embedded quotes + analysis

theme : supernatural

“is this a dagger which i see before me, the handle toward my hand?”

macbeth’s hallucination of the dagger reveals the psychological torment caused by his ambition and the influence of the supernatural. the rhetorical question emphasises his uncertainty and descent into madness, while the image of the dagger “toward [his] hand” symbolises his compulsion to commit murder. shakespeare uses this moment to explore the interplay between fate, free will and the supernatural’s manipulative power over macbeth.

theme : ambition

“vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other”

macbeth reflects on the dangers of unchecked ambition as he debates whether to kill king duncan. the metaphor ‘vaulting ambition’ suggests an overreaching desire that ultimately leads to failure. this foreshadows macbeth’s tragic downfall, as his ambition causes him to overstep moral boundaries and disrupt the natural order. shakespeare uses the soliloquy to illustrate the internal conflict between ambition and conscience, a recurring theme in th

theme : guilt

“will all neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”

after murdering duncan, macbeth is overwhelmed by guilt, symbolised by the imagery of blood. the hyperbolic statement suggests that no amount of water can cleanse him, emphasising the permanence of his moral corruption. shakespeare uses this moment to portray the devastating psychological consequences of guilt and foreshadow lady macbeth’s later fixation on imagined bloodstain, connecting both characters in their shared descent into madness.

words to describe macbeth

conscience stricken

• tormented by a sense of guilt

penitent

• expressing remorse for his actions

neurotic

• emotionally unstable due to guilt and paranoia

machiavellian

• cunning, scheming and unscrupulous, especially in political matters

perfidious

• treacherous and untrustworthy

phrases to describe macbeth

• macbeth’s duplicitous nature allows him to appear noble while concealing his treacherous intentions

• he becomes a master of disguise, manipulating others while hiding his true motives

• macbeth’s false facade of loyalty belies his sinister plans

• macbeth’s unbridled ambition propels him towards moral corruption and eventual downfall

• his insatiable hunger for power blinds him to the catastrophic consequences of his actions

• driven by vaulting ambition that overleaps itself, macbeth is the architect of his own demise