Macbeth Dialect Journal

ACT 1, SCENE 1 “when the battle’s lost and won” (1.1.4)”fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.10)The significance of these two quotes is foreshadowing the death and battles Macbeth will face throughout the play, as well as what obstacles he will face and actions he will take to ensure he gets what he wants.
ACT 1, SCENE 2 “For brave Macbeth – well he deserves the name, Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution,” (1.2.16-19)”Discomfort swells, Mark, King of Scotland, mark.” (1.2.28)The significance of these quotes is praising Macbeth for his valiant fight against the King of Scotland’s army and how war is a common theme throughout the play.
ACT 1, SCENE 4 “That the proportion both of thanks and payment might have been mine! Only I have left to say, more is thy due than more than all can pay.” (1.4.19-21)”My worthy Cawdor!” (1.4.48)The significance of these quotes is how Macbeth is showing the greed inside of him by telling Duncan that he deserves more than what he is receiving. Duncan, of course, tells him that he is repaying him in gratitude and becoming a Thane will suffice.
ACT 1, SCENE 3 “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51)”Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (1.3.67)The significance of these quotes is of the witches prophesying the future Macbeth will receive as becoming king, as well as his eventual downfall from the throne because of his selfish regard for other’s lives.
ACT 1, SCENE 5 “‘They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfect’s report they have more in them than mortal knowledge.” (1.5.1-3)”Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direct cruelty!” (1.5.36-40)The significance of these quotes is of how Macbeth believes the witches prophecy of him becoming a king and telling his wife, Lady Macbeth, of that prophecy and how it can benefit them. Lady Macbeth’s reply is to pray to her God to fill her with cruelty and void her of feminity to she can help Macbeth achieve their goal.
ACT 1, SCENE 6 “This castle hath a pleasant seat. The air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses.” (1.6.1-3)”The air is delicate.” (1.6.10)The significance of these quotes is the irony of Duncan, at the Macbeth household, saying that the home is “gentle” and “delicate” when he is going to be murdered later in the night.
ACT 1, SCENE 7 “He’s here in double trust” (1.7.12)”When you durst do it, then you were a man; and , to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man.” (1.7.50-52)The significance of these quotes if Macbeth’s guilt beginning to creep into him that he killed his friend, Duncan, the king. He relays this to Lady Macbeth and she essentially calls him a wimp and that he is not a man because of his emotions.
ACT 2, SCENE 1 “restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose” (2.1.7-8)”Nature seems dead” (2.1.50)The significance of the first quote is of Banquo’s heavy heart and guilty conscious of the actions that have happened to Duncan. The significance of the second quote is Macbeth’s revelation of his actions and how his own innocence is dead.
ACT 2, SCENE 2 “A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.” (2.2.25)”‘Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more” (2.2.46-47)The significance of these quotes is Lady Macbeth’s disappointment in Macbeth in his carelessness of his planting of the murder weapon. In the second quote is of Macbeth’s recollection of the sleeping servants of Duncan speaking in their sleep, foreshadowing Macbeth’s death.
ACT 2, SCENE 3 “O, horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heat cannot conceive nor name thee!” 2.3.54-55)”There’s nothing serious in mortality.” (2.3.86)The significance of these quotes is of the discovery of Duncan’s dead body and the theme of how life is fleeting and can be taken away quickly by the characters in the play.
ACT 2, SCENE 4 “Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons, are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them suspicion of the deed.” (2.4.25-27)”God’s benison go with you, and with those that would make good of bad, and friends of foes!” (2.4.41-42)The significance of these quotes is of Macbeth’s plan falling into place, by blaming Duncan’s sons for his murder to keep the spotlight off of himself. The second quote is of Ross telling the Old Man to find the boys or the people/person responsible for the murder.
ACT 3, SCENE 1 “Is’t far you ride?” (3.1.24)”We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed in England and in Ireland, not confessing their cruel parricide,” (3.1.31-33)The significance of these quotes is Macbeth’s inquiry of Banquo’s ride, to murder him as well, as well as playing along that the sons of Duncan had murdered him, taking the spotlight – again – off of himself. By believing his lies and getting rid of Banquo, the other person who knows of the prophecy, Macbeth is securing his freedom and innocence from death and becoming King of Dunsunaine.
ACT 3, SCENE 2 “‘Tis safer t be that which we destroy” (3.2.8)”Come on, gentle my lord, sleep o’er your rugged looks. Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.” (3.2.29-31)The significance of these quotes is Lady Macbeth’s thoughts to herself of how the murders that they are committing are getting out of hand and they are losing control of the situation. The second quote is Lady Macbeth speaking to her husband to look good for appearances in front of the Lords, so the Lords do not become suspicious of him and think ill.
