good macbeth quotes for essay

Macbeth Quotes

Read our selection of the most memorable and significant Macbeth quotes. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is one of his most often quoted plays, with famous quotes aplenty.

As ever, Shakespeare brings his Mabeth characters to life with memorable dialogue and a number of intense monologues and soliloquies. We’ve pulled together all of the top Macbeth quotes below from primary and secondary characters – as well as a good selection from the eponymous hero and his wife – shown in order of the quote appearing in the play, listing the character speaking along with act and scene.

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”

Three Witches (Act 1 Scene 1)

“What bloody man is that?”

King Duncan (Act 1 Scene 2)

“If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not.”

Banquo (Act 1 Scene 3)

“Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner?”

“What! can the devil speak true?”

“Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings.”

King Duncan (Act 1 Scene 4)

“There’s daggers in men’s smiles”

Donalbain (Act 2 Scene 3)

“ Double, double toil and trouble : Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

Witches (Act 4 Scene 1)

“By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes .”

Second Witch (Act 4 Scene 1)

“Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.”

Third apparition (Act 4 Scene 1)

“A deed without a name.”

“When our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors.”

Lady Macduff (Act 4 Scene 2)

“Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe Upon a dwarfish thief.”

Angus (Act 5 Scene 2)

“Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee!”

Macduff (Act 2 Scene 3)

“The patient Must minister to himself.”

Doctor (Act 5 Scene 3)

“Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death.”

Macduff (Act 5 Scene 6)

…and here are some Macbeth quotes from Macbeth himself:

“Nothing is But what is not.”

Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 3)

“Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.”

“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 7)

“I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.”

“ If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well It were done quickly.”

“To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’other”

“ Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.”

Macbeth (Act 2 Scene 1)

“Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones prate of my whereabout”

“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.”

Macbeth (Act 2 Scene 2)

“Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep:  the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast.”

“Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.”

Macbeth (Act 3 Scene 2)

“Blood will have blood.”

Macbeth (Act 3 Scene 4)

“It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.”

“How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!”

Macbeth (Act 4 Scene 1)

“The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon! Where gott’st thou that goose look?”

Macbeth (Act 5 Scene 3)

“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Macbeth (Act 5 Scene 5)

“I bear a charmed life.”

Macbeth (Act 5 Scene 8)

Macbeth quotes by Lady Macbeth:

The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements”

Lady Macbeth ( Act 1, Scene 5 )

“Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”

Lady Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 5)

“Come  you spirits , That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.”

“O, never Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters. To beguile the time, Look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue. Look like th’ innocent flower, But be the serpent under ‘t. He that’s coming Must be provide for: and you shall put This night’s great business into my dispatch, Which shall to all our nights and days to come Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.”

“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. Make thick my blood. Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between Th’ effect and it. Come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry “Hold, hold!””

“Would’st thou have that Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat i’ th’ adage?”

Lady Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 7)

“I have given suck, and know How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this.”

“I laid their daggers ready; He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t.”

Lady Macbeth (Act 2, Scene 2)

“ Out! damned spot!  One, two, — why, then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? – Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.”

Lady Macbeth ( Act 5, Scene 1 )

“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”

Lady Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 1)

“What’s done cannot be undone.”

Are any of your favourite Macbeth quotes missing from this list? Please let us know in the comments below! We also have this list of LadyMacbeth quotes that might be of interest :)

Read Mabeth quotes in modern English :

• Is this a dagger which I see before me?
• If it were done when ’tis done
• The raven himself is hoarse
• Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
• More about the RSC’s take on Macbeth on screen

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haha we laughed about the egg quote for 20 minutes in class when we learnt macbeth

are you popping bottles, sparkles and champagne?

you forgot ‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t’.

nah its on there m8 but you jus never read the long quotes

They didn’t i saw it. Macbeth is such an amazing play with so many plot twists. Shakespeare is an amazing playwright

nah bro macbeth is mid but a fitty

I Love the egg quote it reminded me o f eggs

What about ” I am in blood stepts so far that to wade no more would be as tedious as to return over!

this book sucks so much i want to strangle shakespeare when he was a baby so i dont have to be here 700 years later reading on some pure WAFFLE!!

macbeth is a baby

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Macbeth Essay Quotes

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Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness.

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

I am in blood Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er.

A little water clears us of this deed.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through fog and filthy air.

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other side

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.

Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under it.

My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white.

All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand! Oh, oh, oh!

Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return to plague the inventor.

I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more, is none

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

The instruments of darkness tell us truths.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!

Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? - Lady Macbeth

We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we'll not fail.

It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.

Nothing in his life became him like leaving it.

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

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by William Shakespeare

Macbeth quotes and analysis.

"Double, double toil and trouble / Fire burn, and cauldron bubble" Witches, 1.1

In this famous quotation from the play, the three witches are gathered around their cauldron as they predict Macbeth's future. This scene immediately imbues the play with a dark and sinister mood, while also showcasing how the supernatural will figure into the rest of the plot. The witches' incantation is frequently quoted due to its rhymed couplets and sing-song rhythm.

