The translation of this line is o increase the hardships and misfortunes of the mortals (human beings) around them. The witches repeat this line thrice In this scene; the number three associating with evil and the witches clearly intending to want to Increase the hardships of mankind for their mere satisfaction and entertainment. I By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes: Open locks, Whoever knocks! Act IV, Scene I, Line 44 | “The tingling in my thumbs indicate that something wicked is coming this way. Let the doors open for whoever is knocking. I Significance: This quote is said by the second witch. With the phrase about pricking her thumb, she refers to a premonition of something that is going to happen. Then when she refers to Macbeth as “something” as opposed to “someone,” this diction is used to show that Macbeth has ruined and marred his humanity with all of the murders he has committed. In a way this quote foreshadows that something evil is going to take place soon and the witches are prepared to make sure that It happens. I The power of man: for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.
Act IV, Scene I, Line 80 | “No man that is born from a woman shall ever harm Macbeth. ” I Significance: The witches tell Macbeth that no man that is born too woman can ever pose a threat to him. This augments Machete’s pride and confidence to a level where he is under the assumption that he is almost invincible. This even makes him think to himself that it is alright if he does not kill Macadam as he will not be able to harm Macbeth. He interprets what the witches say in the sense that any man born will not hurt him as all humans have to be born to a woman.
However, what the witches fall to let him know is that a man that Is not naturally born (cesarean) will be the one to defeat him. Therefore, had Macbeth known about this, e would have been fearful of Macadam and made sure he was killed, which would have helped him remain king. Just his Interpretation of what the witches had told him is that he is safe which affects his decision making, this changes the plot entirely. “Even if you’re not a traitor, you’re going to look like one if you run away. Significance: Lady Macadam was angry that her husband fled and left his family unprotected. Lady Macadam believes that Macadam lacks natural human affection. She thinks that he doesn’t love them. She says that: “Even if you’re not a traitor, you’re going to look like one if you run away. So when Macadam ran away he turned the spotlight on him, since it seemed, to Lady Macadam, as if, he was scared. The significance of this quote is that Lady Macadam has a point when she says the fleeing will make it seem as if you are guilty. Lady Macadam says that Macadam apparently had no patience.
She thinks his running to England was madness, because even if we do nothing treasonous, we can still be called traitors if our fears make us run away. I But cruel are the times, when we are traitors / And do not know ourselves when we hold rumor / From what we fear, yet know not what we fear, / But float upon a wild ND violent sea [Each way and none. – Act IV, scene I’, Line 18 | “But times are bad when people get denounced as traitors and don’t even know why. In times like these, we believe frightening rumors but we don’t even know what we’re afraid of.
It’s like being tossed around on the ocean in every direction, and finally getting nowhere. ” I Significance: Ross is trying to explain to Lady Macadam that Macadam understands and knows that he had to run away in order to protect himself. This quote is significant because it is a bad time for our country when we can be traitors and not even know it Ђ? some of us are accused of being traitors, having done nothing. We believe the rumors we hear, we fear the rumors, but we’re not even aware of what we fear. We float on a wild and violent sea, and move in every direction.
This explains how life sometimes is, we try and try and try, but sometimes, get nowhere. I If he were dead, you’ll weep for him: if you/ would not, it were a good sign that I should quickly/ have a new father. – Act ‘V, scene it, Line 59 | “If he were dead, you’d be weeping for him. If you aren’t weeping, it’s a good sign that I’ll soon have a new father. ” I Significance: After telling her son that his father is dead, Lady Macadam’s son does not believe her. But Lady Macadam insists on him believing that he is dead.
The son replies that if he were really dead, Lady Macadam would be weeping for him and that if she was not weeping, it would be a good sign that he would have a new father very soon. I New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds As if it felt with Scotland, and yelled out Like syllable of dollar. Act ‘V, Scene iii, Line 5 | “Each day, new widows and new orphans will mourn over heir dead husbands and fathers as they are the ones who shall die. Let the new sorrows slap heaven in the face until it feels Scotland pain. I Significance: Macadam is saying that he wants vengeance and for all that has been done, men has to be killed. However, he says that indirectly by saying new widows and orphans will cry and there shall be new sorrows. It could be interpreted as Shakespeare using this diction to show that there are always consequences to violence and to intensify how grave and disheartening the current matters of the play appears to be. Then he uses n unusual metaphor meaning to slap the sky face so that it echoes the cries of Scotland as a result of Machete’s deeds.
Once again, this emphasizes the misery that Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state Esteem him as a lamb, being compared With my confidences harms. Act IV, Scene iii, Line 52 | “When people come to know of the evil within me, they will see Macbeth as no longer bad or evil but rather an innocent, pure lamb compared to the lengths of evil I plan on doing to him. ” I Significance: Malcolm is the speaker of this quote. As he speaks to Macadam, he is contrasting between how Macbeth was at he beginning of the play and how he is now, hence referring to him as “black Macbeth. He intends to say Macbeth is far from brave and noble now as he was at the opening of the play. Then he says to regard Macbeth as a lamb which is a symbol of purity and innocence when compared to the intentional harms he plans to do to him for all he has done. The dialogue between Malcolm and Macadam slowly builds up emotion and much aggravated attitude towards Macbeth. This hints to the audience that a confrontation or war of some sort is definite to occur in the near future of the play.
