Macbeth Quotes

Question 1

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Answer 1

Three Witches (Act 1 Scene 1).

Question 2

What bloody man is that?

Answer 2

King Duncan (Act 1 Scene 2)

Question 3

“All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be King hereafter!”

1. Who and when was this quote said?
2. Which of the three prophecies is this?
3. Themes?
4. What is this prophecy saying?

Answer 3

1. Witch 3 - Act 1 Scene 3.
2. Second prophecy of the witches.
3. Supernatural.
4. Show that Macbeth will be the future King of Scotland.

Question 4

“They look like THE INHABITANTS o’th’ earth, and yet aren’t on’t?”

1. Who and when was the quote said?
2. What does it mean?
3. Any themes?
4. What is the point of saying the capitals instead of witches?

Answer 4

1. Banquo Act 1 Scene 3.
2. Questioning if the witches are really human.
3. Supernatural
4. Avoiding their control and power, scared of them already, just from looks.

Question 5

“So FAIR AND FOUL a day I have not seen.”

1. Who and when was this quote said?
2. What is Macbeth saying?
3. What is the supernatural link and quote to this and Macbeth?
4. What is the context of this?
5. What does the capitals show and influence of over Macbeth?

Answer 5

1. Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3.
2. Refers to the fairness of his victory and the foulness of his soldiers dying. Things aren’t always as they seem. Appearance/Reality.
3. Witches Act 1 Scene 1 - “fair and foul and foul is fair”.
4. Supernatural - appeals to King James I of England, Shakespeare getting on his good side.
5. The witches influence over him.

Question 6

What does “I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition” show about Macbeth.

Answer 6

He is ambitious to get the throne.

Question 7

“For Brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name)”

What does this show about Macbeth said by the Captain in Act 1 Scene 3.

Answer 7

The Captain is telling the King how impressively brave he was in battle.
The brackets show that Shakespeare emphasises why Macbeth deserves to be called brave and that his bravery stands out.

Question 8

What does “We will proceed no futher in this business” show.

Answer 8

Macbeth shows that he dosen’t want to kill Duncan.
LM later manipulates him in saying he is a coward and accuses him of lying to his wife, implying that he is less of a man.

Question 9

“Why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
and make my seated heart knock at my ribs […]?”

Answer 9

Macbeth I.III
Ambition
Overwhelming and Frantic.

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Lady Macbeth I.IV
Ambition
Demise of character
Corrupting

Question 11

“Look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’”

Answer 11

Lady Macbeth I.V 
Ambition 
Double edged sword 
Frantic 
Corrupting

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Macbeth I.VII
Ambition
Frantic
Demise of character

Question 13

“Like Valour’s minion carv’d out his passage […] he unseam’d him from
the nave to th’ chops, and fix’d his head upon our battlements.”

Answer 13

The Captain I.II
Violence
Unnatural & transgressive (violation of moral or social boundaries)
Inevitable

When fighting the Norwegian enemies, Macbeth attacked a man he had never met before and slit him open from his belly to his jaw, and then cut off his head and placed it on the battlements.
This action is horrific but is viewed as heroic because it happened to an enemy.

Question 14

“I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.”

Answer 14

Lady Macbeth I.VII
Violence
Begets (births) more violence