Macbeth Home

Study Notes

Shakespeare Classroom

Email

Macbeth's Changing Character

Macbeth's state of mind gradually changes from the first glimmers of ambition in Act 1 to feelings of utter despair in Act 5. These are the key quotations which track this change.

Act 1 Glimmer of ambition...

  • "If chance will have me King, why chance may crown me, without my stir.." 1.iii.143-4
  • "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition..." 1.vii.25-8
  • "I am settled .. to this terrible feat.." 1.vii.79

Act 2 Guilty feelings... to murder

  • "Is this a dagger which I see before me.." 2.i.33
  • "Macbeth does murder sleep.. Balm of hurt minds..." 2.ii.36-9
  • "I am afraid to think what I have done.." 2.ii.51
  • "O, yet I do repent me of my fury That I did kill them..." 2.iii.88
Act 3 A nightmare existence
  • "To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus..." 3.i.47-8
  • "We have scorched the snake, not killed it ..." 3.ii.13
  • "O full of scorpions is my mind.." 3.ii.36
  • "My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear that wants hard use: We are yet but young in deed.." 3.iv.142-144

Act 4 Rash despair

  • "From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.." 4.i.146-148

Act 5 Resignation to fate

  • "Till Birnham Wood remove to Dunsinane I cannot taint with fear." 5.iii.2-3
  • "I have supped full with horrors..." 5.v.13
  • "Life's but a walking shadow .. Signifying nothing.." 5.v.24-8
  • " Yet I will try the last..." 5.viii.32

This site was written and designed by Carol Weale ©  2001