Macbeth Analysis

Witches
[Thunder and lightning] When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? (Act 1
scene 1 )
• Weather disturbance reflects evil and disruptive nature of witches which creates a sense a of
doom
• The fact that they are arranging where to meet again heightens atmosphere as it implies the
witches have cast malevolent spells before.

Hurly-burly (1.1)

• strange language also heightens eeriness

Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air. (1.1)

• Trochaic tetrameter and rhyming couplets used to heighten spooky and mysterious atmosphere
and further establishes supernatural theme .
• The juxtaposition phrase "fair is foul and foul is fair" it alludes to how the witches violate the
natural order of the great chain of being creating a sense of chaos and disorder and also
foreshadows that dark deeds are about to happen which captures and pulls in the audience.

“Double, Double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble” 4.1

• The horror of the witches is reasserted through choral chants, trochaic tetrameter, rhyming
couplets
• By chanting to “double, toil and trouble” Shakespeare foreshadows the further damage done to
Macbeth as a result seeing three apparition leading to his death. The fact the the witches want to
cause more evil heightens their monstrous nature and serves as a warning to the Jacobean
audience that they should not be trusted ;

“By the pricking of my thumb something wicked this way comes”

• the fact that the second witch can sense Macbeth’s presence through a physical stimuli could
suggest that Macbeth and the witches have an invisible connection which showcases the strong
hold evil has on him
• The use of the pronoun “something” dehumanizes Macbeth – he was once a noble warrior and
due to his embracement of evil he has lost all the divine qualities of humans and is now portrayed
as subhuman by the witches
• Seeing that the witches see Macbeth as “wicked” enhances his immorality as it could be argued
that even the witches, who are presented to be the epitome of the supernatural, fear his iniquitous
persona

Macbeth
(Descriptions of Macbeth before he comes on stage at the end of this document in
“other”)
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen." (1.3)
Macbeth's first line "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" echoes the words of the witches "fair is four
and foul is fair" which creates a parallel between Macbeth and the witches, therefore conveying that
Macbeth has a supernatural link with them. This would have made the Jacobean audience wary of
Macbeth as he was seen to be aligned with evil, moreover, this foreshadows his downfall in the play. This
could also imply that the witches are already subconsciously influencing him and could foreshadow how
much more their influence over Macbeth grows.

"Tell me more" Macbeth (1.3)

The use of the imperative “tell” implies how intrigued he his and this sheds light on Macbeth's hidden
desires -to become king. He becomes consumed by them and his curiosity takes over. Arguably the start
of his downfall and his humanity deteriorating

"This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good" 1.3

• Already Macbeth is making lawyerly, circuitous arguments about what is just, and we can see the
way he tries to justify what is clearly a bad idea, which shows how Macbeth's lust for power is
starting to take hold.
• Supernatural soliciting- the sibilance can symbolize that the witches are quite sly creatures that
no-one can really trust. The alliteration of "supernatural soliciting" sounds incredibly seductive,
and therefore highlights Macbeth's lust and thirst for the crown.
• The paradox "cannot be ill, cannot be good" also links to "fair is foul and foul is fair" which evokes
the unnatural but also demonstrates the moral ambiguity that Macbeth is facing.,

Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the
use of nature?

• verb "unfix my hair" shows how shocking the act of treason is and emphasizes the horror that
Macbeth has with himself and his thoughts.
• The personification "my seated heart knock at my ribs" once again depicts the increasing fear that
Macbeth experiences as his heart is not "seated" with its connotations of calmness and
steadiness but "knock(ing)" which is associated with alarming fear.
• “Against the use of nature” links to the Jacobean belief that the act of regicide was an act against
natural order and therefore an act against God. This would have stirred up fear and anticipation in
the audience as they wonder in excitement the decisions Macbeth is going to take

“Shakes so my single state of man that function /is smothered in surmise, and nothing is/ but
what is not” Macbeth 1.3

• “Shakes my single state of man” again shows how fearful Macbeth is as well as reinforcing the
idea of how terrible regicide is
• The alliteration “smothered in surmise” demonstrates how Macbeth’s vivid imagination causes
him to struggle with fear and hesitate undergoing the action that is foreseen by him as a “horrid
image.”
• The word ‘smother’d’, with it’s connotations of oppression, further amplifies the notion and even
suggests that Macbeth’s imagination takes the place of his will.
• antithesis “and nothing is,/ But what is not” is deliberately broken up into two lines to demonstrate
the ambiguity of Macbeth’s thoughts and the confusion which evidently contributes to his overall
fear.

Macbeth 1.4 “The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it pays itself”

•Here Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s duplicitous nature through the use of dramatic irony as
the audience are highly cognizant of the murderous thoughts that Macbeth was having in the
scene just before
 • The fact that he knows how he should behave but deliberately transgresses makes his downfall
more tragic as this is a man that could have been a hero.
“a step on which I must fall down, or else overleap / For in my way it lies” 1.4

• Ambition growing

• The objectifying of the Prince of Cumberland as an obstacle and the reference to him as “it”
shows how Macbeth is dehumanizing them to justify and fulfil his own ambitions.

The repeated use of the verb “overleap” emphasizes the extent of his ambition.

“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” 1.4

• Perverts Duncan’s earlier comparison of nobility to stars (“but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall
shine on all deservers”). He modifies the laudatory language which Duncan uses, and with direct
address commands the stars to darkness. The audience sees his ambitions grow
• “black” connotations of evil and death and reflects Macbeths moral unscrupulousness
• Demonstrates the speed at which Macbeth is corrupted by the promise of power as he is already
trying to cover his blood lust
• He doesn’t want heaven to see what he is about to do

“burned in desire” “rapt in the wonder of it” 1.5 (from the letter that LM reads)

Shakespeare use of the powerful verb “burned” and the intense adjective “rapt” hints Macbeth’s
determination and eagerness for power which is intensified as the play advances

“my dearest partner of greatness” 1.5

• Superlative “dearest” demonstrates how caring Macbeth is towards his wife and how their
relationship in imbued with affection and love.
• Through the noun “greatness”, Shakespeare showcases how Macbeth upholds his wife to high
standards which implies the respect that he has for her.

“ingredience of our poison'd chalice to our own lips” 1.7

• “ingredience” metaphor for their murderous schemes which forms the “poison” which is a
metaphor for the evil that is caused as a result of his evil actions
• “chalice” could also be a metaphor for power and the crown which is corrupt and foreshadows the
bloodthirsty reign that will lead to his death as shown through the metaphor “our own lips”
• This could serve as a warning to the Jacobean audience as to what would happen to them if they
ever rebel against the king and stresses the importance of the divine right of kings
• Use of ecclesiastical imagery through “chalice” ( a vessel used for drinking blessed wine).
Oxymoronic phrase “poison’d chalice” renders the audience aghast as they realize the
magnitude of desecrating such a sacred object. This image effectively demonstrates the
potentially cataclysmic contagion effect that such wanton, insatiable ambition can bring,
foreshadowing the other brutal murders Macbeth organizes in the scenes to follow.

“His virtues will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against the deep damnation of his taking-off;”
1.7

• The semantic field of heaven is employed to emphasize the holy nature of Duncan and his rightful
place as king which is further highlighted through the fact that Macbeth prefigures the spirit of
Duncan to be associated with heaven
• The simile “his virtues will plead like angels” depicts the innocent nature of King Duncan and
draws attention to how he is aligned with righteousness accentuating his purity
 • The alliteration “trumpet-tonged” conveys the volume of outcry that will happen as a result of
Duncan’s death therefore stressing how wrong his death is
• The alliteration of “deep damnation” highlights how evil the action that is about to take place is.
the fact that Macbeth is condemning Duncan to “damnation” aligns him with the devil illustrating
how far away he is from God

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent/ but only Vaulting ambition which overleaps itself”
1.7
• Shakespeare use of the metaphorical “vaulting ambition” epitomizes the inherent and
unstoppable desire for power within Macbeth
• This is an image of a horseman attempting to mount his horse, but it is too eager and falls
regardless
• The verb “overleaps itself” strongly foreshadows the tragic hero’s own demise in the play. He
fails to take heed of his won warning, instead becoming hubristic and complacent . This also
creates a comedic imagery which foreshadows Macbeth’s laughable ignorance in Act 5 which
leads to his death.

