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This article will present and analyze some of the most important quotes in Shakespeare鈥檚 Macbeth. Though it鈥檚 easy to say that Macbeth is merely an object lesson in 鈥渃rime doesn鈥檛 pay,鈥� we shouldn鈥檛 reduce it to something so simplistic. At its heart, Macbeth presents a man who is insufficiently enmeshed in the society around him. He is a man with no genuine commitments or ties (outside his wife). Loosed from loyalty by the witches鈥� predictions, his anarchy infects the whole of Scotland. If you can鈥檛 quite remember what happens in the play, here鈥檚 a summary. Click here for Macbeth character descriptions.听

1) 鈥淕ood sir, why do you start, and seem to fear / Things that sound so fair?聽

-Banquo, I. 3

When the witches first meet Macbeth in act 1, scene 3, their conversation puts into motion the violence that will consume all of Scotland. The scene is full of portentous lines, but I鈥檝e chosen the above quote from Banquo as a way into the scene鈥檚 multiple layers of significance.听

First, some context 鈥� Macbeth and Banquo are on their way back from battle. They have fought and killed the traitor Macdowald and repelled the Norwegian troops. Though the appearance of witches never bodes well, these particular witches announce a strangely unsettling ambiguity. (Recall that in act 1, scene 1, the witches declare that 鈥淔air is foul, and foul is fair,鈥� which has already established the tone of moral confusion that permeates Macbeth.)听

MacBeth Quotes (Continued)

It鈥檚 also worth remembering that Macbeth is a disturbingly violent man. Earlier in the play, his actions on the battlefield are likened to one who 鈥渕eant to bathe in reeking wounds / Or memorize another Golgotha鈥� (I. 2). He is, in short, a force to be reckoned with. At the same time, his violence against the foes of Scotland is controlled by the dual forces of loyalty and social obligation. In other words, up to this point, Macbeth has been a fiend on the battlefield out of loyalty to his friend, King Duncan. The witches鈥� predictions will loosen these constraints.听

It is in this miasma of moral equivalence that the witches greet Macbeth. They hail him three times 鈥� first as 鈥淭hane of Glamis,鈥� then 鈥淭hane of Cawdor,鈥� then as 鈥渒ing hereafter.鈥� Macbeth already knows that he is the Thane of Glamis 鈥� he soon finds out that he has also become the Thane of Cawdor. What throws Macbeth for a loop is the witches鈥� prediction that he will be 鈥渒ing hereafter.鈥� (I like the naturalism of , but Denzel .)听

Macbeth Quotes (Continued)

The above quote shows the difference between Banquo and Macbeth. As G.K. Hunter notes in his introduction to Macbeth, Banquo understands that the witches represent something evil to be fought against. As such, he considers their predictions to be 鈥�honest trifles, to betray鈥檚 / In deepest consequence鈥� (I.3). He can hear the prediction as what it is 鈥� temptation to evil 鈥� and dismiss it from his mind.听

Understood in this way, it鈥檚 clearer why Banquo鈥檚 character can鈥檛 understand why Macbeth is so bothered. Banquo can鈥檛 understand that the witches鈥� prediction has touched something terrible in Macbeth. What鈥檚 more, Macbeth鈥檚 loyal friend can鈥檛 know that Macbeth doesn鈥檛 fear the witches鈥� prediction 鈥� rather, he fears the evil inside him that has been awakened by this prediction.听

We can see this again as Macbeth considers the ramifications of the witches鈥� predictions. In an aside, near the end of the scene, Macbeth declares that 鈥�This supernatural soliciting / Cannot be ill, cannot be good.鈥� Here, Macbeth can鈥檛 figure out how to read the witches鈥� predictions. Unlike Banquo, he lacks a solid moral compass that might guide him. Lacking this, he tries to parse the content of the predictions.听

Macbeth Quotes (Continued)

On the one hand, they predicted his becoming the Thane of Cawdor, a reward for his loyalty to King Duncan. On the other hand, their predictions have precipitated something in him that 鈥�doth unfix [his] hair, / And make [his] seated heart knock at [his] ribs.鈥� What鈥檚 clear in this moment is that Macbeth has already begun to think of the murder that will be necessary to become king.听

In a last bit of optimism, Macbeth hopes that he won鈥檛 have to do anything. He whispers, 鈥�If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me / without my stir.鈥� At the same time, the die is already cast. What Macbeth doesn鈥檛 realize is that it is a mistake to listen to the witches at all. While Banquo understands that every word from the mouth of a witch is evil (even if they seem to offer 鈥渉onest trifles鈥�), Macbeth doesn鈥檛 have the same moral fiber. In contrast to his loyal companion, Macbeth has no anchor to keep himself in line. He is a man unmoored.听

2) 鈥�Yet I do fear thy nature: / It is too full o鈥檛he milk of human-kindness / To catch the nearest way.听

-Lady Macbeth, I. 5

First, a bit of context. When we meet Lady Macbeth in act 1, scene 5, she is reading a letter from her husband. In it, he describes the witches鈥� predictions and 鈥渨hat greatness is promised.鈥� Lady Macbeth is certainly pleased, but she doubts her husband鈥檚 mettle. Her concern is that Macbeth has too much 鈥渉uman-kindness鈥� in him to accomplish the task before them. (G.K. Hunter notes that Lady Macbeth does not mean 鈥渒indness鈥� in the way we use it. Rather, 鈥渉uman-kindness鈥� refers to the quality of being human 鈥� that which 鈥渂inds the individual to the social order of Man鈥� ().) Quite simply, Lady Macbeth worries that her husband has too much sympathy with friend and countryman to accomplish what needs to be done.听

