Macbeth Versions of Reality Quotes Page 2
(Act.Scene.Line)
| Quote #4 LADY MACBETH Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men May read strange matters. To beguile the time, Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye, Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under it. (1.5.5) |
Whenever flowers and serpents come into it, we're ready to suspect Eve and that pesky snake. And sure enough, here's a woman convincing a man to share in her own, nasty little vision of the way things should be.
| Quote #5 DUNCAN See, see, our honour'd hostess! The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, Which still we thank as love. […] Fair and noble hostess, We are your guest to-night. (1.6.2-3) |
Hope you have your highlighters handy, fair Shmoopers: whenever you see the word "fair," it's a good bet you'll want to uncap them. Since we already know that "fair is foul," Duncan's attempted compliment comes with a big helping of dramatic irony.
| Quote #6 MACBETH I am settled and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (1.7.7) |
Macbeth is starting to get the hang of this whole deception thing: he's calling on his entire body ("each corporal agent") to help him out, telling his "false face" to hide the treachery of his "false heart."
