Macbeth Flashcards
“—– Macbeth – well he ——– that name”
“brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name”
Theme: nobility, power
Context: Macbeth was seen as the perfect jacobean male
Analysis: the quote shows how Macbeth initially possessed admirable characteristics of loyalty and masculinity
“Come to my woman’s —— and take my —- for —-”
“Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall”
Theme: supernatural, ambition and power, femininity
Context: contrasts typical Jacobean gender stereotypes
Analysis: Lady Macbeth’s use of violent imagery shows her deep, sinister desire to obtain power. “gall” reflects her bitter nature. Her rejection of her maternal instincts shows her absurd views
“Are you a —-?”
“Are you a man?”
Theme: Manipulation, masculinity, ambition
Context: Macbeth being mocked as a coward would be highly demasculating for him
Analysis: Lady Macbeth questioning Macbeth’s masculinity demonstrates her manipulative, condescending behaviour.
“By the ——– of my thumbs something —— this way comes.”
“By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes.”
Theme: Supernatural, Evil
Context: The Witches sense Macbeth’s approach.
Analysis:
“Pricking of my thumbs” refers to superstitions about sensing evil.
Calling Macbeth “something wicked” shows he has become the embodiment of evil.
Ironically, the witches originally influenced him, but now even they see him as dangerous.
“Come, you ——-… —– me here… And —- me, from the —– to the toe, top-full of direst ——-”
“Come, you spirits… unsex me here… And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty”
Theme: supernatural, ambition
Context: The supernatural was highly feared by jacobean people
Analysis: lady Macbeth calling upon evil spirits to help her fulfil her ambition shows her extreme lust for power
“This dead ——- and his —– -like —–.”
“This dead butcher and his fiend-like queen.”
Theme: Justice, Tyranny
Context: Malcolm describes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after their deaths.
Analysis:
“Butcher” reduces Macbeth to a merciless killer, ignoring his earlier complexity.
“Fiend-like queen” suggests Lady Macbeth’s association with evil and the supernatural.
Highlights how history remembers them as villains, not tragic figures.
“Will all great ——-‘s —– wash this —– clean from my —-?”
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
Theme: Guilt, Consequences of Murder
Context: Macbeth, horrified after killing Duncan, wonders if he can cleanse himself. Loss of religion and mortal soul
Analysis:
The vastness of “Neptune’s ocean” contrasts with his inability to wash away guilt.
Using the Roman god instead of the Christian god shows his severance with religion
Blood symbolises guilt—water cannot remove it.
Contrast with Lady Macbeth’s earlier claim: “A little water clears us of the deed.”
“Is this a —– which I see before me, the —— toward my —-?”
“Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?”
Theme: Guilt, Fate vs. Free Will, The Supernatural
Context: Macbeth hallucinates a dagger before murdering Duncan.
Analysis:
The dagger represents his ambition pulling him towards the crime, he has th
The vision could be supernatural or a manifestation of his guilty conscience.
The rhetorical question reflects his uncertainty—he is torn between morality and ambition.
11 syllables, unstressed ending which is feminine making Macbeth look weaker
“Stay, you imperfect ——–. —- me more.”
“Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more.”
Theme: Fate vs. Free Will, Ambition
Context: Macbeth wants the witches to reveal more of his future.
Analysis:
“Imperfect speakers” shows his frustration with their vague prophecies.
“Stay” is an imperative commanding the witches to his will, shows his ambition
His eagerness suggests his ambition is already awakened.
Contrast with Banquo, who is more cautious.
“Till he ——– him from the —- to the chops”
“Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops”
Theme: Violence, Honour, Macbeth’s Bravery
Context: A captain describes Macbeth’s brutal killing of Macdonwald in battle.
Analysis:
“Unseamed” makes the act sound precise and effortless, showing Macbeth’s skill.
“From the nave to the chops” (from belly to jaw) highlights the gruesome, excessive violence.
Initially portrays Macbeth as a noble warrior, but foreshadows his later unchecked brutality.
Ironic contrast—his violence is heroic here, but later it becomes tyrannical and unjustified.
“I —-thou played’st most —— for’t”
“I fear thou played’st most foully for’t”
Theme: Suspicion, Betrayal
Context: Banquo suspects Macbeth of murdering Duncan.
Analysis:
“Played’st most foully” suggests treachery—Macbeth has cheated fate.
Banquo is suspicious but does not act, leading to his downfall.
“But signs of ——–, like —–, shall shine. On all ———.”
“But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine. On all deservers.”
Theme: Justice, Kingship
Context: Duncan rewards loyalty and appoints Malcolm as heir.
Analysis:
“Stars” contrast with Macbeth’s “Stars, hide your fires,” reinforcing good vs. evil.