"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!" Lady Macbeth, 1.5

In this famous quotation, Lady Macbeth expresses her desire to become more cruel so as to complete the murder of King Duncan alongside Macbeth. She asks for the spirits to "unsex" her, suggesting that in order to take part in Duncan's murder, she must dispel with femininity altogether. This quotation remains famous because it highlights the play's exploration of gender and power.

"I have given suck, and know / How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me / I would, while it was smiling in my face / Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed the brains out." Lady Macbeth, 1.7

After asking to be stripped of her femininity, Lady Macbeth appears to have gotten her wish as she delivers this disturbing but telling speech. Here, she attempts to prove how cold-hearted she can truly be by admitting that she would have murdered her own child. This quotation also reveals that Lady Macbeth had had a child at some point, despite not having any children in the present. This speech adds depth to Lady Macbeth's character while foreshadowing her formidable behavior for the rest of the play.

"If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well / It were done quickly." Macbeth, 1.7

This quotation introduces an extended soliloquy by Macbeth in which he puzzles over whether he should murder Duncan. He speaks here in the conditional tense, which underscores his uncertainty and doubts over the task that lies before him. By the end of the speech, he has all but decided not to go through with the murder, but Lady Macbeth will convince him otherwise.

"Is this a dagger which I see before me, / This handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still." Macbeth, 2.1

In this quotation, Macbeth imagines a dagger in front of him that is not really there. This instance marks the first time that Macbeth has a hallucination, suggesting his descent into stress-induced madness. It also reflects the play's overall interest in portraying the supernatural as a formidable force.

"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine." Macbeth, 2.2

After Macbeth murders Duncan, he runs into Lady Macbeth and attempts to clean his hands of Duncan's blood. Here, he expresses his anxiety that the blood will not come off, using a metaphor for the guilt he feels over what he has done. Macbeth is crippled by shame and does not foresee any relief.

"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus." Macbeth, 3.1

These are the words that Macbeth speaks after he has become king. Here, he devalues the simple act of becoming king (especially given the action he had to take to get there), and emphasizes that it is only a meaningful title if he can maintain it. Macbeth thus expresses anxiety and paranoia that he is unsafe in the position, which ultimately leads to his decisions to have more potential inheritors murdered.

"For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind / For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered." Macbeth, 3.1

Here, Macbeth expresses his worry that the murder of Duncan was not worth the guilt he feels, as the witches have prophesied that it is Banquo's sons who will eventually take over the throne. This quotation emphasizes Macbeth's desperate state that eventually predicts his downfall. It also highlights the play's interest in patrilineal succession, as Macbeth has no heirs, like Banquo, to continue his line after his death.

"Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold / Thou hast no speculation in those eyes." Macbeth, 3.4

When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, he attempts to convince himself that Banquo is not really there. In doing so, he admits that he is descending into madness with yet another hallucinatory experience. This quotation also underscores the guilt Macbeth feels over having called for the murder of Banquo and his sons.

"To bed, to bed. There’s knocking at the gate. Come, / come, come, come, give me your hand. What’s done / cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed." Lady Macbeth, 5.1

These are the final lines that Lady Macbeth speaks in the play. Her nervous cadence and erratic repetition suggest her own descent into a mad state, as she can no longer think clearly or logically. Instead, she retreats "to bed," suggesting that she has lost the strength and fervor she carried in earlier acts of the play.

Macbeth Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Macbeth is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The third which says that Banquo's sons shall be kings, Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3 questions

What is significant about the first words that Macbeth speaks in the play?

A motif or recurring idea in the play is equivocation. There is the balance of the dark and the light, the good and the bad. Macbeth's first line reflects this. It...

What news took the wind out of Macbeth's invincibility?

Macbeth rethinks his invincibility when MacDuff tells him that he was torn from his mother's womb.

Study Guide for Macbeth

Macbeth study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Macbeth
• Macbeth Summary
• Macbeth Video
• Character List

Essays for Macbeth

Macbeth essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Serpentine Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• Macbeth's Evolution
• Jumping the Life to Come
• Deceptive Appearances in Macbeth
• Unity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Lesson Plan for Macbeth

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Macbeth
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Macbeth Bibliography

E-Text of Macbeth

Macbeth e-text contains the full text of Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

• Persons Represented
• Act I, Scene I
• Act I, Scene II
• Act I, Scene III
• Act I, Scene IV

Wikipedia Entries for Macbeth

• Introduction
• Sources for the play
• Date and text

43 of the best key quotes in Macbeth and their meanings

Laycie Beck

Studying Shakespeare is something everybody will do, whether it’s at school, college or university. There is no denying that Macbeth is a staple of English classes in general. But knowing the key quotes in Macbeth for your GCSEs, A-levels or degree is crucial, especially if you’re on a deadline or revising for an exam. We’ve provided a useful summary of all the Macbeth key quotes and a brief analysis to help you out.

What is Macbeth about?

Macbeth” is a renowned tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in the early 17th century. This dark and powerful play delves into the destructive effects of ambition, guilt, and moral corruption.

The story unfolds in medieval Scotland and follows the rise and fall of the titular character, Macbeth, a valiant warrior and a thane (a Scottish noble). The play begins with Macbeth earning high praise for his bravery and skill in battle, defending King Duncan’s realm. However, his encounter with three witches, or Weird Sisters, sets the stage for his tragic downfall. The witches prophesy that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and eventually the King of Scotland.

