Macbeth (29 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

BOOK: Macbeth
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55
fantastical
imaginary   

indeed
in truth/in deed  

56
show
appear to be  

57
present grace
immediate honor  

58
having
gain  

59
rapt withal
entranced, absorbed by it  

62
neither … hate
neither begs your favor nor fears your hate  

68
happy
favored by fortune/content  

69
get
beget, conceive  

72
imperfect
unclear/cryptic/incomplete  

73
Sinel
Macbeth’s father  

76
prospect
field of view/anticipation of the future  

77
whence … intelligence
where you got this strange information  

79
blasted
blighted/accursed  

80
charge
command  

83
corporal
physical, bodily  

84
Would
I wish  

86
on
of   

insane root
root of plant (probably henbane) that was reputed to cause madness if eaten  

91
th’selfsame
the very same  

93
reads
perceives, comprehends  

94
venture
risky involvement  

95
His … his
i.e. his personal feelings of awe and praises for you are both so great as to compete with one another (the result being that he finds himself
silenced
)  

98
stout
brave  

99
Nothing afeard
not at all afraid   

what … make
i.e. slaughter on the battlefield (
strange images of death
)  

100
As … post
messengers arrived as thick and fast as the tales they had to tell (though some editors emend “tale” to “hail,” which fits better with the subsequent
poured down
)  

106
Only … thee
only in order to usher you into his presence, not as a means of rewarding you  

108
earnest
pledge, foretaste  

110
addition
title  

115
Who
he who  

116
judgement
sentence  

118
combined
in league  

119
line
reinforce (metaphorically, “line the rebel’s garment”)   

rebel
i.e. Macdonald  

122
capital
deserving of the death penalty  

125
behind
yet to come  

129
home
fully  

130
enkindle
inflame, provoke  

133
darkness
i.e. the devil  

134
trifles
insignificant things  

135
deepest consequence
the profoundly serious outcome  

138
happy
fortunate   

prologues
preliminary actions/lines spoken by an actor before the beginning of a play   

swelling
growing/exalted   

act
division of a play (plays on the sense of “deed, action”)  

139
imperial theme
royal subject matter (
theme
plays on the sense of “subject that causes action”)  

140
soliciting
incitement  

142
earnest
pledge, foretaste  

144
suggestion
temptation, incitement  

145
horrid
frightful/bristling (like Macbeth’s
hair
)   

unfix my hair
make my hair stand on end  

146
seated
fixed, stable  

147
use
usual practice  

148
less
i.e. not as ghastly and terrifying  

149
whose murder
the enactment of which (this unusual use of
murder
reveals only too clearly what Macbeth’s
thought
is of)  

150
single state
unified existence/weak condition (
state
introduces a human body/body politic metaphor)  

151
function … surmise
usual powers of action are overwhelmed by speculation and
imaginings
  

152
nothing … not
only imaginings have any reality for me  

155
stir
stirring, taking action  

157
strange
unfamiliar   

cleave … use
do not cling snugly to the body’s contours until they have been worn many times  

160
Time … day
i.e. time is unstoppable and even the worst day has an end  

161
stay
wait  

162
favour
pardon  

163
wrought
preoccupied/stirred/worked on  

164
registered
recorded  

165
Where … them
i.e. in his memory  

167
chanced
happened   

at more time
when we have more time/at a later time  

168
The … it
i.e. having had time to consider it thoroughly  

169
free
frank, unrestrained  

Flourish
trumpet fanfare signaling the arrival of a person of authority  

1
or not
or are not  

2
in commission
given a warrant to see the execution carried out  

3
liege
lord  

9
Became
befitted/honored  

10
studied
practiced/skilled  

11
owed
owned  

12
careless
uncared for  

13
art
craft, skill  

14
construction
interpretation, explanation/way of building itself  

18
before
ahead (in terms of merit)  

20
Would … mine
I wish that you were less deserving so that I might have had sufficient thanks and payment with which to reward you  

23
all
everything, all my
thanks and payment
  

25
In … itself
i.e. being a loyal servant is sufficient reward  

29
Safe toward
to safeguard  

33
nor … so
i.e. your equal worth must be recognized  

34
enfold
embrace  

38
Wanton
unrestrained/abundant  

39
drops of sorrow
i.e. tears  

40
nearest
closest to Duncan (i.e. relatives and favored nobles)  

41
establish our estate
settle the succession of the state  

43
Prince of Cumberland
the title given to the heir to the Scottish throne  

44
invest
adorn, clothe  

which … only
an honor that must not be the only one to be bestowed (i.e. other nobles will be favored too)  

46
Inverness
town in the north of Scotland, location of Macbeth’s castle  

47
bind … you
make me more indebted to you (as your guest)  

48
The … you
a period of rest that is not used to serve you seems like hard work/anything that is not done on your behalf is tedious  

49
harbinger
royal messenger  

57
wink … hand
shut itself to the deeds carried out by the hand  

be
come to pass  

59
he … valiant
Macbeth is just as brave (as you say); Duncan and Banquo have been conversing during Macbeth’s aside  

60
his commendations
praises given to him  

62
care
considerate solicitude  

63
peerless
without equal  

2
perfect’st report
most accurate testimony  

6
missives
messengers  

9
deliver thee
report to you  

12
Lay … heart
reflect seriously on it/keep it secret  

15
o’th’milk … kindness
of compassion/natural humanity  

16
catch
seize  

nearest
most obvious, most direct  

wouldst
want to  

18
illness … it
wickedness that must go with it  

highly
greatly/ambitiously  

19
holily
virtuously  

play false
be deceptive, treacherous  

20
Thou’dst have
thou wouldst have, i.e. you want  

21
have
are to have  

22
And … undone
i.e. you fear carrying out the deed (murder) rather than its consequences (the crown)  

23
Hie
hasten  

25
chastise
rebuke  

26
impedes
hinders  

golden round
crown  

27
metaphysical
supernatural  

28
withal
with  

32
informed for preparation
sent news so that preparations might be made  

34
had … of
overtook  

37
tending
attention, care  

39
raven
considered a bird of ill omen  

42
tend on
attend  

mortal
deadly/human  

45
remorse
pity  

46
compunctious
remorseful, filled with conscience  

47
fell
fierce, cruel  

keep
maintain, preserve  

48
Th’effect and it
the outcome and my intention (
purpose
)  

49
take
exchange/consider, treat (as)/feed on  

gall
bile, bitterness  

ministers
agents/attendants  

50
sightless
invisible  

51
wait on
wait upon/lie in wait for  

nature’s mischief
human evil  

52
pall
envelop, wrap (as if with a pall or cloth used to cover a coffin)  

dunnest
darkest/murkiest  

53
keen
sharp (plays on the sense of “eager, fervent”)  

55
Hold
stop, desist  

56
all-hail hereafter
the future prophesied by the witches/the salutation of “king” that followed Glamis and Cawdor  

58
ignorant
unknowing  

59
instant
present moment  

63
purposes
intends  

67
strange
mysterious/unnatural/unfamiliar  

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