“Prithee, peace: I dare do all that may become a man” 1.7

• Displays one of his fatal flaw - his weakness in face of his own wife which ironic as he was so
brave in face of the enemy on the battlefield.
• ‘Prithee’ gives the sense of him pleading with her – creating an image of helpless Macbeth,
begging to his superior, Lady Macbeth. By this emphasises the dominance that Lady Macbeth
has over Macbeth which would shock the Jacobean audience as (due to living in a patriarchal
society) they strongly believe in the idea of men being more powerful than women. The reversal
of roles strongly mirrors “fair is foul” which aligns Lady Macbeth’s subversion of the stereotype of
women as evil and unnatural
• ‘I dare do all…’ - accentuates his desperation to prove his masculinity and his foolishness as he
has trapped himself by saying this as he now has to commit murder to prove it, showing how he
is easily manipulated by his wife which is further shown through the fact that this comes only a
few lines after he categorically told her ‘We will proceed no further in this business’ displaying
how he is powerless against Lady Macbeth’s taunts

“False face must hide what the false heart doth know” 1.7

• Repetition of the adjectives “false” emphasizes the dishonest nature of the plot and also displays
Macbeth’s descent into evil starting here at the end of Act 1
• Echo of Lady Macbeth flower quote symbolizing how she is in his head and also shows how she
has successfully “pour my spirits in thine ear”
• Intertextual link to fair is four and the flower quote
• The rhyming couplet used in Macbeth’s last line before the scene ends mirrors that of the
Witches. Illustrates how Macbeth is influenced by the witches prophecy but also by Lady
Macbeth’s manipulation.

Is this a dagger I see before me 2.1

• This hallucination is a manifestation of Macbeth’s guilt as well as his power-lust and is the product
of the supernatural

• could also be seen as something creates by the witches to cajole him into the murder of Duncan

• Jacobean audience would see this as the work of the devil which enhances the ominous and
eerie atmosphere
• Marks the start of his mental deterioration as well as his reliance on the supernatural - he starts
seeing everything as a supernatural confirmation that he should kill the king

• “handle toward my hand” reveals how his ambition is compelling him to fulfill his dark intentions
but also implies how Macbeth has fully decided on murdering the king . this also could be interpreted as
him trying to justify killing the king and seeing this as his fate which links to how the Jacobean audience
believed in fate and so Macbeth sees murdering the King as something that is beyond his control.

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain 2,1

• Illustrates Macbeth’s intensely heightened emotional state which suggests that due to the state
of extreme desire, he may not be thinking straight and therefore his mind (guilt) is deluding him.
• The adjective “heat” reflects the “heat” of his ambition - the ferocity of his ambition causes him to
question whether he is starting to see things.
Thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood” 2.1
• the use of gothic imagery represents confirmation from the supernatural to kill the king which
makes Macbeth feel that his act of regicide is sealed in his fate and that there is no escaping.

“for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” 2.1

• The use of rhyming couplets shows his subconscious connection to the witches who also use this
structure while speaking. This also indicates that within Macbeth evil is taking control of him and
the meaning of this declarative statement demonstrates how he is now certain that he will kill the
king - he has made up his mind.
• This also shows his further disintegration as he sees everything now as a symbol to murder the
king - even a bell, which could be interpreted as a warning but he sees it as a sign to kill the king
which depicts his further downward spiral (caused by his ambition) from a hero a tragic hero.
• The use of euphemism however, heightens his denial of what he is doing is wrong and shows
how he thinks he is destined to kill the king.

Amen stuck in my throat. 2.2

• Shows Macbeth immediate guilt and regret
• Cutting himself from god
• “Amen” is an affirmation at the end of prayer , the fact that he cannot say this could imply that he
is cut off from god and since he has committed the worst sin (regicide) he has now aligned
himself fully with evil. This could also imply that he is now cursed which serves as a warning to
the Jacobean audience.
• • The verb “stuck” creates an image of choking which demonstrates the eternal suffering
that Macbeth will have to face as a result of his sin
• • AO3 – strong belief in Heaven and Hell in Jacobean era – also regicide was the worst
crime imaginable as the monarch was seen as God’s representative on Earth, so it was a crime
directly against God.
“Sleep no more!” “Macbeth shall sleep no more” 2.2

• Emphasizes the extent of guilt that he feels whilst also foreshadowing his descent into insanity
further on in the play. Suggests how his mind is constantly at conflict with itself which highlights
his suffering
• this is where his paranoia begins which is conveyed through the anaphora of ‘sleep no more’ as
well as the use of the exclamatory which also shows his hysteria
• Given that James I was patron of the King’s Men theatre company, it can be argued that
Shakespeare tailored his material to pander to his paymaster: as previously stated regicide was a
great fear of King James, and Shakespeare helps to ally that fear here by warning the audience
of the paranoia and guilt through Macbeth.

“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand” 2.2
• The hyperbolic imagery of “Neptune’s oceans” emphasizes the sheer quantity of blood but also is
symbolic of Macbeth drowning within his guilt.
 • The fact that this is also a rhetorical question reflects his current tortuous state of mind
• Seeing that he is now calling onto “Neptune” shows how estranged he feels from God
since committing regicide and foreshadows later scenes where Lady Macbeth is also
struggling to wash the guilt from her hands.
• Jacobean audience would again see this as a warning if they don’t comply with the rules of
Christianity.
• Reference to “perfumes in Arabia” quote in Act 5 scene 1

“The multitudinous sea incarnadine, Making the green one red”

• The adjective “Multitudinous” demonstrates the vastness of the ocean and the fact that Macbeth’s
hands is able to turn this from “green” to “red” emphasizes the profound nature of Macbeth’s guilt
• Green is usually seen as a color of envy whereas red is seen as the color of blood reflecting
murder and blood-shed which mirrors how Macbeth has changed from being a jealous ambitious
Thane to a murder.
“His silver skin laced with his golden blood” 2.3

• Through the use of the adjectives “silver” and “golden”, Duncan is portrayed as precious and
cherished which reflects how adored he was by the people as he was the rightful king which
starkly contrast with the reign of Macbeth as shown through Act 5 scene 9 when he is referred to
as a “dead butcher” which shows how the country will suffer under the hands of a usurper
• imagery which shows the contrast between the dark blood and his light skin, makes the death
even more horrendous to visualize

To be thus is nothing but to be safely thus - Macbeth fears Banquo’s “royalty of nature” 3.1
• The repetition of “to be thus” and it’s inversion reflects his determination and desperation to
keep the crown and shows how his ambition has grown into paranoia – thinking that everyone is after the
throne.
• This also emphasizes how evil Macbeth has become - he has become immensely evil that he
fears Banquo’s noble nature, something that he himself was known greatly for. Macbeth has changed
after gaining power and this is the beginning of when he falls to his destruction. This also mirrors the first
appearance of the witches when they said “fair is foul and foul is fair” - the fact that Macbeth fears
Banquo’s good nature echoes this which further associates him with the supernatural
Our fears in Banquo stick deep” 3.1

The fact that the adjective “fear” is repeated throughout Macbeth’s speech about Banquo encapsulates
the whole soliloquy - Banquo is a threat that Macbeth fears . The repetition also points to Macbeth’s
unstable state of mind and his rising paranoiacft6

“dauntless temper of his mind… wisdom that doth guide his valor to act in safety” 3.1

All the positive attributes of Banquo’s character are spoken about negatively in this quote which shows
Macbeth’s rising insecurity

Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, 3.1

• The metaphor “fruitless crown” is a direct reference to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth not
having heir to the throne
• The semantic field of their childless state is heighten by the reference to “fruitless” and “barren
spectre” which highlights Macbeth’s bitterness towards the possibility to passing his crown to
Banquo’s sons.
• The possessive pronoun “my” demonstrates how Macbeth is becoming more authoritative and
also highlights how his ambition is now leading him to plot murders by himself compared to the
previous acts where Lady Macbeth planted the deed in his head. This foreshadows his tyrant-like
behavior that grows as the play progresses. The use of singular first person conforms to the
patriarchal idea that everything belongs to men - including children.
For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd; 3.1

• The fact that Macbeth is not using euphemisms such as “it” and “business” showcases how he
has finally accepted that he killed the king and could also suggest that he has gone so far into darkness
that the idea of regicide alongside other murders doesn’t alarm him anymore which makes Macbeth
appear more sinister.

