Name: ________________________________
English IV
“Macbeth Act 3: Quote Significance
DIRECTIONS: Using your knowledge of the play and ACT III, analyze the quotes mentioned below. You must
use specific names, details, and complete sentences to receive full credit. Remember, to analyze, you must explain the:
(1) Context (1 pt.) – describe what is going at this point in the play and what the quote means,
(2) Significance/Importance (1 pt.) - Consider why, out of the entire play, would I pick these quotes. For example,
explain how it relates to thematic ideas throughout the play, advances the conflict/problem, depicts a character’s fatal
flaw/tragic flaw/hamartia, etc. The scene and line numbers are given in case you need to re-read a section.
(3) Relation to another scene/character (1pt.) – identify and explain one other character, event, or quote that
somehow relates to the significance.
SAMPLE:
BANQUO: “Thou hast it now – King, Cawdor, Glamis, all as the Weird Women promised, and I fear thou
played’st most foully for it. Yet, it was said it should not stand in thy prosterity, but that myself should be
the root and father of many kings. If there come truth from them…may they not be my oracles as well and
set me up in hope?” (Act III, Scene I, lines 1-10)
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
1. Macbeth: “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and his royalty
of nature reigns that which would be feared… there is none but he whose being I do fear… come fate into
the list, and champion me to th’ utterance.” (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 52-77)
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
2. Macbeth: “Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature that you can let this go?… In
the catalogue you go for men, as hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels… and demi-wolves are
clept all by the name of dogs” (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 96-107).
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
1
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
3. Lady Macbeth: “Naught’s had, all spent, where our desire is got without content. ‘Tis safer to be
that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy… Things without all remedy should
be without regard. What’s done is done” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 6-14).
Macbeth: “Of full of scorpions is my mind! Be innocent of the knowledge”(Act 3, Scene 2, Lines ???).
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
4. Banquo: “O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou mayst revenge- O slave” (Act 3, Scene 3,
Lines 25-26).
5. Macbeth: “Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies. The worm that’s fled hath nature in time
will venom breed” (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 31-33).
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
5. Macbeth [to the Ghost]: “What man dare, I dare. Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, the
armed rhinoceros, or th’ Hycran tiger; take any shape but that, and my firm nerves shall never tremble…
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me the baby of a girl! Hence horrible shadow! Unreal mock’ry!...
Why so, begin gone, I am a man again” (Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 121-131).
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
6. Macbeth: “It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood… I am in blood stepped in so far that,
should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er… My strange and self-abuse is the initiate
fear that wants hard use. We are yet but young in deed” (Act 3, Scene 4, Line152 - 177).
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
2
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
7. Hecate: “Meet me i’ th’ morning. Thither he will come to know his destiny… and that, distilled by
magic sleights, shall raise such artificial sprites as by the strength of their illusion shall draw him on to his
confusion. He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear his hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all
know, security is mortals’ cheifest enemy” (Act 3, Scene 5, Lines 15-33).
(*Make sure you know who Hecate is!!!!)
CONTEXT:
SIGNIFICANCE:
RELATION TO ANOTHER PART OF MACBETH:
3