| Macbeth | Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of Cawdor comes true. |
| Lady Macbeth | Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, |
| Duncan | Three “black and midnight hags” who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches’ true identity unclear—aside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, |
| Banquo | The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches’ prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. |
| Fleance | Banquo’s son, who survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleance’s whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons will sit on the Scottish throne. |
| Malcolm | The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotland’s return to order following Macbeth’s reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduff’s aid (and the support of England). Prior to this, he appears weak and uncertain of his own power, as when he and Donalbain flee Scotland after their father’s murder. |
| Donalbain | Brother of Malcolm who flees to Ireland |
| The porter | Poses as comic relief |
| Hecate | Goddess of witchcraft |
| Inverness | Where Macbeth |
| Birnam Wood | In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Macbeth is told that he will only be defeated when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. Later, his enemy’s army comes through Birnam Wood and each soldier cuts a large branch to hide himself, so that when the army moves on it looks as if the wood is moving. Macbeth is defeated and killed. |
| Dunsinane | Where Macbeth is slain by MacDuff |
| Fife | … |
| England | Where Macduff and Malcolm go to rebuild their armies. |
| Ireland | Where Donaldbain flees |
| Scone | Macbeth’s coronation place after he killed MacDuff, also Malcom’s coronation place |
| Macduff | Macbeth’s foil, Thane of Fife, not born of woman- C-section, kills Macbeth, identified by Ross as “Bellona’s Bridegroom” |
| Lady Macduff | … |
| James 1 | Descendent of Banquo, Shakespeare always spoke highly of Banquo in order to suck up to him |
| Young Siward | … |
| Macondwald | Leader of the rebel forces fighting against Scotland king if Act 1. Defeated by MacBuff |
| Thane of Cawdor | The title Thane of Cawdor is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The current 7th Earl of Cawdor, of Clan Campbell of Cawdor, is the 26th Thane of Cawdor.Thane of Cawdor was captured and executed for treason against King Duncan. |
| Thane of Clamis | Macbeth is a great leader in battle and is rewarded for it by King Duncan by being named thane. Macbeth begins the story as the Thane of Glamis, already having been successful in battle. |
| Old Norway | … |
| Titles Macbeth acquired | Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland |
| Reasons to killing Ducan | 1) Macbeth has proved himself to be a brave warrior on the field of battle. The time is ripe for him to take the throne. It’s a case of now or never.2)The witches’ prophecy was clear: Macbeth would become Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and ultimately king. The first two prophecies have come true, so it is reasonable to expect the third one to materialize too. |
| Reasons to not killing Duncan | 1)he owed the King respect as the beneficiary of honors and titles2)cousin3)the King was beloved and respected by the people of 4)Macbeth had managed to gain the esteem of important people who wouldn’t be impressed with king-killing. |
| Themes in MacBeht | 1) Ambition2) Fate3) Violence-It begins in battle, contains the murder of men, women, and children, and ends not just with a climactic siege but the suicide of Lady Macbeth and the beheading of its main character, Macbeth.4) Manhood5) Nature and the Unnatural |
| When does Macbeth become truly evil? | When he sends the murderers to kill MacDuffs family |
| Dominate IMages | Line of Kings with Banquo holding a mirror of Descenents. |
| Apparitions | The first is an armed head, summoned to warn Macbeth that Macduff is coming back to Scotland to ruin him. The second apparition is a bloody child and it tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can do him harm. This gives Macbeth great confidence: “Then live Macduff: what need I fear of thee?” (4.1.78-80). The third apparition is that of a child wearing a crown and holding a tree. Lady MacBeth bloody hands.. |
| Major spirits | Banquo ghost at BanquetSpirits lady BcBeth request to unsex her of being merciful. |
| List of pathetic fallacy | Thunder, lightning, or in rain- First WitchHover through the fog and filthy air- Three witchesSo foul and fair a day I have not seenMoon is down Fleance Act 2 scene 1Lennox-the Earth and was feverous and did shakeWhen Duncan died, animals cried there was storm, the sun was not up, the owl killed the falcon, and the horses killed each other. |
| Source for Macbebth | Holinshed’s Chronicles |
| How does Macbeth flatter James 1 | Banquo is made a benevolent character who is the victim of the antagonist, instead as a traitor, since he is an ancestor of King James.Includes a flying dagger, three sisters, and ghost of Banquo. |
| Shaespeare”s theater;motto;emblem | The Globe”All the world’s a stage”The emblem is just a red globe |
| Sharespeare”s acting companies | Lord Chamberlain’s company.The Globe. |
| Why is this a tragedy? Tragic flaw | It shows the downfall of a high ranking official whose tragic flaw is his ambition from hamartia that lead to him learning that foul play does not bring good things |
| How was history changed and why? | 1.He added witchcraft.2. Banquo was helping Macbeth.3.Duncan, young and weak, is. 4.killed after being defeated in 5.battle.6Duncan is a bad king.7. Banquo conspires .8.Lady Macbeth is not involved.9.Macbeth reigns for 17 years and survives defeat by Malcolm. |
| What book did James 1 write? How did this interest develop? | Demonology, after James met with an old woman. On his ship it was bad. So he started hunting witches. |
| Purpose of porter’s scene | Comic relief and to get back into reality by knocking on door.Shows earthquakes |
| Witches’ prophesies | 1. Macbeth will be thane of glamis,2. Thane of cawdow3. King Macbeth4. Banquo less but greater, less but happier5. He will be father of kings, not be one6.Beware Macduff7. No one born of woman can hurt8. When Birnum wood meet dirsumsanes9. Banquo’s descendents will become kings |
| What image was used to denote titles and their use/effect | Clothing |
| What animals or prey are mentioned; witches’ familiars | Bats, serpents, cats, toads, raven, ren, crows, eagles, falcons, owls. |
| How is Lady Macbeth guilt illustrated | Sleepwalking, pretending to wash her hands, killing herself |
| Which character was believed to be added by someone other than Shakespeare | Hecate, to add more supernatural effect to the play |
| Which two characters appear that arouse out curiouslity about who they are | Third murderer might be Macbeth and the messenger might be |
| Turning point of play climax | Banquo is killed and Fleance escapes |
| What is unusual about Mabeth’s death | It is off stage when it is shown he is disgraceful. |
| Aside | a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage |
| Soliloquy | A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |
| End rhyme | A word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line |
| Internal rhyme | A word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line |
| Alliteration | Repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| Anaphora | the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses |
| Caesura | A natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line. |
| Allusion | A reference to another work of literature, person, or event |
| Consonance | Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity. |
| Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds |
| Paradox | a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true |
| Dramatic irony | When the audience knows something the characters don’tWhen the audience knows something the characters don’t |
| Foil | A character who acts as a contrast to another character |
| Iambic pentameter | a poetic meter that is made up of 5 stressed syllables each followed by an unstressed syllable |
| Apostrophe | address to an absent or imaginary person |
MacBeth Study Guide
September 12, 2019