• Through the adjective “gracious” Macbeth acknowledges Duncan’s purity and innocence. The
juxtaposition between “gracious” and “murdered” could suggest how Macbeth’s guilt is coming back to
haunt him and highlights the trauma he is going through as a result of going against natural order

The use of the pronoun “them”, which is repeated again later in the soliloquy, shows Macbeth’s deep
frustration and also shows his disgust at Banquo’s descendants

mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man, 3.1

When Macbeth refers to “mine eternal jewel” he is talking about how he fought for the crown just for
Banquo’s descendants to take it who he refers to as “common enemy of man” which showcases his
disregard for them and also his condescending nature. On the other hand, when he talks about “eternal
jewel” he could be referring to his place in heaven (eternity) which he gave up when he committed
regicide as the Jacobeans believed that this was the greatest sin against god.

“come fate into the list and champion me to the utterance!” 3.1

By challenging fate to a battle to manipulate his destiny shows how desperate he has become to keep the
crown and is an act of defiance which results him in killing Banquo
This also highlights his arrogance and also emphasizes his controlling nature .

We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it 3.2

• His ambition has lead him to be constantly manic - he feels that there is going to be retribution if
he doesn’t destroy all his enemies.
Make our faces vizards to our hearts, disguising what they are. 3.2

• Macbeth’s statement demonstrates the reversal of roles as it was Lady Macbeth in Act 1 scene 5
who advised Macbeth to “look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”. This
imperative phrase also shows how Macbeth is starting to be more dominant in the relationship
than before and taking ownership of his masculinity which is further emphasized through the fact
that this scene throughout mainly focuses on him.

“O scorpions is my mind, dear wife!” 3.2

• This exclamatory sentence heightens the anguish which Macbeth feels and gives a image of
infectivity through the metaphor “scorpions is my mind” which deepens the extent of guilt he feels.
This metaphor also evokes a dark and painful imagery as well as a vivid image of torment which
causes the audience to feel sorry for him and also serves as a warning not to commit regicide .
By using the animal “scorpions” this quote depicts how his mind is consumed with evil and
poisonous thoughts which has been caused by the witches’ prophecies and implies how he can
never be pure and holy ever again
 • The use of the sarcastic “dear wife” illustrates the deterioration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
relationship. A harsh tone is used here which contrasts sharply to the sweet and romantic tone of
“my dearest partner of greatness” showing how embracing evil to gain power results in utter
tragedy.

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck 3.2

• The shift from Lady Macbeth being Macbeth’s “dearest partner of greatness” to his “dearest
chuck” show how the couple’s relationship has transformed into one typical of the patriarchal
society in which the play was set. Though the superlative “dearest” is still used, the almost
trivializing pet name “chuck” shows that Macbeth no longer views his wife as his equal, but as an
inferior. Comparing Lady Macbeth to a chicken places her incredibly low down on the Great
Chain of Being, illustrating how little she means to Macbeth now that he is king.
• Their relationship also conforms to this social structure when he says “Be innocent of the
knowledge” which reflects the Jacobean ideology that women should be shielded from certain
subjects which further belittles Lady Macbeth.

“ I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in saucy doubts and fears” 3.4

• Through the use of the semantic field of imprisonment, Shakespeare conveys how entrapped
Macbeth has become which is further emphasized through the alliteration of the hard “c”, which
also encapsulates the strong hold his fears have on him. This harsh alliteration coupled with the
consonance of plosive sounds, complement the horrific state that Macbeth is in.

“It will have blood they say: blood will have blood” 3.4

• This can be interpreted as an image of karma as since he has killed Duncan and Banquo their
blood is returning to traumatize him which is predicated in 1.7 when he says “bloody instructions
… return to plague the inventor”
• This can also be interpreted as how one murder leads to an endless killing spree

“I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more” 3.4

• This creates an imagery of Macbeth covered in blood insinuating not only the depth of his guilt
but also highlights how sinful he has become. This is heightened by the verb “wade” which also
creates an image of swimming; he is surrounded by a sea of despair and paranoia as a result of
going against the natural order. The imagery of swimming also shows his comfort ability with
murder which is a stark contrast to before when he felt overwhelmed in act 2 scene 2 and asked
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand”. Here the audience can see
how evil has fully taken control over him and foreshadows the future murders that he will plan.

“We are yet but young in deed” 3.4

• Accentuates his bloodthirsty nature by being explicitly clear that he is prepared to kill in the future
which diverges from his anxious and dubious persona when it came to murder in earlier on in the
play. Due to being confined with suspicions, fears and insecurities, he is feels as though he must
go about any methods in order to keep his power despite there being no threats which
emphasizes his maniacal state

How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! 4.1

• A condescending tone is used through the abusive nature of the adjective “hags”, harshly
contrasting with how “rapt withal” he was is Act 1 which displays his progression to evil and
arrogance
“Till destruction sicken : answer me to what I ask you” 4.1

• Intertextual link to “for mine own good all causes shall give way” in 3.4.
• The use of hyperbole is used as a tool to characterize Macbeth and imply how his ambitions have
grown and how far he has fallen from the noble character he was at the start of the play. He has
become egocentric and reckless
• The imagery of chaos evoked through “destruction sicken” gives reference to how Macbeth as
gone against natural order and therefore embodies unruliness and ungodliness displaying the
Jacobean audience how ambition with wicked intent destroys people

“I will be satisfied: deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you!” 4.1

• The declarative “I will be satisfied” reflects his arrogant and demanding nature
• Macbeth’s offensive exclamation shows his true dissatisfaction with the knowledge the witches
have imparted. The witches have inspired psychological turmoil within, Macbeth as he yearns to
know more, despite his awareness of the witches' capabilities (for example “Though you untie the
winds”).
• Irony is also used here as he says this with so much authority despite the fact that the witches are
the ones which the power to “unite the winds and let them fight against the churches”.

“The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.” 4.1

• Metaphor symbolising the new reckless Macbeth who will not think before he acts.
• Noun ‘firstlings’ implies rash, rapid, first thoughts / actions
• Noun ‘hand’ suggests he wants to act not think
• He has become so immersed in evil that he is beyond caring - now a very dangerous
and tyrannical ruler. NOTE: from Act 4 onwards he is increasingly referred to by others as ‘the
tyrant’ and very rarely referred to as ‘Macbeth’ – symbolic of how the ‘old’ Macbeth, the hero, has
gone.
• Parallelism conveys a strong link between emotion and action. The determination is evident.

“Till Birnam Wood remove to Dusinane I cannot taint with fear.” 5.3

• His reliance on the supernatural has become such a problem that it is the cause of his hubris as
well as confidence – he thinks he is invincible which enforces his fearless nature
• This could also show that he is so desperate that he uses the prophecies as his sole source of
information and support
• The use of the word ‘taint’ here is ironic as taint suggests something has been corrupted.
Macbeth at this point is perhaps as corrupted as one could be. This shows the audience that he is
still in denial of his guilt or at least refuses to accept his wrongdoings as wrong.
• This is also repeated at the end of the scene : “I will not be afraid of death and bane till
Birnam forest come to dunsinane”
• The repetition of the witches prophecy shows his certainty as well as emphasizing him absolute
reliance on the supernatural. His connection to the witches his further shown through the rhyming
couplets

The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon! 5.3

• Irony is employed as Macbeth uses adjectives with satanic connotations, which have previously
been used to describe him, to curse his servant. This, combined with the exclamatory nature of
the sentence, further shows Macbeth as a tyrannical figure as he expresses his anger to an
innocent servant.
 • Also, the motif of milk is also employed through the adjective “cream-faced” which has
connotations of purity and innocence, therefore he is accusing his servant of being too weak. This
draws parallels to Lady Macbeth in Act 1 scene 5 when she claims that her husband is “too full of
the milk of human kindness”. This again illustrated the switch in power between Lady Macbeth
and Macbeth that has happened in the play

• The stark contrasts between the innocence and evil that Macbeth accuses his servant of
demonstrates his mental conflict, paranoia and insanity

“I’ll fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked” 5.3

• Through the verb “hacked” a grotesque and horrific image is formed in the audience mind which
highlights how vigorous Macbeth’s ambition is – his power hunger is so strong that he is willing to
go through intense agony which demonstrates to the audience how ambition with evil intensions
distorts your mind so much that you self-inflict torment onto yourself
• This would deter the Jacobean audience from turning against the natural order.

