King James I
Other than England, which kingdom did King James rule?
Scotland
Witches were seen as messengers or companions to ________.
Satan.
The play was based on a true story: True or False?
TRUE
Metre is measured in two-syllable units known as...
Feet.
Which American actress shares a name with Shakespeare's wife?
Anne Hathaway.
What type of Christian was King James?
Protestant.
What "curse" is associated with the play?
You are not supposed to say the title of the play. Instead, it is traditionally referred to as "The Scottish Play."
In an attempt to overthrow the King, what did Guy Fawkes and his associates try to blow up?
Parliament.
Which type of verse (metre) do royalty typically use in Shakespearean drama?
Iambic Pentameter.
The villain in the classic American horror film "A Nightmare on Elm Street" got his start as a Shakespearean stage actor. What was the name of his character in that film?
Freddie Krueger
Which historical assassination attempt occurred the year before the play was first performed?
The Gunpowder Plot
During the witch trials, which group of people were generally targeted in England?
Women
BONUS: How are the witches described in terms of gender by Banquo?
Who preceded King James on the English throne?
Queen Elizabeth I.
BONUS: Which famous 'Queen' links James and Elizabeth as blood relatives?
In terms of the dramatic form: what is the defining feature of a "Tragedy"
The hero (and usually many others) die in the end.
Seeds of which American plant have been found in excavations at the Globe Theatre, suggesting audience members might have munched on them during shows?
Pumpkins
BONUS: Which famous pumpkin-themed band made it big in the 1990s with hit songs including "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "Today," and "1979."
Which topic did King James himself write a book about?
Witches and Witchcraft
BONUS: What was that book called?
There are 3 witches in the play. Which Christian idea is inverted by the fact that there are 3 witches?
The Holy Trinity (The son, the father, the holy spirit)
What 'right' was attributed to monarchs in Jacobean England?
The "Divine Right of Kings."
What metrical form do the witches speak in?
Trochaic Tetrameter.
BONUS: What is the stress pattern of a trochee?
Irish mercenaries (paid soldiers) appear in Act 1 of the play. Which American university has the "Fighting Irish" as its mascot?
Notre Dame
Other than Shakespeare's plays, which text did King James commission?
The King James Bible.
Which Greek mythological figures are the witches similar to in Macbeth?
The Fates.
What term is given for the metaphysical hierarchy residents of Jacobean England believed in?
The Great Chain of Being
BONUS: List several (at least 3) levels of the Chain in order.
What Greek word describes a tragic hero's "fatal flaw"?
Hamartia.
How many American presidents share the name "James" with the King during Shakespeare's time?
6 (Madison, Monroe, Buchanan, Polk, Garfield, Carter)