Macbeth Quotes Bank covering the characters Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the Witches, Banquo and Macduff with Analysis. Links to themes such as Ambition and Guilt shown with quotations. Useful for GCSE English.
GCSE English 9-1 Macbeth : Quotebank by Chapter with Level 9 Context and Comentary
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Character and Key Point Quotation Analysis
Macbeth: An exceptional “For brave Macbeth, well he Macbeth risked his life in battle for his king -
brave and noble hero deserves that name” introduces Macbeth as a noble and humble
character. He impresses others (e.g. The
captain) and sets an example of how people
should act to be noble. Macbeth has worked
hard to have a good reputation; however, his
ambition causes him to ignore this and be
greedy.
“He unseam’d him … and Macbeth’s violent side is present and obvious
fix’d his head upon our from the start however it is praised as it is for
battlements” the King and for Scotland and is seen as noble.
Shakespeare may be implying that ideals such
as bravery and honour are used to disguise
injustice. He behaves in the same way later in
the play – but he is seen as tyrannical and
horrific. This could be Shakespeare criticising
the culture of aggressive masculinity and
honourable warfare. Foreshadowing how
Macbeth will be displayed to others (head upon
the battlements)
“O valiant cousin! worthy Macbeth is well respected, trusted and thought
gentleman” of by the King – makes Macbeth’s thoughts and
action of killing the King sound unreasonable.
Macbeth: Descent from a “Why do I yield to that The witches do not tell Macbeth to kill the King,
hero to a tyrant suggestion” instead his mind jumps to that conclusion due
to his ever-growing ambition. Macbeth is
THEME-AMBITION horrified by the idea of killing Duncan however
“yield” suggests he is tempted by it. His
ambition is conflicting with his moral
responsibility and leads to his tragic downfall.
“Without my stir” Macbeth is aware that killing Duncan is immoral
and wrong and he decides he won’t get
involved and will let the prophecy come true
without him interfering. It shows the difference
between his initial thoughts and the actions
that follow them – the murder of Duncan.
“dead butcher” Kills without a conscience, however Macbeth’s
guilty conscience turned him into a nihilistic
character.
Macbeth: Vulnerable, easily “Milk of human kindness” Shakespeare uses this metaphor to show
influenced Macbeth is a good man however Lady Macbeth
manipulates Macbeth into thinking his kindness
is an inferior quality which challenges his
manhood.
, “Are you a man?” Banquet scene – suggests that a lack of courage
makes him less of a man. People often saw
mental disturbances as a feminine problem.
Macbeth: Guilt & Paranoia “A dagger of the mind” Throughout the play, Macbeth sees
supernatural things as a projection of his guilt.
THEME-GUILT Same dagger that kills Duncan.
The blood on his hands is a He is ashamed, and suggests he already feels
“sorry sight” guilt for Duncan’s murder – last time (until the
final act) Macbeth kills someone with his own
THEME-GUILT hands.
“I am cabin’d, cribb’d, Restrained, rule of three, alliteration – he is
confined” paranoid as he was not able to kill Fleance.
Violence causes more violence.
Macbeth: Self-Realisation & “signifying nothing” After Lady Macbeth dies, he has realised he has
Nihilism lost everything. He knows choosing ambition for
THEME-GUILT, REGRET power instead of settling for what he had has
ruined him and his reputation.
“tomorrow, and tomorrow, Paradox of time being short and quick. Self-
and tomorrow, creeps in this realisation that life is pointless to Macbeth as
petty pace” he has ruined everything for himself and
Scotland.
Lady Macbeth: Subverting the “Unsex me here” Wants supernatural powers to take away her
Jacobean ideas – gender feminine traits and qualities so that she can
stereotypes murder Duncan to help Macbeth. She wants to
be cruel and not feel regret for her actions.
Wants to be dehumanised.
“Take my milk for gall” She no longer wants to be able to nurture
children with her breastmilk. She wants her
breastmilk to be filled with bitter poison instead
– this is a clear indication that she does not
want to nurture anyone; she wants to cause
pain and death.
Lady Macbeth: Dominates “Leave all the rest to me” Imperative, controlling, she takes a plan of
the relationship with Macbeth action and Macbeth has no choice but to follow
her. She also has a greater length of
turn/speech.
“live a coward in thine own Attacks Macbeth’s courage, asking if he wants
esteem” to live in fear. Said to convince her husband to
kill Duncan so she can become Queen and him
King. (Convinces him by saying he broke a
promise to her, and she would rather kill her
own child than break a promise she had made
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