Macbeth key quotes

• "Thunder and lightning."


  Pathetic fallacy and bad omens communicate impending doom, an unsettled atmosphere and a sense of foreboding. Commonly used by Shakespeare to indicate political upheaval and instability.
• "Enter three Witches."


  The Jacobean audience would've been terrified as approx. 400 people were accused of (and punished for) activity in the occult. Three was also seen as an unlucky number, and the three witches could be a parallel to the three fates of Greek mythology. The witches are chaos incarnate.
• "That'll be ere the set of sun."


  The beginning of a motif of light to represent good. Could be a metaphor for the death of Duncan or the downfall of the old regime, as light imagery is normally associated with Duncan, whilst darkness represents Macbeth.
• "Fair is foul, and foul is fair; Hover through the fog and filthy air."


  Themes of appearance and reality and the supernatural. Paradoxical language and equivocation add to the mysticism. The witches are an inversion of the norm, as most characters speak in iambic pentameter, however the witches speak in trochaic tetrameter (which is spell-like). The fricative alliteration is threatening and perpetuates a hostile environment, the witches are chaos incarnate. "Filthy air" suggests the witches can blur and obscure vision, blocking all light (and therefore good) from others.
• "His brandished steel which smoked with bloody execution, like Valour's minion."


  Part of the exposition of the play which introduces characters and settings, establishing Macbeth as a heroic character. The simile highlights the idolisation of his strength, power and aggression through the personification of "Valour" - masculine qualities that are appreciated in patriarchal societies.
• "As sparrows, eagles; or the hare the lion."


  Simile uses animalistic imagery to portray Macbeth's courageous and patriotic actions in battle. Symbolically, a lion appears on the Scottish King's coat of arms - perhaps this foreshadows Macbeth later becoming king.
• "So foul and fair a day I have not seen."


  In Act 1 Scene 1, the witches only mention Macbeth, and now Macbeth references the witches. This hints at his future and fate are closely related to the witches.
• "He seems rapt withal."


  Introduction to Macbeth's hubris and 'vaulting ambition' that eventually leads to his hamartia. He's in a trance by it, so maybe this is a result of the 'charm [that was] wound up' by the witches. Perhaps Macbeth isn't inherently evil and was manipulated/cursed by the witches.
• "Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs?"


  Reflects his internal conflict. Symbolises his fear and anxiety at the thought of committing murder. Despite the horror this idea induces, it's evident his ambition is considering this dreadful act, indicating the start of a destructive path.
• "Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires."


  Metaphor reveals Macbeth's internal struggle and the idea that these thoughts are "deep" within him exposes how shameful/uncivilised they are.
• "I fear thy nature, it is too full of the milk of human kindness."


  Metaphor uses "milk" as a symbol of purity and nurturing, however Lady Macbeth sees this as a weakness. This juxtaposes the initial introduction of Macbeth (brave, strong warrior), which adds complexity to his character but makes for a multifaceted starting point.
• "Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here."


  Here she undermines her feminine traits and becomes extremely transgressive to cross a moral code that reveals the depths of her ambition. She insinuates that the reason that she can't be queen is her womanhood, but this isn't the reason, rather something she blames.
• "Take my milk for gall."


  Again, milk is used as a symbol of purity and nurturing, yet Lady Macbeth disregards it, removing anything good from herself - this would have been very transgressive.
• "My dearest love."


  Their relationship would have not been normal for the time, as they see each other as equals. However as the play develops we can observe a shift in their dynamic.
• "Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it."


  Theme of appearance and reality. The juxtaposition of the symbols of flower and serpent emphasises the contrast between natural order and her sinful plan. This could be a biblical metaphor: on first glance, some may presume that Lady Macbeth and Eve have a lot in common, however Lady Macbeth seems to be trying to convince Macbeth to go against God - perhaps she's more like the serpent. Could suggest that Macbeth is symbolic of Eve - opening up the Jacobean criticism of Macbeth that he is too feminine. In Genesis, Eve is the one considered to be more at fault, and typically Lady Macbeth is also, so this could depict Lady Macbeth as both Eve and the serpent.
• "Vaulting ambition."


  Hubris is the fatal flaw of the tragic hero, leading to his hamartia.
• "Was hope drunk?" "To look so green and pale."


  Lady Macbeth accuses him of cowardice and tries to tempt him, using many interrogatives and questioning his manhood. The amount of speech from both parties shows Lady Macbeth's dominance.
• "Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out."