“How does your patient , doctor?” 5.3

• The use of the pronoun “your” implies that Macbeth has become personally detached from his
wife which could mirror the distance in the relationship: they are not as close as they were
before.
• This also demonstrates a lack of care and affection for his wife as a result of his power-driven
ambition and his evil nature.
• This could also suggest that he is so evil that he has lost the ability to love and be affectionate
which further emphasizes his tyrannical nature

She should have died hereafter 5.5

• Macbeth’s fatalistic view of his wife’s suicide reflects his state of mind : numbed, hardened and
miserable due to everything he has wanted falling apart.
• His lack of care towards the situation highlights the contrast between the love he had for LM at
the beginning of the play (“dearest partner of greatness”) to now where he is totally distant .
• This could also be seen as the cause of embracing evil and the supernatural causing him to lack
basic human emotions

“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” 5.5

• The constant repetition of “tomorrow and” mirrors the idea the phrase expresses: the relentless
and absurd passage of time . this compulsive repetition also expresses Macbeth’s growing
madness and shows how time has become an intolerable burden for Macbeth
• The fact that the death of his wife causes him to reflect the futility of life could hint at the grief he
has which he is unable to display properly

“Out, out brief candle”

• The extinguishing of the candle serves as a symbol of Lady Macbeth dying so you which is
highlighted through the adjective “brief” which could demonstrate his bitterness at the Lady
Macbeth’s death or could suggest his realization of how short and fleeting life is
• By metaphorically comparing life to a candle, Macbeth suggests the that everything he has done
is useless as life will end as quickly as the fire on a candle and how it has no purpose

“the fiend that lies like truth”

 • Macbeth finally realizes that the witches have tricked him which shows that he was too trusting of
the witches . this is ironic as Duncan was too trusting of Macbeth which led to his demise. This
vicious cycle echoes the idea of “what goes around comes around” which serves as a warning to
the Jacobean audience not to commit regicide.

Blow wind, come wrack, at least we’ll die with harness on our back 5.5

• The image of Macbeth wishing to die in armor symbolically shows the brave and warrior -like
persona that is still within him
• By commanding “blow wind” Shakespeare draws parallels between Macbeth and the witches who
were always accompanied by thunder and storm and therefore creates an ominous and eerie
atmosphere similar to the witches.
• The demanding of the weather could also showcase Macbeth’s tyrannical behavior and his
arrogance as he thinks that he can control the weather. His delusion could also allude to his
chaotic mental state.

“They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, but bear-like I must fight the course” 5.7

• Macbeth’s evil nature and association with the supernatural is conveyed through the words
‘stake’ and ‘fly’, commonly associated with the punishment and activity of witches.
Shakespeare uses this as a metaphor for justice being enacted, as Macbeth feels he will be
punished for the murderous and sly deeds he has committed.
• Macbeth recognizes that he’s without options and the he will die, as displayed through “stake”
which has connotations of death. His determination to still “fight the course” displays high
levels of bravely linking back to how he was presented as a warrior in Act 1.

“My soul is too much charged with blood of thine already” 5.8

• Gives the audience a glimpse into Macbeth’s mind and the accumulated regret and remorse
Macbeth has layered on and on and on after every murder he has committed which shows the
human emotions he still obtains generating sympathy from the audience

Lady Macbeth
As an example of Macbeth’s gothic elements, Shakespeare utilizes Lady Macbeth’s transgression
of traditional gender roles (remaining silent), as a reminder to the Jacobean audience of the
necessity of maintaining limits and regulations.

“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised” 1.5

• “shalt”- model verb- conveys certainty and arrogance. Also depicts how determined and
ambitious she is

“too full o' the milk of human kindness”

• Uses “milk” as a metaphor for feminine quality of nurturing kindness–the ironic implication being
that she is far less full of that milk than he is. Therefore portraying how dominant Lady Macbeth is
in the relationship which was unusual in a patriarchal society.
• Milk also represents purity which therefore implies that Macbeth is too kind and compassionate
which contrasts to the descriptions of him in Act 1 scene 2 – contradiction in Macbeth’s character
• Lady Macbeth challenges conventions and criticizes her husband’s masculinity

“Thou wouldst highly, wouldst thou holily” 1.5

• Chiasmus creates a sense of inversion that complements the way Lady Macbeth thinks that
you cannot be holy and reach for high status
• “Holily” alludes to the divine right of kings and how Macbeth wants to be King and holy

“Chastise with the valour of my tongue” 1.5

• synecdoche of ‘tongue’ suggests that her words are her source of power and ability to
manipulate.
• Figuratively, abstract noun, “valour,” has connotations of defiance, bravery and fearlessness,
which creates the impression that Lady Macbeth intends on defying societal norms in terms of
taking control of her husband.
• This coupled with the verb, “chastise,” symbolizes the power imbalance between Macbeth and
Lady Macbeth, which links to Macbeth being reprimanded and corrected by his wife.
• Symbolically, Lady Macbeth has taken on the role of a Machiavellian villainess; she is excessively
ambitious and disrupts the Great Chain of Being, causing the audience to feel disgusted as this
highlights that Lady Macbeth’s moral values are questionable and even heinous.

“all that impedes from the golden round” 1.5

• Verb “golden” has connotations of riches and power therefore revealing that Lady Macbeth’s
deepest desires and the root of her happiness is to have these in her life which she recognizes
can be gained through the crown
• The “round” suggests that ambition is of a the cyclical nature in Lady Macbeth’s personality and
the fact that she is already eager for the crown also depicts how her ambition is imbued with
hope

“The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan/ Under my battlements” 1.5

• “raven” is an ill-omen for death and represents evil power, as it is dark and ominous therefore
signifying the decision that Lady Macbeth has made which is to plan and kill Duncan.
• “hoarse” foreshadows the deaths that will happen later on in the play and also hints that Duncan’s
death is coming closer
• “my” is a possessive determiner which showcases the power that Lady Macbeth has decided to
control which is unusual in the Jacobean era as women are supposed to be passive. Also reflects
 how Lady Macbeth has already started to take the situation into her hands before even speaking
to Macbeth.

“Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here” 1.5

• Imperative verb “unsex” “come” expresses her power and strength as she is demanding evil
spirits to take her femininity away despite knowing that she will go to hell. The fact that she is
inviting evil shows how she is embracing the darkness.
• The use of imperatives establishes her as a powerful, dominant, demanding and commanding
character
• For a contemporary audience this would be deeply unsettling since many would be fearful of the
supernatural and of being dammed
• Going against the patriarchy
• She doesn’t ask to become masculine – she breaks out of all gender roles further escalating the
transgressions against the natural order

“fill me from the crown to the toe top-full /Of direst cruelty!” 1.5

• Superlative “direst” emphasizes the extent of how far into the darkness she is willing to go
and the depth of her evilness
• “crown to the toe” shows that she wants to be filled with evil- shows passion and strong
desire
• Her insatiable lusting for power is evident through the use of “toe top” – the use of the plosive
“t” conveys an overwhelming sense of ambition which is further reinforced through the use of
iambic pentameter, used to demonstrate how Lady Macbeth can feel the “cruelty” manifesting
inside of her which heightens the tension especially when the Messenger comes on stage to
tell her that she will be hosting the King. It is at this moment, the audience realizes her
intention to commit regicide

