What tempts a man to kill for a crown?
What haunts him when the deed is done? In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, we follow a valiant Scottish general spurred by a prophecy and propelled by his wife’s ruthless drive to seize the throne. Macbeth is a cautionary tale, as relevant now as when Shakespeare penned it in 1606.
This warrior’s prophecy sparks a ruthless climb, fueled by his wife’s cold ambition, only to crash in a storm of guilt and paranoia.
These 35 quotes trace his arc. They are pinned to Folger act, scene, and page numbers. It’s a warning as sharp in 2025’s power struggles as it was in 1606. Dig into ambition’s price, then and now.
Macbeth Quotes, Witches and Omens: Fate’s Twisted Call
Three witches stir a tempest of prophecy, their words a snare for Macbeth’s soul. They twist truth into traps, setting a stage where chaos reigns and fate feels like a rigged game—think 2025’s AI oracles or rumor-driven panics whispering destiny in our ears.
“Where shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurlyburly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won.” ~Act 1, Scene 1, Page 7
Analysis: A stormy curtain rises—the witches weave war’s end into cryptic fate. “Lost and won” teases Macbeth’s hollow triumph, a hook as sly as a viral forecast promising fleeting glory with a hidden catch. It highlights how “destiny” is a construct. It’s woven out of war, chance, and their twisted intent.
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through fog and filthy air.” ~Act 1, Scene 1, Page 7
Analysis: Good and evil swap masks in this eerie chant. It’s the play’s moral compass gone haywire. Macbeth’s world will flip. He chases “fair” crowns with “foul” hands. It’s much like today’s information war, where online mirages make lies gleam true and propaganda sways the masses into unethical actions.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” ~Act 1, Scene 3, Page 17
Analysis: Macbeth echoes the witches’ riddle, unwittingly bound to their spell. Victory’s thrill sours with their weird presence. It is a first taste of the chaos he’ll embrace. It is like a hyped IPO launch shadowed by accusations of fraud.
“If you can look into the seeds of time…” ~Act 1, Scene 3, Page 17
Analysis: Banquo probes the witches with cool doubt. His “seeds” metaphor questions fate’s clarity. Where Macbeth leaps, he holds back. It is reason’s quiet stand against ambition’s rush. It’s a contrast still fresh in our age, where we place blind faith in algorithms and data-driven predictions. They only end up being a house of cards.
“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!” ~Act 4, Scene 1, Page 120
Analysis: The witches’ brew doubles Macbeth’s dread. They use spectral lies. They are promising a new set of horrors to come. It’s chaos as theater. They are tightening their grip as he begs for more. This is like today’s panic-stoking headlines. Algorithmically amplified outrage keeps us hooked. We doomscroll for more.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” ~Act 4, Scene 1, Page 123
Analysis: Macbeth is named “wicked” here. His heroism has curdled into a menace. The witches’ glee as he stumbles in and flips the mirror. Fate’s not just done, it’s taunting. It is like a 2025 exposé catching a titan mid-fall.
“Be bloody, bold and resolute.” ~Act 4, Scene 1, Page 125
Analysis: An apparition’s promise is invincibility. It spurs Macbeth’s gore-soaked swagger. But fate’s fine print dooms him. It’s a bitter jest, echoing today’s overconfidence in tech or power, which crumbles fast when tested by reality.
Ambition’s Edge: The Hunger Unleashed
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth ignite a fire for power. They shred morals with ruthless efficiency. These quotes peel back ambition’s raw drive.
It’s a blade that cuts both ways. It’s as familiar to 2025’s empire-builders as it was to Shakespeare’s stage.
“Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.” ~Act 1, Scene 4, Page 29
Analysis: Macbeth, now the Thane of Cawdor, recognizes Duncan’s intent to name his son Malcolm as heir to the throne. This is a direct impediment to his own ambitions.
The witches’ prophecy has ignited them. This line isn’t just about secrecy. It’s a plea for the universe to avert its gaze as he contemplates regicide. It’s like a CEO in 2025, using encrypted channels to orchestrate a hostile takeover.
