Modern text Macbeth

Original Text

Modern Text

Why, it stood by her. She has light by her continually. 'Tis her command.

It stands by her bedside. She always has to have a light next to her. Those are her orders.

You see her eyes are open.

You see, her eyes are open.

Ay, but their sense is shut.

Yes, but they don’t see anything.

What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

What’s she doing now? Look how she rubs her hands.

It is an accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

She often does that. She looks like she’s washing her hands. I’ve seen her do that before for as long as fifteen minutes.

Yet here’s a spot.

There’s still a spot here.

Hark! She speaks. I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

Listen! She’s talking. I’ll write down what she says, so I’ll remember it better.

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky!—Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account?—Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.

(rubbing her hands) Come out, damned spot! Out, I command you! One, two. OK, it’s time to do it now.—Hell is murky!—Nonsense, my lord, nonsense! You are a soldier, and yet you are afraid? Why should we be scared, when no one can lay the guilt upon us?—But who would have thought the old man would have had so much blood in him?

Do you mark that?

Did you hear that?

The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—What, will these hands ne'er be clean?—No more o' that, my lord, no more o' that. You mar all with this starting.

The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—What, will my hands never be clean?—No more of that, my lord, no more of that. You’ll ruin everything by acting startled like this.

Go to, go to. You have known what you should not.