Macbeth Quotes English II

“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence” Banquo to MacbethOften the inner evil tells us little truths, in order to get us in the end when it matters most.
“Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full of the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way” Lady Macbeth to HerselfShe is afraid Macbeth does not have it in him to spring at an opportunity to become king if it presents itself.
“One cried ‘God bless us!’ and ‘Amen’ the other; As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands. Listening their fear, I could not say ‘Amen’ When they did say ‘God bless us!'” Macbeth to Lady MacbethMacbeth having heard their prayers, is worried he can’t say Amen when he himself is in need of a blessing.
“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.” Macbeth to Lady MacbethMetaphors about sleep, and how it is good, but yet Macbeth has “murdered” sleep.
“Marry sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes. In provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance.” Porter to MacduffComic relief in the tragedy, after the murder or Duncan. It is the porter telling Macduff what is provoked by drinking.
“‘Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.” Old Man to RossTalking about the unnatural occurrences since the murder of Duncan, and the disturbance of balance
“Naught’s had, all’s spent, When our desire is got without content. ‘Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.” Lady Macbeth to herselfShe is speaking about how even though she got what she wanted and spent everything and got nothing, it is better to be the one who was murdered, than to live with that thought disturbing you.
“Thou canst not say I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me.” Macbeth to Banquo’s GhostMacbeth is telling Banquo’s Ghost not to accuse him of murdering him, when Banquo knows it was Macbeth who organized his assassination.
“The time has been That, when the brains were out, the man would die And there an end. But now they rise again With twenty mortal-murders on their crowns And push us from our stools.” Macbeth to Lady MacbethTalking about how it used to be once you killed somebody they were dead, now the come back to haunt you with twenty gashes on their heads and kick us off our table (Banquo)
“I am in blood Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” Macbeth to Lady MacbethMacbeth is talking about how he has done so much and murdered so many, that turning back on his actions would be just as difficult as continuing.
“Did he not straight In pious rage the two delinquents tear That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? Was not that noble done? Ay, and wisely, to, For ‘twould have angered any heart alive to hear the men deny’t.” Lennox to another Lord-Sarcastic tone used-“Pious rage” is an oxymoron-Pious means morally rightTalking sarcastically how Macbeth has saved them by murdering the two drunken men who were supposedly the murderers of Duncan. Shows Lennox is suspicious
“Whither should I fly? I have done no harm. But I remember now I am in this earthly world, where to do harm Is often laudable, to do good sometime Accounted dangerous folly.” Lady Macduff to herselfTalking about where she should go and how she has done nothing wrong, yet in this world doing harm is praisable and good acts are considered a dangerous act.
“Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet grace must still look so.” Malcolm to Macduff-Biblical allusionComparing the fall of someone once great (Lucifer) to Macbeth and his fall from good to evil.
“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?” Lady Macbeth to herself-Afeard means afraid-Fie means nonsenseIn her sleep walk, talking about how the blood from Duncan is a spot on her hand, and is trying to wash it out.
“Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in love.” Angus to soldiersTalking about how Macbeth’s soldiers don’t fight for passion, only to obey Macbeth and stay safe.
“Both more and less have given him the revolt, And none serve him but constrained things Whose hearts are absent too.” Malcolm to soldiersTalking about how Macbeth’s soldiers who have an opportunity to leave Macbeth would, and those who would fight aren’t fighting with passion or without their heart.
“I have lived long enough. My way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf, And that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have, but in their stead Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.” Macbeth to himself-Fatalistic tone (Sad, depressed, ready to die.)-Sere means old/dried out-Fain is willinglyMacbeth realizing that what he has done has left him with nothing to live for, and is ready to die, as he has nothing which others do to accompany him in old age.
“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 to himself-Metaphor comparing life to a show or stage playMacbeth after hearing about the death of his wife that life is just short, and in the end adds up to nothing with no meaning.
“Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born.” Macbeth to MacduffSaying to Macduff he is not afraid to fight him because he can’t be killed by someone born from a woman.
“Then yield thee, coward, And live to be the show and gaze o’ th’ time. We’ll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, Painted upon a pole and underwrit “Here may you see the tyrant.”” Macduff to MacbethMacbeth refuses to fight once he finds out Macduff is not “woman born” and then Macduff suggests that he will become an animal for the whole kingdom to see on display as a tyrant, just like an animal would be.