Macbeth: Character Quotes

Question 1

Words used to describe Macbeth first

Answer 1

“But all’s to weak for brave Macbeth - Well he deserves that name”

Captain.

Question 2

Macbeth is ferocious on the battlefield.
Foregrounds savage behaviour.
Merciless savage.
Macbeth’s valour is tinged with what appears to be a barbaric enjoyment of slaughter. He has a disturbing ferocity.

Answer 2

“Which smoked with bloody execution…
Till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’chaps
and fixed his head upon our battlements”
Captain.

Question 3

Vicious and brave on the battlefield fit for a God

Answer 3

“Till that Bellona’s bridesgroom”

Ross

Question 4

Macbeth’s prophecy

Answer 4

“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!”
First, Second andThird witch.

Question 5

Macbeth is unsure of the Witches and

Macbeth orders the witches to elucidate

Answer 5

“Speak I charge you”

Question 6

Confirms witches prophecy.

Answer 6

“He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor”

Ross.

Question 7

Soliloquy

Macbeth speaking his thoughts about the validity of the witches prophecies for him.

Answer 7

“Two truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme”
“If ill, why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth

Question 8

Macbeth’s ambition and hubris.

Answer 8

“The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap”

Macbeth.

Question 9

If Macbeth is going to kill Duncan, it would be best to do it quickly
He is kind and honourable still

Answer 9

If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well

It were done quickly’ (Macbeth)

Question 10

Macbeth talks about how Duncan is in double trust

Answer 10

‘He’s here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself’ (Macbeth)

Question 11

Guilty people must conceal their feelings behind a mask of innocence

Answer 11

Away, and mock the time with fairest show:

False face must hide what the false heart doth know’ (Macbeth)

Question 12

(Macbeth)

Lies to Banquo his so-called friend about witches

Answer 12

I think not of them

Question 13

The beginning of Macbeth’s soliloquy where he hallucinates a dagger

Answer 13

“Is this dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?”

Question 14

Macbeth is resolved to commit this heinous crime

Answer 14

“Hear it not Duncan, for it is knell that summons thee to heaven, or to hell.”

Question 15

Macbeth is traumatized from killing Duncan and can not return the daggers

Answer 15

I am afraid to what I have done

look on it again I dare not

Question 16

(Macbeth)

Regrets killing Duncan

Answer 16

Wake Duncan with thy knocking I wish thou couldst

Question 17

Macbeth saying that life was good before Duncan’s murder which is deeply ironic

Answer 17

Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time;
Macbeth

Question 18

Macbeth speaking of the unplanned murders of the chamberlains. More resolved and in control

Answer 18

O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them

Question 19

M wants Banquo dead

Answer 19

“To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus, our fears in Banquo stick deep