Act 1 Flashcards
S1 quote
“Fair is fowl and fowl is fair,
Hover through the fog and filthy air.” (Witches)
Summary
Witches plan to talk with Macbeth, we learn of a victory for Scotland over Norway and of Macbeth’s bravery and greatness in battle. Witches appear to M and tell him he will become Thane of Cawdor and King, Banquo will start a line of Kings but not be one. M is then told he is Thane and immediately has ambitions of becoming King. He is told Malcolm (King Duncan’s son) will become the next King and M is worried. At dinner at M’s, Lady M and M plot to kill D.
S1 “Fair is…”
“Fair is foul and foul is fair,
Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
S3 “Why do I yield…”
“Why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs
Against the use of nature?” (Macbeth about the suggestion for him of becoming King)
S3 “The Thane of Cawdor…”
“The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me
In borrow’d robes” (Macbeth after witches tell him the prophecy)
S4 “Stars…”
“Stars, hide your fires,
Let not light see my black and deep desires,” (After D says Malcolm will be next King)
S5 “Spirits…”
“Spirits […] unsex me here here
And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull
Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood,
Stop up th’access and passage to remorse” (Lady M after reading M’s letter and wanting to be King)
S5 “Look like…”
“Look like th’innocent flower,
But be the serpent under’t.” (Lady M encouraging M to kill Duncan)
S7 “If it were…”
“If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well
It were done quickly” (M contemplating killing D)
S7 “I have no spur…”
“I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself
And falls on th’other” (M talking about his ambition
S7 “Screw your…”
“Screw your courage to the sticking place,
And we’ll not fail.” (Lady M telling M to man up)
S7 “False face…”
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” (M prepped and ready to kill D)
S4: “The Prince of Cumberland…”
“The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars…”