“make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse,” 1.5

• Lady Macbeth in this quote is talking about stopping her period which is one of the significant
identities of being a woman
• Due to the Jacobean society assuming that women are weaker than men, she want to relinquish
anything that makes her a woman in order for her to feel that she can gain some respect and
power in her patriarchal world
• The excessive use of imperatives emphasises her sheer dislike of womanhood and her strong
desire to become revered and feared just like men
“take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers” 1.5

• Figuratively, the disturbing imagery “take my milk for gall” has connotations of a refusal of any
maternal instinct or any feminine trait that would make her vulnerable
• “milk” has connotations of purity and innocence and has strong ties to mother nurturing baby,
therefore, Lady Macbeth is asking to remove feminine qualities
• Shakespeare portrays two contrasting characters between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth through
the juxtaposition of Macbeth being “full o’th milk of human kindness” and Lady Macbeth being full
of “gall” – which has connotations of bitterness, suggesting her greed for power.
• This symbolizes the shift in power from Macbeth to Lady Macbeth, which further exposes Lady
Macbeth’s forceful and power-driven nature, which blurs gender boundaries.
• Commands – shows how she is taking control of the situation

“Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell”
 • Verb “pall” epitomizes Lady Macbeth embracement of evil and showcases the extent how far
she is willing to go to get to power which is reinforced through the superlative “dunnest”. This
implies that she wants to be among the most evil therefore demonstrating how fearless she is
whilst also encapsulating her strong sense of ambition which influences her to transgress
against the traditional gender norms – shocking the Jacobean audience .
• Contrasts to Act 5 when she had a “light by her continually”

“look like th’innocent flower but be the serpent under’t” 1.5

• The adjective “innocent” has connotations of righteousness as well as being noble which is
reinforced through the image of the flower which expresses delicacy and virtue.
• the image of a “serpent”, however, carries a connotation of evil or cruelty. The serpent is also an
allusion to the Biblical Story Adam and Eve, who is compelled by the snake to eat the apple,
which reflects the sly and persuasive nature of Lady Macbeth who wants Macbeth to be cunning
and duplicitous and trick the king.
• The contrast between the passive image of “innocent flower” and the active corruption of “the
serpent” reflects the ideas of “fair is foul and foul is fair” which aligns Lady Macbeth with the
witches and therefore evil
• The Juxtaposing of the “flower” and the “serpent” highlights Lady Macbeth’s duplicitous nature
which she passes of easily as even King Duncan falls for it in Act 1 scene 4 and gives her a ring
for being a “fair and noble hostess”.
“I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, and
dash'd the brains out” 1.7

Lady Macbeth attacks the very essence of womanhood, which is that every woman should be a
caring and loving mother, through the violent verb “pluck’d” and the onomatopoeic “dash’d”.
These are also plosive sounds which enhances her violent intentions . Not only this, “dash’d the
brains” is a very vivid and grotesque imagery further challenging the Jacobean perception of
womanhood . Male babies were also seen as more valuable than female babies in the Jacobean
period , so the fact that Lady Macbeth is willing to kill a male baby accentuates her ambitious
persona and depicts how she is determined to be seen equal to men. Her heartless nature is
also conveyed through the fact that she would kill her baby whiles “it was smiling in my face”
implying how she is willing to give up the most precious relationships for power.

“ hath made them drunk, hath made me bold”

• By using antithetical parallelism, Lady Macbeth presents herself as the antithesis of the natural
response in men which amplifies her masculinity, as well as contrasts and defies the stereotypical
Jacobean woman by being energized by the act of regicide.

Response to Macbeth’s (“I’ll go no more”) “Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers”

• The use of exclamatory shows the anger that Lady Macbeth has towards Macbeth at this point in
time which suggests the power and dominance she has over Macbeth which would shock the
Jacobean audience as women were supposed to be submissive towards their husbands let alone
raise their voice at them
• Her quick thinking which is displayed through this quotes portrays her as a Machiavellian villain –
smart, sly and cunning which would make the audience further see her as evil and wicked.
• The fact that she carriers on the rest of the plan by herself implies how she sees Macbeth as
useless and weak which emasculates him and makes herself seem more masculine which is an
intertextual link to “unsex me here”
 • The declarative and imperative verb in “Give” illustrates Lady Macbeth as emotionless and
powerful. Her lack of remorse is striking as it is evident she has placed power over emotion. She
arguably manipulated Macbeth into killing Duncan and now she doesn’t even feel empathy for
him when he is in such a vulnerable state which was due to her actions. This mockery of
Macbeth’s masculinity can be traced back earlier on in the play in Act 1 scene 5 “too full of the
milk of human kindness”

‘t’is the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil’ (2.2)

• Metaphor ‘eye of childhood’ implies he is being childish by not wishing to return to the
chamber where the corpse lies
• The patronizing and chastising done to Macbeth by Lady Macbeth reinforces the idea of the
inversion of gender stereotypical roles in a relationship which echoes the chaos of natural
order and reminds the audience how evil Lady Macbeth is by subconsciously linking her to
the witches

“My hands are of your colour; but I shame to wear a heart so white.” 2.2

Lady Macbeth uses white in reference to a cowards color-like a white feather or a flag of surrender-
mocking his lack of bravery and conviction and implying how is trying to give up and run away from his
actions. The way his heart is white demonstrates how she thinks he is weak and cowardly to the core and
in a warrior culture like in the Jacobean period when this is set, this would be very insulting to his
masculinity. The use of verb ‘wear’ implies how he is not even trying to hide it any more and she is
ashamed of him for it. It may also be that his ‘white heart’ is what prevents him from ever truly committing
to his ‘deep and dark desires’. Moreover, this insinuates that Lady Macbeth heart is black which further
portrays her as devilish and links her to darkness

“A little water clears us of this deed” 2.2

• Another example of her patronizing him and utterly failing to understand that he has a
conscience
• Contrast to his ‘Neptune’s oceans’ image
• In the short term, and in a very simplistic way, she is in effect right that a ‘little water’ will
clear away the evidence
However, it is ironic that she says this as, in the long term, she will be proved to be utterly wrong
– see 5.1 ‘out damned spot’ where she has collapsed under the guilt

“Help me hence, ho!” 2.3

• Lady Macbeth cleverly uses the stereotype that women are weak to distract everyone from
Macbeth which further portrays her as guileful and cunning as well as duplicitous
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. 3.2

• The use of plosive alliteration creates a sharp and abrupt effect illustrating Lady Macbeth’s
bitterness at the situation that has been created and also conveys her somber reflection as well
as her uncertainty about what she has done
• This is in a short soliloquy which mirrors how her power has been diminished
• The oxymoron “doubtful joy” links to how both Macbeth and her do not belong where they are and
is also an intertextual link to “fair is foul”. Her connection to the witches is further connected
through the use of rhyming couplets reminding the audience of the darkness within her .
•
“You must leave this” 3.2 (before “o full of scorpions is my mind”)
 • The use of the imperative “must” demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s assertive nature which is quickly
diminished showing how she is losing her power. This could also be seen as a way to regain the
power that she has lost which shows how persistent she is.

