Historical Context
Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth for this King.
Who is King James I?
When Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to show an innocent face but be a serpent underneath, she is exemplifying this theme.
What is Appearance Vs. Reality?
The quote, “When the battle’s lost, and won” is said by this character.
Who is one of the witches?
Shakespeare’s Macbeth is this genre of play.
This character is a war hero who receives a prophecy from three witches that tells him he will one day be King.
Who is Macbeth?
This attempted assassination of King James I inspired Shakespeare to write about the consequences of regicide.
What is the Gun Powder Plot?
When Macbeth learns he will be King, the bearers of this news exemplify this theme.
What is The Supernatural?
The quote, “yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human kindness” is said by this character.
Who is Lady Macbeth?
Because Macbeth is a tragedy, the audience can expect that many characters will what?
What is die?
This character begs the spirits to make them capable of being cruel enough to commit murder.
Who is Lady Macbeth?
This system put God at the top of the natural order in the world, with the King right below.
What is the Great Chain of Being?
Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s attitudes towards their plan to kill the King exemplify this theme.
What is Gender Roles?
The quote “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face” is said by this character.
Who is King Duncan?
Shakespeare’s form of tragedy is inspired by this Greek philosopher.
Who is Aristotle?
This character is meant to succeed Duncan as King of Scotland.
Macbeth was written shortly after the beginning of this historical time period.
When Macbeth questions whether he will become King without needing to act or do anything, he exemplifies this theme.
The quote, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” is said by this character.
Who is Macbeth?
In Aristotelian tragedies like Macbeth, the hero often has a “hamartia” that leads to their downfall. This is this English translation.
What is a tragic or fatal flaw?
This character was trusted by King Duncan but was put to death for betraying him by fighting with the Norwegian King on the battlefield.
Who is the Thane of Cawdor?
When Macbeth was written, Western thought was balanced between these two paradigms.
What are Christianity and Humanism?
Lady Macbeth’s desire to take the crown by force exemplifies this theme.
What is Ambition?
The quote, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles” is said by this character.
Who is Banquo?
At the end of an Aristotelian tragedy like Macbeth, this is the word for the moment that cleanses the audience of the suffering that happens in the play.
What is Catharsis?
These characters speak in trochaic tetrameter, which indicates their nature to the audience.
Who are the Witches?