Macbeth Flashcards
Macbeth 4 Quotes
Themes: Ambition, Guilt, Power, Fate vs. Free Will
1.“If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well / It were done quickly.”
– Theme: Ambition, Guilt
– Analysis: Macbeth is wrestling with the decision to kill Duncan. His desire for power is clouded by his overwhelming guilt, revealing his conflicted nature. He wishes the deed could be over swiftly, but he knows the consequences will haunt him.
2.“Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand?”
– Theme: Guilt, Hallucinations
– Analysis: Macbeth envisions a dagger leading him toward Duncan’s chamber, symbolizing his troubled mind. The vision demonstrates the tension between his ambition and his guilt, as he moves closer to committing the murder.
3.“Out, out brief candle! / Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player.”
– Theme: Fate, Despair
– Analysis: Upon hearing of Lady Macbeth’s death, Macbeth reflects on life’s transience. His nihilistic outlook suggests that he has lost all hope and meaning in life, especially after his destructive rise to power.
4.“I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”
– Theme: Guilt, Power
– Analysis: Macbeth admits that he is so deeply entrenched in murder that there’s no turning back. This marks his irrevocable commitment to maintaining his power, even though it costs him his humanity.
Lady Macbeth 4 Quotes
Themes: Ambition, Guilt, Power, Gender
1.“Unsex me here, / And fill me from the crown to the toe topful / Of direst cruelty!”
– Theme: Gender, Ambition
– Analysis: Lady Macbeth calls upon spirits to remove her femininity and fill her with cruelty, signifying her rejection of traditional gender roles. Her ambition for power drives her to forsake compassion, encouraging Macbeth to commit regicide.
2.“Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
– Theme: Guilt, Madness
– Analysis: In her sleepwalking scene, Lady Macbeth is tormented by the bloodstains from Duncan’s murder. The recurring “damned spot” represents her guilt, and her madness emerges as she tries to cleanse herself of the irreparable crime.
3.“What’s done is done.”
– Theme: Guilt, Power
– Analysis: Initially, Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to move on from the murder, showing her attempt to suppress any lingering guilt. She adopts a pragmatic attitude, but this attitude erodes as the consequences of the murder unfold.
4.“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”
– Theme: Guilt, Redemption
– Analysis: By the end of the play, Lady Macbeth acknowledges that no external means will cleanse her soul. Her overwhelming guilt is inescapable, underscoring the theme of inescapable consequence for one’s actions.
Banquo 4 Quotes
Themes: Loyalty, Fate, Honor, Ambition
1.“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths.”
– Theme: Fate, Temptation
– Analysis: Banquo, cautious of the witches, recognizes that although their words may be true, they can lead to destruction. His wisdom contrasts with Macbeth’s more impulsive response to the witches’ prophecy.
2.“Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, / As the weird women promised, and I fear / Thou played’st most foully for’t.”
– Theme: Ambition, Guilt
– Analysis: Banquo speaks to Macbeth, acknowledging his rise to power and expressing suspicion about how Macbeth achieved it. Banquo’s loyalty to what is morally right contrasts with Macbeth’s willingness to betray.
3.“A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, / And yet I would not sleep.”
– Theme: Guilt, Honor
– Analysis: Before his death, Banquo feels an ominous weight on him, sensing that Macbeth’s tyranny will soon bring ruin. His honor and suspicion of Macbeth drive him to remain vigilant.
4.“May the stars hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
– Theme: Ambition, Morality
– Analysis: Banquo expresses his desire to keep his dark thoughts hidden, as he contemplates whether he too should seek power. His internal struggle with ambition and morality is a key aspect of his character.
Macduff 4 Quotes
Themes: Loyalty, Revenge, Justice, Morality
1.“O, I could play the woman with mine eyes, / And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heavens, / Cut short all intermission.”
– Theme: Masculinity, Revenge
– Analysis: Macduff grapples with his grief after the murder of his family. His desire for vengeance leads him to suppress his emotions, revealing his internal conflict between sorrow and duty.
2.“Be this the whetstone of your sword: let grief / Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it.”
– Theme: Revenge, Justice
– Analysis: Macduff urges Malcolm to transform grief into anger, as he does. This calls for action against Macbeth, highlighting Macduff’s unwavering sense of justice and his dedication to avenging his family.
3.“Turn, hell-hound, turn!”
