Key Quotes - Macbeth Flashcards
A quote about Macbeth ‘hiding’ his negative thoughts from the light, about killing Duncan. - Macbeth says this quote in one of his soliloquies.
‘Stars hide your fires; Let not light see my dark desires’
The statement Macbeth says when he realises that, once you start killing, you won’t be able to stop.
‘Blood will have blood’
Lady Macbeth says this because she wants to get rid of her femininity so that she can commit a typically masculine crime. Also, she says this because regicide are unnatural and require supernatural assistance.
‘Come you spirits, unsex me here’
Lady Macbeth says this metaphor to Macbeth because like Macbeth, she feels guilty for Duncan’s murder - but unlike Macbeth she feels no remorse and shames Macbeth for being a coward, because he feels remorse.
‘My hands are of your colour but i shame to wear a heart so white’
Macbeth says this to Lady Macbeth, using a metaphor, to explain his guilty conscience by suggesting that the scorpions in his mind are attacking and stinging him.
‘O full of scorpions is my mind, my dear’
Macbeth tell this to Lady Macbeth and takes more of his masculine role leaving Lady Macbeth to the ‘feminine’ role and not knowing anything. Macbeth tells her this after he’s ordered guards to kill Banquo.
‘Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck’
This quote is spoken by Macbeth, a metaphor describing how he thinks that life is brief and meaningless. Macbeth says this in his monologue.
‘Life’s but a walking shadow’
The witches say this un-trusty line which are juxtaposed which adds to Macbeth and Banquo’s confusion. There is also alliteration used in this quote.
‘Fair is foul and foul is fair’
Macbeth imagines hearing this line said to him, because he’s committed a tremendous crime (regicide) and he feels he will never be able to sleeps again - because sleep is when you put the day to rest.
‘Macbeth does murder sleep’
Macbeth says this to lady Macbeth - it means that he’s holding back his desire to act as a man
‘I dare do all that may become a man’
