His title hang loose about him, like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief

To remember this quote use the following mnemonic.

His title hang loose about him...

Like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief. 

"His title hang loose about him, like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief." Act 5, scene 2, line 21. Spoken by Angus, a Scottish nobleman, as the thanes prepare to confront Macbeth. 

Meaning

• "His title hang loose about him, like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief." - Angus is saying that Macbeth is unworthy of being king. The royal title of "king" doesn't fit him, just like a giant's robe would hang awkwardly on a small thief. 

• "Giant's robe" - the grandeur and honour of kingship. 

• "Dwarfish thief" - Macbeth, who is morally small and has stolen the crown through murder. 

• Overall interpretation - These are powerful metaphors suggesting that Macbeth's kingship is unnatural, ill-fitting and illegitimate.

Exam advice 

• Unnatural kingship - Macbeth's rise to power has disrupted the natural order and this quote visually expresses how uncomfortable and wrong his reign is. 

• Appearance versus reality - He wears the outward appearance of a king, but lacks the inner qualities like honour, justice and legitimacy. 

• Ambition and theft - Macbeth stole the throne through murder, the giant's robe suggests kingship itself is too big for him. He had ambition but he is ill-at-ease in his newly stolen role. 

• Lack of authority - The nobles now see through Macbeth's power and recognise that he has no true leadership or respect, only fear.