english gcse – macbeth madness quotes

art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? -act 2, scene 1: macbeth macbeth recognises madness in himself
these deeds must not be thought after these ways; so, it will make us mad -act 2, scene 2, lady macbeth lady macbeth assumes that talking over their crime will make them mad or get them caught, however it is the opposite to this, and she ends up sleepwalking, being unable to stop talking about it
who was it, that thus cried? Why worthy thane, you do unbend your noble strength to think so brain-sickly of such things -act 2, scene 2: lady macbeth lady macbeth confirms that the voice was in macbeth’s imagination, dismissing it and telling him again not to think of what they have done
o, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! -act 2, scene 3: macbeth
one, two -act 5, scene 1: lady macbeth lady macbeth dreams she hears a bell, possibly the one that calls macbeth to kill duncan, reliving this memory over again
I would not have such a heart in my body for the dignity of the whole body -act 5, scene 1: gentlewoman the gentlewoman recognises lady macbeth’s madness as tragic, creating sympathy for her with the audience
there’s a knocking at the gate -act 5, scene 1: lady macbeth lady macbeth relives the night of duncan’s murder, hearing macduff knocking at the gate again, which terrifies her enough to go to bed, a place that also scares her as she needs to keep a light beside her bed
more needs she the divine than the physician -act 5, scene 1: doctor this is ironic as the reason lady macbeth has gone insane is that she plotted to murder the divine duncan