Macbeth Quotes (Continued)

Lady Macbeth wishes that her husband would arrive quickly so that she can lend support to their plans. She knows that he鈥檒l begin to doubt himself if he thinks too much about it. Once he arrives, she plans to 鈥�pour my spirits in [his] ear, / And chastise with the valour of my tongue / All that impedes [him] from the golden round / Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem / To have crowned [him].鈥� Lady Macbeth鈥檚 ambition (and motivation) is clear. While we can鈥檛 know whether Macbeth would have killed Duncan without her encouragement, she鈥檚 certainly an active participant.听

As is frequently the case, an ambitious woman is going to attract her fair share of haters. First among them is King Duncan鈥檚 son Malcolm, who calls Lady Macbeth a 鈥渇iend-like queen鈥� (V.7). Lady Macbeth is herself aware that her ambition does not align with her femininity. As she awaits her husband in act 1, scene 5, she pleads, 鈥�Come, you spirits鈥�unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty.鈥� In other words, Lady Macbeth clearly sees femininity (and the social connections it implies) as a check to the unbridled violence to come. Though she inhabits the physical body of a woman, she would leave that behind to support the ambition of husband. (.)

Macbeth Quotes (Continued)

It鈥檚 also worth mentioning that the play implies that Lady Macbeth might have lost a child. (Justin Kurzel makes this loss explicit in his film version of Macbeth, showing the Macbeths at the funeral of their child.) In act 1, scene 7, Lady Macbeth tells her husband, 鈥�I have given suck, and know / How tender 鈥榯is to love to babe that milks me.鈥� However, this maternal love is nothing compared to her ambition. She adds that she would think nothing to 鈥�pluck my nipple from his boneless gums / And dashed his brains out, had I so sworn as you [Macbeth] / Have done to this. When one adds Macbeth鈥檚 later reference to the 鈥渂arren scepter in my grip,鈥� it seems clear that some trauma has severed the Macbeths from familial and social bonds (III. 1).

3) 鈥淥, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!鈥澛�

-Macbeth (III. 2)

It often seems like Macbeth is a man buffeted by circumstances outside of his control. Indeed, I鈥檇 go so far as to say he prefers it this way. After all, it鈥檚 much easier to have a clean conscience if you鈥檝e simply been pushed forward by the current. (Recall Macbeth鈥檚 earlier hope, that 鈥渃hance may crown me / Without my stir.鈥�) In the above quote, we see the existential chickens come home to roost. Though his wife might have been the spur 鈥渢o prick the sides of [his] intent,鈥� Macbeth can鈥檛 get around the fact that he stabbed Duncan, his king and friend.听

4) 鈥淥ut, damned spot! Out, I say!鈥�

-Lady Macbeth (V.1)

Perhaps the most famous quote in the play, Lady Macbeth utters these lines in act 5, scene 1. () It鈥檚 clear that the murders 鈥� of Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff鈥檚 wife and child 鈥� are weighing on Lady Macbeth. Crucially, this is the first time we have seen any suggestion that Lady Macbeth feels guilty. Until this point, Lady Macbeth has maintained an iron grip on her behavior. It is only in sleep that the ghosts come to her.听

Macbeth Quotes (Continued)

This moment certainly humanizes Lady Macbeth. Whatever facade she presents to the public, her mind is roiled with demons (or scorpions). If we allow for the possibility that she has recently lost a child, then her actions become more legible. In a world that values a woman only for her ability to produce an heir, Lady Macbeth has failed. In this absence, she can only give her energy to her husband鈥檚 ambition 鈥� to become his 鈥減artner of greatness.鈥� If the death of their child marks the end of their family line, then what is left for Lady Macbeth than to double down on the present violence?聽

5) 鈥淚t is a tale / told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.鈥�

-Macbeth (V.5)

This quote appears at the end of Macbeth鈥檚 famous 鈥淭omorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow鈥� soliloquy. As such, it鈥檚 important to understand the context of the moment. (.) The English forces are advancing on Macbeth鈥檚 position. Macbeth hears a cry 鈥� Seyton enters and tells him that the queen is dead.听

As his 鈥減artner in greatness,鈥� Lady Macbeth is the only person in the world who can understand the debt her husband has paid (and is paying) for his crimes. In other words, the events of his life are only meaningful insofar as she understands him. When she dies, the possibility of meaning dies with her. Thus, when he says, 鈥�She should have died hereafter. / There would have been time for such a word 鈥� tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,鈥� he鈥檚 not only lamenting the lack of a shared future. He鈥檚 also lamenting the loss of time itself. Without meaning, without significance, time slips past, 鈥渟ignifying nothing.鈥澛�

Macbeth Quotes – Wrapping Up

I鈥檝e written elsewhere that Macbeth might be considered 鈥渢he decisive ying to Hamlet鈥檚 waffling yang.鈥� It鈥檚 true that Macbeth gets on with the bloody business in a way Hamlet can鈥檛. At the same time, both characters are grief-stricken men struggling to reassert meaning in an absence of social obligations. Hamlet鈥檚 father is dead and 鈥渢he time is out of joint鈥� 鈥� Macbeth鈥檚 is childless and bereft of an heir. Both plays illustrate the need that each of us has to create meaning within a community 鈥� and the consequences if we do not.听聽

If you鈥檝e found this article useful or interesting, you can also check out my summaries and analyses of 1984, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, The Crucible, Beloved, Brave New World, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.