Intrigued and ambitious, Macbeth shares this prophecy with his wife, Lady Macbeth, a character as ambitious and ruthless as Macbeth himself. Together, they hatch a plan to hasten the prophecy’s fulfilment. This leads to Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan and his subsequent ascension to the throne. However, this act of regicide plunges both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into a world of guilt, paranoia, and madness.

As the play progresses, Macbeth becomes increasingly tyrannical and bloodthirsty, ordering the murder of those he perceives as threats, including his friend Banquo and the family of his rival, Macduff. These acts of violence and betrayal create a climate of fear and unrest in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, tormented by guilt, descends into madness, leading to one of the play’s most famous scenes where she attempts to wash the imagined bloodstains from her hands. Macbeth, too, is haunted by his deeds, experiencing hallucinations and deepening paranoia.

The play reaches its climax as Macduff, seeking revenge for the slaughter of his family, leads an army against Macbeth. Despite a second set of prophecies from the witches that seem to suggest Macbeth is invincible, he is ultimately defeated and killed in battle, and Malcolm, Duncan’s son, is restored to the throne.

“Macbeth” explores themes such as the corrupting power of unchecked ambition, the moral and psychological effects of guilt and sin, and the relationship between violence and tyranny. It also delves into the supernatural and the ambiguous nature of prophecy. The play remains a timeless classic, resonating with modern audiences for its exploration of the dark aspects of human nature and the consequences of moral decay.

Most important Macbeth key quotes and analysis

1. “Fair is foul and foul is fair”

Who: The Witches

Where: Scene 1, Act 1

Meaning: This quote reflects the play’s theme of ambiguity and moral confusion. What is perceived as good (fair) is actually bad (foul) and vice versa, indicating a world turned upside down by deceit and evil.

2. “What bloody man is that?”

Who: King Duncan

Where: Scene 2, Act 1

Meaning : King Duncan is inquiring about a sergeant who is covered in blood. This sets the tone for the play’s violent and bloody nature.

3. “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not.”

Who: Banquo

Where: Scene 3, Act 1

Meaning : Banquo is asking the witches to predict his future, as they did for Macbeth, showing his curiosity about his own fate.

4. Or have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?”

Meaning : Here, Banquo is questioning the reality of his encounter with the witches, wondering if they have eaten a hallucinogenic plant that has led them to hallucinate the witches.

5. “What! Can the devil speak true?”

Meaning: Banquo is shocked that the witches’ prophecy about Macbeth has come true, suggesting that sometimes evil tells the truth to serve its purposes.

6. “Present fears are less than horrible imaginings.”

Where: Scene 4, Act 1

Meaning : This is King Duncan expressing that sometimes our fears are not as bad as the horrors we imagine, reflecting the theme of fear and foresight.

7. “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.”

Who: Donalbain

Where: Scene 3, Act 2

Meaning : Highlighting a theme of deception, Donalbain implies that there are hidden dangers and betrayals even in friendly appearances.

8. “Double, double toil and trouble: Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

Where: Scene 1, Act 4

Meaning : The witches chant this as they concoct a spell, symbolising the dark and mysterious forces at work in the play

9. “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”

Who: Second Witch

Meaning: The Second Witch senses Macbeth’s approach, indicating that evil is drawn to evil.

10. “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam wood to high Dusinane Hill shall come against him.”

Who: Third Apparition

Meaning: The Third Apparition’s prophecy suggests that Macbeth will not be defeated until an impossible event (a forest moving) occurs, giving Macbeth a false sense of security.

11. “A deed without a name.”

Meaning: Here the Witches are refering to their own actions, which are so unnatural and horrific that they cannot be named.

12. “When our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors.”

Who: Lady Macduff

Where: Scene 2, Act 4

Meaning: Lady Macduff suggests that fear can lead us to betray ourselves or others, reflecting on the consequences of fear and paranoia.

13. “Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!”

Meaning: This is a reaction from Lady Macduff, where she is expressing her inability to fully comprehend or articulate the horror and evil she is facing.

14. “The patient must minister to himself.”

Who: Doctor

Where: Scene 3, Act 5

Meaning:  The Doctor implies that some ailments, particularly those of the mind or soul, must be healed by the individual, not by a physician.

15. “Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death.”

Where: Scene 6, Act 5

Meaning:  Lady Macduff refers to the signs that foretell violence and death, possibly alluding to the omens and prophecies in the play that predict tragedy.

Macbeth quotes from Macbeth himself

Of course, many of the key quotes in Macbeth come from Macbeth himself. As the central character in William Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, he undergoes a profound and tragic transformation throughout the play. Initially presented as a valiant and respected hero, Macbeth’s character evolves dramatically following his encounter with the supernatural (the Weird Sisters) and under the influence of his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth.

