Macbeth - Key Characters and Quotes

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• Macbeth doesn't know whether to let fate decide his path; he is considering letting chance crown him, just like it did for the Thane of Cawdor.

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• Stars link to the motif of light- he knows that his desires are bad and unworthy, revealing why he wants to keep them "black and deep"

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• This makes us wonder if the dagger is real, or a figment of his imagination. It also describes how reluctant Macbeth is to grasp the dagger and do the deed. We can see that Macbeth is still not ready to murder Duncan. Yet, the fact that the dagger is "towards [my] hand" suggests fate will make him murder Duncan anyway (or is this what Macbeth is thinking?).

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• This further questions if the dagger is real and true. The use of the adjective "false" implies that not only the dagger may be false, but Macbeth's thinking is false. This contrasts to the brave hero at the start of the play; maybe it's just that Macbeth is the false one.

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• His first thought is wanting to kill Duncan - we can see the different side of him, the murderous side to him and makes him look different to the loyal hero in Act 1, Scene 1.

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• Macbeth has realised that there has been nothing good resulting from his actions; Malcom will become King anyway. It also tells us that he still has a humane side, as he is able to recognise his bad ways, realising that his life meant nothing.

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• The thought of murdering Duncan seems to have frightened Macbeth. This could link to the Divine Rights of Kings, where murdering a King was seen as a huge sin. During the 17th century, regicide was uncommon, so it would've seemed shocking. King James I even wrote an article stating that the King is chosen by God, suggesting that if Macbeth goes against nature, he isn't the rightful King.

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• Macbeth knows that Duncan was a good King, and the religious terminology suggest that he will go to Heaven. This makes Macbeth worried about his future reign.

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• This links to the Witches in Act 1 Scene 1. This suggests that the Witches have some sort of connection with Macbeth (and his future).

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• Here, Macbeth wants to hide his false actions from everyone. including himself. It also links to the later repetition of "false" suggesting his false personality.

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• Macbeth is saying that his wife's actions suggest that she would only produce manly children. This can be seen as the representation of gender during the time, as masculinity and femininity had certain traits.

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• Macbeth knows that even if he becomes King, he will be punished in the afterlife and would probably face consequences during his reign, foreshadowing his later drastic downfall.

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• It comes to the point where Macbeth realises that everything that he has done was for nothing. He starts to question the purpose of life. It can also be interpreted as the fact that he has become so insane, that he has no care of love for his wife anymore.

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• Macbeth is saying that nothing will rid him of his guilt, and reveals how tormented he feels after killing Duncan. It also foreshadows Lady Macbeth's later attempts to wash her hands full of 'blood'.

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• This suggests that Lady Macbeth feels that Macbeth is too kind and loyal to murder Duncan. This gives us a glimpse of Lady Macbeth's evil personality. It also contrasts about how Lady Macbeth feels about herself- she sees milk, symbolising purity and innocence, as distasteful and something bad.

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• Lady Macbeth tells her husband to deceive Duncan and betray him by looking innocent. This also links to the story of the serpent who betrayed Jesus. It also gives Lady Macbeth a commanding superiority with the use of the direct imperative verbs against Macbeth, making Macbeth look weak.

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• Lady Macbeth mocks Macbeth about his visions. She is suggesting that these visions are what allowed him to do the deed and are nothing to worry about. This hugely contrasts later on when she starts to sleepwalk and sees visions of blood on her hand.

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• This links her to the spirits and the supernatural and makes her seem evil and unafraid to call on the spirits. The use of the verb "chastise" tells us that she seems like the dominant partner- this is different to 17th century relationships (gender and social roles), where the husband was usually seen as superior. Shakespeare wanted the audience to take away stereotypes on women.

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• She wants the spirits to make her masculine. This is important in realising that at the time, men were seen as bloodthirsty and brave, unlike pure and innocent women. Lady Macbeth wanted to become a man to be able to murder Duncan. She also uses imperative verbs to show that she isn't afraid of the spirits' power.

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• She wants to remove all feelings of remorse so she doesn't pity Duncan's death. This already tells is that she may not be able to cope with his death afterwards, later demonstrated through "Who knew the man had so much blood?"

