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Eng lit quotes > Macbeth quotes + analysis > Flashcards

Macbeth quotes + analysis Flashcards

(69 cards)

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1
Q

‘Stars hide your fires…

A

‘let not light see my black and deep desires’ (Act1Sc 4)
in an aside he acknowledges the evil of his thoughts and ambitions but by saying they are desires, he presents the thoughts as natural temptation for him - using personification and a metaphor

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2
Q

‘Look now

A

on our partner’s rapt’
(Act1 Sc 3)
Banquo’s observation highlights the internal conflict in Macbeth between his ambition and morality - rapt is short for rapture which indicates that Mb is so consumed by his thoughts that he is not present in reality

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3
Q

‘I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent,

A

but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself’
(Act 1 Sc 7)
horse simile presents his ambition as unstoppably powerful - critical quote

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4
Q

‘Make my seated heart

A

knock at my ribs’
(Act 1 Sc 3)
physical repulsion to thought of killing but is overcome by his ambition

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5
Q

‘to be thus is nothing,

A

but to be safely thus’
(Act 3 Sc 1)
reveals Macbeth’s deep-seated fear and paranoia - perhaps the new ambition to keep his reign secure which drives him to kill more

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6
Q

‘upon my head

A

they placed a fruitless crown’
(Act 3 Sc 1)
Mb expresses his fear that his lineage is not secure on the throne

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7
Q

‘You lack the seasons

A

of all nature,sleep’
(Act3 Sc4)
regicide has destroyed peace potentially due to breaking GCoB- LMB’s last words until A5

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8
Q

‘we have scotched

A

the snake not killed it’
(Act 3 Sc 2)
emphasises that they have not completely secured the throne after killing Duncan and must still commit acts of violence to maintain the throne

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9
Q

‘thy crown does

A

sear mine eyeballs’
(Act 4 Sc 1)
Macbeth’s visceral reaction to the witches’ vision of Banquo’s descendants as kings, highlighting his paranoia and the burden of ambition

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10
Q

‘I bear a charmed life,

A

which must not yield// to one of a woman born’
(Act 5 Sc8)
Highlights Mb’s false sense of security based on the witches’ prophecies - shows how his ambition is fueled by the supernatural which leads to his downfall - hubris

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11
Q

‘The queen, my lord is dead.’

A

‘She should have died hereafter’
(Act5 Sc5)
punished for ambition to gain power Mb is now completely unfazed by death - nihilism

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12
Q

‘usurper’s

A

cursed head’
(Act 5 Sc 8)
signifies the restoration of order and the end of Mb’s tyrannical reign

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13
Q

‘He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear//His hopes ‘bove

A

wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know, security Is mortals’ chiefest enemy’
(Act3Sc5)
Hecate highlights Mb’s hubris and foreshadows his downfall as he prioritises ambition over wisdom

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14
Q

But swords smile at, weapons laugh to scorn

A

brandished by man of woman born’
(Act5 Sc7)
After killing Young Siward Macbeth brags about his idea of invincibility fueled by the supernatural

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15
Q

‘his virtues will

A

plead like angels’
(Act1 Sc7)
expresses Macbeth’s internal struggle and recognition of King Duncan’s goodness, which would be a powerful argument against his murder, almost as if angels were pleading for Duncan’s life.

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16
Q

‘methought I heard a voice cry

A

‘sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep!’
(Act2 Sc2)
reveal Mb’s profound guilt and the psychological consequences of regicide also symbolism of sleep representing peace and innocence. Mb has not only taken his life but also robbed himself of the ability to sleep

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16
Q

‘will all great

A

‘will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?’
(Act2 Sc2)
reveals his profound guilt and the belief that his actions are irredeemable, even by the vastness of the sea - hyperbolic. The blood on his hands is a powerful symbol of his guilt and the moral stain of his actions.