Suggests Duncan rewards merit, whereas Macbeth seizes power through murder.
“—–, hide your —–, let not light see my —- and deep desires.”
“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Theme: Ambition, Fate vs. Free Will
Context: Macbeth, after hearing that Malcolm is named heir to the throne, realises he must take action to fulfil the witches’ prophecy.
Analysis:
The imagery of darkness symbolises secrecy and evil.
“Black and deep desires” suggest his willingness to commit dark deeds.
The contrast between “stars” (light, goodness) and his “desires” (evil, hidden) highlights the theme of deception.
“Macbeth hath ——- sleep”
“Macbeth hath murdered sleep”
Theme: Guilt, Madness
Context: Macbeth, after killing Duncan, believes he will never sleep again.
Analysis:
Sleep symbolises peace and innocence—Macbeth has destroyed his own peace.
Foreshadows his descent into paranoia and Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking.
“Out, —— spot! —-, I say!”
“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
Theme: Guilt, Madness
Context: Lady Macbeth, sleepwalking, attempts to wash imaginary blood from her hands.
Analysis:
The “spot” represents her guilt—she cannot cleanse herself of the crime.
“Damned” suggests her fear of eternal punishment.
Contrast with Act 2, Scene 2, when she dismisses Macbeth’s guilt, showing her psychological downfall.
“All the ——– of —— will not sweeten this little —-.”
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”
Theme: Guilt, Madness
Context: Lady Macbeth, sleepwalking, imagines blood on her hands.
Analysis:
Contrast with “A little water clears us of the deed” shows her psychological collapse.
“Perfumes of Arabia” suggest no external force can remove her guilt.
“A little —– clears us of the —-.”
“A little water clears us of the deed.”
Theme: Deception, Underestimation of Guilt
Context: Lady Macbeth reassures Macbeth after Duncan’s murder.
Analysis:
Dramatic irony—she later realises guilt is inescapable.
Contrast with Macbeth’s belief that all the oceans cannot wash away the blood.
“O, full of ——– is my mind, dear —-!”
“O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”
Theme: Ambition, Paranoia
Context: Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth he is tormented by Banquo’s existence.
Analysis:
“Scorpions” symbolise his restless, poisonous thoughts—his mind is filled with deadly intent.
Shows his descent into paranoia—no longer needs Lady Macbeth’s persuasion.
Marks his shift towards ruthless violence (ordering Banquo’s murder).
“So —- and —- a day I have not seen.”
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Theme: Supernatural, Fate
Context: Macbeth’s first words echo the witches’ paradox.
Analysis:
Foreshadows the theme of appearance vs. reality.
Suggests his fate is already intertwined with the witches’ prophecies.
“Never —– thy gory —- at me!”
“Never shake thy gory locks at me!”
Theme: Guilt, Hallucination
Context: Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet.
Analysis:
“Gory locks” symbolise Banquo’s murder, which haunts Macbeth.
Shows Macbeth’s paranoia—his guilt manifests physically.
“This —–, whose sole name ——- our tongues,”
“This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,”
Theme: Tyranny, Justice
Context: Malcolm and Macduff discuss Macbeth’s rule.
Analysis:
“Blisters our tongues” suggests Macbeth’s name is cursed and detestable.
Reinforces how far Macbeth has fallen from noble beginnings.
“his —— will plead like ——”
“his virtues will plead like angels”
Theme: Kingship, Morality
Context: Macbeth hesitates before killing Duncan.
Analysis:
Duncan’s goodness is emphasised—murdering him is unnatural.
Contrast with Macbeth’s later tyranny.
“look like th’innocent ——, but be the ——- under’t”
“look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
Theme: Deception, Manipulation
Context: Lady Macbeth advises Macbeth on how to appear trustworthy while planning murder.
Analysis:
Biblical allusion to the serpent in the Garden of Eden—links to temptation and evil.
“Innocent flower” vs. “serpent” reinforces the theme of appearance vs. reality.
Demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s power and control over Macbeth.
“Be ——– of the knowledge, dearest —–.”
“Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck.”
Theme: Power Shift, Secrecy
Context: Macbeth keeps Lady Macbeth unaware of Banquo’s murder.
Analysis:
Shows Macbeth’s increasing independence—he no longer needs her manipulation.
“Chuck” is condescending, reflecting the changing power dynamic.
“What’s —- cannot be un—-.”
“What’s done cannot be undone.”
Theme: Guilt, Fate
Context: Lady Macbeth, sleepwalking, realises she cannot reverse their crimes.
Analysis:
Contrast with “What’s done is done” (Act 3, Scene 2), showing her regret.
“Turn, hell- —–, turn!”
“Turn, hell-hound, turn!”