“Are you a man?” Act 3 scene 4 (when Macbeth is seeing Banquo’s ghost)

• Questioning a man’s manhood would be seen as an abomination during the Jacobean era, so the
fact that Lady Macbeth does this reminds the audience of her evil nature and her crimes against
the natural order and also still presents her as quite powerful and dominant despite losing some
of her power at this point of the play
• Moreover, during the Jacobean period, women were seen as highly hysterical which is ironic as
Macbeth is shown to be the one who is the most emotional out of the two during this scene.
Through this, Shakespeare questions and undercuts the gender stereotypes of the time .
• Echoes 1.7 when Lady Macbeth is also questioning his manhood and he responds with “Prithee
peace! I dare do all that may become a man”
“Out damn’d spot” 5.1

• The imperative phrase exemplifies her trauma as well as desperation to clean herself of this
blood and also her certainty that there is blood on her hands which accentuates the power of her
hallucination. This could also evince her frustration and anger emphasizing the emotional torment
she is going through because of her evil action
• The adjective “damn’d” has connotations of hell and evil which could imply that she is trying to
exorcise her demons . the fact that she is unable to do this caution the audience not to embrace
evil as once you do God will no longer protect you.
• Seeing that Lady Macbeth commanded evil spirits to make her masculine in Act 1 scene 5 and
has now become hysterical and maniacal serves as a warning to the Jacobean women in the
audience to conform to the social expectations of what women should be (at the time); they
should not be the driving force behind anything accept rearing children and should be submissive
Gentlemen: “she has light by her Continually” 5.1

• Irony is employed as this starkly contrast to her attitude in Act 1 scene 5 when she commands
“come thick night”
• She has now become more fearful and paranoid like her husband however Lady Macbeth has
become more hysterical whiles her husband has gained more confidence and is now more
powerful , therefore she is now conforming into the typical gender stereotypes which serves as a
warning to the Jacobean audience that God will also restore order.
“The thane of fife and a wife. Where is she now?” 5.1

• Doggerel = the fact that she is making a mockery of such an evil deed, highlights her
wickedness, and makes the audience extremely shocked
“All the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”

• This hyperbole contrast to “all little water will clear us of this deed” in Act 2 scene 2 which
demonstrates to the audience that the guilt of regicide will affect even the most heartless of
people. This also links to “ will all of great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand”
which again shows the power shift that has happened in the play.
• This emphasizes the idea that her sin and guilt is so great that God will never forgive her
reinforcing Shakespeare political message that regicide leads to madness and eternal damnation.

• Additionally, Lady Macbeth, in this scene, speaks in prose which highlights her loss of
status and power. The irregular line lengths of the form effectively mirror her mental
chaos.
Banquo
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, And yet are on't?" 1.3

Reinforces the unearthly appearance and ambiguous reality of the witches and also shows how cautious
and disinterested Banquo is compared to Macbeth who is "rapt withal" and responds with "tell me more"
when the witches prophesy to him

“He seems rapt withal” 1.3

• The adjective “rapt” has connotations of strong fascination and being spellbound- this implies that
the supernatural is taking a hold on him
• Seeing as Banquo was quick to identify this, it shows how cautious and suspicious about the
dangers of the witches as well as observant

"Neither beg nor fear your favours nor your hate"

• Reinforces his cautionary and reproachful nature

"Oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths ... to betrays In
deepest consequence." Banquo 1.3

The use of the metaphor "instruments of darkness" alludes to how the Witches are used as tools for evil
but could also imply how the witches could be seen as alluring or pleasing (as they are described as
"instruments"), so this could imply that the witches are perhaps enticing Macbeth with their lies. Through
the superlative "deepest", Shakespeare emphasizes Banquo's skepticism of the witches, which is further
emphasized by the verb "betray" displaying Banquo as a rational and pragmatic person". Consequently,
this is also foreshadowing how Macbeth will soon become obsessed with power through the act of killing.

AO3 - the audience at the time would fear witches so Banquo would gain their sympathy and respect
here.

“There’s husbandry in heaven; there candles are all out” 2.1

• The use of pathetic fallacy creates an sinister and mysterious ambience which echoes Lady
Macbeths “come thick night” and Macbeth’s “stars hide your fires” declaring how the murder of
Duncan is about to happen and symbolizes the moral darkness of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth

“merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts” 2.1

• Contrast to Macbeth “stars hide my fires” and lady Macbeth “ unsex me ”

• Adjective “merciful” has connotations of compassion and forgiveness insinuating that he is talking
to God. The fact that Banquo calls on to God instead of the “spirits that tend on mortal thoughts”
depicts his holy and righteous persona, therefore making the audience see him in good light
• The verb “restrain” implies that his desire to become king is so strong that he needs to be
forcefully stopped – the fact that he is asking to be stopped shows loyalty to the throne and
further portrays him as virtuous
• The adjective “cursed” displays his wisdom as he is aware of the negative consequences that will
arise as a result to regicide in contrasts to Macbeth’s foolish impulsiveness to kill the king.

“My bosom franchised and allegiance clear” 2.1

• ‘allegiance clear’ suggests that he will not let ambition or the witches prophecies affect him.
• Shows that conscience is more important to him than power and glory
• By the adjective ‘clear’ he means clear of sin or guilt, so he is firmly telling Macbeth that he will
not be corrupted whilst still wording it carefully so as not to offend Macbeth.
‘In the great hand of God I stand’ (2.3)
• Following the murder of Duncan Banquo says he will fight for justice from this
position with God on his side
• Metaphor emphasising his moral purity in contrast to Macbeth
• Image of the hand implies he has God’s blessing or protection wrapped around him
• Or it could be read as he is acting as God’s hand – God’s tool via which the sacrilege of
regicide can be challenged.

“I fight Of treasonous malice” 2.3

• Emphasizes how loyal he is by promising to God that he will find the person responsible
• Shakespeare shines a heroic light on Banquo, which makes his tragic death later on, sadder for
the audience, and makes Macbeth seem more evil.

“I fear though played’st most foully for it” 3.1

• Shows Banquo’s growing suspicion however he doesn’t act upon it which serves as his hamartia
• Through the use of the adjective “foully” the audience is reminded of the witches “fair is foul”
which again aligns Macbeth with evil
• The use of fricatives alliteration conveys his concern

“But that myself should be the root and father of many kings.”

• Through this quote, we can sense greed and ambition also brewing inside Banquo,
showing witches have a negative effect even of the best of people. This supports King
James 1’s idea on witches which was expressed through his book on Demonology and
stirs fear in the audience
“But hush! no more” 3.1

• Banquo during this soliloquy was adopting the same line of thinking Macbeth went down
before he kills the king however Banquo realizes his evil intention brewing and stops
himself before he goes down the path which portrays him as noble .
“ Macbeth : Fail not our feast. Banquo : My lord, I will not.” 3.1

• The use of proleptic irony serves as dark humor when Banquo does show up but as a ghost
• This also shows the heartless nature of Macbeth as he, as the audience will soon find out, has
full knowledge that Banquo would be murdered

Macduff
Macduff is characterized by Shakespeare as being a foil to Macbeth. initially, at the beginning of
the play, Both Macbeth and Macduff are respected noblemen and brave , loyal soldiers, however,
where Macbeth is characterized as possessing the hamartia of ambition which leads him to betray
his conscience and Scotland, Macduff is more patriotic and often more sensitive and emotionally
charged than Macbeth, being more loyal to his country and those around him, lacking a corruptive
influence.

“Most sacrilegious murder hath broke open the Lord's anointed temple” 2.3
 • The adjective “sacrilegious” links to how Macbeth murdering Duncan was against the divine right
of kings and emphasizes the unnatural nature of Duncan’s death – he didn’t die from natural
causes (as he was murdered) and the act that Macbeth committed went against the natural order.
• Through the violent verb “broke open” Shakespeare highlights the turmoil and disarray that has
been caused as a result of Macbeth going against the Divine right of kings. The image of an
object breaking open evokes a sense of chaos and destruction. The fact that it is the “Lord
anointed temple” depicts how Macbeth has directly transgressed against God which heightens
how detestable the action was and further highlights the devastation that will happen on Earth as
even the heavens have been affected by this act of treason

“The repetition, in a woman's ear, would murder as it fell”. 2,3

• This line refers to the idea that women were weaker than men, and so Macduff protects her from
hearing such horrible things. However, this is dramatically ironic, for in previous scenes, Lady
Macbeth says ‘unsex me here, and fill me crown to toe to-full of direst cruelty’, which indicates
how she wants to be rid of her femininity, and wishes to be purely evil, to allow her to convince
her husband to kill Duncan.
• Shows how Macduff abides by the natural order

“wherefore did you so?” 2.3

This question is a direct challenge to Macbeth foreshadowing their conflict at the end of the play. This is
the first time in the play that suspicion falls on Macbeth which suggests Macduff’s immediate suspicion of
Macbeth as well as his dislike towards him.

