Macbeth

• "Signs of nobleness like stars, shall shine on all deservers,"

  - Good nature is reflected on a person's face (appearance vs reality)

  - Simile connotes divine power - rewarded in afterlife (aligns "deservers" with God).

  - Imagery of "stars" shining like a spotlight → Good people stand out in a crowd, almost as if illuminated by God. Allusion to Heaven and God.

  - Duncan is shown to be a just and benevolent ruler, demonstrating important aspects of kingship - willing to reward all those who do good.

  - Interpretation: Virtue/nobility are visible traits in a person, distinguishing them from others.
• "Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and dark desires"

  - Contradictory, fragmented nature of Macbeth's character.

  - Duality between light and dark - symbol for conflict between his conscience/ambition.

  - Admits to himself that he wants to become king no matter what, but isn't prepared to face the reality of what that means.

  - "Stars" might represent the heavens - he doesn't want them to see his sins, in the hopes that he will still be blessed by them and have salvation. Equally, he fears their judgement and disappointment.

  - Alternatively, asking the "stars" to "hide [their] fires" - Macbeth wants to operate in darkness (avoid detection from others + doesn't have to witness his own corruption and villainy).
• "Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself?

  - Rhetorical question she asks in order to spark his ambition. Bold accusation, undermining his manhood convinces Macbeth to commit this crime due to the patriarchal nature of the Jacobean society. Humiliating for a noble hero to be undermined by his wife. Witness the first transformation: from loyal Thane to ambitious rebel.

  - "Drunk" portrays his foolishness to contemplate murder yet hesitate about it.

  - "Drunk" on the idea of becoming king, yet has not sacrificed enough for it to become true.
• "My noble partner" (Banquo)

  - Shows the extent of their friendship and how they view each other as equals.

  - A supportive connection built on trust, admiration, and mutual respect

  - As the play progresses, Banquo is used as a benchmark of what Macbeth used to be before he succumbed to his temptation, as he is upheld as a foil to Macbeth showing Macbeth's rapid decline in character from the "noble" soldier he used to be.
• "I could with barefaced power sweep him from my sight"

  - "Barefaced" implies he could be shameless and outright in his murderous ways, while "sweep him from my sight" connotes a godlike control over reality.

  - Suggests the power has gotten to his head, he has become an imperious ruler - contrasting the valiant and virtuous character he was at the beginning of the play.
• "Bleed, bleed poor country"

  - MacDuff's patriotism is emphasised: Repetition of "bleed, bleed" - connotations of gore and bloodshed, personification likens Scotland to that of a dying, suffering creature in agony under Macbeth's reign, suggesting that (further supported through sorrowful adjective "poor") Macduff feels empathy for his country, feeling its pain.

  - Symbolise ​how Scotland is dying because the 'Great Chain of Being' has been subverted.

  - Suggesting Macbeth is, in the eyes of Macduff, a ruthless abuser of Scotland.
• "Out damned spot!"

  - She thinks her hands are stained with Duncan's blood, and her continual attempts to wash it away indicate her declining psychological condition.

  - Imperative "out" - connotes with Lady Macbeth being both powerful and commanding.

  - This is reinforced with the repetition of the word "out" again advocating her loss of control.

  - Blood is a symbol of guilt and death in Macbeth. Blood is a motif used throughout the play to show how the Macbeths react to their guilt. They both react differently, suggesting the different toll that culpability has on a person.
• Malcolm accuses Macduff of "offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb t'appease an angry god,"


  - Metaphor of ritual sacrifice conveys Macbeth's bloodthirst, unruly power, and warped sense of his own importance.

  - Juxtaposition between Malcolm as an "innocent lamb" and Macbeth as an "angry god" reveals the advantage Macbeth has as king, leading to a severe power imbalance. Epitome of an honest, dedicated king.

  - Moral differences between them are clear, with Malcolm condemning Macbeth for being a violent, vengeful ruler.

  - Aware of power's ability to corrupt even the most moral of men. Shakespeare suggests it is important to be mindful and suspicious of those in power, ensuring they are not taking advantage of their position to punish those below them.
• "She should have died hereafter"

  - He is untouched by this horrid news, this could suggest that his relationship with her has deteriorated so far that he has become uncaring of her death.

  - Alternatively, he could have a new attitude to death, influenced by Lady Macbeth's apathetic reaction to Duncan's murder and ridiculing him for having such 'a heart so white', undermining his manhood.

  - Presents it as an inconvenience, "should" suggests this expectation
• "Give to the edge o' the sword his wife, his babes"


  - Plots to kill MacDuff and his family, much more cruel than the one to kill Fleance as it is not necessary to Macbeth's remaining family - there is no justification.

  - "Babes" - yearns to kill innocent, does not know the difference between right and wrong.

  - Shows Macbeth's complete disregard for human life and his willingness to commit crimes to maintain his power
• "Smiling [...] plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out."