He is masking ruthless intent behind a façade of innovation and progress. The glaring light of public scrutiny will not reveal the backstabbing at play.
“Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it.” ~Act 1, Scene 4, Page 27
Analysis: Duncan utters these words about the former Thane of Cawdor. He was just executed for treason. But a shadow of irony falls on them, for Macbeth’s ambition will also drive him to treason. His death is foreshadowed here. We see the same echoed in today’s toppled icons of industry and technology.
They now face public disgrace over the choices that led to their downfall. Their final act of being ousted is greater than the questionable strides they took to get to the top.
“Come, you spirits…” ~Act 1, Scene 5, Page 33
Analysis: Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth’s letter detailing the witches’ prophecy. She recognizes the path to the throne is open, but her husband lacks the ruthlessness to seize it. With this invocation, she calls on darkness to “unsex me here.” She is trading her perceived feminine softness for a masculine cruelty.
She needs it to manipulate Macbeth. This is echoed in modern-day cutthroat environments and industries. It requires women to perform or embody masculine traits. Coding jobs in tech industries have long been held by male-dominated groups.
This perpetuates female underrepresentation and requires women to aggressively fight for recognition.
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.” ~Act 1, Scene 5, Page 35
Analysis: Here, Lady Macbeth reveals her cunning strategy. It’s a mask of welcoming innocence to conceal deadly intent. She coaches Macbeth to deceive Duncan. She wants to create a welcoming guise while plotting the assassination.
It’s ambition’s perfect disguise. It is reminiscent of a 2025 influencer. This influencer presents a pristine image on social media.
They secretly promote harmful products or engage in unethical business practices. They are leveraging trust for personal gain. The result is devastating for their followers.
“I dare do all that may become a man…” ~Act 1, Scene 7, Page 41
Analysis: Macbeth wrestles with the limits of manhood. He is struggling with morality versus ambition. The desire to “become a man” drives him to take drastic actions.
Is it only through ruthless determination that a person can be a man? This is reflected in today’s power talks, where masculinity is a key point of a negotiation. It happens whether it’s business or interpersonal.
“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent…” ~Act 1, Scene 7, Page 41
Analysis: Macbeth laments his lack of motivation beyond “vaulting ambition.” He knows that he is not motivated by necessity, honor, or even vengeance. He cannot blame outside forces. “Vaulting ambition” leaps alone—no nudge but his own hunger.
It’s the flaw that defines him, raw and reckless. He is similar to a startup king chasing the moon. They are unburdened by responsibility, heedless of risk, and unconcerned with the well-being of those around them. Their company becomes a toxic place of hustle and grind.
“Screw your courage to the sticking place…” ~Act 1, Scene 7, Page 43
Analysis: With vulgar and violent imagery, Lady Macbeth calls on Macbeth to fix and secure his courage like winding a ratchet. She steels his nerve like a bowstring. She makes murder a non-negotiable act.
She’s the force behind his strike, a push as real as any ruthless coach driving a hesitator over the edge. She’s the equivalent of the board chair, assuring their CEO to press forward with the launch of a harmful product, despite growing safety concerns from the public and the company. They are putting profit over people.
Guilt’s Grip: Blood That Won’t Fade
Duncan’s death poisons their victory. It turns victory to venom in their veins. These lines chart guilt’s slow chokehold. It’s relentless as a 2025 whistleblower’s sleepless nights after the truth spills.
“I go and it is done…” ~Act 2, Scene 1, Page 53
Analysis: Macbeth, moments before murdering Duncan, acknowledges the finality of the act. It is a dark contract now with himself, with fate, and with his wife. The action locks fate into place with a final and horrific act. Like hitting “send” on a leak that can’t be unsent to the press. The press will take down a titan or expose an evil. There is no going back; action is all.
“Methought I heard a voice cry, ‘Sleep no more!…’” ~Act 2, Scene 2, Page 57
Analysis: Macbeth, immediately after the murder, is consumed with paranoia and dread. Sleep, the innocent man’s reward, will forever elude him because of his guilt. The voice is his mind’s fracture. It’s a restless echo for anyone who’s crossed a line. As we see with whistleblowers now, some of them spend every moment in fear of consequences. They fear legal, financial, and relational outcomes.