“New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face” 4.3

• Seeing that Macduff is mourning over the terrible acts happening in Scotland immediately
establishes as patriotic and hints to his loyalty to his country
• The horror happening in Scotland is evident through the use of the personification of heaven
being slapped in the face
• The asyndetic list of horrors makes the suffering appear endless and the parallelism of the
clauses gives a sense of its inevitability which is heightened through the use of the anaphora
“new”

"Let us rather hold fast the mortal sword, and, like good men, bestride our down-fall'n birthdom."
4.3

• Here, Shakespeare presents Macduff as, similarly to Macbeth, impulsive and as a character of
action, using action orientated verbs such as "bestride" and verbal phrases such as "hold fast the
mortal sword" to connote battle and valour, emphasizing his impulsive nature, while also, in
contrast to Macbeth, having such impulses being driven by patriotic motives, wishing to save his
"down-fall'n birthdom", suggesting that, while Macbeth's impulsive, violent acts are driven by
selfish motives of paranoia and ambition, Macduff's are built on patriotism and, therefore, nobility.

Malcolm : “left your wife and child, these precious motives, those strong knots of love, without leave-taking?”
4.3

• Whiles Macbeth’s ambition has made him paranoid and resulted in an emotional drift between
him and Lady Macbeth, Macduff’s chauvinistic nature as resulted in him leaving his wife and child
defenseless and vulnerable.
 • The metaphor “strong knots of love” emphasizes the love that Macduff has for his family which
makes him leaving his family even more unusual linking to the disruption of natural order as a
result of Macbeth’s actions
• Dramatic irony is employed here as this scene takes place after the killing of Macduff’s wife and
child. The mentioning of the powerful love he has for his family fills the audience with sympathy
for Macduff and further puts Macbeth in a negative light .

Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny! 4.3

• The personification of Scotland being wounded emphasizes the pain that Macduff feels for
Scotland thus convey the strong emotional bond he has for his country and displays his devotion
towards the nation
• The country is suffering as a result of poor leadership thus displaying the importance of the divine
right of kings and following the natural order

Not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd in evils to top Macbeth. 4.3

• The semantic field of hell is used to show Macduff’s incredulity. He doesn’t believe anyone could
be as bad as Macbeth which is shown by aligning him with the devil . this also shows the severity
of bitterness Macduff has towards Macbeth as being compared to the devil in religious times was
a strong insult.

“Bloody, luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful” 4.3

• The asyndetic list of negative adjective to describe Macbeth contrasts to Act 1 which therefore
highlights the downfall of Macbeth

“my children too? …. My wife killed too?” 4.3

• The constant questioning and short sentences adds to the shock that Macduff feels as he’s not
even able to vocalize his true emotions and shows inability to accept the murders generating
sympathy of Macduff and creates more hatred from the audience towards Macbeth

“ Oh hell kite… All my pretty chickens and their dam at one fell swoop?” 4.3

• Macduff’s family is portrayed as defenseless emphasizing the ruthless nature of Macduff

• Enjambment is also used here to portray Macduff’s overflowing emotions, which, in context,
subverts the gender norms of the time (men have to be strong, and not revealing emotions).
Finally, the adjective ‘fell’ connotes evil and damndness, and it is a reference to the ‘hell-kite’,
which is a bird of prey, which swoops down to catch and kill its prey.

• Kites (birds of prey) had a terrible reputation in Shakespeare’s day being associated with
scavenging, death, graveyards etc. So, comparing Macbeth to such a bird emphasises Macbeth’s
depravity.
• Also, the repetition of ‘all’ also connotes Macduff’s sudden denial / realization that his family has
been murdered – it is incomprehensible.

“Sinful Macduff, they were all struck for thee” 4.3

By trying to disassociate himself through 3rd person from his family, Shakespeare exemplifies the extent
and magnitude of guilt Macduff feels which therefore shows the love he had for his family. His self -
depreciation harshly contrasts the attitude that Macbeth had when his wife died which further shows the
righteous nature of Macduff
“I must feel it like a man” – response to Malcolm dispute it like a man (4.3)
 • Malcolm shows no shame or reluctance to display sorrow and grief which challenges the
widespread belief in the Jacobean era that masculinity is solely about aggression and murder. By
showcasing Macduff’s misery, Shakespeare suggests that allowing one self to be sensitive as
well as feel and express emotional pain contributes to masculinity also.
‘front to front bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself’ (4.3)
• Macduff’s vow that he will be the one to kill Macbeth – role of avenger

• ‘front to front’ shows dignity – he wants to kill him in a fair ‘face-to-face’ fight. Ties to the idea of
Macduff being morally virtuous. See quote 11 below. This is in stark contrast to Macbeth who
murdered Duncan in his sleep and then had other people murder Banquo and Macduff’s family
for him.

• ‘fiend’ means devil so another link between Macbeth and Hell.

“Turn hell hound turn!” 5.8

• The fact that Macduff tells Macbeth to turn demonstrates his bravery, dignity and honour
as he is willing to fight Macbeth face to face rather than kill him when he is not prepared
unlike Macbeth who has killed multiple people cowardly.
Malcolm
“Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty” 4.3

• Instead of seeking darkness to become evil, Malcolm seeks darkness in order to mourn
for the country which shows his deep loyalty to serve the kingdom as in contrast to
Macbeth who only seeks for power for himself and instead of caring for the well-being of
Scotland, becomes infatuated with paranoia and retaining his Kingship. Malcolm’s
affection towards Scotland is shown through the adjective “weep” and the adjective “sad”
both connoting unhappiness and suggests he feels great pain for his country.

• This establishes Malcolm as a good and noble king which would align with the belief of
the divine right of kings as since he is the rightful heir to the throne, his whole persona
would embody a righteous King.
“The tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues”

• This hyperbole suggests that Macbeth is so unholy that even mentioning his name is
seen as a sacrilege which not only emphasizes Macbeth’s evil nature but also the hatred
that Malcolm has towards Macbeth
“a weak poor, innocent lamb t’appease an angry god”

• Accusing Macduff of spying on him : contrasts to Duncan whose hamartia was being
naïve – Malcolm is much more cautious
• This biblical metaphor intensifies the unnatural power that Macbeth has. Seeing that
God is viewed as a merciless and omnibenevolent being (especially in the Jacobean
era) ,the image of an “angry god” could also be seen as another allusion to the
disruption in the natural order and could perhaps be linking Macbeth to the opposite of
God - the devil.
• The imagery of Malcolm as a “weak poor, innocent lamb” portrays him as righteous and
holy which further presents him as the better king .
A good and virtuous nature may recoil In an imperial charge
The fact that he identifies the dangers of power has on character displays Malcolm’s wisdom
and further displays him as much more fitting as King
It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash is added to her wounds 4.3

• The use of the parallelism “it weeps, it bleeds” draws a connection between the two
suggesting that the suffering the Scotland is experiencing is never-ending; it will not be
solved until order is restored
• The personification of Scotland as a woman presents the nation as defenseless, as
woman were seen to be weak and incapable to defend themselves during the Jacobean
era. The fact that Scotland is depicted as a woman being abused adds the sense of
vulnerability as well as the tribulation it is going through as a result of Macbeth’s act of
regicide
• Malcolm expressing his deep concerns about the nation presents him as noble and puts
him in a positive light – the audience will see him as the true king
Let's make us medicines of our great revenge, to cure this deadly grief. 4.3

• Malcolm immediately seeks to take advantage of the situation, in essence by

weaponizing Macduff’s grief and rage and turning it against Macbeth which paints him as
a opportunist.
• The fact that he doesn’t wait for Macduff to mourn could either show his patriotic nature,
as he is eager to save Scotland, or could exemplify his thirst for power.
• Shows how Malcolm wants to save (“cure”) Scotland from Macbeth who is
metaphorically described as “deadly grief” heightening the hatred he has for Macbeth
“Dispute it like a man” 4.3

• The constant manipulation by Malcolm presents him as heartless

• The demand for masculinity draws parallel to Lady Macbeth’s manipulative techniques
in Act 1 which demonstrates how twisted people become when power is in play
“This dead butcher and his fiend like queen” 5.9

• The characterization and objectification of Macbeth (and his wife) make Malcolm seem
superior or better and more worthy than him. It reinforces the idea that Malcolm is the
opposite of Macbeth, the ‘tyrant’.
• The emotive noun “butcher” ,which vilifies Macbeth, and the sematic field of hell
employed to describe Lady Macbeth highlights the wickedness and brutality that these
two characters displayed .
“by the grace of God” 5.9

• the language of heaven employed contrasts with the hellish adjectives that have been
used to describe Macbeth and Macbeth reliance on the supernatural which further
cements the idea that Malcom is holy and righteous and therefore will make an excellent
king in the eyes of the Jacobean audience as they were highly religious.
Other
"brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name”, Valor’s minion " (captain)

"valiant cousin , worthy gentleman" , "noble Macbeth " (Duncan)

"Bellona bridegroom" (Ross)

In Act 1 scene 2 Macbeth is described through the use of positive epithets such as "brave Macbeth" and
"valiant" which gives the audience a different narrative perspective and provides an alternative insight
regarding Macbeth's character that harshly contrasts with the evil that he is associated with due to the
witches in the scene before.

