What, you egg! Young fry of treachery.

To remember this quote use the following mnemonic.

Sherlock Holmes is staring at Watson (what) who is holding a ewe (you) balancing an egg on her nose.

A young boy takes the egg from the ewe.

And fries (fry) the egg in front of a wall of treachery. 

"What, you egg! Young fry of treachery." Macbeth has sent assassins to kill Macduff's family (the Macduffs are loyal to King Duncan). This quote is spoken by one of Macbeth's assassins as he kills Macduff's son. Act 4, scene 2, line 50.

Meaning

• "What, you egg!" - The murderer/assassin insults the boy, calling him an "egg" - a symbol of youth and potential, but also something easily broken. 

• "Young fry of treachery" - He accuses the child of being part of a traitorous family ("fry" meaning offspring). The child represents a figure of innocence and honesty. 

• Overall interpretation - This moment shows how far Macbeth's tyranny has gone: He is now targeting innocent children. The insult shows how the murderer sees the child, not as a person, but as the seed of rebellion - something to be destroyed before it grows. 

Exam advice 

• Context - Macbeth has sent murderers to kill Macduff's family. This is part of his descent into cruelty and paranoia. 

• Theme of innocence vs violence - The brutal murder of a child highlights the loss of innocence and Macbeth's moral decay. 

• Characterisation - The murderer reflects Macbeth's ruthless order, showing how Macbeth's evil spreads to others.

• Symbolism - The egg represents fragile innocence and the future - Macbeth is trying to destroy threats before they can grow. 

• Tone - The line is violent, mocking, and dehumanising, intensifying the horror of the scene.