In many cases, their careers are in tatters. It’s also an apt comparison to today’s overworked employee culture. This culture requires near-constant connectivity and attention. Even sleep is plagued with constant notifications and thoughts of unfinished work.
“My hands are of your color…” ~Act 2, Scene 2, Page 59
Analysis: Lady Macbeth shares the blood but mocks his fear. Guilt splits their bond. Her bravado’s a mask.
It’s as thin as a co-conspirator’s bluff when the heat’s on. Lady Macbeth tries to take the blood as her own. She’s ready to cover up the crime. A co-conspirator’s loyalty quickly fractures, revealing that these bonds are never strong. Soon, everyone will be fending for themselves.
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean…” ~Act 2, Scene 2, Page 59
Analysis: Overcome with guilt, Macbeth vividly imagines the impossibility of cleansing his bloodstained hands. Blood paints seas red. Guilt’s too vast to wash away. “Incarnadine” sears the image.
It is a stain as permanent as a public fall in our digital age. We see this in tech titans who tried to put their misdeeds in the past, only to have their transgressions dredged up by social media. Their digital footprints publicize their past actions for generations to come.
“A little water clears us…” ~Act 2, Scene 2, Page 59
Analysis: Lady Macbeth tries to dismiss what has been done by dismissing blood, and what it symbolizes, with a cold practicality. It seems the most logical and appropriate response in the moment, but it’s a facade that she, herself, will come to unravel later.
The phrase is like a politician shrugging off a scandal with a carefully crafted statement. They are attempting to minimize the damage before the full extent of the truth is revealed. Or if they know the “scandal” is more than is understood by the public, it can be used as future leverage over another in a game of cat and mouse.
“Out, damned spot!…” ~Act 5, Scene 1, Page 163
Analysis: Consumed by madness, Lady Macbeth obsessively tries to wash away the imaginary blood from her hands. Guilt shatters her. Blood’s scent clings, defying all perfumes.
From icy queen to broken sleepwalker, it’s the play’s rawest turn. It is a mirror to trauma’s lasting howl. Lady Macbeth descends into a mental health spiral that will consume her. This is reminiscent of celebrities who turn to substance abuse and risky behavior after scandals.
They are unable to cope with their past and are being permanently “canceled” on social media.
“What’s done cannot be undone.” ~Act 5, Scene 1, Page 164
Analysis: Now a broken woman, Lady Macbeth’s haunting acceptance of her fate echoes the finality of their actions. The weight of the unchangeable past destroys the mind. It leaves an empty shell. It’s the play’s bleak chorus, as final as a regret carved in stone.
It also parallels how 2025’s digital records can make past mistakes unforgivable, especially for politicians, CEOs, and celebrities. These will be associated with those individuals forever.
Power’s Cage: A Throne of Thorns
Macbeth’s crown traps him—won by blood, held by fear. These quotes map his slide into a paranoia where shadows wield knives. It’s a dictator’s fate in 2025’s restless world.
“False face must hide…” ~Act 1, Scene 7, Page 44
Analysis: Deceit’s his armor before the kill—truth festers beneath. Power starts here, a mask as flimsy as a leader’s front when the cracks show under media scrutiny.
“Confusion now hath made…” ~Act 2, Scene 3, Page 65
Analysis: Macduff names the chaos post-murder, the order’s dead with Duncan. It’s power’s first ripple, messy and real, like a coup’s fallout shaking 2025’s streets.
“’Tis safter to be that which…” ~Act 3, Scene 2, Page 91
Analysis: Lady Macbeth craves the dead’s peace over power’s “doubtful joy.” Her spark dims—ambition’s thrill sours. It is a tycoon’s late wish for escape from the pressures of their responsibilities.
“Things without all remedy…” ~Act 3, Scene 2, Page 93
Analysis: “Done is done” hardens to despair—the past’s a cage. Power’s weight crushes her. It is a truth as heavy as a 2025 scandal no spin can lift.
