Quotes

• Explain the quote, 'Thy nature (...) is too full o'th'milk of human kindness'


  Shakespeare uses this metaphor to suggest that despite his reputation as a brave warrior, Macbeth also has a strong sense of compassion. Milk is mild, natural and, importantly, white. We associate this with purity, yet as the play progresses, Macbeth will be increasingly linked to the contrasting red of blood.

  The milk also relates to Lady Macbeths idea of femininity and that Macbeth is almost too weak or not masculine enough to act of the murder
• Explain the quote, 'Come, you spirits (...) unsex me here'

  This quote relates to Lady Macbeths femininity and how she wishes to be stripped of it and be more masculine and strong.

  Women were seen as cunning, but weak and fragile, prone to temptation. A woman would more likely be responsible for poisoning, adultery, treason, or even murdering someone in rage - but this is not the case. Lady Macbeth needs to be as cold and calculating as it is possible. These qualities were considered masculine. Men were thought to be ruthless killers, who could prepare a plan and proceed to it step by step.
• Explain the quote, 'Look like th'innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't'


  She is advising Macbeth on how to go about killing King Duncan. She encourages him to appear innocent and play the welcoming host to the king so that no one will suspect his true intention: murder.

  Secondly, to really hammer this point home, Lady Macbeth talks about acting like a flower but really behaving like the serpent/snake underneath it, and this is where things get really interesting. When we think about a flower - about the connotation - we think of some nice, something pleasant to look at. This reinforces Lady Macbeth's point about Macbeth treating his guests warmly and with kindness.

  However, when we think of a serpent or a snake, something far more sinister comes to mind. Think about the serpent in the Bible, for example, the snake which tempted Eve to eat the apple in the Garden of Eden. So this section of the quote is actually an allusion to that famous Biblical story, reinforcing the idea of Macbeth's sinister intentions.
• Explain the quote, ' 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy / Than by destrucHon dwell in doubdul joy'

  In this quote, LM displays her nihilistic views toward life. This shows that she is feeling as though nothing matters and all is horrible. This contrasts to her earlier confidence and strive for masculinity and strength. This is also a rhyming couplet which seems to somewhat give this scene a witchier and supernatural tone.

  As well as this these two lines display a chiasmus which shows LM confusing and intertwined thoughts whilst also bringing in a more supernatural tone.

  Overall this rhyming couplet shows how resolved LM is in this situation
• Explain the quote, 'What's done is done'

  Again, this quote brings a nihilistic tone to the scene as we see how LM has essentially given up on life and how she tries to display a strong character to her husband, Macbeth. Not only this but it is quite ironic considering LM was just worrying about what she had done. This shows how LM is trying to put on a strong front for her husband and seem less affected my the murder of Duncan.
• Explain the quote, 'What's to be done?' / 'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck'


  In this line we see that Macbeth had sparked LMs interest as there is a shared line showing she almost interrupts him to see what it is he has done. This also shows she is worried about her husband and the choice he has made to have Banquo killed.

  The following line shows a change in the power dynamic as it now seems that LM is the weak one and Macbeth is not almost patronising her by calling her 'chuck'. It also shows how their relationship has changed in that Macbeth and LM are not as much of a team as they were - Macbeth didn't even confront her about the decisions he had made.
• Explain the quote, 'Out, damned spot! Out, I say!'

  'Out, damned spot' is a line from Lady Macbeth that she says while 'washing' invisible blood from her hands. This speech illustrates the psychological nature of the play's themes, motifs, and symbols. It shows us how Lady Macbeth really feels about all the horrible things her ambition caused her to do.

  The 'spot' she is talking about is the imaginary blood she sees on her hands from the murders and other crimes she and her husband have been involved in.
• Explain the quote, 'All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this li`le hand. O, O, O.'

  This sentence refers to all the evil, and death surrounding Lady Macbeth will not be wiped clean by Arabia's beauty.

  Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," Act V, Scene 1) is overwhelmed by a fearful sense of guilt because of the heinous crimes she had emboldened Macbeth to commit: regicide (the killing of King Duncan); the killing of Banquo; the murder of Lady Macduff and her family.

  The literal translation would be: "Nothing could ever cover up this evil." or "No euphemisms can hide the ugly reality." This famous quote -- a metaphoric-hyperbolic phrase -- is uttered by Lady Macbeth as her conscience is being tormented by the knowledge of the crimes she and her husband did for power. Her doctor and lady in waiting are powerless; the doctor states that he cannot cure Lady Macbeth as she needs divine intervention, not medicine, for healing. (N.B. Some superstitions in Europe -- e.g. Scandinavian/Germanic sagas -- revived by mediaeval playwrights and, later, the Romantic Era -- indicate that the blood of an innocent victim cannot be washed away until the murdered one has been vindicated.) Lady Macbeth "sees" or "smells" Duncan's blood on her hands and - despite her criminal character - she is experiencing insidious fears about the imminent revenge of the victims.
• Explain the quote, 'The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?'


  The symbolism of the quote 'the thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? ' is that her husband's actions have placed a heavy burden on her and made her question anything she has ever done. The thane of Fife is Macduff and Macbeth brutally murdered his wife.