“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which oerleaps itslef” – Macbeth, Act I, Scene VII
Ambition + power
Meaning and context
Macbeth is saying that it is his own ambition that is his only motivation to murder King Duncan
This soliloquy comes as Macbeth is deciding whether to kill King Duncan or not
Analysis
Shakespeare has his protagonist, Macbeth, clearly state his hamartia (“ambition”) to the audience
It is implied that there is no other motivation for Macbeth (“no spur”)
Shakespeare could be suggesting that Macbeth’s fatal flaw (“ambition”) overcomes all of his other, positive character traits
Later in the same soliloquy, Macbeth says this ambition “o’erleaps itself” (trips itself up), suggesting Macbeth is aware on some level that he is doomed if he commits regicide
“When you durst do it, then you were a man” – Lady Macbeth, Act I, Scene VII
Ambition and power
Meaning and context
Lady Macbeth is suggesting that only if Macbeth commits the murder of King Duncan that he could be considered a real man
This comes after Macbeth has expressed doubts about the plan to commit regicide
Analysis
Lady Macbeth is attacking Macbeth’s masculinity
It would hurt Macbeth’s pride; in the Jacobean era, manliness would have been equated with strength, so here Lady Macbeth is calling Macbeth weak
It is an example of role reversal: Lady Macbeth, unusually for a woman, is manipulating and dominating a man
As a woman, Lady Macbeth’s power is in her skills of deception and manipulation
“Life […] is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” – Macbeth, Act V, Scene V
Ambition and power
Meaning and context
Macbeth is suggesting that although in life lots seem to happen, ultimately, it is meaningless and without purpose
This powerful soliloquy comes after Macbeth is told of the death of Lady Macbeth
Analysis
This is an example of nihilism: a belief that life is pointless (“signifying nothing”)
For a largely Christian Jacobean audience, this rejection of God’s plan and the suggestion of a rejection of Heaven and Hell, would have been shocking
However, it is also a moment of pathos: the audience, despite his blasphemous words, would still feel sympathy for a once noble general who has lost his wife
It perhaps also represents a moment of anagnorisis: a tragic hero’s realisation that all his actions were for “nothing” and that he will be defeated
Pair:
“Stars hide your fires; let not light see my dark and deep desires” – Macbeth, Act I, Scene IV
“Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell […] nor Heaven peep through” – Lady Macbeth, Act I, Scene V
Supernatural
Meaning and context
Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are asking for their evil (“dark”, and in some editions, “black”) desires to be hidden from God
Both quotations come as they are plotting the murder of King Duncan
Analysis
Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are both on their own on stage when they speak these lines, suggesting that these soliloquys reveal the characters’ true feelings
The fact that Lady Macbeth echoes Macbeth’s words shows that they still have a close relationship based on shared ideas (unlike later in the play)
The religious symbolism (“stars”, “light”, “Heaven”) suggests that both characters are aware of the significance and consequences (“Hell”) of committing regicide
Both characters use imperative verbs (“hide”, “come”) to command the natural world (“stars”, “night”). This could be seen as blasphemous and an attempt to disrupt the Great Chain of Being or God’s plan
“The dead butcher and his fiend-like queen” – Malcolm, Act V, Scene IX
Supernatural
Meaning and context
Malcolm is describing the now-dead Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
This comes as part of the final soliloquy of the play after Macduff has killed Macbeth and Malcolm is restored to the throne
Analysis
A “butcher” is someone who kills without feeling or remorse. Shakespeare is suggesting that, because of his ambition, Macbeth turned from noble general to common murderer
Malcolm doesn’t refer to either character by name: this omission shows their immediate fall in status
Lady Macbeth is described as a “fiend”: a demon. She is being compared to the evil forces present in the play — the witches — who aim to bring chaos to the kingdom of Scotland
Pair (Supernatural)
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair” – The witches, Act 1, Scene I
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen” - Macbeth, Act I, Scene III
Meaning and context
At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare introduces the supernatural setting and the “weird sisters” as a malevolent force
Analysis
Shakespeare establishes the disruption of the natural order and the corruption of nature through the use of paradoxical language and parallelism
The use of rhyming language conveys the impression of evil spellcasting, adding to the supernatural atmosphere
“A dagger of the mind” – Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1
Supernatural
Meaning and context
Shakespeare reveals the danger of the supernatural elements in the play through the corrupt transformation of the protagonist:
His vision of an imaginary dagger leads him to commit regicide and kill King Duncan
Analysis
Shakespeare’s use of metaphorical language shows Macbeth’s awareness of the malevolent effect of the vision
The vision acts as a catalyst for his murderous actions, showing impact of the supernatural on Macbeth
“Never shake thy gory locks at me” – Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4
Supernatural
Meaning and context
Macbeth sees a vision of the assassinated Banquo at the feast, a sign of his guilt
Analysis
As the play progresses, Shakespeare presents the moral and psychological decline of Macbeth through his use of supernatural visions and auditory hallucinations
The use of assonance and monosyllabic words heightens the sense of his abject terror at seeing the ghost