  - Shames Macbeth for questioning their plan.

  - Imagery of child to make a graphic statement about her own ambition and capacity for violence - killed her own child before she would abort a plan to seize power

  - Disrupts the typical idea of what women and mothers are like - uses this image to make her husband that he is being unmanly by doubting their scheme.

  - Her ability to feel no guilt is highlighted by how she believes she could kill her child even if it were "smiling" - willingness to destroy something innocent.

  - Shows that she is unstable, due to this extent of ruthlessness that she would go to in order to have this power.

  - Overwhelming desire for power could link to the patriarchal society they live in, showing that power can easily go to a woman's head and cause the downfall of society.
• "Help, hence ho!"

  - Powerful through willingness to exploit her gender when necessary

  - Pretended weakness - actually a sign of her power as she is manipulating the men
• "Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't"

  - Metaphor establishes the theme of appearance vs. reality, a cornerstone of the play.

  - Emphasises importance of manipulating appearances ("flower" connotes femininity + goodness of honest human behaviour) to achieve goals, while harbouring evil intentions (serpent).

  - Juxtaposition with "serpent" is an allusion to the Biblical story 'Adam and Eve', where it is a symbol of the devil - this could reflect Lady Macbeth's true villainy and reflects how she tempts Macbeth with the idea of kingship.

  - Shakespeare demonstrates how appearances cannot be trusted because they are moldable - offers no insight into the reality of a person.
• "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

  - Paradoxical statement: refers to recurring theme - the moral ambiguity of humanity. Contradiction shows how boundaries between good and evil are blurred.

  - Fricative alliteration create a sinister, uneasy tone.

  - Repetition of "fair" and "foul" suggests the two ideas are interchangeable, emphasised further by the definite "is".

  - "Foul" is more dominant and intimidating than "fair" is caring and pleasant - the evil element overpowers goodness.

  - Weather foreshadows Macbeth's internal turmoil as he contemplates the upcoming murder, creating a sense of foreboding.
• "Come spirits [...] unsex me here"

  - Imperative verb "unsex" - entire dedication to conspiracy, willing to sacrifice her body and mind for the power that she craves. Emphasises theme of supernatural's influence + LM's descent into darkness.

  - "Unsex" - stripped of her feminine qualities (associated with nurture), to commit such a despicable deed. Explicit rejection of typical femininity = rejecting patriarchal society.

  - However, also means she escapes gender binary altogether - removed from humanity, freeing her from the burdens and weaknesses of morality and conscience.
• "If we should fail?"

  - Effectively shows she has assumed control over the situation

  - Reveals Macbeth's growing fear and doubt about the consequences of their actions. It showcases a shift in his character from initial excitement to hesitation, reflecting his internal conflict.
• "Little water clears us of this deed"

  - Short declarative sentence creates a sense of dismissal. Understatement reveals Lady Macbeth's initial ability to detach herself emotionally from the murder - reinforced through euphemism.

  - Foreshadows breakdown of her mental state as the guilt becomes too much to bear.

  - "Little water" contrasts Macbeth's dramatic reaction, suggesting her unconcern in thinking their conscience would be easily cleaned. Statement showcases her attempt to maintain control and disregard emotional weight of the crime.
• "Dead butcher and his fiend-like queen"

  - Macduff uses harsh epithets to show no remorse he has and the joy of their death. This shows the extent of their ruination of Scotland.

  - "Dead butcher" highlights Macbeth's tyranny, while "fiend-like queen" emphasises Lady Macbeth's perceived cruelty. This portrays them as monstrous figures deserving their fate.
• "Come, let me clutch thee"

  - He is losing control over his fevered mind and sight and the effects of this is an untouchable dagger, which symbolises his ambition.

  - 'Come' is a declarative that not only highlights his eagerness to kill Duncan but also shows him attempting to reestablish control and dominance that he knows he is losing grip on.

  - 'Clutch' is a forceful action as if Macbeth willingly wants to seize the dagger and never let it go like it was something extremely valuable to him.

  - Understands dagger is key to fulfil his ambition - highlights Macbeth's desperation + bloodlust, views this as an opportunity, showing his morals have been slowly discarded in order to fulfil these temptations.
• "You do unbend your noble strength"

  - Displays LM having control, attacking most prized quality: his masculinity, dismissing his fears and insinuating his bravery has deteriorated (closely linked to masculinity in Jacobean). She belittles him to obtain the power she desperately craves.

  - Verb "unbend" suggests lost his bravery, therefore his masculinity through these acts of fear and vulnerability. Opposes beginning of play where Duncan proclaims Macbeth to be a "valiant cousin" and "worthy gentleman" (Divine Right of Kings, Duncan's opinions would have been highly valued)
• "All my pretty chickens?"

  - Diminutive language portrays MacDuff's family as innocent, vulnerable creatures making this massacre seem even more horrific. It exemplifies brutality of Macbeth's actions.

