Macbeth Quotes

Act and Scene

Quote

Speaker

Description

Act 1

Scene 2

For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name

Captain

This description of Macbeth portrays him as a brave and skilled soldier

Scene 3

So foul and fair a day I have not seen

Macbeth

An echo to act 1 scene 1, where the witches describe the day as such as well.

Scene 3

What are these,
So withered, and so wild in their attire, That look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth

Banquo

Provides a description of the witches as unusual looking

Scene 3

You should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.

Banquo

Provides a description of the witches as unusual looking

Scene 3

Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.

Macbeth

The witches do not give Macbeth enough detail

Scene 3

Or have we eaten on the insane root

Banquo

Are they insane for seeing the witches

Scene 3

What, can the devil speak true?

Banquo

Can evil really say the truth

Scene 3

The Thane of Cawdor lives; why do you dress me
In borrowed robes?

Macbeth

Macbeth does not know that the Thane will be executed

Scene 3

The greatest is behind!

Macbeth

The promise of being king

Scene 3

And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s
In deepest consequence.

Banquo

Banquo tries to be a good friend, he is wary of the witches and urges Macbeth to be also

Scene 3

My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical

Macbeth
(aside)

Macbeth leaps to the idea of killing Duncan, but this thought worries him

Scene 3

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

Macbeth
(aside)

Macbeth wants to leave his fate to chance at first

Scene 4

We will establish our estate upon
Our eldest, Malcolm

Duncan

The crown will be Malcolm’s after Duncan’s reign

Scene 4

That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap

Macbeth
(aside)

Macbeth desires to be king

Scene 4

Stars, hide youre fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires

Macbeth (aside)

He will take action under the cover of night

Scene 5

My dearest partner of greatness

Lady Macbeth
(reading)

Macbeth clearly respects his wife

Scene 5

Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way

Lady Macbeth

She thinks he is too kind to act on the idea of murder

Scene 5

Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear

Lady Macbeth

She believes she can convince Macbeth to murder Duncan

Scene 5

Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty.

Lady Macbeth

She calls for spirits to strip her of her feminine attributes so that she will be able to assist in Duncan’s murder

Scene 5

O, never
Shall sun that morrow see.

Lady Macbeth

She decides that the murder will take place that night

Scene 5

look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t.

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth should seem innocent but act evil

Scene 5

Leave all the rest to me.

Lady Macbeth

She is strong-willed and does not want to stand down

Scene 6

This castle hath a pleasant seat

Duncan

Duncan lacks perception and trusts too easily

Scene 7

If it were done, when ‘tis done, then t’were well
It were done quickly.

Macbeth

He wants it over and done with quickly so he can’t change his mind

Scene 7

He’s here in double trust

Macbeth

Duncan has two reasons to trust him

Scene 7

I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself
And falls on the other.

Macbeth

He states he has no reason to kill him other than for his own gain

Scene 7

We will proceed no further in this business
He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people

Macbeth

He tries to take charge as he is happy to be liked among people and is satisfied with his new title

Act 2

Scene 1

I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters

Banquo

He has been thinking of the witches

Scene 1

I think not of them

Macbeth

He lies to shield his true thoughts

Scene 1

If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis,
It shall make honour for you

Macbeth

He is trying to see if Banquo will fall into line and follow him after Duncan’s murder

Scene 1

Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?

Macbeth

He imagines a dagger in front of him

Scene 1

Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Macbeth

He is desperate to hold it but cannot

Scene 1

The bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
That summons thee to heaven, or to hell

Macbeth

The sound of the bell signals Macbeth to kill Duncan

Scene 2

Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done’t.

Lady Macbeth

Shows us a softer side to her as she is unable to kill Duncan as he reminds her of her father

Scene 2

A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

Lady Macbeth

She gives out to Macbeth for calling his hands a sorry sight

Scene 2

I could not say ‘amen’
When they did say ‘God bless us’.

Macbeth

He thinks he is damned because he has committed regicide

Scene 2

These deeds must not be thought
After these way. So, it will make us mad.

