Macbeth Characters Flashcards
(9 cards)
Macbeth - “Is this a dagger which I see before me”
This hallucination symbolises Macbeth’s internal conflict and descent into madness highlighting the theme of the supernatural’s influence on human actions
The rhetorical question and vivid imagery reflect his moral turmoil and foreshadow the impending regicide
Macbeth - “O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!”
The metaphor reveals Macbeth’s mental anguish and paranoia, indicating his loss of peace and increasing instability
It illustrates how his ambition and guilt have corrupted his psyche
Macbeth - “Life’s but a walking shadow…. signifying nothing”
This nihilistic reflection portrays Macbeth’s realisation of life’s futility after Lady Macbeth’s death
The metaphor of life as a “walking shadow” emphasises the transient and meaningless nature of existence
Lady Macbeth - “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”
Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by suggesting he hide evil with charm, aligning her with the theme of deception
The snake allusion evokes the biblical serpent, linking her to sin and the corruption of innocence
Lady Macbeth - “unsex me here”
Her plea to the spirits to remove her femininity reflects a desire to gain masculine qualities associated eith power and cruelty
It shows how ambition drives her to reject social gender norms and embrace her unnatural forces
Lady Macbeth - “What’s done cannot be undone”
Shows Lady Macbeth’s resignation to consequences, contrasting with her earlier dominance
Reflects a psychological collapse and acknowledgement of the irreversible nature of their crimes
The Witches - “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”
This paradox introduces a world where morality is inverted, laying the groundwork for Macbeth’s moral confusion
It encapsulates the witches’ role in blurring boundaries between good and evil
The witches - “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee…”
These greetings tempt Macbeth, awakening his ambition by placing fate in his hands
The repetition creates a hypnotic effect, showing how the supernatural manipulates human desire
The witches - “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes”
This line shows Macbeth has has become the very embodiment of wickedness, even to the witches
The sensory language suggests evil is now so strong it disturbs even those who summon it
