Literary Terms/Vocab 1
The main/central character whose negative end is imminent
What is tragic hero?
Refers to the problems between a character and some sort of outside force.
What is an external conflict?
Who was the original ruler of Scottland?
Who is King Duncan?
What is the significance of opening up the play with the scene with the witches?
By opening with the witches, Shakespeare creates an eerie/evil mood. Foreshadows what's to come
What mistake does Lady Macbeth have to repair after the murder?
she takes the bloody daggers back to the king's chamber
What does the word Renaissance mean? ***
What is rebirth?
The technical term for excessive pride and self confidence
What is hubris?
Whose ghost is seen during the banquet/feast in Act 3?
Banquo
Who mapped out the plan to kill King Duncan?
Lady Macbeth
The blood on Macbeth’s hand after the murder is symbolic of
Who is Banquo's son?
Fleance
Refers to a character's struggle within themselves
What is internal conflict?
One thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else.
What is a symbol
What are Macbeth's plans for Banquo and his son, Fleeance? Is it successful?
He plans to kill them. No, Fleeance escapes
Who questions why Macbeth killed the guards?
Macduff
Who originally betrays King Duncan in Act 1?
The former Thane of Cawdor
Moments or characters in a work that help break the tension. Usually really funny or dumb.
What is comic relief?
A dramatic device in which a character makes a short speech intended for the audience but not heard by the other characters on stage.
What is an aside
What are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's plans for the current King? Be specific.
Plan to kill him by intoxicating the guards, stabbing Duncan with a dagger, then blaming it on the passed out guards.
Who provided the comic relief in Act 2?
The Porter
How does Macbeth originally react to his own thoughts of killing Duncan?
He considering crossing his lines of morality and that thought alone scares him.
Who is Hecate and how does she plan to trick Macbeth?
She will produce apparitions that convince Macbeth he can outwit fate
An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
What is a soliloquy?
Character who contrasts with the main character and highlights their qualities
What is FOIL character
List the three prophecies made by the Witches for Macbeth in order.
1. Thane of Glamis
2. Thane of Cawdor
3. King of Scotland
These characters end up running away after finding out that King Duncan was murdered.
What does the following quote mean? "This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth?"
The witches' prophecy doesn't seem to be good, but it can't be bad either. If it was bad, then why was it true?
What does "I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er" mean?
MacBeth now has so much blood on his hands, it's too late to turn back, so he will keep killing.