Macbeth Confidence Quotes

This is shown many times throughout the play; she thinks she can do everything that is needed to be done with killing Duncan, because she is not a “coward” but when it comes to her making the attempt to do so she chickens out because she finds Duncan to resemble her father to much when he is sleeping. She tells Macbeth everything will be fine as long as he doesn’t show his fear. She does not understand that she has a much stronger conscience then she is aware of. The play reads, “Only look up clear; / To alter favour ever is to fear: / Leave all the rest to me.” (Act I, v, 79-81) This statement is very important because it shows that Lady Macbeth is very confident in herself. She is saying that Macbeth just needs to stand there and look pretty, and sell himself to everyone mean while she will plan out everything else, involving this horrid murder. Much later in the novel she starts to feel very guilty for the murder of Duncan, and eventually falls ill, ridden in guilt. Lady Macbeth has mentally wired herself to act as though nothing will get through to her, it is like she is an iron wall, she thinks nothing can get through, but in reality, the wall is nonexistent, and her conscience is very strong, it is just not present at the necessary times. As well as Lady Macbeth’s blindness to her conscience and guilt, she is blind to the consequences that come with doing

"The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear, / Shall never sag with doubt, nor shake with fear" (V. iii. 9-10 Shakespeare). This quote by Macbeth is a hypocrisy to the way he lived his life and attained his power. Macbeth was often uncertain of the courses he should take to shape his destiny as well as of the actions he had taken that construct his past. Through regret, corruption, lies, and the never-ending desire to ensure power, Macbeth became insane and blinded to reality by greed and fear. However, Macbeth did not start out a ruthlessly evil and morally corrupted man. It should be noted that decisions corrupted Macbeth and transcended him from an honorable and well-respected man to a feared and hated tyrant; not fate. One might argue that

In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the theme of equivocation to effectively illustrate the evil nature of the witches. Equivocation is the use of ambiguous expressions in order to mislead. The prophecies of the witches play a mischief in this play, as they are a form of deception that at times use vague language to dodge an issue. The three influential prophecies, which the witches make in this play, are that the protagonist Macbeth will become the king of Scotland, Banquo will be the father of the king of Scotland, and Macbeth will not be killed until the Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane hill. The sources of these prophecies are the witches who put together the devious words into Macbeth 's mind, which demonstrates

If a person builds up an overabundance of confidence they can become arrogant and foolish. This arrogance can blind them from the reality that is present right in front of them. Once Macbeth becomes king he is struck down with this affliction. We witness Macbeth’s arrogance take over when he is in a confrontation with the witches and foolishly states that “[He] will be satisfied: deny [him] this, and an eternal curse falls on you” (IV.ii.103-105). This statement is painfully ironic and it is pathetic to see how a once intelligent warrior has morphed into a cocky imbecile. It is remarkable how audacious Macbeth has become simply by disregarding logic and becoming too confident in his ideals. If he didn’t get in over his head and used, at the very

Macbeth’s lines found in this aside, are significant to the degree to which they present Macbeth’s brutal insanity that has taken over his mind. Macbeth rambles on his worry and dissatisfaction of Fleance’s escape; though we are to think he was present during this occurrence, however, this may have gone unnoticed while he was finishing Banquo. This increasing insanity within Macbeth’s character completely distorts his mental state putting him in a dangerous position for his near future and his over destruction. Insanity is important as it along with his strong hold on becoming king that had led him this far down, that there is not turning back for Macbeth, falling right into a trap that will take his life. Aside from later hearing the horror in Macbeth’s mind as he speaks to the first murderer, Shakespeare creates a strong imagery his corrupt brain after his plan to destruct all fell through, when he claimed to ‘see’ Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth’s mind then works against him in his prophecy coming true - using metaphorical language to exclaim his worry and discomfort moving

She taunts him and his honours, which forces Macbeth to respond to to act in order not to look like a coward, to defend himself: ?And wakes it [the hope] now, to look so green and pale at what it did so freely ? (...) and live a coward in thine own esteem? (lines 36 - 43);

'Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come

As Act V opens, Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking is revealed, Malcolm and Macduff have gathered an army against Macbeth, and many of Macbeth's own thanes have deserted him. But Macbeth seems to rely on his belief in his interpretation of the witches' prophesies, which he reviews in V.iii. He vows that his heart and mind will not "shake with fear" (V.iii.10). After learning of the his wife's death, however, Macbeth in a famous speech (V.v.16-28) expresses his weariness with life.