His bravery, ambition, and self-doubt are key attributes that struggle for dominance within him, according to Sparknotes.   As the play progresses, these traits, particularly his ambition and susceptibility to doubt and guilt, lead him down a dark path. Macbeth becomes a figure of tyranny and moral decay, illustrating the catastrophic effects of unchecked ambition and a weak character. His journey from hero to villain is marked by his increasingly ruthless actions, including regicide and other murders, and is driven by both human flaws and supernatural elements. Ultimately, Macbeth’s tragic downfall is a result of his internal conflicts and the consequences of his actions, making him a complex and deeply flawed character in Shakespearean literature If you’re in need of Macbeth quotes from the man himself, look no further…

16. “I have no spur, to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other”

Who: Macbeth

Where: Scene 7, Act 1

Meaning: Macbeth acknowledges that he has no real reason to kill Duncan, only his excessive ambition, which might lead to his downfall.

17. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”

Where: Scene 2, Act 2

Meaning:  Macbeth realises that his guilt (symbolised by the blood on his hands) is so great that it would turn the oceans red, rather than being washed away.

18. “Nothing is but what is not.”

Meaning:  Macbeth is contemplating the paradoxical nature of reality, suggesting that what exists is defined by what does not.

19. “Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day.”

Meaning:  Here, Macbeth is expressing a sense of fatalism, accepting whatever may happen in the future.

20. “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

Meaning:  The advice given here by Macbeth is that one must hide their true, evil intentions behind a false appearance.

21. “Stars hide your fires; let not light see my dark and deep desires”

Meaning: Talking to the stars, Macbeth is asking them not to shine on his evil plans, so that his intentions remain hidden.

22. “I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none.”

Meaning: Macbeth asserts that he is willing to do anything that is appropriate for a man to do; anyone who does more is not a true man.

23. “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee: I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.”

Where: Scene 1, Act 2

Meaning: While hallucinating a dagger, Macbeth is manifesting his guilt and intent to murder Duncan

24. “I am in blood, steeped in so far, that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er”

Where: Scene 4, Act 3

Meaning:  Macbeth acknowledges that he is so deep into his murderous actions that it’s as hard to stop as it is to continue.

25. “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly.”

Meaning: This is the moment that Macbeth is musing that if the murder could be completed quickly and have no consequences, it would be best to get it over with quickly.

26. “Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep: the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care, the death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath, balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, chief nourished in life’s feast.”

Meaning: Tormented by guilt after the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is feeling that he has murdered the peaceful innocence of sleep.

27. “Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.”

Where: Scene 2, Act 3

Meaning:  This quote suggests that once you start doing evil things, they strengthen and perpetuate themselves through further evil actions.

28. “Blood will have blood.”

Where: Scene

Meaning: Macbeth means that one violent act will inevitably lead to another, as each act of violence necessitates further violence to cover it up.

29. “Thou sure and firm-set earth, hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear thy very stones prate of my whereabouts.”

Meaning:  So consumed by guilt and fear, Macbeth is imagining the ground itself might betray his murderous actions.

30. “How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!”

Meaning:  Macbeth addresses the witches, acknowledging their dark and mysterious nature.

31. “To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time, and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Where: Scene 5, Act 5

Meaning: After hearing of his wife’s death, Macbeth reflects on the futility and meaninglessness of life.

32. “I bear a charmed life.”

Where: Scene 8, Act 5

Meaning:  Macbeth believes he is invincible because of the witches’ prophecy that no man born of a woman can harm him.

33. “The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon! Where gott’st thou that goose look?”

Meaning:  In a state of paranoia and anger, Macbeth berates a servant.

Macbeth quotes by Lady Macbeth

Among all of Shakespeare’s plays, Lady Macbeth is one of the most complex and powerful female characters, is central to the dramatic development of “Macbeth.” Known for her burning ambition to be queen, she exhibits a fascinating blend of strength, ambition, and psychological complexity. Initially, she is portrayed as a strong, manipulative figure, deeply involved in plotting King Duncan’s murder and challenging traditional gender roles. Her taunting of Macbeth’s courage and her lack of humanity highlight her ruthless nature.

However, as the play progresses, Lady Macbeth’s facade of strength crumbles under the weight of guilt and madness. Her descent into madness, marked by sleepwalking and obsessive hand-washing, reflects her deep remorse and inability to cope with the consequences of her actions. This transformation from a figure of immense power and control to a tragic, guilt-ridden character underscores the themes of ambition, power, and the psychological repercussions of guilt in Shakespeare’s work. If you’re studying Macbeth, it’s a good idea to know about Lady Macbeth and her most important key quotes and lines from Macbeth.

34. “The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements.”

Who: Lady Macbeth

Where: Scene 5, Act 1

Meaning:  Lady Macbeth sees the raven as a symbol of Duncan’s impending death at her castle.

35. “Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”

Meaning:  Fearing that Macbeth is too kind and moral to seize the crown by murder, Lady Macbeth is questioning his nature.

36. “O, never shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters. To beguile the time, look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like the’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t. He that’s coming must be provide for: and you shall put this night’s great business into my dispatch, which shall to all our nights and days to come give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.”

Meaning:  Lady Macbeth instructs Macbeth to hide his true intentions and act welcoming to King Duncan.

37. “Would’st thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” like the poor cat i’ the’ adage?”

Meaning: Challenging Macbeth’s manhood, Lady Macbeth is accusing him of being a coward for hesitating to murder Duncan.

