Macbeth quotes for MACBETH HIMSELF Flashcards
“O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife”
Give analysis
-“O, full” has a double stress so Shakespeare is breaking iambic pentameter and does this to show something is deeply wrong
_” dear, wife “shows macbeths deep love for his wife BUT
the word “dear” can be a patriarchal term becuase he doesnt use her name he uses “wife’as if she is his possession
CONTEXT: jacobean era wives were to be subservient to their husbands
-“dear” has a synonym of expensive so it explores how what macbeth tells Lady macbeth is that what she plotted came at a cost though it was macbeth’s fault
-‘full of scorpions is my mind”
suggests that macbeth himself is being attacked by unseen forces and so is essentially abdicating his resposnibilty
-link to flower serpent quote where instead of repying using “serpents “ he uses scorpions denial of his evil ways
CONTEXT: shakes speares audience would expect him to be punished becuase of regicide and so his mind will torment him first as punishment
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“Give to th’edge o’the’sword his wife , his babes and all”
Give analysis
Macbeth’s desire for complete power leads him to commit despicable acts such as the murder of Macduff’s family. this is understood from how macbeth foud out macduff was fighting against him with the english army
* The imperative verb captures his cold-hearted sense of purpose and the use of ‘babes’, a symbol of innocence, illustrates that Macbeth is fully aware of what he is ordering. Ambition has stripped Macbeth of all compassion; he is now more monster than man.
* Macduff’s later grief acts as a foil to Macbeth’s lack of emotion.
Alternatively,(SELF DESTRUCTION)macbeth is choosing a way to die as him having macduffs family salughtered will anger macduff so he can kill him and so macbeth is designing his own destruction
“th’edge o’the’sword” is personification of the sword killing macduffs family and suggets how macbeth is DISTANCING himslef away from this act . this can further suggest that macbeth has become so evil he will distance away from his doings as a way to not acknowledge them
“edge “is used instead of blade which relates to how macbeth has recognised the turing point in his own mind between sanity and madness
this can further suggest how macbeth has realised he has become a monster and thats why he decides to provoke macduff
so foul and fair a day i have not seen - macbeth
presents macbeth as malleable and susceptible to the witches malevont ways.
though tMacbeth’s opening words comment on the day and weather, he emulates the witches oxymornic terms: ‘fair is foul and foul is fair “ It makes us wonder whether he is already under the witches’ spell. and further suggests how he is mouthpiece of their evil ways and a
Context: The Jacobean audience were superstitious with deep-rooted beliefs in witches and their malevolent (evil) power. Macbeth’s words, which link him to the witches, would have made Shakespeare’s audience uneasy and perhaps distrust him or fear for him.
life’s but a walking shadow
Macbeth’s last soliloquy reveals his thoughts after he hears the news of Lady Macbeth’s death.
* The tone is depressed and resigned as he reflects on the meaning of life. The metaphor suggests that life is without purpose, as devoid of substance as a shadow.thisis said because of his relisaton that
his ambition has come to nothing. His words remind the audience that we are watching a play; a play that teaches us about the folly of mankind and the dangers of ambition.
