MACBETH by Shakespeare.
SKILL: EMBEDDING AND ANALYSING QUOTES.
When writing an author uses particular word choices and literary features to convey their
meaning. In an essay, you need to demonstrate an understanding of these choices and how
they have been used to convey an idea or to construct meaning.
Verbs to use: shows, suggests, highlights, accentuates, conveys, demonstrates, illustrates,
portrays, depicts…
Quote
‘Fair is foul and foul is fair.’
‘There to meet with Macbeth.’
‘For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that
name.’
‘…his brandished steel, which smoked with
bloody execution.’
‘Of noble having and of royal hope / That he
seems rapt withal.’
‘Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.’
‘The instruments of darkness tell us truths; win
us with honest trifles….to betray’s in deepest
consequence.’
Embedded and analysed.
From the outset it is clear that Shakespeare
wishes to unsettle his audience, hinting at all is
not what it seems. This is made clear through
the witches’ chant that ‘fair is foul and foul is
fair.’
That the witches state that they will go to the
heath, ‘there to meet with Macbeth’ suggests
that they have evil intentions for him and that
his fate might not be entirely his own doing.
[Thane of Cawdor] ‘…implored your highness’
pardon and set forth a deep repentance.’
‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in
the face…’
‘….was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute
trust.’
‘The Prince of Cumberland…a step on which I
must fall down or else o’erleap.’
‘Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black
and deep desires.’
‘Art not without ambition, but without the
illness should attend it.’
‘That I may pour my spirits in thine ear…chastise
with the valour of my tongue al that impedes
thee from the golden round.’
‘I do fear thy nature, it is too full of the milk of
human kindness.’
‘Come, thick night and pall thee in the dunnest
smoke of hell.’
‘…take my milk for gall….’
‘…come you spirits…unsex me here and fill me
….topfull of the direst cruelty.’
‘never shall that morrow see…’
‘put this night’s great business into my
dispatch.’
‘look like the innocent flower, but be the
serpent underneath.’