Quote: “We still have judgement here… This even-handed justice commends the ingredients of our Quote: “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition which overleaps
poisoned chalice to our own lips.” - Macbeth itself” - Macbeth
Notes: Notes:
Demonstrates that there are consequences [even-handed justice] and implications for his actions This strongly foreshadows the tragic hero’s own demise in the play. Fails to take caution and
[poisoned chalice] instead becomes excessively proud and complacent through the witches’ second prophesies
suggesting the fact that ambition leads to failure.
Device:
Metaphor – poisoned chalice is a metaphor for ambition, with even-handed justice commending Device:
his consequences. Metaphor – Macbeth likens his intent to a horse and his ambition to the spur.
Themes: Ambition Compares his ambition to a rider jumping into the saddle of a horse. High leaps (tries to seize
the crown of Scotland). Misses his seat and falls (meets with disaster)
Themes: Ambition, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, to betray us in deepest consequence.” - Banquo Quote: “Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail,
Macbeth that shall be king hereafter!”- The Witches
Notes:
Banquo resists the temptation given by Macbeth. Shakespeare uses the characts to show Notes:
supernatural presence. The witches are playing on Macbeths ambition and planting the idea of murder. It
opens Macbeth’s eyes to the possibility that he can have a title greater than a
thane, but a king instead.
Device:
This scene is important for the whole play that it works as foreshadowing. The
Foreshadowing – what will eventually happen to Macbeth, shows Macbeths true character –
prophecy is the major cause for Macbeths tragedy.
consumed by his ambition.
Macbeth will not only gain power/influence from his destiny, and not from, his
actions.
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that Quote: “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” - Macbeth
function is smothered in surmise.” - Macbeth
Notes:
Notes: He is thinking about his future as a king. He believes in destiny and prophecy will create a
The witches’ words have stirred some ambition in Macbeth. situation for him to be the king without him trying.
Macbeth’s thoughts are significant to his ambition since the witches did not tell
Macbeth that he would have to kill King Duncan.
Device:
It demonstrates the strength of Macbeth's inner ambition.
Juxtaposition - Contrasts the person Macbeth was before and after the murder. This is in
“Surmise” means: “suppose that something is true without having evidence to complete juxtaposition to his prior thoughts of “whose murder yet is but fantastical”.
confirm”.
“Surmise” also means “imagination” in this context.
If Macbeth kills Duncan, he will forever be trapped in a supernatural world for his Themes: Ambition, Fate
dishonourable action.
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in Quote: “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus” - Macbeth
my way it lies.” - Macbeth
Notes:
Notes: Macbeth speaks this line after he has become king but continues to feel restless and insecure.
Macbeth is innocent before he decides to become king. His ambition to become King, in his eyes,
has been thwarted and he believes that it is a “step on which [he] must fall down, or else
overleap”. Macbeth finds it meaningless to be king. This quote reveals how him giving in to his ambition
and murdering Duncan has not brought him peace, but rather has just left him more paranoid
and anxious.
If fate wants him to become king, fate will make it happen without Macbeth doing
anything, like murder the king.
he calls upon the stars to hide their “fires”, so that no one will know his “black”/evil Themes: Ambition, Gender
desires, those being to become king. Macbeth is back on the path of manipulating fate.
Device:
Metaphor – The step represents the success of his ambition where he must either “fall down” or
“overleap” suggesting his downfall is due to his ambition or failure [Ties again with theme of Fate]
Themes: Ambition, Fate
Quote: “I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none.” – Lady Macbeth Quote: “When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you
would Be so much more the man”. – Lady Macbeth
Notes:
Macbeth believes that he’s willing to do anything he considered “manly”. Notes:
It’s left purposefully unclear whether Macbeth is a moral person manipulated by bad She asserts that he must truly be a coward if he won’t carry out the murder and doing so will
influences and circumstances, or merely an immoral coward who needs his wife. make him more of a man. She is manipulating her husband Macbeth by speaking about his
He does not think that killing King Duncan would be an act of righteousness. manhood; she is attacking his masculinely.
Themes: Gender, Manipulation
Themes: Ambition, Gender, Manipulation
Quote: “Like the Poor cat in the adage?” – Lady Macbeth Quote: “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white” – Lady Macbeth
Notes: Notes:
Lady Macbeth questions her husband's manhood when he decides he does not want to go ahead Lady Macbeth is free from guilt but is appalled by Macbeth’s cowardice and emotion, which to
with assassinating Duncan. Lady Macbeth is manipulating him in this context. her is unbecoming of a man. Lady Macbeth’s shame to wear a heart so white is representative
of the reverse gender roles in her relationship, this quote also becomes ironic as she gives in to
poisoned chalice to our own lips.” - Macbeth itself” - Macbeth
Notes: Notes:
Demonstrates that there are consequences [even-handed justice] and implications for his actions This strongly foreshadows the tragic hero’s own demise in the play. Fails to take caution and
[poisoned chalice] instead becomes excessively proud and complacent through the witches’ second prophesies
suggesting the fact that ambition leads to failure.
