| Verse vs. Prose (poetry) | Verse- denotes a single line of poetry. The term can also be used to refer to a stanza or other parts of poetry. Generally, the device is stated to encompass three possible meanings, namely a line of metrical writing, a stanza, or, a piece written in meter.Prose- ordinary form of written language and one of the three major types of literature. Shakespeare switches to prose when the porter/gatekeeper is talking to show he is of a lower class. |
| Allusion | A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. |
| Paradox | a phrase that contradicts itself. |
| Subtext | The unspoken or less obvious meaning or message in a literary composition, drama, speech, or conversation. The reader or audience figures it out over time, as it is not immediately revealed by the story. |
| Foil | comparing two characters that are opposites to highlight each others qualities. (ex; macbeth and banquo) |
| Aside | A short comment or speech that a character delivers directly to the audience or to himself, the other actors on the stage can’t hear them. |
| Soliloquy | Long speech in a play or prose that is said by one character only who is alone and reveals his/her private thoughts and feelings to the audience or reader. No other characters hear |
| Comic relief | “relief” that helps to relieve the audience/readers from the seriousness and tragedy (ex; Porter scene) |
| Tragedy | Type of drama/literature that shows the downfall or destruction of an important person, traditionally one who has a “tragic flaw”(Macbeth is a brave and noble figure led astray by ambition. Gets himself into problems because he wants to be king) |
| Tragic hero | (ex; Macbeth)- the character in a tragedy that possesses a tragic flaw. |
| Tragic flaw | The weakness that the main character in a tragedy possesses. |
| Reversal of fortune | The sudden reversal of fortune in a story, play, or any narrative in which there is an observable change in direction. |
| Catharsis | outpouring (release) of emotion that results in feeling better |
| Holinshed’s Chronicle | history book in the time period. Shakespeare took plots from this, his stories aren’t original stories. |
| Patronage | someone who supports or is a patron of something. |
| inciting incident | To start something, cause the incident. Needs this to spark the fire of a conflict in a story(ex; in hamlet the ghost says to get revenge on Claudius) |
| About the character Banquo | Banquo is based off of an ancestor of James I, he was bad in history but Shakespeare changed him to be good in the play (important character) |
| What is the exposition made up of? (Act I) | Time, Place, Atmosphere (mood), Introduces to characters, no conflict |
| About Act 1, Scene 1: | Mood: there’s a storm, lightning and thunder, rain, fog. Gloomy mood, there’s a battle the witches are talking about3 fates of mythology- there’s three witches, represent the fates. Fates would weave a cloth, measure cloth, and cut it. How long your life would be. Prophecy |
| What are familiars? | magical animals that help/assist you. Companion animals.Graymalkin- cat –> First witchPaddock- frog –> Second witch |
| Examples of paradox in Act 1, Scene 1: | “When the battles lost and won””Fair is foul, and foul is fair” Add to the mood, confusing, suspense, eerie |
| About Act 1, Scene 2: | Relationship between Malcolm and Captain- captain saved Malcolm from being a prisoner of war and killedMetaphor used to describe battle: Two swimmers preventing each other from swimming |
| How is Macbeth first described in Scene 2? | Described as brave and courageous. Fought hard in the battle and took down many enemies, kind of brutal. Cut someone in half |
| Who is Scotland at war with? | Norway |
| “As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. If I say sooth, I must report they were as cannons overcharged with double cracks.” Who is this quote about? | Banquo and Macbeth- they reacted quickly in the war |
| What happened to the Thane of Cawdor? | He betrayed his own people, he’s going to get executed and his position will be given to Macbeth. |
| About Act 1, Scene 3: | The witches are back, they set the atmosphere of the scene:They’re rhyming- kind of sounds like they’re saying a spell/curse (movie Hocus Pocus)The witches are going to meet Banquo and Macbeth and tell them their prophecies. |
| Explain “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” | foul- the weather is badfair- they’re not in battle anymore, been given a higher title |
| Both Banquo and Macbeth have asides in this scene, why? | Neither of them want the other to hear what they’re saying because of what the witches told them.Conflict |
| What answer do the witches give Macbeth? | He’ll be the Thane of Cawdor and eventually the king.(This means Macbeth has to make his actions correlate to becoming king, jumpstart, wants the position) |
| What answer do the witches give Banquo? | “lesser than Macbeth, and greater… not so happy, yet much happier” “Thought shalt get kings, though thou be none”- paradoxBanquets kids will be king |
