Have you ever read Macbeth and found yourself fascinated, or even a little horrified , by Lady Macbeth’s boldness and determination? If you’re trying to understand her mindset, it can be tricky to figure out exactly what drives her to push Macbeth toward murdering King Duncan. Her words are full of ambition, manipulation, and tension, making it hard to keep track of the most important lines. Many students and literature lovers search for Lady Macbeth quotes about killing Duncan to get a clearer picture of her character and motivations.
In this blog post, we’ve gathered some of the most powerful Lady Macbeth quotes about killing Duncan and broken them down for easy understanding. You’ll discover what her words reveal about her ambition, guilt, and influence over Macbeth, along with helpful insights to analyze these quotes in essays or discussions. By the end, you’ll have a clear, human-friendly guide to one of Shakespeare’s most unforgettable characters.
Lady macbeth quotes about killing duncan act 2
- “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold.”
Lady Macbeth shows her fearlessness and readiness to commit murder, using the servants’ drunkenness to give her courage. - “What hath quenched them hath given me fire.”
This quote emphasizes her inner drive and ambition, turning obstacles into motivation to act decisively. - “Screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail.“
Here, Lady Macbeth Quotes About Killing Duncan push Macbeth to summon his courage and follow through with their deadly plan, illustrating her persuasive control. - “The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements.”
She associates the arrival of Duncan with death, foreshadowing the murder she is planning. - “Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, and ’tis not done.”
Lady Macbeth shows her anxiety and anticipation, revealing the tension before the murder. - “Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts.“
A key Lady Macbeth Quote About Killing Duncan, invoking supernatural aid to strengthen her resolve and remove human compassion. - “Hark!, Peace. It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman, which gives the stern’st good-night.”
She interprets natural omens as signals that their deadly deed is imminent. - “I have drugged their possets, that death and nature do contend about them whether they live or die.”
This quote shows her calculated preparation, ensuring Duncan’s servants cannot interfere. - “I laid their daggers ready; he could not miss ’em.”
Lady Macbeth takes control of the logistics, demonstrating her practical cunning and determination. - “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I hadn’t.”
Even she hesitates briefly, revealing the human vulnerability behind her ambition. - “Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand.”
Her advice to Macbeth shows her attempt to manage both guilt and appearances. - “The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures.”
She diminishes human emotion, framing the act of murder as a detached, almost artistic act. - “’Tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.”
She mocks Macbeth’s hesitation, equating fear with childish weakness. - “If he bleeds, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal.”
Lady Macbeth takes responsibility for manipulating evidence to cover their crime. - “Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, you do unbend your noble strength to think so brainsickly of things.”
She reassures and criticizes Macbeth simultaneously, showing her dominance and resolve. - “Be not lost so poorly in your thoughts.”
Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to focus on action rather than doubt, keeping him aligned with her plan. - “A little water clears us of this deed.”
She believes practical action can erase moral guilt, underestimating the psychological consequences. - “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
This famous line highlights her manipulative strategy, blending innocence with deadly intent. - “Come thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell.”
A chilling plea for darkness to conceal her deeds, reflecting the depth of her ambition. - “Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”
She asks the spirits to remove her conscience, showing her willingness to forsake morality. - “Fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty.”
Lady Macbeth desires complete ruthlessness, preparing herself mentally to commit murder. - “Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear.”
She seeks to influence Macbeth completely, shaping his thoughts to align with her murderous plan. - “What’s done is done, and must not be undone.”
After the act, she tries to rationalize their crime and control Macbeth’s guilt. - “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!’”
This reflects the psychological torment that follows Duncan’s murder, highlighting inevitable guilt. - “To know my deed ’twere best not know myself.”
Even Macbeth begins to feel horror, and Lady Macbeth’s calm facade contrasts his panic. - “I hear a knocking at the south entry.”
She remains alert, focused on appearances, emphasizing her practicality and cunning. - “Your constancy hath left you unattended.”
She criticizes Macbeth’s wavering will, reinforcing her role as the dominant planner. - “The multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”
Macbeth visualizes the bloodshed; Lady Macbeth’s response emphasizes control over the situation. - “Give me the daggers.”
She takes immediate action to correct Macbeth’s mistake, showing her decisiveness and fearlessness. - “Infirm of purpose! Go, carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood.”
A final assertion of her dominance, she ensures that the murderer’s execution follows her calculated plan.
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FAQ’s
How does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth?
Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by telling him to hide his true intentions while appearing innocent.
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” – Act 1, Scene 5
What does Lady Macbeth say about killing Duncan in Act 1?
In Act 1, she calls upon dark spirits to give her the cruelty needed to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan.
“Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty.” – Act 1, Scene 5
What are Lady Macbeth’s quotes about killing Duncan in Act 2?
Lady Macbeth takes control of the situation and prepares the murder while Macbeth hesitates.
“That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. I laid their daggers ready; he could not miss ’em.” , Act 2, Scene 2
How does Lady Macbeth push Macbeth to kill Duncan in Act 1, Scene 7?
She mocks Macbeth’s hesitation and challenges his courage, persuading him to commit regicide.
Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? Have you slept since?” , Act 1, Scene 7
What quotes show Lady Macbeth’s ambition?
Lady Macbeth fears Macbeth is too kind to seize the throne and decides to push him toward murder.
“Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” – Act 1, Scene 5
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Conclusion
The Lady Macbeth quotes about killing Duncan capture the very essence of ambition, power, and guilt. Each line reveals a different shade of her character , from her cold determination to her tragic unraveling. Through her words, we see how her hunger for power pushes both her and Macbeth into a spiral of madness and regret. Shakespeare brilliantly shows how ambition without conscience can destroy even the strongest of minds.
In the end, Lady Macbeth’s story isn’t just about murder or manipulation , it’s about the human heart’s struggle between desire and morality. The Lady Macbeth quotes about killing Duncan remind us how easily power can blind us to right and wrong. Her downfall serves as a timeless warning that guilt and ambition, once awakened, can never truly be silenced.
