Key Quotations in Macbeth Flashcards
What quotation shows that the witches instantly create an ambiguous atmosphere?
“Fair is foul and foul is fair”
1.1
What quotation shows Macbeth’s brutal killing of the rebel Macdonwald?
“He unseamed him from the nave to th’chops”
1.2
What quotation shows Banquo’s shock when the witches prediction comes true?
“What! Can the devil speak true?”
1.3
What quotation shows Macbeth struggles to hide his desire to kill the king?
“Let not light see my black and deep desires”
1.4
What quotation shows Lady Macbeth’s worry that Macbeth is too weak to murder?
“It is too full of the milk of human kindness”
1.5
What quotation shows Duncan’s ironic statement of how lovely Macbeth’s castle is?
“This castle hath a pleasant seat”
1.6
What quotation shows Macbeth is recognising his ambition running away with him?
“Vaulting ambition / Which overleaps itself”
1.7
What quotation shows that Macbeth sees a vision of a dagger?
“Is this a dagger which i see before me”
2.1
What quotation shows Lady Macbeth believes they can wash away the evidence?
“A little water clears us of this deed”
2.2
What quotation shows Macduff’s utter disgust upon finding Duncan’s corpse?
“Oh horror, horror, horror”
2.3
What quotation shows Macduff goes home opposed to attending the Macbeth’s coronation?
“No cousin, i’ll to fife”
2.4
What quotation shows Banquo begins to recognise Macbeth is scheming?
“I fear thou play’dst most foully for it”
3.1
What quotation shows that Macbeth’s mental state is beginning to deteriorate?
“O full of scorpions is my mind”
3.2
What quotation shows Banquo cries to Fleance to escape?
“Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!”
3.3
What quotation shows that Macbeth orders Banquo’s ghost to disappear?
“Hench, horrible shadow”
3.4
What quotation shows Hecate’s description of Macbeth?
“A wayward son, spiteful and wrathful”
3.5
What quotation shows that Lennox laments the state of Scotland under the Macbeth’s reign?
“Our suffering country, under an accursed hand”
3.6
What quotation shows the Witches description of Macbeth as he approaches?
“Something wicked this way comes”
4.1
What quotation shows that Lady Macduff criticises her husband?
“Wisdom! To leave his wife, his babes?”
4.2
What quotation shows Macduff’s utter grief when he discovers his family’s slaughter?
“What, all my pretty chickens?”
4.3
What quotation shows that Lady Macbeth’s guilt cannot be washed away?
“Out, damned spot, out i say!”
5.1
What quotation shows Angus’s description of Macbeth?
“Like a giant’s robe on a dwarfish thief”
5.2
What quotation shows that Macbeth reminds himself that he is infallible?
“No man born of woman shall ever have power upon thee”
5.3
What quotation shows Malcolm orders his soldiers to cut down tree for camouflage?
“Let every soldier hew him down a bough”
5.4
What quotation shows Macbeth voices his despair about the hopelessness of life?
“Life’s but a walking shadow”
5.5
What quotation shows Malcolm’s description of Macduff as he leads the army into war?
“Worthy Macduff”
5.6
What quotation shows that Macbeth revels in the belief he cannot be killed?
“But swords i smile at, weapons laugh to scorn”
5.7
What quotation shows that Macduff declares he was not born of women?
“Macduff was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped”
5.8
What quotation shows the witches are supernatural?
“Double double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble”
What quotation shows how ruthlessly Lady Macbeth pursues the crown?
“dashed the brains out”
What quotation shows that Lady Macbeth is seen as evil?
“fiend like queen”
What quotation shows that Macbeth respects LM?
“partner in greatness”
What quotation shows that LM manipulates macbeth by underestimating him, showing that she relies on manipulation and persuasion to achieve her own goals?
“you were a man”
What quotation, regarding LM’s death, shows that macbeth has becomes desensitised to all human feeling and is a metaphor for the fact that life ends too quickly?
“out,out brief candle”
What quotation shows that Banquo was regarded as better than macbeth?
“lesser than macbeth and greater”
What quotation shows that banquets ghost ironically foreshadows the futures as the ghost occupies macbeth seat as do his descendants occupy his throne?
“push us from our stools”
What quotation shows that LM puts blame onto Macbeth and shows that she is more ambitious?
‘but screw your courage to the sticking place and we’ll not fail”
What quotation shows that the witches create an ambitious atmosphere?
“hover through the fog and filthy air”
What does “thunder” symbolise?
It’s a sign of imminent death and an east wind represents evil, as alluded to in the bible. Symbolises disruption
What does “serpent” suggest?
suggests Temptation and loss of innocence through the biblical story of adam & eve.
Whats the importance that it follows a cyclical structure?
macbeth becomes the enemy he wanted to kill
What does “near in blood” suggest?
Blood is part of the imagery that pervades the play, creating a sense of menace. This symbolises macbeth evil