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• We can see that Lady Macbeth doesn't want the purity and innocence of milk, but wants to replace it with the bitterness of gall. This reflects her evil personality and her lust for power.

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• Words such as "thick night" and "hell" present the idea that Lady Macbeth represents the devil and work with the witches. She uses personification here of "heaven" suggesting that she knows that what she is doing is bad and doesn't want anyone to know.

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• Lady Macbeth is mocking Macbeth about his frail and weak mentality, suggesting that she has command over him. It could also mean that Macbeth is drunk in that he doesn't know what to do and makes s realise the difference between Lady Macbeth and her husband - Lady Macbeth shows no sign of guilt or pity about the plan, unlike Macbeth.

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• Here, Lady Macbeth makes breastfeeding, a biological trait of women, seem monstrous. It describes her desire to gain power and how she would kill an innocent child to show this. The fact that she said it would be "smiling" emphasises her cruelty, but also shows her lack of love for family and husband, which can be seen towards the end., when the two no longer appear on stage together.

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• Lady Macbeth says this when she starts to hallucinate. Here, she thinks she is seeing blood on her hand, representing the bloody hands when replacing the knives used to kill Duncan. It also hugely contrasts with what she said earlier in the play, "A little water clears us of this deed". We can see a change in mentality, as she becomes the one torn with guilt.

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• This again links to the motif of light. Duncan is suggesting light shines on all "deservers" and this tells us that Macbeth isn't worthy as light rarely shines on him. It also suggests that Macbeth may be rewarded by fate, so he doesn't need to do anything at all.

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• Duncan 

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• The repetition of "fair" is key in realising that all is not what it seems. This could also be seen as dramatic irony as we know that Lady Macbeth is deceiving Duncan and not acting like the evil person she is.

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• This tells us that Macbeth is enraptured by the thought of becoming King, and reveals his inner ambition. However, it also sparks curiosity in Banquo suggesting they both have some wish for power and ambition.

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• Banquo feels that Macbeth has gone against nature, and as the audience we know that he is right. It also reveals the trust eithin them, in that Banquo doesn't fully trust Macbeth. This could be the reason which leads to Macbeth ordering the murder of Banquo and Fleance.

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• It is evident that Banquo isn't as greedy for power compared to Macbeth. Instead, he questions the reality of the Witches and understands that trusting them and their prophecies may take them "prisoner". Unlike Macbeth, Banquo is aware of the consequences that may be faced.

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• Macduff's repeated questions reveal his shock and that he can't believed that this has happened. It also suggests that he feels responsible, calling them his little chickens- in a way, he is trying to say that he hasn't looked after them well, resulting in their eventual death. There is also symbolism here, through the birds, describing them as chickens. We can infer that he is desrbing them as birds of prey, explaining that his family are victims of Macbeth, further making Macbeth look guilty.

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• This shows that Macduff seeks to avenge his family and his King, but doesn't seek power himself. This demonstrates that he doesn't want to rule fortune and contrasts to Macbeth's desires.

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• This reveals Macduff's character and he is saying that men can also feel emotion. His emotional reaction contrasts to that of Macbeth, who tries to act without pity. It is grief which spurns Macduff on, unlike Macbeth, where grief stops his actions. It also contrasts to how Macbeth says he's a man because he doesn't feel.

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• The Witches try to use confusing paradoxes to confuse Macbeth and Banquo and this suggests that although Macbeth will become King, he won't have a blood-relative heir, and could suggest Macbeth's downfall. With Banquo, the Witches say that he will "get Kings", giving the idea that Banquo's descendants will become King.

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• This is said at the start of the play and reveals a clear message applied throughout the play: everything is no what it seems, and as the audience we shouldn't trust our own judgements.

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• This is said after a sailor mocks the Witches. However, it is key in realising that the Witches have limited power - "Though is bark cannot be lost" - and tells us that the Witches aren't in control of Macbeth's life, but part of it is entirely depended on his actions. It also foreshadows how Macbeth will be left sleepless through guilt.