Device:
Metaphor – poisoned chalice is a metaphor for ambition, with even-handed justice commending Device:
his consequences. Metaphor – Macbeth likens his intent to a horse and his ambition to the spur.
Themes: Ambition Compares his ambition to a rider jumping into the saddle of a horse. High leaps (tries to seize
the crown of Scotland). Misses his seat and falls (meets with disaster)
Themes: Ambition, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, to betray us in deepest consequence.” - Banquo Quote: “Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail,
Macbeth that shall be king hereafter!”- The Witches
Notes:
Banquo resists the temptation given by Macbeth. Shakespeare uses the characts to show Notes:
supernatural presence. The witches are playing on Macbeths ambition and planting the idea of murder. It
opens Macbeth’s eyes to the possibility that he can have a title greater than a
thane, but a king instead.
Device:
This scene is important for the whole play that it works as foreshadowing. The
Foreshadowing – what will eventually happen to Macbeth, shows Macbeths true character –
prophecy is the major cause for Macbeths tragedy.
consumed by his ambition.
Macbeth will not only gain power/influence from his destiny, and not from, his
actions.
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that Quote: “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir.” - Macbeth
function is smothered in surmise.” - Macbeth
Notes:
Notes: He is thinking about his future as a king. He believes in destiny and prophecy will create a
The witches’ words have stirred some ambition in Macbeth. situation for him to be the king without him trying.
Macbeth’s thoughts are significant to his ambition since the witches did not tell
Macbeth that he would have to kill King Duncan.
Device:
It demonstrates the strength of Macbeth's inner ambition.
Juxtaposition - Contrasts the person Macbeth was before and after the murder. This is in
“Surmise” means: “suppose that something is true without having evidence to complete juxtaposition to his prior thoughts of “whose murder yet is but fantastical”.
confirm”.
“Surmise” also means “imagination” in this context.
If Macbeth kills Duncan, he will forever be trapped in a supernatural world for his Themes: Ambition, Fate
dishonourable action.
Themes: Ambition, Supernatural, Fate, Manipulation
Quote: “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in Quote: “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus” - Macbeth
my way it lies.” - Macbeth
Notes:
Notes: Macbeth speaks this line after he has become king but continues to feel restless and insecure.
Macbeth is innocent before he decides to become king. His ambition to become King, in his eyes,
has been thwarted and he believes that it is a “step on which [he] must fall down, or else
overleap”. Macbeth finds it meaningless to be king. This quote reveals how him giving in to his ambition
and murdering Duncan has not brought him peace, but rather has just left him more paranoid
and anxious.
If fate wants him to become king, fate will make it happen without Macbeth doing
anything, like murder the king.
he calls upon the stars to hide their “fires”, so that no one will know his “black”/evil Themes: Ambition, Gender
desires, those being to become king. Macbeth is back on the path of manipulating fate.
Device:
Metaphor – The step represents the success of his ambition where he must either “fall down” or
“overleap” suggesting his downfall is due to his ambition or failure [Ties again with theme of Fate]
Themes: Ambition, Fate
Quote: “I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none.” – Lady Macbeth Quote: “When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you
would Be so much more the man”. – Lady Macbeth
Notes:
Macbeth believes that he’s willing to do anything he considered “manly”. Notes:
It’s left purposefully unclear whether Macbeth is a moral person manipulated by bad She asserts that he must truly be a coward if he won’t carry out the murder and doing so will
influences and circumstances, or merely an immoral coward who needs his wife. make him more of a man. She is manipulating her husband Macbeth by speaking about his
He does not think that killing King Duncan would be an act of righteousness. manhood; she is attacking his masculinely.
Themes: Gender, Manipulation
Themes: Ambition, Gender, Manipulation
Quote: “Like the Poor cat in the adage?” – Lady Macbeth Quote: “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white” – Lady Macbeth
Notes: Notes:
Lady Macbeth questions her husband's manhood when he decides he does not want to go ahead Lady Macbeth is free from guilt but is appalled by Macbeth’s cowardice and emotion, which to
with assassinating Duncan. Lady Macbeth is manipulating him in this context. her is unbecoming of a man. Lady Macbeth’s shame to wear a heart so white is representative
of the reverse gender roles in her relationship, this quote also becomes ironic as she gives in to
