Macbeth- Quotes Act Three Flashcards
Banquo sees that the witches’ predictions have come true and suspects Macbeth murdered Duncan
“Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,/As the weird women promised; and I fear/Thou played’st most foully for it “
Macbeth begins to isolate himself from everyone, including his wife
“we will keep ourself/Til supper-time alone”
Macbeth bitterly realizes he destroyed his own peace of mind to acquire a crown that will benefit another man’s children
“For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind”
Lady Macbeth is forced to ask to speak to her husband – this contrasts strongly with her former influential position
“Say to the king, I would attend his leisure,/For a few words”
Using sibilant imagery Macbeth describes the precarious position he is now in – his kingship is not yet safe while Banquo’s son lives
“We have scorched the snake, not killed it”
Macbeth advises his wife to eagerly welcome Banquo – theme of deception/appearance-vs-reality
“make our faces vizards to our hearts”
Macbeth independently plans the murder of Banquo without his wife’s support, but he still desires her approval
“Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,/Til thou applaud the deed”
We discover Fleance has escaped the murderers
“We have lost the best half of our affair”
Macbeth jokes about Banquo’s death and uses cold language to describe his death, highlighting his moral decline
“Tis better thee without than he within? Is he dispatched?”
Macbeth is anxious when he learns Fleance has escaped – he has a paranoid fear that Banquo’s children will succeed him – the hard alliterative ‘c’ enforces his feelings
“But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined”
Macbeth addresses the ghost directly startling his guests, he attempts to distance himself from the murder, showing a cowardly side to his character
“Thou canst not say I did it! Never shake/Thy gory locks at me”
Lady Macbeth once again questions her husband’s masculinity in an attempt to calm him, but it does not work this time
“What quite unmanned in folly?”
Macbeth’s paranoia and scheming ways are apparent when we learn he has spies in all of the lords’ household
“There’s not a one of them but in his house I keep a servant fed”
Macbeth uses the imagery of a man wading through a river of blood to show he understands the evil implications of his actions but he feels there is no going back at this point
“I am in blood/ Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,/ Returning were as tedious as go o’er”
Macbeth plans to do whatever it takes to succeed, he means to carry out more murders and evil acts without conscience, this quote implies that the murders of Duncan and Banquo were just the beginning
“We are but young in deed”