| About Act 1, Scene 4: | Malcolm tells the king that the people who aided in Thane’s execution haven’t returned yet, but someone who was there said he admitted his crimes and wanted pardon from king |
| What is Duncan’s response to what Malcolm says about the execution? | “Can’t tell a person’s character by their face.”Never know a person’s true intentions/thoughts from just looking at them. He could’ve been trying to buy more time |
| Who does Duncan name as his heir? | His son Malcolm- gets the title of Prince of Cumberland |
| About Act 1, Scene 5: | Introduced to Lady Macbeth, she says she loves her husband, but she also thinks he’s a coward and a pushover. Questions his manhood a lot and can be easily manipulated. |
| What does Lady Macbeth think of herself in her speeches? | She sees herself as strong and ambitious- having more manly qualities. She wants to be the queen and latches on to the prophecy.She exhibits more masculine qualities and feels she could kill Duncan and have no guilt*All talk no action |
| What is ironic in Act 1, Scene 6? | Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are welcoming King Duncan and his sons to their house, being friendly, but they’re plotting to kill King. |
| About Act 1, Scene 7: | Macbeth’s first soliloquy: discusses |
| What’s the argument between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? | Macbeth doesn’t want to go through with it because he respects Duncan and he just got raised to higher title. Lady Macbeth tells him to stop being a coward and if he wants to be king he has to do it |
| What’s Lady Macbeth’s plan? | She could kill Duncan herself.She can be like a man, carry out the same deeds. Talks about bashing a babies brains out. She’d have the courage he doesn’t have. |
| About Act 2: Scene 1: | Macbeth and Banquo talk.Macbeth basically says join my cause when the time comes, when he becomes king.Banquo says though it might bring him honor, he doesn’t want guilt. As long as he can be left out of the mess to become king then okay. |
| Macbeth’s famous soliloquy from this scene: | Macbeth is waiting around for the coast to be clear and he starts over thinking the plan to kill Duncan. He starts to feel guilty even though he hasn’t done anything yet. He hallucinates/imagines a dagger with the handle towards him, leading him to Duncan’s roomDiscusses bloody business- represents Macbeth killing to get to the throneLine 61- states that if words are not backed up with action, they mean nothing |
| About Act 2, Scene 2: | Lady Macbeth couldn’t kill Duncan herself because when he was sleeping he reminded her of her father. This shows that she has emotion/empathy, a side of her we haven’t seen before |
| What is the importance/relevance of sleep in this scene/play. | Sleep is often used in relation to death. Sleep is necessary for life, but its ironic that Duncan is killed in his sleep. Almost like Macbeth murders sleep, now he’ll be too guilty to sleep. Sleep= vulnerabilityImportant quotes:”The sleeping and the death are but as pictures”- part where Lady Macbeth says only kids are afraid of those things, she’s mocking Macbeth.”Sleep no more”- too guilty to sleep |
| Why did they kill the guards? | So if one of the guards remembers what happened, they will not be suspects. |
| What is happening to Macbeth after killing Duncan? | He becomes very guilty. He’s always on edge, constantly nervous and afraid he’ll be caught.His hands will never be clean- the oceans and neptune could not wash it all awaySays he’s so guilty that his hands would stain the oceans red with blood. |
| What line relates to how Lady Macbeth feels? | “heart so white”She doesn’t care at all, it doesn’t phase her |
| What things come along with being drunk? | nose-painting, sleep, and urine:Your face gets flushed, cheeks and noseYou can pass out from drinking too muchYou pee a lot cause you drank so much |
| About Act 2, Scene 3: | The porter comic relief scene:He’s drunk- “gate keeper for hell”- people committing sins inside the castle, not loyalPeople keep knocking to bring Duncan’s body in but he ignores it |
| How the actions of the characters have affected nature? | nature is badly affected- extreme winds, bad storm coming- wind sounds like screams of death and the night has been unruly |
| What’s the irony in the bell ringing scene? | Lady Macbeth asks why the bell is ringing for death, but she already knows because Duncan was killed by Macbeth |
| Was it a mistake for Macbeth to kill the guards? | No- he had to kill them so there was no suspicion on himBut guards were scapegoat so it could be a mistakeMurder could be blamed on Donalbain or MalcolmSays he “killed the guards out of love for Duncan” in his fury and rage |
| What do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to do? | They leaveDonalbain goes to IrelandMalcolm goes to EnglandThey’re afraid they might be the next ones to be murdered |
| What’s the public explanation of Duncan’s murder? | The people think the guards did it. The kings son’s could be suspects too. |
Macbeth English Quiz 1
November 16, 2019