Theme: Revenge, Justice
Context: Macduff challenges Macbeth in battle.
Analysis:
“Hell-hound” likens Macbeth to a demonic creature.
Shows Macduff as the avenger, bringing justice.
“Lay on, ——-, and damn’d be him that first —–, ‘Hold, ——!’”
“Lay on, Macduff, and damn’d be him that first cries, ‘Hold, enough!’”
Theme: Fate, Honour
Context: Macbeth’s final words before dying.
Analysis:
Shows his refusal to surrender—his last moment of bravery.
Despite his downfall, he dies fighting, reclaiming some dignity.
“Double, double—- and trouble; fire —-, and ——– bubble.”
“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”
Theme: Supernatural, Deception
Context: The Witches cast a spell before meeting Macbeth.
Analysis:
Rhyming and repetition make it sound like a dark incantation.
Represents the unnatural chaos they bring.
“The instruments of ——– tell us ——-“
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths”
Theme: Deception, Supernatural
Context: Banquo warns Macbeth about the witches.
Analysis:
Suggests the witches mix truth with lies to manipulate.
Banquo is cautious, unlike Macbeth.
“Out, out, —– candle! Life’s but a ——- shadow”
“Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow”
Theme: Nihilism, Fate
Context: Macbeth mourns Lady Macbeth’s death.
Analysis:
“Brief candle” symbolises life’s fragility.
Reflects Macbeth’s loss of purpose—he sees life as meaningless.
“When you —– do it, then you were a —.”
“When you durst do it, then you were a man.”
Theme: Masculinity, Manipulation
Context: Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s courage when he hesitates to kill Duncan.
Analysis:
Links masculinity to violence—Lady Macbeth redefines what it means to be a “man”.
Psychological manipulation—she attacks his pride to convince him.
Reflects toxic gender roles—Macbeth later adopts this idea, becoming ruthless.
“I have no —-
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ——-, which o’erleaps itself
And —– on the other”
“I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself
And falls on the other”
Theme: Ambition, Fate vs. Free Will
Context: Macbeth debates killing Duncan, realising ambition is his only motivation.
Analysis:
“No spur” suggests he lacks a justifiable reason for murder.
“Vaulting ambition”—his unchecked ambition leads to downfall.
The imagery of a failed leap foreshadows his ultimate failure.
“The —— image doth —– my hair”
“The horrid image doth unfix my hair”
Theme: Fear, Ambition
Context: Macbeth reacts to the witches’ prophecy.
Analysis:
“Unfix my hair” shows his terror at the thought of murder.
”——- is but what is not”
“Nothing is but what is not”
Theme: Appearance vs. Reality, Fate vs. Free Will
Context: Macbeth, after hearing the witches’ prophecy, struggles to distinguish reality from illusion.
Analysis:
A paradox—what “is” (reality) does not exist, only what “is not” (fantasy, ambition) matters.
Reflects Macbeth’s growing obsession with possibility rather than the present.
Suggests reality is unstable, foreshadowing his descent into hallucinations.
“with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody ——–,
Like valour’s minion —— out his passage”
“with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour’s minion carved out his passage”
Theme: Bravery, Violence, Honour vs. Brutality
Context: A captain describes Macbeth’s heroic performance in battle.
Analysis:
“Smoked with bloody execution”—Macbeth’s sword is so violent it seems to steam with blood.
“Valour’s minion” portrays Macbeth as a noble warrior.
Ironic foreshadowing—his violence, once heroic, will become tyrannical.
“too full o’ the —- of human ——–”
“too full o’ the milk of human kindness”
Theme: Ambition, Masculinity vs. Femininity
Context: Lady Macbeth worries that Macbeth is too kind to seize the throne.
Analysis:
“Milk” connotes nurturing and innocence, qualities Lady Macbeth sees as weaknesses.
Suggests traditional gender roles—Macbeth is not ruthless enough, so she must push him.
Dramatic irony—Macbeth later proves to be excessively violent.
”—- your —– to the sticking-place”
“screw your courage to the sticking-place”
Theme: Manipulation, Power, Ambition
Context: Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to go through with Duncan’s murder.
Analysis:
“Screw” suggests tightening something in place (like a crossbow), reinforcing determination.
Lady Macbeth is dominant here, pressuring Macbeth to be brave.
The phrase implies courage is mechanical—if adjusted correctly, success is guaranteed.
“will these hands ne’er be —–?”
“will these hands ne’er be clean?”
Theme: Guilt, Madness, Consequences of Violence
Context: Lady Macbeth, sleepwalking, imagines her hands still covered in blood.
Analysis:
Contrast with “A little water clears us of the deed” (Act 2, Scene 2)—she now realises guilt is permanent.
“Ne’er” (never) suggests she is doomed to eternal remorse.
