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What does this quote from Macbeth mean: "Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature?"
Quick answer:
The quote from Macbeth reflects his internal conflict after hearing the witches' prophecies. His heart pounding and hair standing on end symbolize his fear and anxiety at the thought of committing murder to fulfill the prophecy of becoming king. Despite the horror this idea induces, it's evident his ambition is considering this dreadful act, indicating the start of his destructive path.
As always, to identify the meaning of any given individual quote it is vital to look at that quote in context and try to use those contextual clues to help us understand it. This quote is actually from Act I scene 3 and is said by Macbeth as part of an aside in response to hearing the prophecy of the witches and then having the first element of that prophecy completed through his gaining of the title of Thane of Cawdor. In this aside, Macbeth explores his curious range of emotions at having had the first stage of the prophecy confirmed, and debates whether the prophecies he has received are good or bad. Note what he asks:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature?
Macbeth is asking...
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if the prophecies are good, why is it that he finds himself contemplating killing KingDuncan, something that terrifies him incredibly because it is such an unnatural thing to want to do? This quote therefore points towards the way in which Macbeth is already contemplating committing regicide to gain the crown for himself.
What does "whose horrid image doth unfix my hair" mean in Macbeth?
In act one, scene three, Macbeth receives a seemingly favorable prophecy from the Three Witches, who tell him that he will be named the Thane of Cawdor and become the future King of Scotland. Shortly after receiving the prophecy, Ross and Angus arrive to inform Macbeth that King Duncan has just given him the title Thane of Cawdor. Both Macbeth and Banquo are astonished by the news, and Macbeth immediately begins thinking about ways to attain the Scottish throne.
In an aside, Macbeth contemplates the positives and negatives associated with the witches' prophecy. Macbeth then begins to imagine assassinating King Duncan in order to become king, which is a horrifying, unsettling thought. Macbeth describes his feelings regarding the nature of the prophecy by saying,
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? (Shakespeare, 1.3.137-140)
Macbeth is essentially saying that the thought of committing regicide makes his hair stand on end and heart pound against his ribs in an unnatural way. These comments reveal Macbeth's ambitious nature and conscience. Judging from Macbeth's aside, the "horrid image" of murdering King Duncan is evidently disturbing and unsettling to him at this point in the play.
What does Macbeth's quote mean in today's society?
The longer passage reads:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature?
In Act 1 Scene 3 of Macbeth, Macbeth says,
"Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature?"
This statement is made in an aside after Angus reports to Macbeth that King Duncan has named him the Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his valiant service on the battlefield. Macbeth reflects on the prophecy that he and Banquo have received from the witches. He is uncertain about the nature of the prophecy--he questions whether the prophecy is of an evil nature when good has come of it. Then he considers the other perspective and wonders why, if the nature of the prophecy is good, he feels so unsettled by it. Macbeth says that his "seated heart" or his normally calm character "knock[s] at [his] ribs" because he is so torn and unsettled by the altering of fate. In this aside, Macbeth confronts his ethical dilemma and questions the nature of the prophecy and his role in the events to come.