Macbeth Key Quotes and Analysis

“Fair is foul and foul is fair”
- Theme of appearance vs. reality.
- Good is evil and evil is good.
- Speaker: The witches
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
- Advises deception; appearing innocent while committing evil deeds.
- Symbolism of serpent representing evil.
- Speaker: Lady Macbeth to Macbeth.
“Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires”
- Reflects Macbeth’s ambition and concealment of true intentions.
- Initiates the plot to kill Duncan.
- Speaker: Macbeth.
“Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top- full of direst cruelty!”
- Lady Macbeth requests masculine qualities to perform evil acts.
- Highlights gender stereotypes in the context of cruelty.
- Speaker: Lady Macbeth.
“Out, damned spot, out I say!”
- Hallucination signifying overwhelming guilt.
- References to blood and guilt.
- Speaker: Lady Macbeth.
“Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow…”
- Extended metaphor of life as a brief performance.
- Reflects Macbeth’s despair and loss of meaning after Lady Macbeth’s death.
- Speaker: Macbeth.
“None of woman born shall harm Macbeth”
- Prophecy granting Macbeth confidence; implies invincibility.
- Speaker: Apparition.
“Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until/Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him”
- Another prophecy providing confidence; suggests impossibility of defeat.
- Speaker: Apparition.