Paper 3: Macbeth Quotations

Question 1

“O ___ cousin, worthy ___” … “o ___ cousin”

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Answer 1

“O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman” … “o worthiest cousin”

Theme: Noble character archetype, traditional Shakespearean hero.

Context: Treason, crime and punishment, divine right of kings

Techniques: adjectives

Extra: King Duncan speaking highly about Macbeth in after hearing about his success in battle killing the traitorous MacDonwald (1.2). Macbeth is presented as respected and honoured. Suggests that there is family relation which makes the murder (later on 2.2) more horrific. Could be used to support the development in Macbeths character especially towards the end of the play.

Question 2

“So ___ and fair a ___ i have not ___”

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Answer 2

“So foul and fair a day i have not seen”

Theme: Supernatural, sense of mystery, detective work through the audience,

Context: Witchcraft, the real king Macbeth

Techniques: Alliteration, oxymoron, paradox, foreshadows that Macbeth will be influenced by the witches

Extra: This is Macbeths first line in the play. Macbeth is referring to the battle he had fought against MacDonwald, the foulness referring to the violent nature of the battle. The fairness refers to their victory over the treacherous Scotsmen (MacDonwald) Macbeth speech echos what the witches said in 1.1, establishing a connection between them and Macbeth.

Question 3

___“Stars, ___ your fires ___ Let not ___ see my ___ and deep ___”.

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Answer 3

ASIDE “Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires”.

Theme: Temptation, indecision, setting (nighttime), supernatural, villainy, desire, hamartia (ambition)

Context: Supernatural, villainy, sense of mystery.

Techniques: Celestial imagery, personification, exclamation, aside, metaphor, noun, plosive (deep desire), adjective, contradictory term.

Extra: Said by Macbeth after him and Banquo encounter the witches and are made aware of his prophecy. Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis when he meets the witches, then the witches prophesies that he will be Thane of Cawdor, which he is then promoted to by King Duncan, and then Macbeth realises that the wicthe’s prediction might be right and he may become King. Macbeth is feeling guilty for his deep desire to become king. Celestial imagery is created when he asks the planets to hide his dark desire.

Question 4

“Like ___ ___ carved out his ___”

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Answer 4

“Like valour’s minion carved out his passage”

Theme: Violence, heroic act, justice, nature of crime (murder)

Context: Crime and punishment, divine right of kings, tyranny, the real king Macbeth.

Techniques: simile, verb, bravery’s favorite (bravery is personified as Macbeth)

Extra: Said by the army’s Captain in 1.2 portraying Macbeth as a violent yet heroic soldier.

Question 5

“___ him from the knave to ___ and ___ his head ___ our ___”.

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Answer 5

“Unseamed him from the knave to th’chaps and fixed his head upon our battlements”.

Theme: Violence, heroic nature, danger, justice, death, nature of crime (regicide)

Context: Crime and punishment, the real king Macbeth,

Techniques: Cyclical structure, verb, adjective, foreshadowing Macbeths death, graphic imagery

Extra: The Captain is describing how Macbeth beheaded Macdonwald as punishment for tyranny.

Question 6

___ “If it were ___ when ___ done then ___ well it were done ___”

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Answer 6

SOLILIQUE “If it were done when ‘tis done then ‘twere well it were done quickly”

Theme: Doubt, guilt, villainy, victim of manipulation, suffering

Context: Divine right of kings, treason, the real king Macbeth

Techniques: Repetition, soliloquy, adverb, conjunction (if),

Extra: Macbeths soliloquy in 1.7 portraying his indecision behind killing king Duncan. Macbeth’s lack of agency presents him as an untypical villain as normally a villain is willing to cause havoc. Macbeth is portrayed as an unwilling/atypical villain.

Question 7

___ “___ instructions, ___ being taught, return to ___ the ___”

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Answer 7

SOLILOQUY “Bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague the inventor”

Theme: Crime and punishment, doubt

Context: Divine right of kings, crime and punishment

Techniques: adjective, foreshadowing death, graphic imagery, verb, short sentence (could reflect certainty in his speech and how he is not going to commit regicide)

Extra: Macbeths soliloquy in 1.7 alludes to the audience that he fears the punishment he may receive if he commits regicide. He is explaining how those who give bloody instructions will return and happen to them. Macbeths uncertainty portrays him as an atypical villain.

Question 8

___ “I have no ___ to ___ the sides of my ___, but only ___ ambition which ___ itself and ___ on the other ___.”

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Answer 8

SOLILOQUY “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other - .”

Theme: Ambition, motive, nature of crime, victim of Lady Macbeths manipulation.