ACT 3, SCENE 3 “He needs not our mistrust,” (3.3.1)”Thou mayest revenge – O slave!” (3.3.23)The significance of these quotes if the murderers trying not to alert Banquo as they strike to slash his throat. The second quote is of Banquo yelling his final words, knowing unconsciously that Macbeth killed him.
ACT 3, SCENE 4 “Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me.” (3.4.30-31)”Blood hath been shed ere now, it’s’ olden time,” (3.4.76)The significance of these quotes is of Macbeth’s slow mental decay and guilt of killing his best friend, Banquo, for his and Lady Macbeth’s selfish desires. There is too much blood on their hands for them to wash off.
ACT 4, SCENE 1 “Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” (4.1.10-11)”Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.” (4.1.72)The significance of these quotes is of the witches calling on the apparitions that will speak to Macbeth and prophesier his downfall from king. They foreshadow who will kill him, the Thane of Fife, Macduff.
ACT 4, SCENE 2 “Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang up them.” (4.2.56-57)”Be not found here.Hence with your little ones! To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage; to do worse to you were fell cruelly, which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you! I dare abide no longer. (4.2.67-71)The significance of these quotes is of the conversation Lady Macduff is having with her son, Sirrah, about his father Macduff. Sirrah knows that his father is not a traitor and speaks that traitors and liars deserve to be hung for their crimes. Later in the scene a messenger comes to warn them that someone is coming to kill them, which does happen, Sirrah is murdered in front of Lady Macduff.
ACT 4, SCENE 3 “Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,” (4.3.33-34)”I am not treacherous. But Macbeth is.” (4.3.28-29)The significance of these quotes is of Malcolm and Macduff’s conversation pertaining to Macbeth’s tyrant behavior and the murders he has committed.
ACT 5, SCENE 1 “Neither to you nor anyone, having no witness to conform my speech.” (5.1.13)”Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” (5.1.28)The significance of these quotes is a conversation Lady Macbeth’s servant is having with the Doctor about Lady Macbeth’s sleep walking/talking. The second quote is one that Lady Macbeth is saying about “spots” on her hand, the blood of those they killed for their own selfish desires. The guilt is getting to her and this is the only scene where we see her sensitive and worn out mind in the entirety of the play.
ACT 5, SCENE 2 “The English power is near, led on by Malcolm, his uncle Siward, and the good Macduff. revenges burn in them, for their dear causes would to the bleeding and the grim alarm excite the mortified man.” (5.2.1-4)”Some say he’s mad, others that lesser hate him” (5.2.13)The significance of these quotes is the planning of taking down Macbeth in his castle and making him pay for his crimes. They also talk about his sanity fading and how others are noticing his manic behavior. He can no longer hide his guilt and is going mad.
ACT 5, SCENE 3 “‘Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of woman shall e’er have power upon thee.'” (5.3.6-7)”As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies that keep her at rest.” (5.3.40-41)The significance of these quotes is of one of the prophecies the apparitions told Macbeth, that only someone not born of woman (C-section) can kill him. The second quote is of the Doctor telling Macbeth that Lady Macbeth has gone mad, can’t sleep, and his hallucinating. Another instance of the guilt slowly causing their downfall together.
ACT 5, SCENE 4 “Let every soldier hew him down a bough and bear’t before him. Thereby shall we shadow the numbers of our host and make discovery err in report of us.” (5.4.4-7)”Let our just censures attention the true event, and put we on industrious soldiership.” (5.4.14-16)The significance of these quotes is of Macduff’s army preparing to storm the castle and using the branches of the forest Birnam to camouflage themselves and take the castle by surprise.
ACT 5, SCENE 5 “The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!” (5.5.23)”She should have died hereafter,” (5.5.17)The significance of these quotes is of Macbeth’s reaction to Lady Macbeth’s untimely suicide, saying that who death was at an inconvenient time and that life/mortality is fleeting, once again – a recurring them throughout the play.
ACT 5, SCENE 6 “Do we but find the tyrant’s power tonight, let us be beaten, if we cannot fight.” (5.6.8-9)The significance of these quotes is of Siward’s declaration to fight with all of their might to take town the tyrant that lies inside of the castle.
ACT 5, SCENE 7 “Thou lest, abhorred tyrant! With my sword I’ll prove the lie thou speak’t.” (5.7.11-12)”If thou best slain, and with no stroke of mine, my wife and children’s ghosts will haunt me still.” (5.7.16-17)The significance of these quotes is of Macduff’s final battle with Macbeth, telling him that his sword will surely strike him, and that if he does not kill him his wife and children will haunt him for that error.
ACT 5, SCENE 8 “Hail, King! For so thou art. Behold where stands h’usurper’s cursed head.” (5.8.54-55)”Of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen – who, as ’tis thought, myself and violent hands took off her life.” (5.8.70-73)The significance of these quotes is of Macduff’s declaration of Macbeth’s death by beheading, holding his head in his hand. As well as telling the death of Lady Macbeth by suicide.
August 27, 2019