Key Quotes Flashcards
‘When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?’-first witch
Act 1
Expresses the witches negative nature as they are constantly linked to horrible weather
‘That will be ere the set of sun.’- third witch
Act 1
Weather is linked to the witches as darkness comes
‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’- witches
Act 1
Trochaic tetrameter expresses supernatural presence and their power. Also, the idea that the bad that happens is good and good is bad.
‘For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel’- sergeant
Shows how Macbeth is very brave and powerful. Worthy king.
‘So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honor both.’- Duncan
Act 1
The words he says brings him honor like his wounds
‘What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.’- Duncan
Act 1
Thane was a traitor to the throne, and for that, Duncan decided to give the title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth
‘Here I have a pilot’s thumb,
Wrecked as homeward he did come.’- first witch
Act 1
Witches. Foreshadowing. Explains how a sea captain was wrecked by them, like M will be later. Sleep motif again.
‘Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.’- witches
Act 1
By repeating things three times, meeting three times, having three witches, making three prophecies.
‘So foul and fair a day I have not seen.’- macbeth
Act 1
echoes the witches
Embody a paradox.
Their similarities allow us to straight away see that Macbeth is inextricably linked to the forces and darkness of evil.
‘All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!’-first witch
‘All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!’- second witch
‘All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!’-third witch
Act 1
Foreshadows what macbeth will become
The three prophecies
‘Lesser than Macbeth and greater.’-first witch
Act 1
Talking about macbeth showing that although he will be greater than he is now, he will also be worse
‘The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanished?’-banquo
Act 1
The link to water and the witches could support the idea that the witches can easily mould to anything the need (macbeth)
‘What, can the devil speak true?’- banquo
Act 1
Shows that the witches are considered evil like the devil and when they are told that one of the prophecies is true, they are shocked at the power of the witches.
‘My worthy Cawdor!’- Duncan
Act 1
This positivity towards macbeth is quickly contrasted when he is murdered by macbeth.
‘I may pour my spirits in thine ear’- lady Macbeth
Act 1
This means that Lady Macbeth hopes that she can persuade Macbeth into seeing her plan by talking to him and seducing him.
‘If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well
It were done quickly’- macbeth
Act 1
Macbeth is clearly troubled by what his and LMB’s plan is.
Expressing doubt about going through with the deed.
‘The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.’- Fleance
Act 2
the stars don’t want to see the death of Duncan because he is too pure. Also, as Macbeth’s wish, the stars will not see the regicide he performs today
‘Is this a dagger which I see before me’- Macbeth
Act 2
Although macbeth has come to the decision to kill the king, as he was urged on by LMB, there will be a part of him who does not want to carry out the killing.
The dagger is a symbol for his guilt
‘He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept’- Lady macbeth
Act 2
Shows she is not purely evil
‘I have done the deed’- macbeth
Act 2
Macbeth has killed duncan
Implies he is feeling guilty and not wanting to talk about the actual act
What noise represents during the killing of Duncan
There is a constant repetition of noises being heard by both Macbeth and LMB which could imply the guilt inside them after and leading up to killing duncan has taken them over mentally.
‘This is a sorry sight.’- macbeth
Act 2
Ne regrets being involved and is feeling guilty
‘But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”?’- macbeth
Act 2
Macbeth would like God to bless him too, but cannot bring out the simple word “Amen.”
Devil taking over
‘Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood’- macbeth
Act 2
means that there is not enough water in the sea to cleanse his hands, but instead the blood on them will stain the ocean red.
The deed he did was too bad
‘Is Banquo gone from court?’- lady macbeth
Act 3
Dramatic Irony
‘what’s done is done’- Lady macbeth
Act 3
there’s no changing the past
‘So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you:’- macbeth
Act 3
Shows he is nervous
‘You must leave this.’- lady macbeth
Act 3
Supernatural cant sleep
‘A deed of dreadful note’- macbeth
Act 3
foreshadow Macbeth’s evil intentions for Banquo and Fleance, but also seem as if he is casting a spell to ensure that his plans of murdering them gothrough successfully. Macbeth makes a reference to the queen of witches, Hecate, who makes an appearance later on in Act 3, Scene 5. He also mentions bats and beetles, which are typically associated with supernatural activity.
‘The tables full’- macbeth
Act 3
manifestation of Macbeth’s guilt and fear.
The witches reappearing in act 4
Cyclical structure
Thunder as the witches enter enforces pathetic fallacy and foreshadows bad events.
Implies death and murder
‘Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake’- second witch
Act 4
Rhyming couplets link to supernatural (chanting, ritualistic)
‘Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.’- witches
Act 4
Cyclical structure of their weird phrases
Also, reinforcement of supernatural
First apparition
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff;
Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
Descends
head wearing an armored helmet that tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff.
Second apparition
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
Descends
bloody child, who encourages Macbeth to be bold and confident because no man born of a woman will harm him
Third apparition
Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.
appears as a child wearing a crown and holding a tree.
‘Infected be the air whereon they ride’- macbeth
Act 4
Every where the witches are is poisoned
‘give to the edge o’ the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls’- macbeth
Act 4
He is going to kill the macduff family
Violence
‘New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face’- macduff
Act 4
Trouble in Scotland
‘This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues’- Malcom
Act 4
Very bad
Cant speak about macbeth
‘Bleed, bleed, poor country!’- macduff
Act 4
Personification
Scotland not in a good place and falling apart
‘Black macbeth’ and ‘pure as snow’- Malcom
Act 4
Juxtaposition
‘The night is long that never finds the day.’- Malcom
Act 4
Negativity and no hope for macbeth
‘rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon
her, unlock her closet, take forth paper,’- gentle woman
Act 5
Methodical and lady macbeth is taken over by the supernatural witches
‘Out, damned spot!’- lady macbeth
Act 5
There is a constant regret in her mind which damages her.
No fix and only getting worse
‘Nothing in love: now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.’- Angus
Act 5
Macbeth is not fit to be a king
Devil cant take over God
‘I cannot fly,
But, bear-like, I must fight the course’- macbeth
Act 5
Trapped but wont stop
How was macbeth made king?
Via the witches. Chosen by Sayton
‘Turn, hell-hound, turn!’- macduff
Act 5
Physical being of devil
“But wherefore could I not pronounce ‘amen’?”- macbeth
Feeling guilty for killing Duncan
