About this resource
You can't write a strong Macbeth essay without key quotations at your fingertips. This free resource gives you 25 of the most important quotes from the play, organized by theme and character, complete with analysis starters to help you integrate them confidently into your essays.
What you get
- 25 essential Macbeth quotes
- Organized by theme (ambition, power, guilt, etc.)
- Character-focused grouping
- Analysis sentence starters for each quote
- Contextual connection prompts
Ideal for
- Students revising Macbeth themes
- Anyone struggling to memorize quotes
- Essay writers needing analysis support
Quotes by Theme
Ambition
"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires" (Act 1, Scene 4)
- Analysis starter: Macbeth's ambition is so dark he wants to hide it even from the stars, suggesting...
- Context: Said after Duncan names Malcolm as heir, revealing Macbeth's secret ambition
"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition" (Act 1, Scene 7)
- Analysis starter: Macbeth acknowledges ambition as his only motivation, showing...
- Context: Macbeth's soliloquy before killing Duncan, showing self-awareness
"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus" (Act 3, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: Macbeth's paranoia shows that power without security is meaningless, demonstrating...
- Context: After becoming king, Macbeth fears Banquo's descendants
Guilt
"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" (Act 2, Scene 2)
- Analysis starter: The hyperbolic image suggests guilt is permanent and overwhelming, indicating...
- Context: Immediately after killing Duncan
"Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" (Act 5, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: Lady Macbeth's desperate repetition shows guilt consuming her, revealing...
- Context: Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, trying to wash imaginary blood
"Macbeth does murder sleep" (Act 2, Scene 2)
- Analysis starter: The personification suggests guilt destroys peace, showing...
- Context: Macbeth's immediate reaction to killing Duncan
Power and Corruption
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (Act 1, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: The witches' paradox establishes moral confusion, foreshadowing...
- Context: Opening line, sets tone of moral inversion
"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't" (Act 1, Scene 5)
- Analysis starter: Lady Macbeth's advice shows deception is necessary for power, suggesting...
- Context: Lady Macbeth instructing Macbeth to hide his intentions
"I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er" (Act 3, Scene 4)
- Analysis starter: The metaphor suggests Macbeth is trapped by his crimes, demonstrating...
- Context: After seeing Banquo's ghost, Macbeth realizes he can't turn back
Supernatural
"Is this a dagger which I see before me?" (Act 2, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: The hallucination shows Macbeth's psychological state, revealing...
- Context: Before killing Duncan, showing his guilt and fear
"Double, double toil and trouble" (Act 4, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: The witches' chant creates an incantatory rhythm, emphasizing...
- Context: Witches' spell, showing their power
Quotes by Character
Macbeth
"I dare do all that may become a man" (Act 1, Scene 7)
- Analysis starter: Macbeth's definition of manhood is tied to violence, showing...
- Context: Responding to Lady Macbeth's challenge
"Life's but a walking shadow... a tale told by an idiot" (Act 5, Scene 5)
- Analysis starter: Macbeth's nihilism shows his complete moral collapse, revealing...
- Context: After learning of Lady Macbeth's death
Lady Macbeth
"Unsex me here" (Act 1, Scene 5)
- Analysis starter: Lady Macbeth wants to reject femininity to gain power, suggesting...
- Context: Preparing to manipulate Macbeth
"A little water clears us of this deed" (Act 2, Scene 2)
- Analysis starter: Lady Macbeth's dismissive attitude contrasts with later guilt, showing...
- Context: Immediately after the murder, showing initial confidence
Banquo
"Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised" (Act 3, Scene 1)
- Analysis starter: Banquo's observation shows the prophecies coming true, highlighting...
- Context: Banquo suspects Macbeth's involvement
Analysis Sentence Starters
When using quotes in essays, try these patterns:
- "Shakespeare uses [technique] to show..."
- "This quote reveals [character]'s..."
- "The [metaphor/simile/personification] suggests..."
- "In this moment, [character] demonstrates..."
- "This connects to the theme of [theme] because..."
Context Integration Tips
For each quote, consider:
- When in the play? (Beginning/middle/end shows development)
- Who says it? (Character's role and motivations)
- What's happening? (Plot context)
- Why important? (Themes, character development, dramatic effect)
Related Resources
- Macbeth Complete Study Guide (Premium)
- A Christmas Carol Character Guide (Free)
Need help analyzing these quotes in context? Book a consultation to develop your essay writing skills.