| “He unseam’d him from the nave to the chops” | Act 1 Scene 2 (Sergeant about Macbeth) |
| “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” | Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth (repetition of the witches) |
| “Present fears are less than horrible imaginings” | Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth (proves his more innocent frame of mind at the start of the play. He is scared of the prophesy) |
| “Let not light see my black and deep desires” | Act 1 Scene 4 Macbeth (Macbeth is planning to murder Duncan. Creates a juxtaposition with Duncan’s prior reference to the stars.) |
| “Pry’thee, peace!” | Act 1 Scene 5 Macbeth (Macbeth is seen as weaker than his wife. Female transgression.) |
| “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” | Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth (Macbeth is reluctant to take on the role of Thane of Cawdor – at the start he is not on a rampage, in pursuit of greater titles and power.) |
| “Methought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more! // Macbeth does murder sleep,” the innocent sleep.” | Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth (He can’t sleep, potentially due to the crimes that he has committed.) |
| “I have no spur th’prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself, and falls on th’other.” | Act 1 Scene 7 Macbeth (Refers to his ambition, and how it is taking control of his behaviour.) |
| “I go, and it is done: the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven, or to hell.” | Act 2 Scene 1 (Macbeth warns the soul of Duncan. He shows no certainty that the pure and good Duncan will go to heaven.) |
| “Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate and furious, loyal and neutral, in a moment?” | Macbeth (Questioning who can prove a good ruler.) |
| “Will all great Neptune’s Ocean wash this blood // Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather // The multitudinous seas incarnadine, // making the green one red.” | Act 2 Scene 2, Macbeth (He feels so guilty of such an abominable crime, that he doubts even the most drastic action will ever clear him.) |
| “His silver skin laced with his golden blood; // … their daggers. | Act 2 Scene 3 Macbeth (Description of Duncan is almost angelic) |
| “The times have been, // That, when the brains were out, the man would die.” | Act 3, Scene 4 Macbeth (Macbeth questions why Banquo has returned as a ghost, when he knows that he was dead.) |
| “It will be blood; they say, blood will have blood.” | Act 3 Scene 4 Macbeth (Macbeth’s solution to violence and sin is further violence and sin.) |
| “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe.” | Act 3 Scene 1 Macbeth (Macbeth cannot value his Kingship because of the means in which he gained his position) |
| “I am in blood // Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, // Returning were as tedious as go o’er.”” | Act 3 Scene 4 Macbeth (Macbeth sees no point in stopping his violent, criminal streak as he has gone so far) |
| “That which should accompany old age, // I must not look to have; but, in their stead, // Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath,// Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.” | Act 5 Scene 3 Macbeth (Macbeth acknowledges that he will never be forgiven for his crimes, and must accept that he will never feel true happiness) |
| “She should have died hereafter.” | Act 5 Scene 5 Macbeth (Referring to the death of Lady Macbeth) |
| “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,// Creeps in this petty pace from day to day // To the last syllable of recorded time.” | Act 5 Scene 5 Macbeth (Famous tomorrow etc) |
| “Out, out, brief candle! // Life’s but a walking shadow … Signifying nothing.” | Act 5 Scene 5 Macbeth (Macbeth talks about the meaningless of life) |
| “I have almost forgot the taste of fears.” | Act 5 Scene 5 Macbeth (After his many crimes, Macbeth no longer remembers what it is like to feel fear.) |
Macbeth Quotes – Macbeth
July 25, 2019