Authors: William Shakespeare
aright
rightly
89
assurance
the Second Apparition’s promise/sense of personal security
90
bond
contract, legal guarantee
thou
i.e. Macduff
94
round And top
crown
97
lion-mettled
of a lion’s temperament (fierce, regal, courageous)
98
chafes, who frets
is roused and angry/enrages and vexes you
100
Birnam … him
Birnam Wood moves itself to attack Macbeth at Dunsinane Hill (about ten miles north of Perth; Birnam Wood is about fifteen miles farther northwest)
103
impress
conscript, enlist into an army
104
bodements
predictions
105
Rebellious dead
i.e. Banquo, who will not stay in his grave
107
lease of nature
natural lifespan
108
mortal custom
death, the customary way of humanity/the usual length of human life/life’s rent (
custom
)
120
so
in the same manner
eight kings
supposedly descended from Banquo; James VI of Scotland and I of England, king when Shakespeare wrote the play, claimed descent from Banquo
glass
magic mirror or crystal that could show the future
122
sear
burn/ dazzle
123
Thou other
Macbeth now addresses the second king
gold-bound brow
i.e. crowned head
125
Start
gape/burst from your sockets
126
th’crack of doom
peal of thunder at Judgment Day
130
two-fold … sceptres
two orbs and three scepters; probably refers to King James, the actual monarch of England and Scotland (two orbs), and titular king of Britain, France, and Ireland (three scepters)
132
blood-boltered
clogged with blood/with hair matted with blood
133
his
i.e. his descendants
135
amazedly
stunned, bewildered
136
sprites
spirits, mood
139
antic round
bizarre, grotesque dance
140
kindly
graciously, courteously
141
Our … pay
our respectful behavior was an appropriate display of hospitality and reverence
142
pernicious
ruinous
143
aye
forever
144
without
you who are outside
152
horse
horses
157
anticipat’st
forestall, hinder
dread exploits
fearsome enterprises (i.e. the intended murder of Macduff)
158
flighty
fleeting, swift
o’ertook
overtaken
159
the … it
the action accompanies the intention promptly
firstlings
first-born things
160
The … hand
i.e. the moment I decide to do something, I will act upon that thought
163
surprise
ambush, attack and seize
164
Fife
the region of which Macduff is thane
give … o’th’sword
i.e. slaughter
166
trace … line
follow him in his lineage, are descended from him
168
sights
visions
4
when … traitors
even when we have committed no treasonous act, fearful behavior makes us appear guilty
9
titles
all to which he is entitled (lands, his thaneship)
11
wants … touch
lacks natural instincts/family feeling
13
in
being in
17
coz
cousin (used for any relative, or as an affectionate term of address to a friend)
18
school
control
for
as for
19
judicious
prudent, of good judgment
20
fits o’th’season
violent and unpredictable disturbances of the current time
21
we … ourselves
we are declared traitors though we do not recognize ourselves as such/when loyalties become confused and we do not know whom to trust
22
hold … fear
make rumors out of the things we are afraid of
25
Each … none
(being tossed) in every direction and thus never making progress
27
climb upward
improve
28
pretty cousin
i.e. Lady Macduff’s son
32
It … discomfort
i.e. because I would weep/because I might be discovered by Macbeth’s spies
39
Poor
pitiful/impoverished
lime
sticky substance spread on branches as a means of catching birds
40
pitfall
trap in which a cover falls over a hole
gin
snare
41
Poor … for
i.e. they are only set for superior birds
52
swears and lies
vows and then breaks his word
61
hang up
hang
68
prattler
chatterer
70
in … perfect
I am fully acquainted with your honorable status and reputation
71
doubt
fear
nearly
imminently/closely
72
homely
plain, simple
75
do … you
i.e. to harm you physically/not to warn you at all
fell
fierce
76
nigh your person
close to you
87
unsanctified
unconsecrated, unholy
90
shag-eared
with cropped ears (a punishment for criminals; the mutilated ear might have an uneven appearance); some editors prefer “shag-haired,” shaggy hair being a traditional attribute of
stage
villains
91
egg
i.e. very young thing
fry
spawn, offspring
1
desolate
barren/lonely/miserable
shade
shadowy or reclusive place
4
fast
firmly
mortal
deadly
5
Bestride … birthdom
protect our fallen birthright (as one would stand astride and defend a fallen soldier on the battlefield)
7
that
so that
9
Like … dolour
the same cry of sorrow
10
wail
lament
12
to friend
favorable, on my side
13
perchance
perhaps
14
sole name
name alone
15
honest
honorable
16
touched
harmed
something … me
you may detect something of him in me
17
wisdom
you may deem it wisdom
19
angry god
i.e. Macbeth
22
recoil
degenerate, give way (plays on sense of “rebound like a firearm that has been shot”)
23
imperial charge
royal command (
charge
plays on sense of “quantity of gunpowder in a firearm”)
24
That … transpose
my (suspicious) thoughts cannot change you from what you really are
25
the brightest
i.e. Lucifer, or Satan, the brightest angel who was cast out of heaven for defying God
26
foul
sinful/dirty, tarnished
wear … grace
assume the appearance of goodness (thus casting suspicion on true goodness)
27
look so
look like itself
29
there
i.e. Scotland
doubts
suspicions
30
rawness
vulnerability/incompleteness (without
leave-taking
)
31
motives
incentives (to loving, protective behavior)
32
leave-taking
formal farewell/permission to depart
33
Let … safeties
do not think that my suspicions are intended to shame and insult you, but that they arise from concern for my own security
37
basis sure
foundation firmly
38
check
restrain/rebuke
39
title is affeered
(Macbeth’s) title is confirmed; plays on sense of “affeared,” i.e. Malcolm is frightened to claim his title
42
to boot
in addition
45
yoke
wooden apparatus worn on the neck of a captive or conquered enemy used to subdue and prevent escape
47
withal
moreover
48
right
rightful cause
49
England
the King of England
50
thousands
i.e. of soldiers
54
more sundry
in more diverse
55
succeed
follow (Macbeth; with a play on sense of “inherit the throne”)
56
What
who
58
particulars
individual features/detailed aspects
so grafted
are so merged (as in horticulture: a shoot from one plant is grafted onto the stem of another)
59
opened
revealed/unfurled (like a bud)
61
Esteem
regard, value
62
confineless
boundless
63
legions
multitudes/armies
65
top
surpass
67
Luxurious
lustful
avaricious
greedy for wealth
68
Sudden
impetuous, violently hasty, unpredictable
70
voluptuousness
lust for pleasure
71
matrons
married women
maids
virgins
72
cistern
large water tank
73
continent
restrictive/chaste/containing (perhaps with vaginal connotations)
o’erbear
overflow/crush (with my body weight during rape)
74
will
sexual desire/penis
76
Boundless … tyranny
in human nature, excessive lack of control is a form of tyranny over the self
80
what is yours
i.e. the Scottish throne
81
Convey
manage, carry out (secretly)
82
cold
chaste/lacking in sexual passion
hoodwink
blindfold, i.e. deceive
84
so … inclined
the number of women who will offer themselves to a man in your royal position once they realize you desire them
88
ill-composed affection
character constituted of evil/poorly constituted disposition
89
stanchless
unstoppable