Context: Crime and punishment, divine right of kings,

Techniques: personification, dash, metaphor refers to horsemanship - his soliloquy is interrupted by Lady Macbeth. Macbeth intended to say “and falls on th’ other side”. This extended metaphor suggests an inexperienced rider who tries to vault onto a horse and vaults so vigorously that he goes right over the saddle and falls in a heap on the ground. This relates to Macbeth’s ambition as he is foreseeing that it will be a serious mistake to murder Duncan because he has no excuse for doing so and because his misdeed will lead to his own ruin.

Extra: Macbeth reveals how he has no justification for killing king Duncan in his soliloquy 1.7. Portrayed as an atypical villain.

Question 9

“I ___ do all that may ___ a ___; who ___ do more is ___.”

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Answer 9

“I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none.”

Theme: Ambition, gender, manipulation

Context: Alliteration (feels insecure proving his masculinity)

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Extra: Macbeth tells his wife that, he dares to do anything and everything that is appropriate for a man to do. Someone who does more than that is not a man at all.

Question 10

“___ face must ___ what false ___ doth ___.”

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Answer 10

“False face must hide what false heart doth know.”

Theme: Appearance vs reality, ambition,

Context: Crime and punishment, divine right of kings

Techniques: Fricative alliteration, verb, adjective,

Extra: In 1.7 Macbeth is explaining how once must look innocent yet committing a crime to maintain his reputation. Fear of punishment is clear as he almost foresees his doom. Explaining how he must put on a facade to hide what his heart truly desires; to become king.

Question 11

“Is this a ___ I see ___ me, the ___ toward my ___?” … “a dagger of the ___”

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Answer 11

“Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle toward my hand?” …. “a dagger of the mind”

Theme: Insanity, mystery, supernatural, remorse, guilt, symbolism of death, madness

Context: Crime and punishment, supernatural,

Techniques: Extended rhetorical question - he is wondering if hes going to use this dagger to kill king Duncan,

Extra: In 2.1 Macbeths guilt is consuming him, deteriorating his sanity revolving. He imagines/hallucinates a dagger infront of him.

Question 12

Secondary quotation:

___ “Enter Macbeth with two ___ ___”

Answer 12

Secondary quotation:

STAGE DIRECTION “Enter Macbeth with two bloody daggers”

Question 13

SOLILOQUY “___ seems ___ and ___ dreams ___ the ___ sleep”

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Answer 13

SOLILOQUY “Nature seems dead and wicked dreams abuse the curtained sleep”

Theme: Sleep, guilt, insanity, madness

Context: “Nature seems dead” could be referring to how Macbeth disrupted the chain of being. Supernatural

Techniques: “Nature seems dead” refers to the effect of night and darkness, the silence of the night; metaphorically, Macbeth might also be referring to human nature.

Extra: Macbeths soliloquy in 2.1 makes is clear to the audience that the thought of committing regicide is playing tricks with his mind, preventing him from sleeping.

Question 14

“I could ___ say ___”

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Answer 14

“I could not say Amen”

Theme: Guilt, remorse, morality, suffering

Context: Chain of being, regicide, consequence of crime

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Extra: 2.2 portrays Macbeth being cursed as he is unable to say pray. Evidence that Macbeth has been bewitched and is no longer a Christian.

Question 15

“I ___ a voice ___, “___ no more: Macbeth does ___ ___, the ___ sleep”

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Answer 15

“I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more: Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep”

Theme: Guilt, insanity, suffering, supernatural

Context: Chain of being, supernatural, divine right of kings

Techniques: Metaphor, repetition of ‘sleep’ emphasises how dearly he desires it.

Extra: 2.2 “Sleep no more” refers to Macbeth’s inability to truly rest now that he has committed murder. His conscious will not allow him the rest. Macbeth is no longer innocent as the men who were murdered in their sleep and, therefore, can no longer sleep because only the innocent can sleep soundly. Potential pathos/sympathy from the audience.

Question 16

“O ___ of ___ is my mind, ___ wife___”

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Answer 16

“O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”

Theme: Insanity, guilt, remorse, suffering

Context: Supernatural

Techniques: Exclamative, ‘scorpions’ is a symbol of poison, metaphor

Extra: 3.2 it is suggested that the ‘scorpions’ represent both Macbeth’s uneasiness and his dark desire to murder Fleance and Banquo.

Question 17

___ “Upon my ___ they ___ a ___ crown and put a ___ sceptre in my ___”

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Answer 17

SOLILOQUY “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren sceptre in my gripe”

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Context: The real king Macbeth

Techniques: adjective ‘barren’ - emphasises his infertile kingship and how he has no experience being king, the pronoun ‘they’ (he is referring to the witches) proves that he does not want to take responsibility.

Extra: In 3.1 Macbeth is firmly established as the king of Scotland. Macbeth describes his kingship as empty and disappointed hope. He has not achieved anything great while being king. Macbeth is no longer following the Witche’s prophecy, he is taking control and plotting yet another murder.

