William Shakespeare’s *Macbeth* is a treasure trove of powerful, poetic, and deeply philosophical quotes that have transcended time. From themes of ambition and guilt to fate and free will, the play’s timeless wisdom captures the complexities of human emotions and morality. This article curates 10 well-thought-out subtitles, each containing 12 quotes that highlight uniquely profound aspects of the play. By dissecting these quotes, we delve into the genius of Shakespeare’s writing and explore why his words still resonate with global audiences today. Whether you’re looking for introspection, inspiration, or just an appreciation for literary brilliance, these quotes will spark thought and perhaps offer a new lens to observe the world. Here’s your guide to the most significant quotes from *Macbeth*, divided into meaningful categories for easier exploration.
Quotes About Ambition
"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other."
"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires."
"Thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it."
"Out, I say! The milk of human kindness doth hinder thy rise."
"Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell."
"To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done."
"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."
"Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under't."
"Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o' the milk of human kindness."
"Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill."
"Let not light see my black and deep desires."
"For mine own good, all causes shall give way: I am in blood, stepped in so far."
Quotes About Guilt
"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine."
"Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’."
"Here's the smell of blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand."
"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!"
"A little water clears us of this deed."
"Out, damned spot! out, I say!"
"What’s done is done."
"I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on ’t again I dare not."
"Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold."
"Blood will have blood!"
"I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears."
"That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold."
Quotes About Power
"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!"
"There’s daggers in men’s smiles."
"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes."
"What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?"
"Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are."
"Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all as the weird women promised."
"Our fears in Banquo stick deep."
"Better be with the dead, whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace."
"When you durst do it, then you were a man."
"We have scorched the snake, not killed it."
"I am in perfect safety, still upon the top of fortune."
"What man dare, I dare."
Quotes About Fate
"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!"
"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir."
"Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane."
"When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, or in rain?"
"What’s done cannot be undone."
"Fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crown’d withal."
"How e'er you come to know it, answer me."
"Come, Fate, into the list, and champion me to the utterance."
"Destiny, fate, and the far perception of time unravel the Kingdom’s truths."
"The time has been, my senses would have cooled to hear a night-shriek."
"Watch o'er your kingdom; fated deeds unfold."
"The weird sisters, hand in hand, posters of the sea and land."
Quotes About Death
"The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements."
"The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell."
"Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow."
"I have supped full with horrors."
"Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage."
"There’s daggers in men’s smiles."
"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day."
"Come, seeling night, scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day."
"Let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer."
"The spirits that know all mortal consequences have pronounced me thus."
"O horror, horror, horror!"
"Here lay Duncan, his silver skin laced with his golden blood."
Quotes About Betrayal
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."
"There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face."
"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."
"The near in blood, the nearer bloody."
"Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?"
"Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty."
"Thou canst not say I did it—never shake thy gory locks at me."
"Things without remedy should be without regard: what’s done is done."
"Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell."
"Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters."
"Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old turning the key."
"We have scorched the snake, not killed it."
Final words
Shakespeare’s *Macbeth* serves as a timeless exploration of human nature, ambition, morality, and fate. It compels us to confront the consequences of unchecked desires and the moral dilemmas we face when ambition drives us beyond limits. The play’s deeply layered and poetic quotes capture complexities that resonate with people across generations. Whether you are navigating personal ambition, battling guilt, or contemplating life’s fleeting nature, these timeless excerpts from *Macbeth* highlight Shakespeare's genius in capturing universal truths. Dive into the brilliance of his words, unlocking new interpretations with every read. After all, Shakespeare reminds us, power, guilt, fate, and a quest for meaning lie at the heart of the human experience.