It is not until we see Macbeth’s paranoia of his friend Banquo that we see more signs of guilt. Paranoid because of the witches prophecies stating Banquo’s sons will become kings, Macbeth orders men to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. The murders succeed in killing Banquo, but fail in the attempt to also slay his son. Once Macbeth receives news of the death of Banquo, he can return to his banquet. When approaching the table and his guests, Macbeth imagines the ghost of Banquo sitting in his chair. He begins to rant and shout to the conjured spirit, saying such things as “Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me/ Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the Earth hide thee.” Lady Macbeth is astonished by his outrageous statements and quickly removes Macbeth from the banquet. She blames his outbursts on a childhood illness, and explains to the lords that it is nothing to worry over.

People often wonder on what the future holds for them and some do take extreme measures in order to secure a future which suits best for them. Macbeth’s will to keep the throne for himself leads him to a consultation with the witches for the second time wherein he “[demands to] be satisfied [and denying him] this [would make him wish] an eternal curse [to] fall on the [witches]” (4.1.116-117). The apparitions summoned by the witches warn Macbeth about Macduff, someone none of woman born, and the Great Birnamwood coming to Dunsinane Hill. Nevertheless, Macbeth sees this as merely impossible and believes that the “mind [he sways] by and the heart [he bears will] never sag with doubt nor shake with fear” (5.3.9-10). Macbeth’s ruling passion reached

Laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth. ”(4.1.81-84). After being told this, he is finally convinced that “Macbeth / shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him.” (4.1.96-98).

So it comes to this. The English army is in the process of tearing down the ancient woods, preparing to defeat the one whom I despise the most, Macbeth. Oh Macbeth! This tyrant sits behind the walls of Dunsinane while Malcolm and his mighty force prepare to usurp him. Macbeth’s forces will be dashed against the walls of his castle, like waves against the ocean wall. Only then will Scotland be returned to order. And only the death of that accursed Macbeth will avenge my family’s deaths.

Shall come against him (4, 1, ll. 91-93). This passage shows the readers that Macbeth is now comfortable where stands,

In the final chapters of the novel, Macbeth is often called a tyrant and his loyal qualities have been completely swept under the rug. Malcolm states in the last words of the play: "As calling home our exiled friends abroad that fled the snares of watchful tyranny, producing forth the cruel ministers of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen" (V.VIII.66-69). His words that describe Macbeth completely contrasts with the initial descriptions of Macbeth: from ‘valiant cousin and worthy gentleman' to ‘dead butcher with a fiendlike queen'; the audience can clearly see how Macbeth tragically degrades throughout the play. Macbeth, before his is killed by Macduff, understands that the witches stated nothing but the truth, his ambition turns into deprivation, and he refuses to fight Macduff. "Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, for it hath cowed my better part of man! And be these juggling fiends no more believed, that keep the word of promise to our ear, and break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee." (V.VIII.16-22). The Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane and Macbeth opposes an enemy who

Lady Macbeth strengthens her mental prevalence over her husband by bolstering his self-confidence. One can easily trace how she casts doubts over Macbeth’s initial judgments, reassures him of the murder’s success, and redirects his confidence towards their malicious deed. In the soliloquy at the beginning of Scene vii, Macbeth presents several important reasons for not killing Duncan and ends with the resolute: “We will proceed no further in this business” (l. 31). Later, his strength of will diminishes significantly as suggested by his weak groan: “If we should fail?” (l. 59). Finally, his wife’s rhetoric has obliterated all the previous scruples: “I am settled” (l. 79). Indeed, these three quotations indicate the gradual but dramatic change in Macbeth’s values under Lady Macbeth’s influence. From a hesitant individual, wavering between loyalty and ambition, gratitude and desire, Macbeth has retained his self-confidence with his wife’s help. Moreover, the Thane of Cawdor has learned so much from his wife’s imperturbability that he participates actively in the scheming by suggesting using the guards’ daggers. The new confidence, with which Macbeth speaks about the plan, proves that Lady Macbeth’s methods of manipulation have achieved the desirable effect. By bringing composure and safety to her husband, she finally pushes him down the