Through the use of the personification "Valor’s minion" the captain implies that Macbeth is the living
embodiment of bravery which further highlights Macbeth's heroism and gallantry. This is reinstated
through "Bellona's bridegroom" which implies that not only is he brave but he is also superior to his
opponents. However, it also foreshadows that he will be a barbaric tyrant since he isn't afraid of what is
thrown his way. This links to Macbeth's character later on in the play because it shows that his audacity
will cause him to oppress and exploit others whilst his determined nature will cause everyone around him
to suffer.

"smoked with bloody execution" (1.2) (captain)

• verb "smoked", Shakespeare insinuates that Macbeth killed people so quickly , his sword has
generated heat which establishes how skillful and efficient he is in battle which gives us a
positive image of Macbeth as a hero.
• adjective "bloody" a gory and brutal tone is created which puts Macbeth in a negative light. This
is reinforced through the noun "execution" further demonstrating Macbeth's savage behavior and
gruesome nature

"unseasmed him from the nave to th'chaps" (1.2) (captain)

first conflicted characterization of Macbeth: a brave warrior, from his fellow soldiers' perspective, but also
has extreme blood lust even for the battle standards of the time. The gruesome description is deliberately
unsettling: Shakespeare introduces our "hero" as a blood-soaked killer.

"Yes, as sparrow eagles, or the hare, the lion" (captain) 1.2

Macbeth's reputation on the battlefield is enhanced by the similes of the Captain's second report: 'As
sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.' In this quote Macbeth and Banquo, are compared to 'eagles' and
'lions' unafraid of the timid Norwegians, who themselves are likened to 'sparrows' or 'a hare'. The fact that
Banquo and Macbeth are compared to "eagles" and lions" suggests how brave and powerful they are.
Moreover, symbolically, the lion appears on the royal coat of arms of the kings of Scotland this
foreshadows Macbeth becoming king.

“Strange screams of death and prophesying with accents terrible of dire combustion” 2.3
(Lennox)

• The verb “screams” creates a chaotic atmosphere and evokes a sense of fear which echoes the
iniquitous actions of the previous scene and insinuates how the natural order has been
disrupted. Through this quote, the universal chaos that has happened as a result of regicide
which undermines the Great Chain of Being.

“There's daggers in men's smiles: the nearer in blood , the nearer bloody” (Donaldbain) 2.3
 • Daggers in men’s smiles” is also a continuation of the theme of deception : men may look friendly
and trustworthy but they will not hesitate to inflict pain = foreshadowing what happens in the play
• “Daggers” have connotations of assassinations, especially of the innocent . Could also be linked
to when Macbeth hallucinates of a dagger, highlighting how deception is a motif in the play
• Can link with look like an innocent flower but be the serpent under’t

Old Man : “Threescore ten I can remember well…. But this sore night hath trifled former
knowings” 2.4

• Emphasizes how regicide has caused the unnatural to occur and also heightens the seriousness
of the situation

First Murder: “ Twenty trenched gashes on his head; the least a death to nature.” 3.4

• The horror of Macbeth’s death is evident

• "trenched" denotes to a long ditch which encapsulates how deep the "gashes" were which
creates a gory and horrific image. This is heightened by the quantity “twenty” which shows how
Macbeth has become a cold and murderous monster.

Ross: “Your wife and babes savagely slaughtered “ 4.3

• The emotive verb modified by an adverb renders the situation to be even more horrific
• The use of sibilance creates an image of a slashing sword which conveys how ruthless and brutal
the murder was . This is heightened through the use of dysphemism further adding to the shock
the audience feels despite already witnessing the murders in the scene before
• The image of “wife and children” creates a homely and loving image which harshly contrasts with
the lurid image of blood and death, making Macbeth’s actions even more wicked and creates
more sympathy for Macduff

“Unnatural deeds to breed unnatural troubles” 5.1 - Doctor

The belief in the natural order and the divine right of kings is emphasized here to serve as a moral story
to the audience as to what would happen if they go against God or the King

“she is troubled with thick-coming fancies” 5.3 – Doctor (as a response to “How’s your patient”)

• The adjective “thick” suggests that these nightmares are taken over Lady Macbeth’s mind which
shows elements of chaos and paranoia and also shows the mental torment that she is going
through as a result of her evil action

Duncan
"“There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face ” Duncan 1.4

• Spoken by Duncan in reference to the fact that he trusted the old Thane of Cawdor who betrayed
him in the battle by siding with the Norwegians.
• Ironic as the next Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth) will go on to be just as deceitful
• ‘art’ meaning ‘skill’ – he is suggesting no-one has the ability to read a man’s thoughts via his face
 • Shows naivety of Duncan – he is a very decent and generous monarch but far too trusting – he
fails to ‘read’ the faces of those who plot against him. This is his hamartia
• intertextual link to 1.5 “look like the innocent flower” and 1.7 “false face”
• Dramatic irony- the audience knows that Macbeth is thinking of killing the King

Duncan “o worthiest cousin. The sin of my ingratitude even now was heavy on me”

• “worthiest” superlative adjective conveys high regard he has of Macbeth

• Treats him like family which emphasizes the trust he has in Macbeth
• Portrays Duncan as honorable which makes the audience sympathetic towards him and ashamed
towards Macbeth

“Fair and noble hostess” 1.6

• Profoundly ironic- has been mislead

Structure
Words to do with structure: soliloquy, soliloquies, dramatic irony, dramatic climax, tension,

Act 1 Scene 1: The witches use of the juxtaposition “fair is foul” establishes their evil nature :
they are against natural order. This is further established through the use of wild weather
“thunder and lightening” which sets a dark and violent mood as well as hinting that unnatural
event are occurring. Since this is the opening scene, this establishes the theme of chaos and
disorder as well as the supernatural throughout the play. Through the witches ambiguity,
Shakespeare creates dramatic tension which is heighten through their planning to meet
Macbeth, who the play is named after, thus building excitement within the audience
Act 1 Scene 2: Shakespeare contrast the eerie opening scene with brutality and “blood
execution of the battlefield which sets up a violent mood for the rest of the play. Macbeth’s
arrival is highly awaited through the use of positive epithets throughout this scene to describe
Macbeth.
Act 1 scene 3: the motif of chaos, danger and the overturning of the natural order is again
hinted through the witches arrival being accompanied with thunder again. The witches tell
Macbeth he’ll be King which plants the idea in both Macbeth’s and the audience’s mind and
creates anticipation. The fact that Macbeth’s introduction to the play is closely followed with the
witches foreshadows the evil that will follow him throughout the play.

In 2.3, the Porter’s comic monologue relieves the tension, but also builds suspense before
Duncan’s body is found. The use of a comic interlude right after one of the most disturbing
moments of the play lifts up the audience mood so that Shakespeare can dash them again. The
use of dramatic irony at the beginning of the scene increases the audience anticipation – the
audience knows that Duncan has been murdered, and even though the character do not know
yet, they can sense evil
Act 5 scene 3: stichomythia is employed in this scene to create a sense of urgency within
Macbeths character
Act 5 scene 6: the fact that this scene is very short creates a dramatic pace and heightens the
tension which helps to convey the inevitability of Macbeth’s downfall. Alternating between
Dusinane and Malcolm’s army creates dramatic counterpoints that also develops the energy of
the play’s conclusion.