Shakespeare
Shakespeare's plays were performed at this theater in London.
What is the Globe?
Macbeth appears "solo" on the stage during these extended speeches.
What are soliloquies?
After this character's death, the horses start eating each other.
Who is King Duncan?
The play demonstrates the overwhelming power of guilt through Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking and Macbeth's hallucination of this former best friend's ghost.
Who is Banquo?
When the witches say "by the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes," they are referring to this character.
Who is Macbeth?
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth for this royal patron, who was said to be a distant descendent of the historical Banquo.
Who is King James VI and I?
This term could be used to describe a "couple" of rhyming lines like this:
"Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell
That summons thee to Heaven or to Hell"
What is a couplet?
This character was not technically "born of woman" because his mother had a C-section.
Who is Macduff?
Lady Macbeth explains themes of appearance vs. reality when she tells Macbeth to "look like the innocent flower" but to act like this Biblical animal known for temptation in the book of Genesis.
What is the serpent?
This guilt-ridden character laments that "All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand."
Who is Lady Macbeth?
Shakespeare's wife shared a name with this Les Miserables and The Princess Diaries actress.
Who is Anne Hathaway?
This phrase could be used to describe the belief that a king's authority was derived directly from God, making king-slaying one of the worst possible offenses.
What is the divine right of kings?
This character is Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor.
Who is Macbeth?
While Lady Macbeth thinks that manhood is violent and unfeeling, this character demonstrates a different theme about masculinity when he agrees to face tragedy like a man, but explains, "I must also feel it as a man."
Who is Macduff?
This character's dying words are "Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou may’st revenge!"
Who is Banquo?
In addition to his plays, Shakespeare is famous for these 14-line poems.
What is a sonnet?
This term describes short remarks delivered directly to the audience which are inaudible to the other characters.
What is an aside?
Banquo, Macduff, Lennox, and Ross all hold this title, roughly equivalent to a Lord.
What is a thane?
The three witches could be stand-in for these mythological figures, who represent the dominance of destiny over free will.
Who are the Fates?
This clueless kinsman of Macbeth refers to his future murderer as "valiant cousin, worthy gentleman."
Who is King Duncan?
This assassination attempt occurred while Shakespeare was writing the play and may have influenced public opinion about attempts on the lives of kings.
What is the Gunpowder Plot?
This term for Shakespeare's signature rhythm refers to the five iambs, or pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables, that appear in each line.
What is iambic pentameter?
This Greek goddess appears briefly to reprimand her servants, the witches.
Who is Hecate?
While Macbeth and his wife fall into the sin of despair, this character asks forgiveness and faces the consequences of his actions, demonstrating themes of redemption and reconciliation for Christian audiences.
Who was the first Thane of Cawdor/the rebel?
This character protests to her murderer that "I have done no harm," but she is killed anyway.
Who is Lady Macduff?