Macbeth Quotes Flashcards
The witches don’t care who wins the fight.
When the hurl6 burlys done. When the battle’s lost and won
Paradox. What is good will become bad. Gives us an idea what might happen in the play.
Fair is foul, foul is fair
First mention of Macbeth is by the witches. Foreshadows that he may come under their influence.
There to meet with Macbeth.
God of bravery’s favourite.
Like Valour’s minion
Shows how powerful Macbeth is. He finds it easy to go through soldiers against him
Carv’d out his passage.
His name is associated with bravery. Links to the God of bravery (Valour)
Brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name
Macbeth makes it easy when killing them. Idea of ripping through them.
Till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’chaps
Their heads would be put on an arrow infront of battlements to suggest not to mess with the king.
“And fixed his head upon our battlements”
The king is worried for Macbeth and Banquo and asks captain if they are scared. Norwegian are coming
“Dismay’d not this our captain, Macbeth and Banquo?”
Captain suggests Macbeth and Banquo is not scared of anything. Bravery
“Yes, as sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion”
Links Macbeth with another God. Suggests his power.
“Or memorise another Golgotha”
Suggests Macbeth is immortal. Links with God again.
“Bellonas bridegroom”
Idea of Macbeth being promoted. “Death”, “Macbeth” rhyming couplet, also may link to what happens later
“Go pronouce his present death
And with former title greet Macbeth”
The traitor lost his title. Macbeth is noble, has won a new title.
‘What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won’
Foreshadow. This links to the witches when they say it in act 1 scene 1
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen”
“Live you, or are you aught, That man may question”
The witches are seen as unusual and seen not as women
“You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so”
The witches 3 prophecies.
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis.
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor”
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, that shalt be king hereafter”
1 of prophecies to banquo. Suggests Banquo will be better in mind than Macbeth.
“Lesser than Macbeth, but greater”
1 of prophecies to Banquo. Happy
“Not so happy, yet much happier”
Final prophecy to Banquo. Kings
“Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”
Macbeths new title
“He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor”
New title for Macbeth. The one before has died
“Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor, the greatest is behind”
Macbeth questions whether the witches are bad and shouldn’t be listening to them
“This supernatural soliciting, cannot be ill, cannot be good”
Macbeth thinks that the chances of him becoming king is low and is confused
“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir”
Macbeths aside. Admits he wants the crown even though it is disloyal to want it. Dont let the heavens see his dark thoughts
‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’.
Lady Macbeth asks the witches to strip her of feminine weakness. Willing to give everything up for power.
“Come you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topful of direst cruelty”
Plans to kill duncan, as a women she wouldn’t be able to own the ‘battlements’
“The raven himself is hoarse, that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan, under my battlements.
Simile. Lady macbeth wants her husband to conceal his murderous intentions with innocent behavior
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.”
Macbeth tries to manipulate him and questions his masculinity
“Are you a man”