– Theme: Revenge, Morality
– Analysis: When Macduff confronts Macbeth, he calls him a “hell-hound,” emphasizing Macbeth’s descent into evil and his role as the villain. This reflects Macduff’s righteous anger and his desire for retribution.
4.“Macbeth is dead. / I will not be afraid of death and bane / Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane.”
– Theme: Justice, Fate
– Analysis: After Macbeth’s death, Macduff reflects on the fulfillment of the prophecy. This quote represents the final restoration of order and justice, signaling Macduff’s triumph over Macbeth’s tyranny.
The Witches 4 Quotes
Themes: Fate, Ambition, Supernatural, Deception
1.“Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
– Theme: Deception, Ambiguity
– Analysis: The witches’ cryptic words foreshadow the moral confusion that pervades the play. They set the tone for the deception that will follow and emphasize the blurring of good and evil.
2.“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”
– Theme: Fate, Ambition
– Analysis: The witches’ prophecy ignites Macbeth’s ambition and sets the events of the play in motion. It demonstrates how the witches manipulate Macbeth by revealing a future that entices him to commit dark deeds.
3.“None of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth.”
– Theme: Fate, Illusion
– Analysis: This prophecy gives Macbeth a false sense of invulnerability, leading to his eventual downfall. It highlights how the witches manipulate him by offering truths that are ultimately deceptive.
4.“By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes.”
– Theme: Evil, Fate
– Analysis: The witches recognize Macbeth’s growing corruption and describe him as “wicked,” highlighting the extent of his transformation from a noble warrior to a tyrant consumed by power.
Hecate(Leader of three Witches) 4 Quotes
Themes: Revenge, Manipulation, Supernatural
1.“How did you dare / To trade and traffic with Macbeth / In riddles and affairs of death?”
– Theme: Manipulation, Revenge
– Analysis: Hecate expresses her anger at the witches for involving themselves with Macbeth without her. Her desire for control and revenge becomes evident as she plans to further deceive him.
2.“And you all know security / Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.”
– Theme: Deception, Fate
– Analysis: Hecate warns that overconfidence leads to downfall, and she intends to exploit Macbeth’s belief in his invincibility, ensuring his eventual destruction.
3.“I am for the Air; this night I’ll spend / Unto a dismal and a fatal end.”
– Theme: Supernatural, Fate
– Analysis: Hecate prepares for a night of manipulation, with the goal of leading Macbeth to his ultimate fate. Her words reflect her role as a controller of the supernatural forces at work.
4.“Soon shall be made / A show of our disturbances.”
– Theme: Manipulation, Control
– Analysis: Hecate promises to create chaos and confusion, playing on Macbeth’s fear and leading him further into his tragic downfall. She represents the supernatural forces working against Macbeth.
🔹 Minor Characters
1.Duncan
Themes: Kingship, Innocence, Betrayal
“There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face.”
– Theme: Betrayal
– Analysis: Duncan’s inability to see the treachery in Macbeth reflects his tragic flaw: his trusting nature, which ultimately leads to his death.
2.Lennox
Themes: Loyalty, Justice
“The night has been unruly. Where we lay, / Our chimneys were blown down.”
– Theme: Disorder, Fate
– Analysis: Lennox’s description of the unnatural events mirrors the chaos in Scotland, symbolizing the disarray caused by Macbeth’s reign.
Lady Macduff 2 Quotes
Themes: Innocence, Family, Betrayal, Violence
1.“He loves us not; / He wants the natural touch.”
– Analysis: Lady Macduff feels abandoned by her husband, Macduff. This quote shows her confusion and hurt, highlighting the theme of loyalty and the cost of political resistance.
2.“I am in this earthly world, where to do harm / Is often laudable, to do good sometime / Accounted dangerous folly.”
– Analysis: She comments on the moral corruption in Scotland under Macbeth’s rule, showing the twisted values in a world ruled by tyranny.
Malcolm 2 Quotes
Malcolm
Themes: Leadership, Justice, Loyalty, Testing
1.“Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.”
– Analysis: Malcolm is cautious, comparing Macbeth’s fall to Lucifer’s. He shows wisdom by acknowledging that appearances can be deceiving.
2.“Let grief / Convert to anger; blunt not the heart, enrage it.”
– Analysis: Malcolm encourages Macduff to use his grief over his family’s death as motivation to take action against Macbeth, showing Malcolm’s growing strength as a leader.