By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes” – The witches (Second Witch), Act 4, Scene 1
Supernatural
Meaning and context
The witches’ observation about Macbeth’s wickedness signposts his descent into evil for the audience
Analysis
The rhyming couplets and use of trochaic tetrameter for the witches’ speech suggests their supernatural difference
The use of assonance and superstitious references in this couplet also reinforces their supernatural wickedness
“Come, you spirits […] Unsex me here” – Lady Macbeth, Act I, Scene V
Appearance vs reality
Meaning and context
Lady Macbeth is calling on evil spirits to take away her feminine traits
This is part of a long soliloquy after Macbeth has written her a letter outlining the witches’ prophecies
Analysis
Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth use imperative verbs (“Come”; “unsex”) when commanding evil spirits:
This shows her power at this point in the play (or at least the power she believes she commands)
The fact that she is commanding evil spirits shows her hubris: it is arrogant for humans to believe they can control evil forces
She wants to remove her feminine traits (being nurturing, dutiful, powerless) and become “unsexed”:
She wants to subvert the characteristics of a typical woman
Shakespeare could be suggesting that only by adopting male characteristics can women gain power
This would have been seen as disturbing to a Jacobean audience and very unnatural, perhaps akin to the actions of a witch
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” – Lady Macbeth, Act I, Scene 5
appearance vs reality
Meaning and context
Lady Macbeth is suggesting that Macbeth hide his true, treasonous self from King Duncan
This comes as the couple are first plotting the murder of Duncan
Analysis
This quotation is reflective of Lady Macbeth’s duplicitous nature
Her use of the imperative verb “look” also shows her power over Macbeth
She has no trouble acting like an “innocent flower” in the very next scene when greeting King Duncan
The “serpent” has religious connotations: it is a reference from the Christian Bible to the snake (a representation of the Devil), who tempts Eve in the Garden of Eden:
Lady Macbeth is also a woman who is tempted by evil and, in turn, tempts a man (Macbeth)
In the Bible, this temptation causes the fall of man. In Macbeth, it causes the downfall of Lady Macbeth and her husband
This could be Shakespeare suggesting that committing blasphemous acts will always lead to ruin
Pair:
“Out, damned spot: out, I say!” – Lady Macbeth, Act V, Scene I
“Out, out, brief candle” – Macbeth, Act V, Scene V
Appearance vs reality
Meaning and context
Lady Macbeth is desperately pleading for the hallucination of blood on her hands to disappear
It comes as she is losing her mind and just before her suicide
Macbeth is commenting on the brief nature of life
It is part of a long soliloquy after he is told about the death of Lady Macbeth
Analysis
Lady Macbeth’s desperation is apparent in her ramblings: to show this, Shakespeare:
uses lots of punctuation to reflect her disjointed mind
uses repetition (“out”) to show her increasing desperation
The use of imperative verbs (“out”) is ironic: whereas earlier in the play she used commanding language with evil spirits, she has now completely lost power. Commands have turned into pleas of desperation
Macbeth echoes the language of Lady Macbeth (“Out, out”)
However, unlike other times when Macbeth echoes the language of Lady Macbeth or the witches, this quotation doesn’t imply he is being led by them
Lady Macbeth’s desperation has turned into a reflection of Macbeth:
It is a realisation that what he — and Lady Macbeth — have done was worthless
It creates a sense of pathos for the audience
Macbeth using Lady Macbeth’s words brings the couple closer again
pair:
“A little water clears us of this deed” – Lady Macbeth, Act II, Scene II
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand” – Lady Macbeth, Act V, Scene I
Appearance vs reality
Meaning and context
Lady Macbeth at first suggests that it won’t take much for their consciences to be cleared after Duncan’s murder; later, she realises that nothing could remove the feelings of guilt
These quotations come before the murder of King Duncan, and then after Lady Macbeth has lost her mind, right before her suicide
Analysis
Lady Macbeth displays hubris when she confidently asserts that she and her husband will not be troubled by feelings of guilt or remorse
Her confidence contrasts with Macbeth’s belief that all the water in “Neptune’s ocean” couldn’t wash the blood (symbolising guilt) from his hand
“Hands” here represent responsibility
It is ironic that later in the play, Lady Macbeth sees blood on her hands (guilt and responsibility for the murder of Duncan)
However, it also becomes clear that her original confidence was misplaced: her “little hand” is dirtied by blood, and seemingly nothing (even “all the perfumes of Arabia”) can cleanse it of her guilt and responsibility
Shakespeare could be suggesting that once Lady Macbeth accepted responsibility for the murder, the guilt was overwhelming
Pair (corruption of nature):
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair” – Three Witches, Act I, Scene I
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen” – Macbeth, Act I, Scene III
Corruption of nature
Meaning and context
The witches are warning the audience that what may be seen as good might well be bad, and vice versa
It comes from the very first scene of the play
Macbeth is commenting on the very strange weather that comes after his victory in battle
His lines come just before his first encounter with the witches
Analysis
The witches are presenting the audience with a paradox: a contradictory statement that suggests that the play will involve the themes of deception and appearance versus reality
It is also a suggestion from Shakespeare of the disruption and chaos to come, of a kingdom turned upside down
The paradox suggests that the words of the witches might be in the form of riddles: confusing, or misleading, just as their prophecies are to Macbeth
