Summary GCSE English Literature: Macbeth Key Quotes and Analysis
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Course
English
Institution
GCSE
A revision resource that will ensure a grade 8/9! This is an incredibly detailed analysis of quotations from Macbeth by William Shakespeare. This is a play commonly studied at GCSE level and I created this resource for myself to assist me with my examination of this. This is essentially an organise...
CHARACTERS:
MACBETH:
‘STARS HIDE YOUR FIRES, LET NOT LIGHT SEE MY BLACK AND DEEP DESIRES’
(1.4)
TECHNIQUE:
Metaphor, rhyming couplets
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth does not wish for the darker side of his personality to be
revealed, hence could show his deceptive nature
He wants his hamartia, which is his hubris, to remain hidden, and to not
overtake his morality
He’s wishing for the stars to no longer burn so God cannot see the true
nature of his desires, which could be foreshadowing his malevolent
actions later in the play, e.g. committing regicide
Links to how in the Jacobean era, committing regicide defied God and
the great chain of being, hence he is calling upon the stars to conceal his
immoral cravings
Paralleling the witches with his use of rhyming couplets, which could be
showing how his mindset is slowly being corrupted and how his ambition
is beginning to overtake him
Juxtaposition between light, which could be symbolic of goodness, and
darkness, which could be symbolising evil and moral corruption, and
could show how he’s internally conflicted between evil and morality
Parallels Lady Macbeth in 1.5, when she calls upon the spirits, but could
show their juxtaposing characters at the beginning of the play, as he
wants to be rid of his immorality, but she wishes to be filled ‘to the toe
top-full of direst cruelty’
‘FALSE FACE MUST HIDE WHAT THE FALSE HEART DOTH KNOW’ (1.7)
TECHNIQUE:
Repetition, imperative, alliteration
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth possesses a façade to conceal his dark thoughts from society,
and through this, he is being duplicitous
Could link to Jacobean stereotypes, as people had to keep their
immorality and disreputable side hidden to be respected
, Conveys his hubristic nature, as he is going to commit regicide, partially
due to his ambition, and also due to Lady Macbeth, as she manipulated
him and acted as a catalyst for him usurping the throne
Shows how he is vulnerable when around Lady Macbeth, as she was
easily able to convert his mind and convince him to commit regicide
Subverts traditional Jacobean gender stereotypes, as women were
meant to be obedient to their husbands and inferior to them, but he’s
naïve to her manipulation
Repetition of adjective ‘false’ could be showing how perhaps this is not
what he truly desires to do, potentially due to his guilt, but he has been
manipulated into committing regicide and could feel forced to do so
‘WILL ALL GREAT NEPTUNE’S OCEAN WASH THIS BLOOD CLEAN FROM MY
HAND?’ (2.2)
TECHNIQUE:
Metaphor, rhetorical question, classical imagery
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth is overwhelmed by guilt, and almost regrets committing
regicide
Intensifier ‘great’ suggests how even a large body of water, which is
often associated with purity, wouldn’t be able to remove the blood from
his hands, and would not be able to cleanse him of the guilt he is
experiencing
Could show how by committing regicide, he has gone against the great
chain of being and the divine right of kings, as he is almost calling on a
Greek god to purify him, as he perhaps feels as though he can no longer
be reliant on his God in Christianity, due to disobeying him
‘UPON MY HEAD THEY PLACED A FRUITLESS CROWN, AND PUT A BARREN
SCEPTRE IN MY GRIPE’ (3.1)
TECHNIQUE:
Prepositional phrase
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth believes that the witches placed a useless crown on his head,
as he doesn’t have any children so he has no heirs to the throne
Macbeth may be envious of Banquo, as he has children and the witches’
prophecy was in his favour and stated that his children would reign
, Could show that perhaps Macbeth desires to have children so that all
future royals would be his descendants
Could show the juxtaposition between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, as
he seems to want children, but in 1.5, she asks the spirits to ‘take my
milk for gall’.
Could subvert traditional Jacobean gender stereotypes, as women were
expected to be present in the domestic sphere, and they were meant to
possess a maternal nature. However, Lady Macbeth steps into the
political sphere through her husband, and she projects an unloving
nature, and in contrast, Macbeth holds the desire for children
‘THE CASTLE OF MACDUFF I WILL SURPRISE; SEIZE UPON FIFE; GIVE TO THE
EDGE O THE SWORD HIS WIFE, HIS BABES, AND ALL UNFORTUNATE SOULS’
(4.1)
TECHNIQUE:
Prepositional phrase
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth has become a ruthless king, and is harming the innocent, even
though they have caused no harm to him
Could be viewed as ironic, as in 3.2, he tells Lady Macbeth to ‘be
innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck’ but he brings harm to the
innocent. Could be foreshadowing that his actions (committing regicide)
do cause harm to Lady Macbeth, as they drive her to commit suicide
Could be showing Macbeth’s duplicitous nature, as the verb ‘surprise’
would not often be used to describe death, and would rather be used to
describe something good, but as Macbeth is using it in this context, it
could be showing that he is trying to conceal his immorality with
goodness and nobility, as kings were viewed as highly noble in the
Jacobean era
Could link to the idea proposed by Machiavelli, and that to be a
successful king, you need to be a tyrannical ruler, but it could show how
being a Machiavellian ruler can lead to your downfall, as Macbeth does
not succeed in his reign
Macbeth could be experiencing his catharsis (release of emotion), as his
hubris has completely overtaken him, hence he’s becoming increasingly
ruthless
Could link to the idea of lex talionis (an eye for an eye), as it could be
foreshadowing that by murdering the innocent, he will eventually get
what he deserves
, ‘NOW DOES HE FEEL HIS TITLE HANG LOOSE ABOUT HIM, LIKE A GIANT’S
ROBE UPON A DWARFISH THIEF’ (5.2, SAID BY ANGUS)
TECHNIQUE:
Simile
ANALYSIS:
Lords feel as though Macbeth has stolen his power, as he did not
rightfully claim the throne and usurped it instead
Could link to 1.3, when Macbeth states ‘why do you dress me in
borrow’d robes?’, as it almost shows how his character has developed
from previously admired to now disgraced
Adjective ‘giant’ could be metaphorical, and could be showing how
Scotland have also suffered during this, as their previous king was
Duncan, who was nurturing, and now they are suffering from the wrath
of Macbeth
Adjective ‘dwarfish’ could be showing Macbeth and Duncan’s
juxtaposing personalities and kingship, and how Duncan was morally
greater than Macbeth
Could link to the great chain of being, as it could be showing that if
someone goes against God, it’s almost as though they are destined to
fall
Could relate to the idea of lex talionis (an eye for an eye), as Macbeth is
now getting what he deserves for committing regicide and disrupting the
natural order
‘I CANNOT TAINT WITH FEAR’ (5.3)
TECHNIQUE:
Dramatic irony
ANALYSIS:
Macbeth has been so fooled by the apparitions, that he has been given a
false sense of hope and security. Links to 3.5, when Hecate states
‘security is mortals’ chiefest enemy’, as it shows that Macbeth’s
confidence will be his downfall
Dramatic irony as audience are aware of what is to come and how the
lords are finding ways to counteract the apparitions
Macbeth feels as though he’s omnipotent, as his ignorance has led him
to believe that there’s no way to be conquered
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