Macbeth

• "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself And falls on th' other" - Macbeth
• "Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me." - Macbeth to Banquo's ghost
• "Out damned spot! Out I say!" - Lady Macbeth
• "Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under 't" - Lady Macbeth
• "Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell" - Macbeth
• "O full of scorpions is my mind dear wife!" - Macbeth
• "O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!" - Malcolm
• "Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done't" - Lady Macduff
• "Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done't" - Lady Macbeth
• "All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!" - Witches
• "All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand" - Lady Macbeth
• "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself and falls on th' other" - Macbeth
• "The raven himself is hoarse That croaks out this tale, The foul and filthy witness-like bird that crows On every frightful occasion" - Banquo
• ‘i have begun to plant thee, and will labour to make thee full of growing’(Act 1 scene 4)


  Here, Duncan expresses his intention to nurture Macbeth’s career, much like a gardener would care for a plant. This metaphor highlights Duncan’s role as king who seeks to promote the welfare and growth of his subjects, embodying the ideal of a benevolent ruler
• What does Banquo mean when he says “I fear thou played’st most foully for’t”?

  Banquo was present when the witches made their predictions to Macbeth. He thinks may have finally persuaded Macbeth to act on his ambitious nature and murder Duncan.
• Who is the goddess of the Witches who later appears in the play?

  Hecate
• What is meant by “Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse/The curtained sleep”?


  Macbeth's soliloquy 2- Act 2 Scene 1

  People are asleep but troubled by devil nightmares
• What is one of the main reasons that Shakespeare concentrates so much on the theme of evil and the supernatural in Macbeth?


  James I was fascinated by the subjects of witches, witchcraft and demons. He published a book on the subject called demonology. So Shakespeare was writing on a topic that would have been particularly interesting to the king. Other writers of the time were also using a similar theme.
• “Look like th’innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t”


  Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy

  Act 1 Scene 5

  Lady Macbeth’s simile is about flowers and snakes. Basically she is saying that he should look as innocent as flower does, which might actually had a poisonous animal from view. Interestingly, after the discovery of the Gunpowder plot, James I had a medal created picturing a serpent hiding amongst flowers.
• Rather than use the words ‘murder’ and ‘death’ directly, Lady Macbeth uses words like ‘provided for’, ’great business’ and ‘dispatch’. She is covering up the truth of what they are planning by using words that are not quite so unpleasant. What is the technical, term for words like this?


  Euphemism

  Euphemism is the use of an ordinary word of phrase to avoid mentioning what is seen as an unpleasant reality. Lady Macbeth does not want to discourage her husband at this point by mentioning something that would upset him.