Macbeth, without having met the witches, echoes their language:
This suggests he is already being led by them, or under their spell
This suggests to the audience that perhaps his “fair” character will be corrupted and become most “foul”
“Macbeth does murder sleep!” – Macbeth, Act II, Scene II
Corruption of nature
Meaning and context
Macbeth is quoting a voice he can hear that tells him that he has murdered sleep
It comes immediately after the murder of King Duncan when Macbeth returns to Lady Macbeth
Analysis
Macbeth returns from murdering Duncan in a panicked state and is hallucinating
He hears a voice telling him he will no longer be able to sleep
“Sleep” symbolises peace or calm, so this is a suggestion that Macbeth will no longer be at peace because he committed regicide
Shakespeare could be suggesting that in the act of murdering a king, he has murdered his own chance at peace — and perhaps eternal peace: Heaven
The voice he can hear might be interpreted as his own conscience
“Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success
Commencing in a truth?” – Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3
Shakespeare raises questions about fate and free will through his protagonist:
His tragic hero expresses uncertainty about the ambiguous prophecies
The oxymoronic “ill” or “good” conveys dichotomies in his dilemma
Macbeth, via his questioning nature, is presented as doubtful and reflective
Shakespeare presents Macbeth as, initially, dubious about the witches’ prophecies:
However, his question suggests he is inclined to believe the witches’ words
This may imply his receptiveness to supernatural ideas, as well as his ambition
“I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none” – Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7
Shakespeare illustrates the pressures between Macbeth and his wife:
Macbeth’s loyalty is challenged
While their relationship is close, gender issues cause conflict as a result of Lady Macbeth’s masculine qualities
The alliterative anaphora “dare do all” and “dares do more” stresses Macbeth’s attitudes towards masculinity:
Macbeth’s repetition of “dare” links to bravery and, perhaps, recklessness
His loyalty to the king, Macbeth suggests, makes him more of a man
“Hear not my steps which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my whereabout” – Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1
Shakespeare’s tragic hero experiences psychological turmoil and guilt:
Macbeth’s hallucination indicates his anxious need to detach from reality
His soliloquy expresses his troubled state as he doubts his senses
The scene’s tension is emphasised by the silence to which Macbeth refers:
This emphasises Macbeth’s paranoia about being caught
As he talks to himself, he draws attention to his footsteps
He personifies the stones, believing that they will expose him
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round” – Lady Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 5
Shakespeare initially introduces Lady Macbeth as a loyal wife:
Her determination to help Macbeth fulfil his destiny is conveyed by the phrase “All that impedes thee”
She implies that her power lies in the strength of her speech and her ability to manipulate Macbeth to her bidding
Shakespeare foreshadows Lady Macbeth’s relentless persuasion in Act 1, Scene 7:
In her soliloquy, audiences hear her plans to scold Macbeth
“A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight” – Lady Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2
Shakespeare presents contrasting characters in Lady Macbeth and Macbeth:
The reversed gender roles is significant in this scene
Macbeth weakens and wails while Lady Macbeth is emotionless
While the scene is tense, the unexpected responses create some humour:
Lady Macbeth’s frustration at her lamenting husband is conveyed in the sibilant “sorry sight”
This line highlights her distinct lack of guilt:
The word “foolish” implies her pragmatic response to the murder
“When the hurly-burly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won” – The Witches (Second Witch), Act 1, Scene 1
Shakespeare opens his play ominously foreshadowing the witches’ influence:
They discuss events in rhyme, making their speech chant-like as if casting a spell
Nevertheless, their words are ambiguous and mysterious
Chaos, or “hurly-burly”, is implied
Shakespeare creates dramatic irony as audiences hear the witches’ plans:
This suggests their power in the play
In this way, ideas about the influence of supernatural forces are raised
“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” – The Witches (First Witch), Act 1, Scene 3
Shakespeare uses the witches to present ideas about fate and free will:
The witches are perceived as having supernatural qualities
Yet it is Macbeth’s response to their words that realises their prophecies
The oxymoron “Lesser” and “greater” presents alternative versions of success:
Although Macbeth will be king, Banquo’s legacy makes him “greater”
Macbeth’s jealous paranoia once he is king leads to his ruin
“He will not be commanded. Here’s another,
More potent than the first” – The Witches (First Witch), Act 4, Scene 1
Shakespeare presents the witches’ loss of power over Macbeth once he becomes king:
His obsession with Banquo’s legacy blinds him to the witches’ warnings
The witches are frustrated with his refusal to be “commanded”
They make the visions scarier to try to shock him
“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, Act 1, Scene 3
Shakespeare’s plays often present the danger of placing trust in the supernatural:
Banquo resists the witches
Imagery emphasises his belief that they are harmful tools of “darkness”
The oxymoron (“honest trifles” and “betray’s/In deepest”) implies Banquo sees the witches as deceitful
Banquo acts as a foil to Macbeth:
While Macbeth is uncertain, Banquo has clarity and self-assuredness
Macbeth is lured into betraying his king, but Banquo remains loyal