38. “Here’s the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”

Where: Scene 1, Act 5

Meaning: Here Lady Macbeth is showing how she is tormented by guilt, imagining that her hands will never be free of the smell of blood.

39. “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. Make thick my blood. Stop up the’ access and passage to remorse, that no compunctious visiting of nature shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between th’ effect and it. Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers, wherever in your sightless substances you wait on nature’s mischief. Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry “Hold, hold!””

Meaning: Lady Macbeth calls on evil spirits to make her ruthless and capable of committing murder.

40. “When thou durst do it, then you were a man”

Meaning:  This is another quote where Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s manhood, suggesting that he would be more of a man if he went through with the murder.

41. “I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.”

Meaning:  Lady Macbeth is expressing her commitment to their murderous plan, suggesting she would kill her own child if she had sworn to do so, as Macbeth has sworn to kill Duncan.

42. “I laid their daggers ready; he could not miss ’em. Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t.”

Meaning:  Here she reveals she would have killed Duncan herself if he hadn’t reminded her of her father, showing her ruthless nature and commitment to their plan.

42. “Out! Damned spot! One, two – why, then ’tis time to don’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? – Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.”

Meaning:  In her madness, Lady Macbeth is obsessively trying to wash away an imaginary bloodstain, symbolising her guilt over the murders.

43. “What’s done cannot be undone.”

Meaning: Lady Macbeth is acknowledging that the consequences of their actions are irreversible, expressing despair and resignation.

The key quotes in Macbeth come from all different characters, with many from the leading characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They’re bound to be an essential element of any assignment or exam surrounding the infamous Shakespeare play. If you’re planning to do more literature study in the future, then you’ll need to know the best universities for English Literature in the UK . Luckily, we’ve found them for you.

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Master Shakespeare's Macbeth using Absolute Shakespeare's Macbeth essay, plot summary, quotes and characters study guides.

Plot Summary : A quick review of the plot of Macbeth including every important action in the play. An ideal introduction before reading the original text.

Commentary : Detailed description of each act with translations and explanations for all important quotes. The next best thing to an modern English translation.

Characters : Review of each character's role in the play including defining quotes and character motivations for all major characters.

Characters Analysis : Critical essay by influential Shakespeare scholar and commentator William Hazlitt, discussing all you need to know on the characters of Macbeth.

Macbeth Essay : Samuel Taylor Coleridge's famous essay on Macbeth based on his legendary and influential lectures and notes on Shakespeare.

Macbeth Quotes

Every masterpiece or a literary piece has unique quotations expressing universal themes. These quotes are often quoted by all in common conversation and specific writings, speeches, and addresses. Some of the famous quotes from Macbeth , which convey the same collective themes and expressions, are discussed below.

Famous Quotes from Macbeth

“When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain ? / When the hurly burly ‘s done, /When the battle ‘s lost and won.”

(Lines 1-4, Act I, Scene I).

These are the initial lines spoken by First Witch and Second Witch when weaving a spell to lure Macbeth. These lines are rhyming with each other to show that the incantation of the witches has begun. The main theme of these lines is to decide when the witches would meet next. While the first witch expresses the unfavorable weather, the Second Witch says that they might meet after all the chaos is over and one of the kingdoms has won the war in Scotland.

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air.”

(Lines 12-13, Act I, Scene I).

Three witches who appear in Macbeth in the first scene speak these lines as they continue to weave their spell. They say that whatever they do seems good, but it will bring evil. In the same way, whatever seems bad is actually good. They agree with each other to vanish after the incantation is over and while the air is still dirty and misty. Perhaps to make things from bad to worse.

“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me / Without my stir.”

(Lines 144, Act I, Scene III).

Macbeth speaks these words in an aside when he is with Banquo, his loyal friend. As one of the witches prophecies came true and he already became Thane of Cawdor by chance. He is thinking about his future as a king. He believes that if the luck made him a Thame, he could also become a king. In that case, he doesn’t have to kill the king. In other words, he believes in destiny and prophecy will create a situation for him to be the king without him trying.

“Yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness .”

(Lines 16-17, Act I, Scene V).

Lady Macbeth speaks these lines to evaluate that Macbeth is not as ruthless as she is. She thinks that he is too kind and compassionate to kill the King or anybody else. In fact, she is also afraid that Macbeth is unprepared in spite of the promise given by the witches. According to Lady Macbeth kind people cannot be in the higher position as they may lack authority.

“Where we are, / There’s daggers in men’s smiles, / The near in blood, the nearer bloody.”

(Lines 139-141, Act II, Sc. III).

Donalbain speaks these lines to Malcolm, his brother. They come to know, King Duncan, their father, has been murdered. Following the murder of the King, Macbeth also kills the guards in rage. As they try to recover from their loss, they understand that they cannot trust anyone. Also, people can pretend to be friends while harboring hate in their heart, and enemies are usually closer than their friends. The last line shows Donalbain’s mistrust on people around them. They know that their own relatives are now after their lives to get the throne of their father.

“Things without all remedy / Should be without regard: What’s done is done.”

(Lines 10-12, Act III, Scene II).

Lady Macbeth speaks these words to her husband, Macbeth, after he kills King Duncan. Macbeth suffers from hallucinations and mental breakdown after the murder. Hence, Lady Macbeth tells that there is no point of regretting over things that already happened because you cannot reverse it. Lady Macbeth encourages her husband to remove any regrets and forget the crime.