  This is extremely grotesque as she inverts the maternal expectations of a woman at the time. The strong stresses fall on "dashed" and "brains", emphasising her lack of pity and violent nature. Imagery contrasts greatly with innocence and vulnerability of a baby.
• "If we should fail?"


  Themes of masculine and feminine roles. He has been utterly emasculated and dominated by her. She's renounced her femininity, however he's also renounced his masculinity. His argument is reduced to just four syllables.
• "Is this a dagger which I see before me?"


  Swords are usually a symbol of honour (Banquo has the sword), whilst daggers are not chivalrous (Macbeth has the dagger). The dagger could be interpreted as a manifestation of his guilt, or perhaps the witches are leading him to Duncan.
• "Macbeth doth murder sleep."


  Use of violent verb "murder" in relation to "sleep" shows how even natural processes such as sleep are being affected by Macbeth. Could be a metaphor for murdering Duncan - personification - as sleep is a restorative force, bringer of peace. Beginning of a motif of sleep, as sleep is solace, it could be because of guilt or God's punishment.
• "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?"


  This scene shows that there is no going back and that if a warrior like Macbeth feels such guilt, it must be a heinous act. It also contrasts Macbeth and Lady Macbeth - he is floundering, whilst she is steely and determined. Hyperbole shows his immense guilt.
• "A little water clears us of this deed."


  Dismissive language presents her belief that guilt is a weakness. Euphemistic language contrasts with Macbeth.
• The porter scene.


  The bleak intensity gives way to comic relief, and makes the audience wait which builds tension. He speaks in normal prose. Semantic field of hell/evil.
• "There's daggers in men's smiles."


  Sibilance evokes a sense of evil and references snakes and the Garden of Eden. Metaphor highlights theme of appearance and reality.
• "That darkness does the face of earth entomb."


  Metaphor and motif of light, which is often associated with Duncan - this shows that darkness has killed him. All this chaos is because of a disruption to the established great chain of being. In terms of the structure, this scene is a buffer, to separate two intense scenes.
• "Our fears in Banquo stick deep."


  Uses the royal we, imperative and commanding language to sound kingly. He broods on the witches prophecies.
• "O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!"


  Ultimately, you die once you've been stung by a scorpion - foreshadows Macbeth's demise. A metaphor that could suggest he's in pain or could be his past deeds torturing him.
• "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck."


  Highlights the shift in the dynamics of the relationship. He calls her a patronising name which contrasts with earlier when he calls her his "dearest love".
• "Fly good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!"


  Here we witness the beginning of routine assassination, Macbeth's descent into evil is shown by his killing without reason or guilt. Repetition and fricative alliteration highlight desperation.
• "Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake they gory locks at me."


  Could be interpreted as the witches tormenting him, but others say it is a manifestation of his guilt. If we take into consideration that Banquo's ghost is a manifestation of Macbeth's own guilt, then Banquo shaking his head could suggest that he is being judged by other-worldly forces. Perhaps done as an invite to question whether not physically taking part grants innocence.
• "Are you a man?"


  Emasculates her husband, themes of masculine and feminine roles.
• "Like the Russian bear, the armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger."


  Simile using animal imagery like the witches do throughout the play, furthering Macbeth's connection to them or perhaps implying that they are at fault for these hallucinations.
• "It will have blood they say. Blood will have blood."


  Plosive alliteration and motif of blood conjure a sense of foreboding.
• "I am in blood stepped in so far, that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as the go over."


  Plosive alliteration and motif of blood conjure a sense of foreboding. His speech is in perfect iambic pentameter which helps to give more sense and reason to an otherwise illogical thought.
• "You lack the season of all natures, sleep."


  Motif of sleep shows that the natural order has been disrupted.
• "Have I not reason, beldams, as you are?"


  Some believe that Shakespeare didn't write this scene. Hecate became an evil figure when Christianity spread throughout Europe because of her links to necromancy. She speaks in iambic pentameter, unlike the earlier witches' trochaic tetrameter, and only uses rhyming couplets - emphasising her superiority in the supernatural hierarchy. The only God seen on stage is 'evil' - evil has become more prominent.
• "Our suffering country under a hand accursed."


  Macbeth's rule is the antithesis of Duncan's; Scotland is in chaos, no one can sleep, there's no food etc. Personification shows that evil hasn't just hurt people, it's hurt the land too. This scene also juxtaposes Macbeth and Edward.
• "Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble."


  A reminder that their purpose is to deceive. Repeated three times, which is an unlucky number. Plosive alliteration and assonance.
• "All is the fear, and nothing is the love."


  This scene shows a stark contrast between Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff.