| King Duncan | “There’s no art to find the mind’s constructions in the face: he was a gentleman on whom i built an absolute trust.” Meaning: talking about the original Thane Of Caudor, judging people, too trusting |
| MacBeth | “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down or else o’erleap…for in many way it lies..”Meaning: mad b/c Malcolm is promoted to prince, and he is now in his way of becoming King |
| Lady Macbeth | What thou art promised, Yet do I fear thy nature: it is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.Meaning: thinks her husband is too nice and kind to be capable of killing the King, thinks that she has to take control of the situation |
| Lady Macbeth | “That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direct cruelty! make thick my blood…” Meaning: wants the spirits to get rid of her female qualities and fill her w/ cruelty and masculine qualities so she can devise her plan |
| Lady Macbeth | ” Your hand, your tongue: look like th’ innocent flower: but be the serpent under’t…”Meaning: look innocent, but know that you killed someone…one of the themes is present here: Appearance v. Reality…tells McB to leave the rest to her, she is able to do this b/c she now has her masculine qualities, |
| Lady Macbeth | “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold: what hath quenched them hath given me fire…”Meaning: ambiguous, had to drink up to get the edge off and gather up courage |
| Banquo | “I dreamt last night of three weird sisters: to you they have showed some truth.”Meaning: witches told Mcb the truth: that he was the new Thane of Caudor, he doesn’t think too much about it |
| Lady Macbeth | “He could not miss ’em. Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t…”Meaning: rationalizing why she didn’t do it, not as strong as she thinks she is |
| Macbeth | “Wake Duncan with thy knocking? I would thou couldst!”Meaning: regretting what he did |
| Macbeth | “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?..” Meaning: blood will always be on his hands “be with him forever”…can’t ever “wash” them away |
| Donalbain | “Our separated fortune shall keep us both the safer. Where we are there’s daggers in men’s smiles; the near in blood, the nearer bloody…”Meaning: knows who killed the King-has to be someone close to him and someone is hiding something…closer you are to the King, the more likely you’ll get killed next |
| Lady Macbeth | “With them they think on? Things without all remedy should be without regard: what’s done is done…”Meaning: they can’t take back what they have done |
| Macbeth | “It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood…”Meaning: he will pay the price for killing Dunc and everyone else…blood references |
| Macbeth | “All causes shall give way, I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wad no more…”Meaning: might as well keep killing people, just as bad to back as it would to go forward |
| Macbeth | ” He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear his hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear: and you all know security is mortals’ chiefest enemy…”Meaning: mcb’s downfall is his overconfidence that he will not get caught |
| Macduff | “He has no children. All my pretty ones? Did you say all?Meaning: two possible answers to who “he” is: could be Mcb b/c he wouldn’t understand the pain he is going through and he can’t get revenge on Mcb because he doesn’t have children, could also be Malcolm b/c he is a teenager and he is too young for marriage and children |
| Lady Macbeth | “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand…”Meaning: she’s sleepwalking, the guilt will never go away |
| Macbeth | “Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time..”Meaning: he has no purpose in life anymore, his days are dragging on with no hope |
| Macbeth | “But get thee back! My soul is too much charged with blood of thine already…”Meaning: doesn’t want to kill Mcd b/c he already killed his family |
| Siward | “”Had he his hurts before?”Meaning: literal translation… Did young siward die fighting? Yes he did |
| Malcolm | “And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen, henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland in such an honor named…”Meaning: Malc is now giving titles away, ending the play where we began with Dunc giving title away (full circle) |
MacBeth Quotes/Meanings Matching to Characters
November 13, 2019