  - Repetition "All" emphasises the completeness of loss. It powerfully conveys the depth of MacDuff's grief and shock. Highlights his motivation for vengeance.

  - Rhetorical question is an expression of utter disbelief, grief and rage.
• "There the grown serpent lies"

  - He is regarded as a "serpent" - a biblical symbol of evil. Ironically, it is Macbeth who possesses these wicked attributes.

  - Macbeth's megalomania demonstrates how his relationship with Banquo has deteriorated, as he previously admired and confided in him but now solely perceives him as a threat to the throne.
• "We will proceed no further in this business"

  - Imperative, one of few moments in the play where he stands up to his wife. His morality is still strong- demonstrating it is LM's influence that causes his ambition to grow and eventually become his hamartia.

  - "Business" - sees it as a part of a job, something for which he is being paid. It also shows no motivation for him to kill Duncan other than "business".

  - However, euphemism suggests idea of regicide is so horrific that he cannot bring himself to say it. Contextually emphasise horrific nature of such a crime as a regicide.

  - Restraining himself from saying regicide helps draw a stark contrast to his demonic state later in Act 5 as a 'hellhound'. Shakespeare may be suggesting how ambition and potent desire can quickly destroy a man's moral compass, even one as strong as Macbeth.
• Macbeth laments "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?"


  - Motif of blood recurs throughout the play to symbolise the idea of guilt. Use of hyperbole expresses his extreme emotionality, engulfed in his culpability, expresses gravity of crime.

  - Belief in Divine Right of Kings is reflected - immediately feels marked for his crime, as though God is preparing a punishment for him. Blood could foreshadow the madness and death that ultimately prove to be the price of committing regicide.
• "A bold one that dare look" ... "appal the devil"


  - Rather than submitting to his wife's aggressive and emasculating tirade, he retorts her remark, using hellish imagery to represent himself as more bold than the devil.

  - Irony: views Banquo as being the epitome of evil, however it is him who possesses these wicked attributes.

  - Serves to prove he is stronger than ultimate source of evil, providing an ​exaggerated ​perspective of his manhood, a result of his insecurity that had been created by LM's emasculation.
• "Vaulting ambition o'erleaps itself"

  - Knows only argument for killing Duncan is to satisfy his engrossing ambition, he lacks the motivation - blindly obeying ambition will end in disaster.

  - Ambition makes people think illogically, so that they overestimate their own abilities and get ahead of themselves.

  - Image of a horse: inner animalistic nature of Macbeth's desire and ambition to be king. 'O'erleap' suggests a lack of control over it, portrayed as self-destructive, perhaps connecting it to Macbeth's later downfall due to the irony.

  - Connects Macbeth's hamartia to be seen as a result of his ambition, which is so overpowering that he slowly discards the morality he had at the start of the play.

  - Presents morality to be overlooked, and easily ignored or relinquished by temptations, such as becoming king.
• "Thou canst say I did it"

  - Ghost is manifestation of Macbeth's guilt - forced to confront consequences of his actions. Supernatural visitation is a direct result of Macbeth's crime, serves as constant reminder of his wrongdoing.

  - Reveals internal conflict: craves power/tormented by act he committed to achieve it, consequence of his guilt. Unable to escape the knowledge - weighs heavily on him.

  - Outburst: Guilt has caused his mental state to deteriorate, becomes fearful and paranoid + his grip on reality begins to slip (stark reminder of the psychological burden that guilt can inflict).

  - Hallucination = Visual representation of internal struggle. "Thou" directly addressing ghost emphasises depth of his emotional turmoil + highlights destructive nature of unchecked ambition - serves as warning against sacrificing morality for power.
• "Wherefore could I not pronounce 'Amen'?"

  - "Amen" signifies agreement/seeking blessings - inability to say it highlights his disconnect from God and his own sense of morality, signifies a loss of faith in a higher power. Macbeth feels isolated and alone, further deepening his despair.

  - Phrase "could not" suggests a physical barrier, implying guilt is so overwhelming it literally prevents him from speaking.

  - Questions his own legitimacy as king - feels unworthy of God's blessing, suggesting his conscience already sees him as a usurper, links to Divine Right of Kings.
• "O full of scorpions is my mind"

  - Exclamation "O" emphasises intensity of Macbeth's emotional state. It's a sudden outburst of despair, revealing the depth of his torment.

  - "Full of scorpions" is a potent metaphor. Scorpions are venomous creatures known for inflicting excruciating pain. Imagery vividly portrays relentless and agonising nature of Macbeth's guilt, paints a picture of a mind consumed by self-inflicted torment and how constant sting of guilt will continue to erode his sanity.

  - "Scorpions" signifies a constant state of unease - guilt has robbed Macbeth of any sense of peace or tranquillity. He is unable to enjoy their ill-gotten gains as he crumbles under the weight of his culpability.