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Macbeth Quotes

Terms in this set (23)

fair is foul, and foul is fair (1.1)
speaker? The three witches

meaning/significance? things aren't always what they seem
theme: appearance/reality
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm
the instruments of darkness tell us truths,
win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence (1.3)
speaker? Banquo (to Macbeth)

meaning/significance? A warning/fortelling of what will happen to Macbeth. that evil tries to tempt us with half truth and it will lead us to our doom
If chance will have me King, why
Chance may crown me,
Without my stir. (1.3)
Speaker? Macbeth

Meaning/significance? Macbeth is hoping he will not have to do anything to become king, that fate will take care of it
theme: fate
That is a step on which
I must fall down or o'er leap
Stars, hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires. (1.4)
speaker? Macbeth (to himself)

Meaning/significance? he is now commited to killing Duncan...it shows the growth of evil in Macbeth... showing what side he is aligning with... first step down a slipper slope
Yet do I fear thy nature.
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way. (1.5)
speaker? Lady Macbeth (to herself)

Meaning/significance? L. Macbeth is worried about her husband's wishwashiness... shows gender bending (shes crueler)
theme:gender bending
Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! (1.5)
speaker? Lady Macbeth

Meaning/significance? shows L.Macbeth siding with evil forces
Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under't. (I.5)
speaker? Lady Macbeth (to Macbeth)

meaning/significance? L.Macbeth is telling her husband to lie and act innocent
themes: appearance/reality
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other - (1.7)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/significane? showing Macbeth's only motivation is his ambition
theme: ambition
Methought I heard a voice cry "Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep"—the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care. (2.2)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/significance? Shows Macbeth is feeling guilty (for killing Duncan) and also jumpy
themes? sleep/dreams, clothes motif
Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? (2.2)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/signficance? showing his guilt, how he feels he will never be clean, evil will spread as a result (dominoes effect)
themes? order/disorder, guilt, great chaine of being
A little water clears us of this deed,
How easy is it then! (2.2)
speaker? Lady Macbeth

meaning/significance? saying it will be easy to shake this off/be clean/guilt-free, contrasts towards Macbeth who says the opposite
themes? deception
Thou hast it now—King, Cawdor, Glamis, all
As the Weird Women promised, and I fear
Thou played'st most foully for't. (3.1)
speaker? Banquo (about Macbeth)

meaning/significance? Banquo suspects that Macbeth killed Duncan for the crown
themes? ambition, unnatural evil
...To be thus is nothing,
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep. (3.1)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/significance? shows his growing ambition and paranoia, shows he is still worried about the prophecy of Banquo's decendents
theme: ambition
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown
And put a barren scepter in my grip,
Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. (3.1)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/significance? worring that his kids will not get the crown, shows his growing ambition (he's not happy being king, but he also wants kids to be kings)
theme: ambition
For mine own good
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er. (3.4)
speaker? Macbeth

meaning/significane? I don't care about anything but my own good anymore...I'm in to far, it's to late for me to go back (no turning back)
theme: ambition
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