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17
Q

‘O, full of

A

scorpions is my mind’
(Act3 Sc2)
metaphor - Mb is burdened by guilt and fear, uses the image of scorpions to express the torment and pain that his conscience inflicts

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18
Q

‘the very firstlings

A

of my heart shall be the very firstlings of my hand’
(Act4 Sc1)
signifies Mb’s descent into ruthless, unreflective action

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19
Q

‘I will not be afraid of death and bane,

A

Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane’
Mb, based on witches’ prophecies believes he is invincible, rhyme perhaps suggests supernatural intervention

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20
Q

‘I have almost

A

forgotten taste of fears’
(Act5 Sc5)
reveals Mb’s desensitization to violence, suggesting a chilling detachment from his former self

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21
Q

‘abhorred

A

tyrant’
(Act5 Sc7)
highlights Mb’s descent into tyranny and the audience’s perception of him as an evil ruler

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22
Q

‘Cannot be ill,

A

cannot be good
(Act1 Sc3)
Mb’s ambivalence highlights the internal turmoil between morality and ambition

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23
Q

‘Signifying

A

nothing’
(Act5 Sc5)
nihilistic view - Mb reflects on the futility of his actions

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24
'MacDuff was from
his mother's womb untimely ripped' (Act5 Sc8) destroys Mb's sense of invulnerability - reveals deception of witches
25
'Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cowed my better part of man!
And be these juggling fiends no more believed,//That palter with us in a double sense' (Act5 Sc8) Mb's anagnorisis that the witches have tricked him-scorns them
26
'unsex
me here' (Act1 Sc5) Lady Mb is rejecting her feminine qualities as she believes they make her weak - subverting gender rules
27
'I would, while it was smiling in my face,
have plucked my nipple from its boneless gums and dashed its brains out' (Act1 Sc7) Lady Mb shows her willingness to commit any act to achieve her goals, even going so far as to kill her own child (a symbol of pure innocence), in order to shame Macbeth into action
28
'take my
milk for gall' (Act1 Sc5) reveals Lady Mb's willingness to abandon her feminine qualities to achieve power, symbolised by the transformation of nurturing milk into the bitter bile of ruthlessness
29
'look like an innocent flower,
but be the serpent under't.' (Act 1 Sc5) highlights theme of appearance vs reality as the flower symbolizes innocence, beauty, and gentleness, representing the facade Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to project. It evokes a sense of purity and trustworthiness, which contrasts sharply with the serpent's hidden malice. Serpent Under't: The serpent is a powerful symbol of deception, evil, and treachery, often associated with the biblical story of Adam and Eve.
30
'A little water
clears us of this deed' (Act2 Sc2) a deceptively simple statement that reveals her initial confidence in the ease of washing away the guilt of Duncan's murder
31
'Had he not resembled
My father as he slept' (Act 2 Sc2) reveals a moment of unexpected femininity and vulnerability - and perhaps it shows that she isn't as numb to guilt and empathy as she presents herself
32
'to the eye of childhood
that fears a painted devil' (Act 2 Sc2) LMB dismisses Mb's guilt and fear after the murder of King Duncan, suggesting his reaction is childish and irrational.
33
Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content.//Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.' (Act 3 Sc2) she expresses profound dissatisfaction with their newly achieved power, stating that despite getting what they desired, they are not content and would rather be victims of destruction
34
'Out damned spot!
Out I say!' (Act 5 Sc1) reveals her descent into madness and guilt as she sleepwalks, desperately trying to wash away the imagined bloodstains on her hands
35
There's knocking
at the gate' (Act 5 Sc1) reference back to Act2 Sc2 - the murder scene - perhaps she is reliving the scene and is tormented by it in her sleep - ironic due to lack of original guilt
36
'All the perfumes of
Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.' (Act5 Sc1) she expresses her overwhelming guilt and remorse for her role in King Duncan's murder, suggesting that no amount of external cleansing can erase her internal stain of guilt
37
'He unseamed him from
the nave to the chops' (Act 1 Sc2) vivid and graphic description of Macbeth's brutal killing of Macdonwald, highlighting his ferocity and disregard for human life - visceral metaphor
38
'O valiant cousin!
Worthy gentlemen!' (Act1 Sc2) a powerful expression of his admiration for Macbeth, a newly crowned hero
39
'Put rancours in my
vessel of peace' (Act3 Sc1) reveals Macbeth's internal turmoil and descent into madness using the metaphor of a "vessel of peace" to represent his soul
40
'I am in blood / Stepped in so far,
