Macbeth-quotes Explained

Question 1

Fair is foul and foul is fair

Answer 1

This is a motif throughout the play. It means that appearance can be deceiving.
What seems to be fair and good is really foul and evil.
Macbeth is this motif because at the start he seems fair but really is is foul and evil.

Question 2

And oftentimes,to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betrays in deepest consequence.- Banquo

Answer 2

Banquo is saying that the witches tell you truths but when the damage is done they betray us.
In the scene prior we see Duncan giving macbeth the tile as thane so the witches trick him i to believing the truths.

Question 3

Stars, hide your fires! Let no light see my black and deep desires.-Macbeth

Answer 3

Deep desires is alliteration.
Macbeths desire is to kill duncan.
Let light not see is a metaphor to which light is compared to an ever-present and constant witness that can see all

Question 4

Come, you spirits that tend on moral thoughts! Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to toe, top-full of direst cruelty

Answer 4

She wants to he a male and not io be seem as a typical weak women. She also doesnt want to feel guilt for the act shes about to commit.she wants rid of her gentleness and pity.
Context-women in jacobean tomes

Question 5

I have given suck and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: i would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from its boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out, had i so sworn as you have done to this.

Answer 5

Macduff later tells us that Macbeth has no children. She shows Macbeth how faithful she is to him and hints that she wants it in return.
This manipulates macbeth into doing the dreadful deed.
She gives an extreme exaonple of muder which makes Duncans murder not seem so bad.
The divine right of kings
Women in that day.

Question 6

Is this a dagger i see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee; i have thee not,and yet i see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? -Macbeth

Answer 6

It is obvious that Macbeth wants to erase the image but it does not fade. He states his eyes are overwhelmingly focused on it.
His senses are dominated by what he sees.
This suggests that he is feeling guilty and doesnt want to do the deed but his desires are overtaking his noble mind

Question 7

Theres daggers in mens smiles.

Answer 7

He is saying that people have smiles on their faces but them very smiles could kill them.
People are not what they seem. E.G Macbeth

Question 8

I am in blood steepp’d in so far, that, should i wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er. -Macbeth

Answer 8

This metaphor represents Macbeth crimes. Instead of stop commiting crimes he says he wants to continue to commit them. This is because of how deep he is in the ‘blood’
No matter how much he tries he is too far in so hes brought himself to keep committing murders. His noblebess has gone

Question 9

Double double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.- Witches

Answer 9

Doubling involved the use of disguises. lady Macbeth states while planning Duncans death look like the innocent flower.. this is a disguise and could be a suggestion that trouble will occur.

Question 10

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements.

Answer 10

The idea of battlements is irony; if it is fait then why does lady m have to call on the witches to help her. She doesn’t trust the metophysical aid

Question 11

I fear thy nature; it is too full o the milk of human kindness

Answer 11

She feels macbeth is not strong enough mentally to kill Duncan. She is also being cocky because she thinks that she can do it better

Question 12

I would have dashd the brains out

Answer 12

Goes against jacobean women role and it puta a violent image in our heads that you cant get out.
This is an ultimate act of betrayal to your own child.

Question 13

With Tarquins ravishing strides, towards his design moves like a ghost.

Answer 13

Tarquin was a tyrannical ruler who was overthrown following the raping of Lucretia.
Like Duncan Lucretia was known fro her virtue. Tarquin was attracted to her because she was virtuous the only way he could have her was to violently rape her-Like Duncan. But he was overthrown so the reference is a suggestion

Question 14

My hands are if your colour; but i shame to wear a heart so white

Answer 14

Will not be seen as weak- (white-too full of the milk of himan kindness

Question 15

Will all great neptunes wash this blood clean from my hand.

Answer 15

God of the sea.
The blood on his hands can turn the ocean red.
He is feeling guilty and realising that what he has done was not good- refer to in blood so deep

Question 16

We have scorched the snake not killed it-macbeth

Answer 16

Metaphor. Macbeth is telling lady Macbeth that they may have killed Duncan and Banquo but its not enough. They aren’t going to stop being violent because the need for power will never end.

Question 17

I am in blood stepped so far that, should I wade no more, returning were so tedious as go o’er.

Answer 17

Macbeth has killed so many people that he is too deep into the ‘blood` hes just going to carry on killing. It doesn’t matter if he tries to go back to the side. He’s too far into killing people.

Question 18

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth”

Answer 18

This quotation sets Macbeth up to give him false hope- macduff was born of a c-section not of a women.

Question 19

“Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell”

Answer 19

Some angels are good but some are bad. Macbeth appears to be a good angel but he isnt. He is a corrupt man who appears to be good.

Question 20

“Double, double toil and trouble”

Answer 20

Reminder that what the Witches say have double meanings. Many characters in this play act as ‘’doubles’’ to what Macbeth could have been if his ambition didnt take over. For example Macduff.

Question 21

Out, damned spot, out, I say!

Answer 21

Macbeth says later in the play ‘’out brief candle,out i say’’.
The link here is that by macbeth wanting the spot to go away. She wants the guilt to disappear however, Macbeth wants the candle to go out.

Question 22

As I did stand my watch upon the hill,
I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought
The Wood began to move

Answer 22

Here Macduff is heading for Macbeth. The witches said that the woods would move but Macbeth didnt believe them. At this point he knows hes going to die.

Question 23

But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn.

Answer 23

Reference to swords could refer back to the deaths Macbeth has taken part in.

Question 24

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Answer 24

Macbeth says this when he hears about Lady Macbeths death. The repetition of tomorrow is a reference to time. Who knows whats going to happen tomorrow?