“I dare do all that may become a man; / Who dares do more is none.”

(Lines 45-47, Act I, Sc. VII).

These lines are spoken by Macbeth when Lady Macbeth coaxes her husband to kill the King and become the king himself. However, he is not ready and tries to explain Lady Macbeth that he is happy with the honor he had already received. He is already a man and doesn’t need a dare to prove otherwise or commit an evil act. Here, Macbeth has not yet given into his wife’s manipulation to kill the king.

“Double, double toil and trouble; / Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

(Act IV, Scene I).

The above lines are spoken by three witches while they are casting a spell over Macbeth. It doesn’t have a specific purpose. However, it could mean that though Macbeth would become the King he will face many troubles and eventually destroy himself.

“Here’s the smell of blood. / All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”

(Lines, 144, Act V, Sc. I).

Lady Macbeth speaks these words as she begins to feel guilty after King Duncan’s death. While Macbeth is able to accept his crime and becomes ambitious, Lady Macbeth loses her grip over the situations and becomes weaker. Also, remorse begins to weigh heavily upon her. Being a weak-minded, she starts sleepwalking and suffers from acute depression. As she recalls King’s death realizes that she played a huge part in the murder, she will not be able to wash away or hide her crime.

“ Out, out , brief candle! / Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage / And then is heard no more. It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.”

(Lines 26-31, Act V, Scene V).

Macbeth speaks these words after Lady Macbeth’s death. He expresses that human life is nothing but a walking shadow. He also compares life with a candle that burns brightly before it melts away. He realizes that because of his actions he will face terrible consequences and his demise is inevitable. He further explains that life is nothing and humans are mere actors on the stage. Each has a small part to play before they become insignificant.

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MACBETH 10 KEY QUOTES.

We know that learning and analysing key quotes is a vital of preparing for the GCSE English Literature exam.

These quotes cover a range of literary devices, themes and characters, meaning you’ll be prepared no matter what question you get in your exam.

Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under’t.

Act I, s cene 5

I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition,

Act I, scene 7

Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness

Act I, scene 5

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?

Act II, scene 3

Here lay Duncan, his silver skin laced with his golden blood, and his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature for ruin’s wasteful entrance.

But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears.

Act III scene 4

O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!

Act III, scene 2

I think our country sinks beneath the yoke. It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds.

Act IV, scene 3

Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Act V, scene 5

I bear a charmèd life

Act V, scene 8

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Macbeth: Essay Plan Examples

A* and Level 9 essays are always properly planned before they are written. But how should you plan a Macbeth Essay?

Here is a list of practise plans and notes that students have completed for a range of essays on Macbeth. Some are focused on ideas, and others on structuring. To get the best out of your plans, you should try to keep a balance between both of these.

Always plan a thesis before writing — this is your main argument, the main answer to the question that comes in the intro of your essay. The rest of the essay should then explore and argue on this thesis.

This page is suitable for students aged 14–18 (GCSE — A-Level), particularly those studying the following exam boards: CIE / Cambridge, AQA, OCR, WJEC / Eduqas, CCEA, Edexcel.

Thanks for reading! If you find this resource useful, you can take a look at our full online Macbeth course here . Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

This course includes: 

• A full set of video lessons on each key element of the text: summary, themes, setting, characters, context, attitudes, analysis of key quotes, essay questions, essay examples
• Downloadable documents for each video lesson 
• A range of example B-A* / L7-L9 grade essays, both at GCSE (ages 14-16) and A-Level (age 16+) with teacher comments and mark scheme feedback
• A bonus Macbeth workbook designed to guide you through each scene of the play!

For more help with Macbeth and Tragedy, read our article here .

PRACTICE ESSAY 1:

Explore how Shakespeare discusses the theme of deception in Macbeth.

Trickery begets trickery — Macbeth deceives Duncan at the start, Banquo shortly after, he himself is deceived by the Witches > negative comment on deception.

Feudal system / divine right of kings vs New Politics / Machiavelli.

Deception creates temporary power, but the order of the world will be restored.

God ignores the castle — sinful behavior causes God to turn away.

Thesis: deception is evil and creates more evil and chaos, both for the individuals who deceive and the kingdom as a whole. For the human characters, it leads down a path to insanity, Shakespeare is drawing a parallel between deception and evil to show that it is ungodly and sinful.

P1 — Intro — Shakespeare discusses the theme of deception in Macbeth by exploring Macbeth’s insanity, showing the Macbeths covering their tracks and the temporary success with long term failure that deception brings.

P2 — Macbeth’s insanity — “oh full of scorpions is my mind”, “could not I pronounce Amen” “Is this a dagger I see before me”.

P3 — Showing the Macbeths covering their tracks — creates a climate of panic and paranoia — “I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal”.

P4 — demonstrates the religious messages of Macbeth — don’t commit sinful behavior.

P5 — demonstrates Shakespeare’s political beliefs — his faith in the Feudal system / his mistrust of New Politics.

PRACTISE ESSAY 2:

How does Shakespeare make this scene particularly terrifying?

500–600 Words essay.

