MacBeth Quotes Act 1-2

(Witches to Macbeth) After Macbeth is thane of both Glamis and Cawdor, he will end up king of Scotland.

All hail Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter!

Macbeth (alone) hallucinates that he sees a dagger, and he's unsure whether his eyes are deceived, or perhaps acutely perceptive. He interprets this as a sign of what action he should take.

Are thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling, as to sight, or art thou but a a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat oppressed brain.

(Banquo to Macbeth) Banquo is developing suspicion of the witches' fortunes and thinks perhaps they should not be heeded. The witches are classified as dark beings, not just supernatural ones.

But 'tis strange; and oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequence.

(Lady Macbeth to Macbeth) Challenges Macbeth's manliness, and demands he conjure up his courage and aim it (like a bow and arrow) toward killing the king.

But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we will not fail.

(Lady Macbeth soliloquy) Asks the spirits to dehumanize or dewomanize her. She wants to be free of any sympathy or weakness.

Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.

(Witches to general audience)

Fair is foul and foul is fair.

(Macbeth to Lady Macbeth) Macbeth admits his heart has failed and now he will go because of the guilt that will follow.

False face must hide what false heart doth know.

(Duncan to Macbeth) Duncan claims credit for Macbeth's success and wants to make sure he stays successful.

I have begun to plant thee, and will labor to make thee full of growing.

(Macbeth soliloquy) He has no reason to hate or kill Duncan except his own ambitions; Duncan is a good king and cousin

I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition.

(Banquo to Witches) Banquo wants his fortune told too. He has disdain for the witches but wants to know. He is a good foil for Macbeth. When Macbeth gets a good prediction, he becomes ruthless. Banquo stays loyal and dies.

If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me.

The shrieking owl is considered an omen of death. The ringing bell was used to indicate the hour of the night, or otherwise, to signal when a prisoner was about to be executed.

It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman, which gives the stern'st good night.

(Lady Macbeth to Macbeth) Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to look innocent but strike quickly like a serpent.

Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.

Macbeth says this to his wife, after realizing what a crime it was to murder someone while they innocently slept, and also that he likely ruined his own chances of ever sleeping peacefully (guilt-free) again.

Me thought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more!" Macbeth does murder sleep!"

Lady Macbeth chastises her husband for worrying about the blood on his hands. She feels no remorse, and mocks him for his feelings of guilt. Water, she thinks, will wash away the evidence, but Macbeth realizes that even "holy" water will never cleanse them of this sin.

My hands are of your color, but I share to wear a heart so white. Retire we to our chamber. A little water clears us of this deed.

(Duncan to Ross) The Thane of Cawdor was a traitor to Scotland and will be executed for it.

No more that Thane of Cowdor shall decieve our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death.

(Malcolm to Duncan) Talking about Macdonwald. The best thing he ever did was die repenting and not putting up a fight.

Nothing in his life became like him leaving it.

(Macbeth to Banquo) Echos the first words said by the witches. It may appear to be a fair day, though all the deaths make it "foul." It is an example of doublespeak--the ambiguous statement can mean more than one thing.

So fair and foul a day I have not seen.

(Macbeth to stars) Macbeth, despite Duncan's kindness, wants to murder his way to the throne.

Stars, hide your fires: Let not lights see my black and deep desires.

Lady Macbeth enthusiastically charges ahead with her plan to drug the guards and kill the king. She mocks the guards who should have been more alert, but now are drugged--making this seemingly an easy crime to commit

That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; what hath quenched them have give me fire! ...The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms do mock their charges with snores.

(Lennox) Comments on the events of the night, which he doesn't realize are a reflection of the evil act that has been committed, which has corrupted the natural order of the universe. The earth responds--in the same manner as when Christ was crucified.

The night has been unruly. Where we lay, our chimneys were blown down, and as they say, lamentings heard i' the air, strange screams of death...the obscure bird clamored the livelong night. Some say the earth was feverous and did shake.

Banquo comments (to Fleance) about the unusually dark night; he also explains that his weariness demands sleep, but something is bothering him that keeps him from that.

There's husbandry in heaven. Their candles are all out...A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, and yet I would not sleep.

(Duncan to Malcolm) It is impossible to tell a person's true thoughts. There is no way to tell if somebody is merely a good actor. This is ironic since the Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth both managed to fool Duncan.

There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face.

Malcolm compliments the captain on his bravery in battle and his loyalty to King Duncan's family, and then instructs the captain to update them on the battle situation.

This is the sergeant, who like a good and hardy soldier, fought 'gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! Say to the kind the knowledge of the broil as thou didst leave it.

Witches say to Banquo that his sons may be kings, but he himself will not be one.

Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be none.

Macbeth to Lady Macbeth--when at first, he tells her "no"; then proceeds to list various reasons why.

We will proceed no further in this business; he hath honored me of late, and I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people,...

(Lady Macbeth soliloquy) She thinks Macbeth is too kind to be king. He doesn't have the killer instinct to get to the top.

Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full of the milk of human kindness.

(Lady Macbeth to Macbeth) Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth how he should make sure his face should not be readable when he goes through with the murder.

Your face...is as a book where men may read strange matters.