that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er' (Act3 Sc4) reveals his acceptance of the violent path he is on and the word ' tedious' presents violence as a mere inconvenience showing how numb he is to it
41
'too full of the
milk of human kindness' (Act1 SC5) LMb believes Mb's morality is a weakness that will prevent him from seizing power, suggesting that Macbeth is too gentle and morally upright
42
'he was a gentleman on
he was a gentleman on whom I built absolute trust' (Act1 Sc4) KD laments betrayal of McDonwald, highlighting his inability to discern a person's true character from outward appearance.
43
'so thanks to all and
each to one// whom we invite to see us crowned' (Act5 Sc8) It is spoken by Malcolm, the rightful heir to the throne expressing his gratitude and extends an invitation to witness his coronation - the restoration of order
44
'leave all
the rest to me' (Act2 Sc2) LMb's pragmatic behaviour starkly contrasts Mb's irrational and hysterical behaviour
45
'most sacrilegious
murder!' (Act2 Sc3) highlights the severity of the crime by associating it with a violation of the Divine Right of Kings
46
'for them the
gracious Duncan have I murdered' (Act3 Sc1) Mb shows regret but not remorse over killing KD as he may have done it for the benefit of Banquo
47
'those that Macbeth
hath slain' (Act2 Sc4) the servants that Mb killed - Md is speculating on Mb's involvement
48
'I fight of treasonous malice' - Banquo - MacDuff responds saying: 'and so do I'
(Act 2 SC3) signifies their unified vow to expose and combat the treachery. Banquo's words indicate a commitment to justice and a willingness to fight against the unseen forces behind the murder
49
'I must feel it
also as a man' (Act4 Sc3) pivotal moment in the play, highlighting his understanding that true manhood encompasses both emotional depth and the capacity for strong action
50
'O nation miserable,
with an untitled tyrant' (Act4 Sc3) emphasises the difference between a King with legitimate rule and an usurper's and their effect on the whole country
51
'bleed, bleed,
poor country!' (Act4 Sc3) personification depicts Scotland as a wounded body, highlighting the pervasive harm caused by Mb's rule also reflects the theme of a disrupted natural order
52
'my wife and
children's ghosts will haunt me still' (Act 5 Sc7) declaration of his determination to avenge his family's murder, emphasizing his emotional burden if someone else kills Macbeth
52
'he was a man on
whom I built absolute trust' (Act 1 Sc4) perhaps dramatic irony as at this point Macbeth has considered regicide already - KD may be weak as he is too trusting
53
'the water of my land find
her disease and purge it to a sound and pristine health' 'Act 5 Sc3' referencing LMb's illness
54
'modest wisdom
plucks me from over credulous haste' - Malcolm (Act 4 Sc3) Malcolm is a foil to Macbeth due to his lack of ambition and desire for power
55
'my thought whose murder
is yet but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man' (Act1 Sc3) He has physical repulsion to the idea of committing regicide
56
'never shake thy
gory locks at me' (Act 3 Sc4) Macbeth's hallucination of Banquo reveals his descent into insanity due to guilt
57
'Avaunt! And quit my sight!
Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold' (Act 3 Sc4) Macbeth reveals that he has killed someone and quite obviously Banquo and therefore Duncan due to his paranoia of gaining the throne
58
'I fear thou played
most foully for it' (Act 3 Sc1) Banquo's suspicions are made apparent to the audience but he chooses not to voice them due to his lineage being on the throne - idea of an 'equivocator' like in the porter's scene going to hell
59
'Fair is foul
and foul is fair' (Act1 Sc1) Foreshadows and sets the tone of the theme of deception in this play as good and bad seemingly take each other's forms
60
'so foul and fair
a day I have not seen' (Act 1 Sc3) suggest perhaps Macbeth is under the influence of supernatural
61
'when shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning or in rain' (Act1 Sc1) Trochaic tetrameter and rhyme presents the witches as a supernatural and mysterious force
62
'is this a dagger which I see
before me,// The handle towards my hand? Come let me clutch thee?' (Act 2 Sc1) Macbeth's ambition manifests into a hallucination and leads him to murdering Duncan
63
'it will have blood;
they say blood will have blood' (Act3 Sc4) implies a cycle of violence perhaps after Mb is vanquished MacDuff will repeat this cycle just as Mb did with MacDonwald
64
'black and midnight hags'
midnight hags' (Act4 Sc1) Mb acknowledges the evil of the witches yet still seeks reassurance from them
65
'one cried 'God bless us!' and
'Amen' the other - 'I could not say Amen' (Act2 Sc2) Mb has broken his relationship with God due to breaking GCoB which with Divine Right of Kings foreshadows the divine consequences of Mb's ambition
66
'a dagger of the mind a false creation
proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain' (Act 2 Sc1)
67
'She has light
by her continually' (Act 5 Sc1) ironic as before LMb encouraged 'dark spirits' to enter her but now needs light at all times

Eng lit quotes (2 decks)

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