5 Paragraphs:

• Intro — 50 words — Go over points quickly > thesis at the end
• Paragraph 1 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Paragraph 2 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Paragraph 3 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Conclusion — Recap strongest points quickly > Link back to the thesis

Paragraph plans

• Shakespeare makes this scene particularly terrifying by… (religion)
• Furthermore, the scene is particularly terrifying due to … (fear)
• Another way that Shakespeare has made this scene particularly terrifying is… (supernatural)

PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE:

Point — 1 Sentence

Evidence — Quotation (no longer than 7 words).

Analysis — Identify techniques, language features, vocabulary, and dramatic devices ‘how / why’ something works in a certain way.

Evaluation — assessing the importance/significance of something.

Link — Link back to text and thesis.

Thesis: The significant turning point for Macbeth in the play as he realizes that he is unable to say amen and might be haunted due to his deed. Macbeth is a dynamic character, a tragic hero who undergoes a tragic fall, and this moment demonstrates the point at which his mind begins to disintegrate and he is abandoned by God, which would be very terrifying for a Shakespearean audience.

Top Level Mark Scheme:

• Answers in this band have all the qualities of Band 2 work, with further  insight, sensitivity, individuality, and flair.  They maintain a  sustained engagement  with both text and task.
• Sustains a perceptive, convincing and relevant personal response
• Shows a clear critical understanding of the text.
• Responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (sustaining a convincing voice in an empathic task).
• Integrates much well-selected reference to the text

‘Make’ > understand and discuss dramatic devices

‘Particularly’ > evaluation word

Thesis: ‘what we think/feel/realize’

Shakespeare makes this scene particularly terrifying through the implicit meanings in the text. He uses varying vocabulary and language features such as allegory and allusion, which are seen throughout the text, to create a frightening atmosphere. This mainly revolves around Macbeth, a dynamic character, whose insight to murder has changed. We realize that Macbeth is unable to cope with his past actions due to his current actions.

QUOTES/IDEAS:

“ Didst thou not hear a noise ?” — Macbeth builds tension/suspense, a small amount of fear, later layers up into terror.

“ The owl scream ” — Lady Macbeth, possible link to Duncan’s death, possible horror sound, ‘scream’ > personification.

“ As I descended ?” — Macbeth, descent downstairs, but also perhaps signifies hell/degeneration into evil + madness.

Disjoined / lack of connection between characters — Macbeth is jumpy. They disagree. Macbeth is empathetic towards Donalbain > ‘ sorry sight’, Lady Macbeth is cold and says he is ‘foolish’.

“ There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried ‘Murder !’,” > terrifying, because two random people woke up during Macbeth murdering Duncan, they have a premonition or some sort of awareness.

“ I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen’/ Stuck in my throat. ” > he’s under the influence of evil, so God has abandoned him, he’s past the point of redemption, perhaps the turning point where he realizes he can’t go back, psychological?

“ It will make us mad ” > Lady Macbeth feels that the two of them will be mad if they dwell on their deeds in a negative way.

“ Macbeth does murder sleep ” > this is particularly terrifying as sleep also means rest and peace. Not only is Macbeth murdering sleep, but he is murdering rest and peace which he will not get as he will be haunted by the murder. ( personification )

“ Smear / The sleepy grooms with blood ” > the fact that they can pass the blame so easily and effectively is terrifying, what else can they pass the blame for if they can pass the blame for the murder.

“ Painted devil ” > the image of a dead body is likened to a painted devil seen by a child. They are just images that are feared.

“ Clean from my hand? No ” > No amount of water will be able to wash the blood off of Macbeth’s hands. He will never be able to forget about the blood on his hands, in a metaphorical sense.

“ Making the green one red ” > His hands will turn the sea red. That is the amount of blood which he bears.

Foreshadowing Lady Macbeth’s ‘out damned spot’:

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say! — One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky! — Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? — Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” >  5.1, just before she commits suicide, a descent into madness — she sees spots of blood on her hands, paralleling Macebeth’s visions of blood.

Motif – recurring element of a story (lack of sleep/blood on hands).

ESSAY PLAN 3:

In what ways does Shakespeare make the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo so compelling?

P1 — Intro — Shakespeare makes the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo so compelling through the exploration of the themes of deception, death, and good versus evil. The discussion of such themes leads us, as the reader, to come to the conclusion that Macbeth is a sinister character who has somehow managed to befriend an honest, decent man, Banquo which leads to a relationship filled with tension.

P2- Deception- “I fear thou have played most foully for it” “fruitless crown” “I wish your horses swift and sure of foot”

P3 — death- “Banquo, thy soul’s flight…find heaven”  Enter the Ghost of Banquo and sits in Macbeth’s place  (stage directions)

P4 — good versus evil- juxtaposing of characters

Conclusion — strongest points again

ESSAY PLAN 4:

‘Macbeth is not an evil man, but one led astray by those around him’.

To what extent do you agree with this view?

You should write 500–600 words.

Thesis — I believe that Macbeth is an evil man and is responsible for his own actions. His sheer greed for power is what has led him astray and it was his choice to kill Duncan and have Banquo and Fleance as well as Macduff’s family killed. He has shown throughout the play that his greed, not those around him, has led him astray.

