Macbeth's Key Quotes
Macbeth's character transforms dramatically throughout the play, and his quotes track this journey perfectly. Early on, he's described as "valour's minion" and "brave Macbeth", showing his heroic reputation.
His ambition becomes clear when he speaks of "vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself" and "stars hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires". These quotes reveal his inner conflict between desire and morality.
After Duncan's murder, Macbeth's guilt consumes him. The famous "will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood clean from my hand?" shows how the crime haunts him. His mind becomes tortured - "o full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife" - and he questions whether he can even say "Amen".
Top Tip: Notice how Shakespeare uses blood and water imagery throughout - this contrast appears in loads of quotes and makes brilliant analysis material.
By the play's end, others see Macbeth as a "dead butcher" and a tyrant. His final nihilistic view comes through in "it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