Symbolises how crimes leave psychological scars that cannot be erased.
“Fair is —-, and —- is fair. Hover through the — and filthy air”
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air”
Theme: Appearance vs. Reality, Supernatural
Context: The Witches introduce the paradox that defines the play’s events.
Analysis:
The oxymoron Suggests that what seems good may be bad and vice versa.
Foreshadows Macbeth’s rise and fall—his initial success leads to his downfall.
Reflects the witches’ influence—blurring moral boundaries and truth.
The rhyme makes the line sound like a chant/curse
fricative creates a sinister tone
“What’s —- is done.”
“What’s done is done.”
Theme: Guilt, Fate vs. Free Will
Context: Lady Macbeth reassures Macbeth that the murder of Duncan cannot be undone.
Analysis:
Suggests a belief in inevitability—there’s no turning back from their choices.
Ironic, as later she is tormented by guilt, contradicting this statement.
Links to “What’s done cannot be undone” (Act 5, Scene 1), showing how guilt consumes her.
“I could not say —- when they did say —- Bless –”
“I could not say Amen when they did say God Bless Us”
Theme: Guilt, Religion, Psychological Turmoil
Context: Macbeth, after murdering Duncan, finds himself unable to pray.
Analysis:
“Could not say Amen” suggests spiritual disconnection—Macbeth feels damned.
Highlights immediate guilt—contrast with Lady Macbeth’s pragmatic approach.
Suggests Macbeth recognises the enormity of his crime and its moral consequences.
Links to the idea of divine right—by killing Duncan, Macbeth has defied God.
“Had he not resembled my —— as he —–, I had done’t”
“Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t”
Theme: Guilt, Gender Roles, Hesitation
Context: Lady Macbeth explains why she didn’t kill Duncan herself.
Analysis:
“Resembled my father” shows a rare moment of vulnerability—despite her ruthless ambition, she is still affected by personal emotions.
Contrasts with her earlier portrayal as remorseless and manipulative.
Highlights her need for Macbeth to commit the murder—despite calling him weak, she cannot bring herself to do it.
Foreshadows her later breakdown—perhaps her conscience was never as strong as she pretended.
“My —– are of your colour yet I shame to wear a —– so white”
“My hands are of your colour yet I shame to wear a heart so white”
Theme: Guilt, Courage, Power Shift
Context: Lady Macbeth tries to reassure Macbeth after Duncan’s murder.
Analysis:
“Hands are of your colour”—both have blood on their hands, but she claims no guilt.
“Shame to wear a heart so white”—accuses Macbeth of cowardice
Reinforces the idea that she is the stronger of the two—at least at this stage.
Ironic foreshadowing—later, she will be the one consumed by guilt, while Macbeth becomes merciless.
“A ——– on whom I built an absolute —–”
“A gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust”
Context: Duncan speaks about the previous Thane of Cawdor, who betrayed him.
Significance:
Dramatic irony: Macbeth, the new Thane of Cawdor, will betray him too.
Highlights Duncan’s fatal flaw—his misplaced trust in others.
Reinforces the theme of deception and appearances vs. reality.
“That is a —- on which I must —- down, or else o’erleep, for in my way it lies”
“That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleep, for in my way it lies”
Context: Macbeth realises that Malcolm (Duncan’s son) is an obstacle to his ambition.
Significance:
Reveals Macbeth’s growing ambition and foreshadows his descent into murder.
The imagery of stepping and leaping suggests his desire to bypass obstacles (i.e., by killing Duncan).
The phrase “must fall down” suggests the possibility of failure, hinting at his tragic downfall.
“My dearest partner of g———”
“My dearest partner of greatness”
Context: Macbeth addresses Lady Macbeth in a letter about the witches’ prophecy.
Significance:
Demonstrates their close relationship and his respect for her.
The word “partner” suggests equality, which contrasts with traditional gender roles in the play.
The phrase “greatness” suggests shared ambition, foreshadowing their later actions.
“Hell is murky”
“Hell is murky”
Context: Lady Macbeth is haunted by guilt over Duncan’s murder.
Significance:
The phrase suggests she is experiencing the torment of guilt, comparing it to hell.
“Murky” implies uncertainty and confusion, reflecting her mental deterioration.
Contrasts with her earlier dismissive attitude towards guilt (e.g., “A little water clears us of this deed”).
“Come, thick —–, and pall thee in the ——- smoke of hell”
“Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell”
Context: Lady Macbeth calls upon darkness to hide her murderous intentions.
Significance:
Links to the theme of light vs. darkness, symbolising good vs. evil.
“Pall” (a funeral shroud) suggests death, foreshadowing Duncan’s murder.
“Smoke of hell” reinforces her alignment with evil and the supernatural