Paragraph 1: — Intro- include thesis and quick overview Paragraph 2: — Disagree paragraph Paragraph 3: — Disagree paragraph Paragraph 4: — Agree paragraph (counter) Paragraph 5: — Conclusion (quick overview of strongest points, thesis)

Point -main point

Evidence -quotation

Analysis -why/how does it relate to argument

Context -context to shakespearean times

Alternative interpretation -alternative view

Link -back to thesis

• Told by the witches that he will be king.
• Pressured by Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan.
• Witches tell him that Banquo’s descendants shall be king, incites Macbeth. Witches may have known that this would have riled Macbeth up.
• Witches told Macbeth he will be king so he could have waited until he became King the right way.
• Macbeth could have stood up to Lady Macbeth and told her no.
• Macbeth felt the need to have Banquo and Fleance killed, nobody pressured him to do so.
• Macbeth had Macduff’s family killed for no good reason.
• Macbeth acted on his own accord.

If you’re studying Macbeth, you can click here to buy our full online course. Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

You will gain access to  over 8 hours  of  engaging video content , plus  downloadable PDF guides  for  Macbeth  that cover the following topics:

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Macbeth — Macbeth’s Loyalty Quotes

Macbeth's Loyalty Quotes

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Oxford Education Blog

The latest news and views on education from oxford university press., revising quotations: one quote fits all.

Jill Carter shares her advice for making the most out of quotations during this revision period. 

Students, teachers and parents worry about quotations or as they are now acceptably known quotes (in my day that was a verb…). ‘Eek – Macbeth – how can I learn a quote for every possible essay scenario?’ I hear. Our students are being asked to learn quotations from Shakespeare, 19 th century prose, 20 th century prose and poetry. It’s a tall order.

Essay scenarios

One of the tricks is to think about just how many different essay scenarios one quotation can be used to support.

So, let’s take a few areas typical to an essay question on Macbeth and how one quotation could be used in the response:

‘Let not light see my black and deep desires’ A1, Sc4

Character: This implies that Macbeth knows that his deepest desires about power and kingship are very wrong.

Theme: The theme of light and darkness recurs throughout the play and represents the battle between good and evil.

Intention: Shakespeare presents Macbeth as aware of his guilt and responsibility; he knows what he is doing is wrong but cannot control his desire for power.

Context: When the play was written, light was symbolic of God; Macbeth may be saying that he does not want his actions to be witnessed by his god. The word ‘black’ was closely associated with evil emphasising for the Jacobean audience that Macbeth’s intentions are very dark indeed.

Language: The use of alliteration in the phrase ‘deep desires’ adds weight to Macbeth’s words about his new-found ambitions.

Plot and structure: Macbeth delivers this line at the point where Duncan has announced his successor to the throne and so it has a real significance; Macbeth will have to take action if he wants to fulfill the witches’ predictions and this line suggests that what he wants is both deep-seated and malicious. The audience begins to wonder what he might do next.

Suggest that students apply this approach with a series of quotations:

• “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”  (Act I, Scene I)
• “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me.”  (Act I, Scene III)
• “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”  (Act I, Scene V)
• “Come you spirits … unsex me here” (Act I Scene V)
• “fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty” (Act I Scene V)
• “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”  (Act I, Scene V)
• “I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.”  (Act I, Scene VII)
• “Screw your courage to the sticking-place.”  (Act I, Scene VII)
• “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition (Act I, Scene VII)
• “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?  (Act II, Scene II)
• “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.”  (Act II, Scene III)
• “Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” (Act III, Scene II)
• “Blood will have blood” (Act III, Scene IV)
• “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”  (Act V, Scene I).
• ‘Life’s but a walking shadow’ (Act V, Scene V)
• “I bear a charmed life.”  (Act V, Scene VIII)

There are one-word quotations which fit any task: ‘tyrant’, ‘devil’, ‘blood’, ‘murder’, ‘ambition’ and so on. These can be useful for students who experience genuine struggle or panic when it comes to learning longer quotations.

Close reference to text and own response

You can also encourage students to make close reference to the text and reassure them that this too is acceptable. For example:

Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to give her the daggers so that she can smear the grooms with blood.

Lady Macbeth repeatedly refers to the blood she believes is on her hands.

Macbeth believes he has waded so far into his crimes that he might as well continue.

Adopting this approach may help them to feel more confident and less ‘defeated before they have even started’.

Above all, keep reminding students quotations are important but, their response to a studied text plays the main part in their exam response. A series of quotations will not necessarily earn them those desired grades. They need to show engagement with the text and an ability to explore and interpret it. Textual references, including quotations, are a powerful means of supporting and illustrating a point of view or developing an argument.* To me this is about developing a sense of the text’s ‘place’ in the world and in life itself. Macbeth’s mind is ‘full of scorpions’ – and we all know how that feels.

*AO1: Read, understand and respond to texts. Students should be able to: • maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response • use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.

More from Jill Carter

• What’s the point? By Jill Carter
• Examined poetry: the barbaric yawp

For further set-text support, Oxford Literature Companions study guides and workbooks help students to build a deeper understanding of the text, and are applicable to all exam boards.

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