Knock [within] PORTER          Knock, knock. Never at quiet. What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further. I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to th’everlasting bonfire. Knock [within] Anon, anon! I pray you remember the porter. Enter Macduff and […]

Knock [within] PORTER          Knock, knock. Who’s there, in th’other devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, equivocator. Knock [within] Knock, knock, knock. Who’s there? Faith, here’s an English tailor come hither for […]

Enter a Porter. Knocking within PORTER          Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell gate he should have old turning the key. Knock [within] Knock, knock, knock. Who’s there, i’th’ name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on th’expectation of plenty. Come in, farmer. Have napkins enough about you; here […]

Knock [within] LADY                          I hear a knocking At the south entry. Retire we to our chamber. A little water clears us of this deed. How easy is it then! Your constancy Hath left you unattended. Knock [within] Hark, more knocking. Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us And show us to be watchers. Be […]

Knock within MACBETH                  Whence is that knocking? How is’t with me when every noise appals me? What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. Enter Lady […]

LADY              Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures; ’tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt.             Exit     (2.2.49-54) Infirm of purpose! You weakling, losing your nerve, unable […]

LADY              Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength to think So brain-sickly of things. Go, get some water And wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go, carry them, and smear The sleepy grooms […]

MACBETH      Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep’—the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care, The death of each day’s life, sore labour’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, Chief nourisher in life’s feast. LADY                          What do you mean? MACBETH      Still it […]

MACBETH      One cried ‘God bless us!’, and ‘Amen’ the other, As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands. List’ning their fear, I could not say ‘Amen’ When they did say ‘God bless us’. LADY              Consider it not so deeply. MACBETH      But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘Amen’? I had most need of blessing, and […]

MACBETH      Hark! Who lies i’th’ second chamber? LADY              Donalbain. MACBETH      This is a sorry sight. LADY              A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. MACBETH      There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried ‘Murder!’, That they did wake each other—I stood and heard them— But they did say their prayers, and addressed them Again […]