Clothing as it relates to Macbeth

1. Clothing as it relates to Macbeth

2. Act I, Scene 3, Line 108-109 • “The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” –Macbeth • When Macbeth says “borrowed robes” he doesn’t mean that he is literally dressed in used robes. He is referring to the fact that Macbeth feels the title “Thane of Cawdor” doesn’t belong to him. • http://www.shmoop.com/macbeth/clothing-symbol.html

3. Act 5, Scene 2, Line 20-22 • “Now does he feel his title hang loose about him like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief.” – Angus • Angus doesn’t feel that Macbeth deserves the title of king. • Angus means by “dwarfish thief” that Macbeth has stolen the king’s power when he killed him. Also by saying it’s a “giant’s robe” he’s saying that Macbeth is not “big enough” to fill the king’s place. • http://www.shmoop.com/macbeth/clothing-symbol.html

4. Act 5, Scene 3, Line 31-32 • “I’ll fight, till from my bones my flesh be hacked. Give me my armor.” – Macbeth • Macbeth became very defensive when he found out that no one was going to fight for him. • http://www.clicknotes.com/macbeth/Clothes.html

5. Act 5 Scene 5 Line 52 • “At least we’ll die with harness on our back” –Macbeth • “Harness” refers to armor and he says this when he realizes there’s really no hope. • http://www.clicknotes.com/macbeth/Clothes.html

6. Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 144-146 • “New honors come upon him, like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold but with the aid of use.” –Banquo • Banquo is saying that Macbeth isn’t fit for those clothes and he uses imagery to convey that he isn’t fit for that position. • http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=14546