“O, full of scorpions…” ~Act 3, Scene 2, Page 93
Analysis: Paranoia stings his mind—power’s no prize, it’s poison. “Scorpions” bite vivid and deep, like a ruler twitching at every shadow in our tense age. This shows how those who make decisions that are unpopular, but necessary, may never live that decision down.
“All causes shall give way…” ~Act 3, Scene 4, Page 109
Analysis: He’s waded too far in blood—back’s as bad as forward. Power’s momentum traps him. It’s a dictator’s logic when retreats are just more ruin.
“Blood will have blood.” ~Act 3, Scene 4, Page 109
Analysis: Murder spins a wheel of revenge—he knows it’s coming. Power’s brutal cycle rolls on. It’s as inevitable as 2025’s feuds flaring up online or in the streets, fueled by bots and disinformation.
Fate’s Fall: Dust and Shadows
Fate closes in—prophecy twists, pride crumbles, and life’s a fleeting noise. It’s Macbeth’s end. It is as stark as 2025’s fights against unstoppable tides like climate change or tech’s dark edge.
“He shall spurn fate…” ~Act 3, Scene 5, Page 111
Analysis: Hecate smirks at Macbeth’s defiance—pride’s his noose. “Security” betrays, a jab at overreach crashing, like a 2025 AI dream gone bust due to ethical failings or unintended consequences.
“Angels are bright still…” ~Act 4, Scene 4, Page 141
Analysis: Malcolm sees grace past evil—hope glints beyond Macbeth’s dark. It’s the play’s faint light, cutting through today’s gloom like a stubborn spark in the face of our contemporary battles for equality and justice.
“Give sorrow words…” ~Act 4, Scene 3, Page 155
Analysis: Silent grief breaks hearts—Malcolm’s wisdom stings where Macbeth drowns. It’s a quiet truth, as vital now as accessible therapy for 2025’s buried pain and emotional support for survivors of trauma, either large-scale or small.
“Receive what cheer you may…” ~Act 4, Scene 3, Page 157
Analysis: Macbeth grasps at hope in gloom—a flicker before the void. It’s not grand, but it’s human, like a 2025 survivor clinging to scraps of light after a devastating climate event or social upheaval.
“Unnatural deeds…” ~Act 5, Scene 2, Page 165
Analysis: The Doctor links crime to madness—evil twists the mind. It’s a clinical cut, as sharp as a shrink dissecting a 2025 breakdown, and the need to disconnect from the relentless pressures of modern life to reconnect with one’s self.
“How does your patient…” ~Act 5, Scene 3, Page 171
Analysis: Macbeth begs for a cure to guilt, but the Doctor shrugs—self-inflicted wounds don’t heal easily. It’s despair’s peak, a cry no tech or spin can soothe today, as he will ultimately end up dying as well.
“To-morrow, and to-morrow…” ~Act 5, Scene 5, Page 177
Analysis: Life’s a “poor player,” all strut and no substance—Macbeth’s last gasp turns triumph to dust. “Signifying nothing” is ambition’s tombstone, a 2025 burnout hymn for hollow wins that, in the end, will disappear and ultimately be meaningless in the grand scheme of life. 
What’s Next?
If these words have sparked your intrigue, delve deeper into Shakespeare’s exploration of power and morality:
- Romeo and Juliet’s Tragedy: Unpack Shakespeare’s portrayal of passionate and tragic love that has inspired millions.
- More Quotes With Page Numbers: Browse our other articles, and improve your mind!
What other timeless truths resonate with you in Macbeth? Share your thoughts below!
Sources
To cite this article in MLA style, please use the following format:
Mortis, J. “Macbeth Quotes: Power’s Unforgiving Cost, With Pages.” Ageless Investing, (2023, July 18), https://agelessinvesting.com/macbeth-quotes-with-page-numbers/. Accessed [Date Accessed].
Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Barbara Mowat, Paul Werstine, Michael Poston, and Rebecca Niles. The Folger Shakespeare Library, https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/macbeth/read/. Accessed 7 June 2024.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the SPARK framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.