Macbeth Quotations test

“Thou hast it now–King, Cawdor, Glamis, all/As the Weïrd Women promised, and I fear/Thou played’st most foully for ‘t.” Act III Banquo was thinking out loud. He believes that Macbeth used treachery and foul play to gain the kingdom and the titles of thane of Cawdor, and thane of Glamis.
“And make our faces vizards to our hearts,/Disguising what they are.” (III.ii,38-39) Macbeth is telling his wife that they must flatter Banquo while hiding their true thoughts and intentions.
Sit worthy friends. My lord is often thus/And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat./The fit is momentary; upon a thought/He will again be well. If you note him/You shall offend him and extend his passion./Feed and regard him not.” (III.iv,64-69) Lady Macbeth is telling Ross and Lennox that Macbeth is not well to cover up the fact that Macbeth is speaking to a ghost in front of everybody.
” I am in blood/Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,/Returning were as tedious as go o’er. (III.iv,168-170) Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth. He’s saying that he’s in so far, he’s killed so many people, that trying to become a good man again would be as hard as it is to keep killing.
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 still see thee still. (II,i,44-47) Macbeth is talking to himself. He’s seeing the daggers that he killed Duncan with in front of him, but they’re not really there. He’s imagining things.
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean from my hand? (II,ii,78-79) Macbeth is talking to himself. He’s saying that no amount of water will truly scrub his hands clean. He killed Duncan, he shall never be completely clean again but will turn the waters red with guilt, sin, and murder.
To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself./Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst. (II,ii,93-95) Macbeth is talking more to himself than to Lady Macbeth. He’s wishing that he wouldn’t remember killing Duncan and that he would wake Duncan if he could but it’s impossible since he’s dead.
There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The near in blood,/The nearer bloody. (II,iii,165-166) Donalbain is talking to Malcolm. They’ve decided to split up to separate their fortunes. They believe it’ll make them safer. Donalbain says that their closest relatives will be most likely to kill them.
“By the pricking of my thumbs,/Something wicked this way comes.” (IV.i,44-45) The second witch is talking and she’s saying that she can feel something bad coming by the tingling in her thumbs. Macbeth is coming; that’s the bad feeling. Because of the witches, he turned wicked.
“Here’s the smell of the blood still. All/ the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little/hand. O, O, O!” (Act V) Lady Macbeth is speaking to the doctor. She still smells and sees the blood of the people she has killed on her hands. Nothing will make it disappear.
“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. (Act V) Lady Macbeth is speaking to the doctor again. She’s going crazy. She’s stuck in the moment of killing Duncan. She said this right after she killed him.
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow/ 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.” (Act V) Macbeth is talking to himself. He says this right after Lady Macbeth dies. He’s saying that life is meaningless; an illusion. Every day only brings you closer to death.
Fair is foul, and foul is fair, (I,i,12) The witches are speaking. It’s used to foreshadow the downfall and evil deeds of seemingly good people (Macbeth).
So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (I,iii,38) Macbeth is talking about how the day is good and bad all at the same time.
Good sir, why do you start and seem to fearThings that do sound so fair? (I,iii,54-55) Banquo is asking Macbeth why he seems to fear the witches’ prophecies when they sound so good and full of fortune.
Lesser than Macbeth and greater.Not so happy, yet much happier.Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. (I,iii,68-70) The witches are telling Banquo’s future. They say he’s lesser and greater than Macbeth at the same time. They are saying that Banquo’s descendants will be kings though Banquo will not.
But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine/On all deservers. (I,iv,47-48) Duncan is talking as he gives names Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland. He goes on to say that all deserving men will receive titles of nobility.
Stars, hide your fires;/Let not light see my black and deep desires. (I,iv,57-58) Macbeth is talking to himself. He’s saying stars, hide you light so no one can see my wicked desires.
Your face, my thane, is as a book where men/May read strange matters. (I,v,73-74) Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth and is basically saying, “your face is an open book. everyone can see everything you’re thinking.
Look like th’ innocent flower,/But be the serpent under ‘t. (I.v,76-78) Lady Macbeth is talking to Macbeth and is saying, “act innocent but be the snake underneath the flower”
August 11, 2019