Lady Macbeth

She says to not think of the act as it will make them mad

Scene 2

‘Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep’

Macbeth

His conscience speaks to him and tells him he has murdered sleep

Scene 2

Why did you bring these daggers from the place?

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth has made a mistake and brought the daggers instead of leaving them

Scene 2

I’ll go no more:
I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on’t again I dare not.

Macbeth

He is very cowardly and does not want to face what he has done

Scene 2

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

Macbeth

He wonders if water will wash him of his sin

Scene 2

A little water clears us of this deed.

Lady Macbeth

She is naive to think this way, she is only thinking about it literally

Scene 2

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!

Macbeth

He wishes that Duncan was alive

Scene 3

The night has been unruly: where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down;

Lennox

When the natural order of things is disturbed, nature itself is upset and retaliates.

Scene 3

Some say, the earth
Was feverous and did shake.

Lennox

The natural of order of things has been disturbed

Scene 3

Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord’s anointed temple

Macduff

The murder of Duncan is an unimagineable horror that will have far reaching consequences

Scene 3

O gentle lady,
‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:

Macduff

Dramatic irony is used here as we, the audience, know that she planned the whole thing

Scene 3

O, yet I do repent me of my fury,
That I did kill them.

Macbeth

He has diverged from the plan that Lady Macbeth has made, which shows he is slowly not needing her help

Scene 3

Where we are,
There’s daggers in men’s smiles; the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.

Donalbain

Both Malcolm and Donalbain are wary of all the men. They don’t know who to trust so they trust no one

Scene 4

by the clock ‘tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.

Ross

Scotland has been plunged into a night like state which mirrors the gloomy atmosphere

Scene 4

A falcon, towering in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.

Old Man

Nature has gone totally mad

Scene 4

Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two sons,
Are stolen away and fled; which puts upon them
Suspicion of the deed.

Macduff

People now think that Duncan’s sons had a hand to play in his death

Scene 4

No, cousin, I’ll to Fife.

Macduff

Macduff is opting to go home instead of the coronation

Scene 4

Lest our old robes sit easier than our new

Macduff

Duncan’s reign being better/less tumultuous than Macbeth’s

Act 3

Scene 1

Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised; and I fear
Thou played’st most foully for’t.

Banquo

Banquo has suspicions of Macbeth’s rise to power

Scene 1

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

Macbeth

Being king is meaningless unless you feel safe

Scene 1

There is none but he
Whose being I do fear

Macbeth

He is being foolish and naive

Scene 1

He chid the sisters
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him

Macbeth

He equates Banquo’s curiousity with his own murderous ambition

Scene 1

For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered

Macbeth

Frustrated with himself for taking such a big risk and not fully being able to enjoy the outcome

Scene 1

Know
That it was he in the times past which held you
So under fortune

Macbeth

He convinces the murderers that Banquo had wronged them in the past

Scene 1

It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.

Macbeth

Macbeth is set on murdering Banquo tonight

Scene 2

Nought’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got without content

Lady Macbeth

They have not been at ease since Duncan’s murder

Scene 2

Why do you keep alone

Lady Macbeth

She reminds him that he has a room full of guests

Scene 2

what’s done is done.

Lady Macbeth

They must try to move on

Scene 2

We have scorched the snake, not killed it

Macbeth

They have not permanently got rid of the issue

Scene 2

In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That shake us nightly.

Macbeth

He has not been able to sleep because of nightmares

Scene 2

Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

Lady Macbeth

She encourages him to put on a charade for his guests

Scene 2

You must leave this.

Lady Macbeth

Their relationship begins to fracture as they do not see eye to eye.

Scene 2

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is being left out of the plans by him

Scene 3

Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

Banquo

He instructs Fleance to escape

Scene 4

the worm that’s fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed

Macbeth

Fleance will pose a threat to him

Scene 4

Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake
Thy glory locks at me.

Macbeth

Macbeth is imagining Banquo’s ghost

Scene 4

Are you
a man?

Lady Macbeth

She questions his masculinity to keep him in line

Scene 4

This is the air-drawn daggar which you said
Led you to Duncan.