Question 18

“I am in ___ stepped in so ___, that should i ___ no more, ___ were as ___ “

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Answer 18

“I am in blood stepped in so far that should i wade no more, returning were as tedious”

Theme: Guilt, violence, villainy

Context: The real Macbeth

Techniques: Symbolism of guilt (blood), adjective ‘tedious’ reveals the hardening of Macbeth’s heart, adverb (so)

Extra: 3.4 Macbeth has involved himself in so many murders that it is as easier for him to carry on than to turn back.

Question 19

“We have ___ the ___ not killed it”

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Answer 19

“We have scorched the snake not killed it”

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Techniques: Sibilance, metaphor

Extra: Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that, by killing Duncan, they have not put the matter of the throne to rest. By scorching the snake but not killing it, Macbeth means that they still have threats to face, even with Duncan out of the picture. He also references that they have put Duncan to rest in peace, while they must still suffer through challenges so long as they are alive. Macbeth’s mounting guilt has made him increasingly paranoid, and he worries that his place on the throne, as well as his life, is not secure.

Question 20

“___ and tomorrow and tomorrow ___ in this ___ pace from day to ___. Life’s but a ___ ___, that ___ and ___ his hour upon the ___… It is a ___ told by an ___, full of sound and ___, ___ nothing.”

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Answer 20

“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day. Life’s but a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage… It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Theme: Ambition, violence, fate, nihilism

Context: Chain of being

Techniques: Metaphor, allusions, repetition, plosive alliteration, verb, nihilism (noun idiot refers to his lack of belief in God), metaphorically referring to his life as a play and everyone as actors.

Extra: Within Act 5, it is evident that Macbeth has become so numb because of his own actions that he can’t even react when his wife dies. All he can do is comment on how meaningless life is. Macbeth has nothing to loose as the prophecies have come to nothing, his wife is dead and his legacy is ruined.

Question 21

Summarise the character of Macbeth chronologically throughout the play

Answer 21

King Duncan presents Macbeth as a worthy and ruthless character in 1.2. Macbeth makes his first appearance in 1.3 after a successful battle against the traitorous MacDonwald. Macbeth meets the witches and is intrigued when they reveal their prophecy. Lady Macbeth attempts to convince Macbeth that he should commit tyranny in 1.7; which he debates in his soliloquy. Macbeth kills king Duncan in 2.2. The deterioration of his sanity and character is evident throughout 2.3 after the murder. Macbeth becomes king in 3.4. His love for Lady Macbeth fades within 5.5 when he has no sorrow for his wife’s death. Macbeth is the protagonist of the play, even though he is not a good or sympathetic character. His ambition to be king at any cost drives the action of the play. Macbeths hamartia is his ambition.

Question 22

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth exemplifies ‘the terrors of remorse’” - Montagu

Answer 22

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth exemplifies ‘the terrors of remorse’” - Montagu

Question 23

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth defines a particular kind of evil - the evil that results from a lust of power” - Knight

Answer 23

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth defines a particular kind of evil - the evil that results from a lust of power” - Knight

Question 24

Critical quotation:
“The play legitimates tyrannicide” - Lemon

Answer 24

Critical quotation:
“The play legitimates tyrannicide” - Lemon

Question 25

Critical quotation:
“The instant the crime is finished, its futility is revealed to Macbeth” - A.C Bradley

Answer 25

Critical quotation:
“The instant the crime is finished, its futility is revealed to Macbeth” - A.C Bradley

Question 26

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth taps into the question that really drives all criminology: who is to blame, the individual or the society?” - Wilson

Answer 26

Critical quotation:
“Macbeth taps into the question that really drives all criminology: who is to blame, the individual or the society?” - Wilson

Question 27

Stage direction “___”
___: “Will all great ___ ___ wash this ___ clean from my hands? ___: this my hand will rather the ___ seas ___ making the ___ one red”
___ ___“My hands are of your colour, but i shame to wear a heart so white”
___ ___ “Knocking”

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Answer 27

Stage direction “Knocking”
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hands? No: this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine making the green one red”
Lady Macbeth “My hands are of your colour, but i shame to wear a heart so white”
Stage direction “Knocking”

Theme: Consequence of crime, insanity, appearance vs reality (their insanity as a result of guilt is starting to show)

Context: Chain of being

Techniques: Rhetorical question, metaphor, foreshadowing (Macduff punishing Macbeth in the future), verb ‘shame’

Extra: 2.2 Macbeth has just murdered Duncan and now he hears a mysterious knocking on his gate, which seems to promise doom. (the person knocking is Macduff, who eventually destroy Macbeth.) Macbeth explains that all the oceans in the world wouldn’t be capable of washing the blood from his hands. There is enough blood on his hands to turn the entire sea red—will stay with him until his death. Lady Macbeth starts to show signs of guilt. Quincy (critic) suggests that the knocking awakens them to reality. Knocking could symbolise vengeance.