Macbeth Flashcards
“For brave Macbeth, (well he deserves that name”)
Macbeth fights well in the war against Norway and is praised by the King. Shows Macbeth’s bravery on the battlefield and his loyalty to his country (later contrasted when his ambition takes over).
“What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won”
Macbeth is given the title of Thane of Cawdor, after the traitorous Thane of Cawdor is executed. “Noble” emphasises the high opinion the king has of Macbeth. Macbeth is deserving of praise and recognition- more than the traitor (irony).
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen”
Macbeth’s first line in the play. This immediately links him to the witches and the theme of the supernatural implying to the audience that Macbeth is more conflicted than he appears and isn’t just the brave warrior described by the other characters.
“Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires”
Macbeth is told by the witches that he will one day be King. Secretly, he wants it to come true. His ambition is starting to show through and will later overcome him.
“Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?”
Macbeth is confused why he is Thane of Cawdor while the current Cawdor is alive. He feels a bit uneasy about this as this means the witches prophecies were the truth which only fuels his ambition.
“As his host, I should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself”
Macbeth doubts his wife’s idea to kill the King – he thinks he should be protecting him, not murdering him. Shows his loyalt to the King.
“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir.”
Shows Macbeth’s loyalty to Duncan and his lack of belief in fate. He believes that if the prophecies are true then they will come true by themselves, when the reality is they are self-fulfilling.
“We will proceed no further in this business”
Macbeth tries to tell Lady Macbeth that they will not go ahead with the plan. He is trying to control his ambition and do what is right- he has some morals and loyalty to Duncan.
“Is this a dagger which I see before me”
Macbeth is imagining a dagger floating in front of him when he goes to kill Duncan. This shows the theme of the supernatural and convinces Macbeth that it is his fate to become king.
“Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder sleep!’”
Macbeth kills the King and thinks he can hear voices saying that he will never be able to rest again. This shows Macbeth’s guilty conscience which also happens after he kills Banquo as he sees the ghost of Banquo.
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
Macbeth is feeling very guilty about murdering Duncan and feels like no amount of water could ever clean his hands of Duncan’s blood.
“Oh full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”
Macbeth is plagued by guilty thoughts. He can’t deal with the crimes he has committed showing his mentally weak state.
“The castle of Macduff I’ll surprise….give to the edge of the knife his wife, his babes”
Macbeth is told to beware Macduff by the witches. He decides to kill Lady Macduff and children for fear of losing his power and the throne. His ambition has fully taken control of Macbeth’s mind and all of his actions are based on his desire for power. Also shows how tyrannous he is to kill women and children.
“Why should I play the Roman fool and die on mine own sword?”
Macbeth is returning to his brave self again as he is on the battlefield again- the place where he feels most in control. He is once again the brave warrior from the start of the play, he would rather die in battle than commit suicide. The play comes full circle when he is killed by Macduff.