Lady Macbeth

She’s had enough of hearing about his guilty consience

Scene 4

I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me.

Macbeth

He tries his best to play along with Lady Macbeth’s cover

Scene 4

It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.

Macbeth

He recognises that he will have to fight to keep the crown

Scene 4

How say’st thou that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?

Macbeth

Recognises Macduff as a problem

Scene 4

I will tomorrow - … - to the weird sisters

Macbeth

He seeks the witches, which shows how increasingly unstable he is becoming

Scene 4

You lack the season of all natures, sleep.

Lady Macbeth

She is less confident than before

Scene 4

We are yet but young in deed.

Macbeth

There is more bloodshed to come

Scene 5

raise such artificial sprites
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion.

Hecate

They will deliberately confuse Macbeth with what they show him

Scene 5

And you all know, security
Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.

Hecate

He will be lulled into a false sense of security and this will bring about his downfall

Scene 6

I say,
Things have been strangely borne.

Lennox

Scotland has been strange since Macbeth took power

Scene 6

The son of Duncan,
From who this tyrant holds the due of birth

Lord

Malcolm should be in charge

Scene 6

a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
Under a hand accursed!

Lennox

He’s hopeful that Macduff (and Malcolm) will return to battle with Macbeth and hopefully overthrow him

Act 4

Scene 1

FIRST APPARITION: an armed head.

The first apparition that appeared to Macbeth is an armed head. This shows him Macduff will try kill him

Scene 1

Beware Macduff;
Beware the Thane of Fife.

First Apparition

Macduff is a threat to Macbeth, as he may try kill him

Scene 1

SECOND APPARITION: a bloody child.

Brings some comfort to Macbeth as it leads him to believe he cannot be killed

Scene 1

Be bloody, bold and resolute;
none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

Second Apparition

He is comforted as Macduff is human, so he fears nothing

Scene 1

Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
But yet I’ll make assurance double sure

Macbeth

Macbeth is slipping into total moral corruption as he plans to kill Macduff even though he does not perceive him as a threat

Scene 1

THIRD APPARITION: a child crowned, with a tree in his hand

This totally confuses Macbeth

Scene 1

Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him

Third Apparition

Macbeth won’t lose power until the forest literally moves

Scene 1

From this moment
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand.

Macbeth

He is going to be ruled by his emotions from now

Scene 1

The castle of Macduff I will surprise,
Seize upon Fife, give to th’edge o’the’sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.

Macbeth

Zero humanity, Macbeth plans to kill Macduff’s family to send a message

Scene 2

He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
The fits o’th’season.

Ross

Paints a very positive picture of Macduff

Scene 2

I hope in no place so unsanctified
Where such as thou mayst find him.

Lady Macduff

Shows she does care about Macduff. She is brave in the face of certain death

Scene 3

Each new morn
New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face that it resounds

Macduff

He reports that everything has deteriorated in Scotland since Macbeth took power

Scene 3

This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,
Was once thought honest. You have loved him well.
He hath not touched you yet.

Malcolm

Malcolm is more astute than his father was, he challenges Macduff before fully believing him

Scene 3

Bleed, bleed, poor country!

Macduff

He is upset that Macbeth is in charge and that Malcolm seems weary of him and doesn’t want to fight

Scene 3

But I have none. The king-becoming graces

Malcolm

He attempts to say he does not have the qualities of a king to test Macduff

Scene 3

O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptred,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again

Macduff

Macduff is beginning to lose hope

Scene 3

Macduff, this noble passion,
Child of integrity, hath from my soul
Wiped the black scruples

Malcolm

Macduff’s passionate outburst of love for Scotland has made Malcolm remember who he is and he now wants to restore law and order to Scotland

Scene 3

Your castle is surprised; your wife and babes
Savagely slaughtered.

Ross

Ross brings news of the murder of Macduff’s family

Scene 3

Be comforted:
Let’s make us med’cines of our great revenge
To cure this deadly grief.

Malcolm

Malcolm’s solution is to channel Macduff’s grief into revenge

Scene 3

He has no children.

