Macbeth - Characters

Quote to show Macbeth is brave and a valiant soldier

"brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name" - Act 1 Scene 2 (ross)

From the start of the play Macbeth is immediately seen in a high regard with the people he is surrounded with. “He deserves that name” He has put in the work and fighting for the king as a worthy and valiant soldier.

Alternative Representation: The royals were a terrible judge of character because the old thane of cawdor betrays him and then Macbeth betrays him as well. The idea of patriarchy is shown when they call him “brave” to show that they don’t judge on one's values and character but rather on his bravery and loyalty. That was there “measuring stick”

“Brave” could also foreshadow his ruthless murders as we associate the word brave a person who is daring to do something hence why he kills the king.

Quote to show Macbeth's evil nature, supernatural

"let not light see my dark and deep desires" - Act 1 Scene 4 (macbeth)

His desires are “dark and deep” implying that his desires are deep within him, almost being part of him. This also amplifies the power of the supernatural as evidenced by transforming Macbeth’s personality within only one scene. Macbeth’s main catalyst at the start is when he approaches the witches.

Alternative Representation: These devious thoughts are stuck within him. Macbeth was already thinking of killing King Duncan even before being manipulated by Lady Macbeth.

Quote to show Lady Macbeth's evil nature, supernatural and women in general?

'unsex me here, and fill me, from crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty' - Act 1, Scene 5 (Lady Macbeth)

When she says “unsex me here” she wants to reduce her femininity, to take away her qualities that make her feminine. Back in that time, being a woman would be soft, elegant, caring, she wanted to take this away and become evil feeling no emotion.

“Fill me” She wants to be fully immersed with the worst possible evil. Women were suffering so much from patriarchy that they had to become as masculine as possible.

Quote that shows Lady Macbeth's manipulative nature and patriarchy?

'When thou durst to do it, then you were a man" - Act 1 Scene 7

Patriarchy oppresses man, and this is an example. For a patriarchal man, he had to be brave, courageous, importantly in the eyes of his wife. Lady Macbeth knew that, consequently, Lady Macbeth takes advantage of this and emasculates Macbeth whilst doing so. And this is what kicks Macbeth over the edge leading to his corruption and ultimate downfall. So, Macbeth kills Duncan to prove his masculinity to his wife rather than his desire to be the king.

Quote to show Macbeth's guilt, and how he changes throughout the play?

'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand' - Act 2, Scene 2 (Macbeth).

a representation of macbeth’s never ending guilt, it seems to follow him wherever he goes. Once Macbeth has killed someone, he feels extreme guilt, but as he repeats his sins, his guilt starts to decay. From act 2 scene 2, to act 5 scene 2, macbeth gradually becomes almost emotionless by killing king duncan, banquo, macduff's family, son.

Quote to show Macbeth's regret and contemplation by the end of the play

'out,out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow' - Act 5 Scene 2 (macbeth)

You can never catch your shadow, you are always chasing it, in this case for Macbeth, getting the crown and power. For example, when he kills banquo in order to keep his lineage of becoming king intact. “Candle” is the metaphor for his life, he releases that he is immortal. Just like how a candle will eventually finish eventually. For the first time in the play, he is questioning himself if what he did was all worth it as he realises that he is chasing a shadow that he cannot catch. For the first time he shows a sign of regret and contemplation.

Quote to show manipulative behaviour and deception

"look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under't" - Act 1 Scene 5 (Lady Macbeth)

Lady Macbeth is being duplicitous and multifaceted here. She is telling him to look guilt free but be devious and corrupt.

Quote to show violence, and dark thoughts

'full of scorpions is my mind' - Act 2 Scene 3 (Macbeth)

The “scorpions” are eating away at his mind and this can foreshadow the fact for the inevitable downfall of macbeth and losing his mind as result of the scorpions eating away at him.

Quote which summarises the plot of the play and shows the deception of the witches?

'fair is foul, and foul is fair' - Act 1, Scene 1 (witches) - equivocation

Quote that shows foreshadowing and juxtaposition?

“The instrument of darkness tell us truths, To betray’s in deepest consequence” - Act 1 Scene 3 (banquo)

An instrument is to be played and this is portraying that both macbeth and banquo is to be played wrongly by the witches which is foreshadowing something terrible and evil is going to happen. This is a juxtaposition because Banquo admits that the witches will tell the truth, because something so nasty and something truthful. They do this in order to lie to Macbeth and cause his downfall to lure him in which foreshadows that they drop him for trusting the witches.

A quote to show Macbeth’s trust in fate?

‘If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me, Without my stir” - Personification, Act 1 Scene 3

Macbeth is hoping to not do anything to become king and that fate will take care of it.

A quote that shows Lady Macbeth’s dominance?

‘Yet i do fear thy nature. It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness’ - Act 1 Scene 5

Lady Macbeth says this in a soliloquy after reading a letter sent from Macbeth, talking about his encounter with the witches. She fears that due to Macbeth's nature, he is "too full o' th' human kindness" and cannot "catch the nearest way" in order to rise to power and accomplish what is necessary to do so.

A quote that shows Macbeth’s ambition

‘I have no spur. To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition’ - Act 1 Scene 7

metaphor that shows his fatal flaw to the audience and it foreshadows his demise.

A quote that shows deceptiveness?

‘False face must hide what false heart doth know’ - Personification, repetition.

Shows Macbeth’s commitment to keeping a facade. Blinded by ambition or shows he’s powerless as Lady Macbeth manipulates him.

A quote to show macbeth’s guilt

Methought I heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep”—the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care - Act 2 Scene 2. repitition

‘A quote that is ironic and shows innocence’

‘This castle hath a pleasant seat’ - Ironic to the readers as Duncan is unaware of Macbeth’s plan to commit regicide. It shows Duncan’s good character but alternatively, demonstrates his terrible misjudgement of Macbeth

A quote to show that shows how Macduff was held in high regard?

‘Worthy Macduff’

A quote to show hypocrisy of Lady Macbeth?

Had he not resembled my father as he slept, i had done’t.

quote to show Duncan’s purity?

‘Silver skin laced with his golden blood’