not as multi-dimensional figures.

Witches quote on supernatural

• “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (A1, S1)

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (A1, S1)- Witches analysis

• Paradox- appearances are deceiving and that things are not what they seem, sets the tone for the entire play, where the line between good and evil is blurred.

• theme of moral ambiguity, where ambition and desire lead characters to commit foul deeds under the guise of fairness.

Lady Macbeth quotes on appearance vs reality (deception), manipulation, corruption of nature

• “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” (A1, S5)

• “A little water clears us of this deed.” (A2, S2)

• “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (A5, S1)- Lady Macbeth

“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” (A1, S5)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• “Look like the innocent flower”- simile, facade of innocence and goodness to those around him.

• “innocent flower”-  purity and virtue, deception of outward appearances 

• “Serpent”- contrasting imagery “serpent”-  hidden malice and treachery, biblical allusion of betrayal and evil from garden of Eden

• encapsulates Lady Macbeth’s belief in duplicitous behavior to achieve their ambitious goals, reveals her understanding that to gain power, they must conceal their true intentions and manipulate others.

• duality of the “flower” and “serpent”- the moral conflict faced by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as they plot Duncan’s murder, suppression of conscience to pursue ambitions, indicating the psychological toll of their actions.

“A little water clears us of this deed.” (A2, S2)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• “water clears us”- belief that washing away the physical blood will remove guilt of their crime, reflects naivety or denial about psychological consequences of regicide.

• Irony- later cannot cleanse guilt, evident later when Macbeth is tormented by his actions.

“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (A5, S1)- Lady Macbeth analysis

• hyperbole of “all the perfumes of Arabia” reflects Lady Macbeth’s overwhelming guilt.

• Her dainty “little hand” now feels stained with blood, and no amount of sweetness or scent can mask her moral corruption.

• powerful image of psychological decay, contrasting her earlier cold ambition.

• shows her descent into madness and remorse—she’s no longer in control.

Macbeth quotes on appearance vs reality (deception)

• “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” (A3, S1)

“All hail Macbeth that shall be King thereafter”- witches (A1, S3)

• “that shalt be king”- The witches’ prophecy ignites Macbeth’s ambition, prophecy suggests fate

• raises questions about whether Macbeth chooses to act or if fate controls his decisions.

• beginning of Macbeth’s internal conflict and descent into moral corruption

• he contemplates regicide to fulfill the prophecy.

Witches quote on corruption of nature

• “Fair is foul and foul is fair”(A1, S1)

Macbeth quotes on corruption of nature

• “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (A1, S3)

• “Macbeth does murder sleep!” (A2, S2)

“So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (A1, S3)- Macbeth analysis

• Oxymoron to mirror the Witches’ paradox (“Fair is foul…”), suggesting Macbeth is already under their influence. 

• Line foreshadows the blurred morality that defines his tragic downfall. 

• The contrast shows how violence (foul) and victory (fair) are dangerously linked in his world.

“Macbeth does murder sleep!” (A2, S2)- Macbeth analysis

• Metaphor reveals Macbeth’s psychological torment. By "murdering sleep," he destroys his own peace and innocence, as sleep symbolizes purity and restoration. 

• Exclamatory tone heightens his mental unraveling, showing guilt's immediate grip.

• It’s the moment his inner turmoil begins consuming him.

Macbeth quotes on violence (blood)

• “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” (A2, S1)

Lady Macbeth quotes on violence (blood)

• “A little water clears us of this deed.” (A2, S2)

• “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” (A5, S1)

Lady Macbeth quotes on gender roles, relationships

• “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.” (A1, S5)

• “When you durst do it, then you were a man” (A1, S7)

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition” (A1, S7)- Macbeth paired quote

“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” (A3, S1)- Macbeth paired quote

“If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not” (A1, S3)- Banquo paired quote

“Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t.”- Banquo (A3, S1)-

“Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” (A1, S4)- Macbeth paired quote

“Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell [...] nor Heaven peep through” (A1, S5)- Lady Macbeth paired quote

“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” (A3, S1)- Macbeth paired quote

“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (A1, S3)- Witches paired quote