Macduff

Macduff needs to grieve first. He doesnt think that Malcolm understands this

Scene 3

Dispute it like a man.

Malcolm

Differing views on masculinity

Scene 3

But I must also feel it as a man:

Macduff

Differing views on masculinity

Scene 3

Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself;
Within my sword’s length set him;

Macduff

Macduff wants to be the one to fight Macbeth

Scene 3

Macbeth is ripe for shaking

Malcolm

It is the perfect time to take action against him

Act 5

Scene 1

Out, damned spot!

Lady Macbeth

She is imagining Duncan’s blood on her hands

Scene 1

Yet who would have thought
the old man to have so much blood in him

Lady Macbeth

She is haunted by past acts

Scene 1

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

Lady Macbeth

Nothing can clean her of the deeds she has had a part in

Scene 1

What’s done cannot be undone.

Lady Macbeth

Irony, this echoes what she said to Macbeth earlier in the play

Scene 1

More needs she the divine than the physician

Doctor

She need to confess and repent as evil may be conuming her.

Scene 1

Remove from her the means of all annoyance,
And still keep eyes upon her.

Doctor

He’s worried Lady Macbeth will attempt to take her own life

Scene 2

Those he commands move only in command,
Nothing in love;

Angus

Macbeth’s remaining followers remain loyal out of a sense of duty, and not because they support him

Scene 2

now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.

Angus

Reaffirms the notion that Macbeth’s title of king does not ‘fit’ him as he stole it

Scene 3

I’ll fight from my bones my flesh be hacked.
Give me my armour.

Macbeth

He will not go down without a fight

Scene 3

How does your patient, doctor?

Macbeth

This is very distant and removed from the once close relationship they had

Scene 3

Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it.

Macbeth

Fed up and dismissive of the doctor

Scene 3

I will not be afraid of death and bane
Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane

Macbeth

Again putting his complete trust in the witches

Scene 4

Let every soldier hew him down a bough
And bear’t before him

Malcolm

Brinam Wood will now come to Dunsinane

Scene 5

She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.

Macbeth

Macbeth is so caught up in the war that the death is an inconvenience to him.

Scene 5

Tomorrow, and tomrrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;

Macbeth

He ponders life and mortality

Scene 5

I pull in resolution, and being
To doubt th’equivocation of the fiend
That lies like truth:

Macbeth

He begins to realise that the witches may not have been fully transparent with him

Scene 5

At least we’ll die with harness on our back

Macbeth

He now knows he is not invincible, but still will not go down without a fight

Scene 7

weapons love to scorn,
Brandished by man that’s of a woman born.

Macbeth

He still thinks he is untouchable despite realising he had been misled

Scene 7

If thou beest slain and with no stroke of mine,
My wife and children’s ghosts will haunt me still

Macduff

Will only be happy if he kills Macbeth

Scene 7

We have met with foes
That strike beside us.

Malcolm

Soldiers are switching sides and abandoning Macbeth

Scene 8

Why should I play the Roman fool, and die on mine own sword?

Macbeth

He won’t do the honourable thing and admit that he’s fighting a losing battle

Scene 8

My soul is too much charged
With the blood of thine already

Macbeth

A tiny glimpse of humanity, he doesn’t want to kill Macduff as he as already ruined his life

Scene 8

I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.

Macbeth

He thinks he’s giving Macduff an out

Scene 8

Macduff was from his mother’s womb
Untimely ripped

Macduff

Macduff was not born naturally as he was delivered through caesarean section

Scene 8

I will not yield
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet

Macbeth

He will do his best to not lose to them

Scene 8

I will try the last

Macbeth

Despite realising he has been led astray by his belief in the prophecies he will not surrender

Scene 9

Hail, king, for so thou art. Behold, where stands
Th’usurper’s cursèd head. The time is free.

Macduff

He is honourable and does not seek promotion

Scene 9

My thanes and kinsmen,
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland
In such an honour named.

Malcolm

He is generous and sees good in people

Scene 9

Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen

Malcolm

Describes Macbeth and his wife’s murderous traits