CRILD Flashcards
What message is Shakespeare sending when MB says: ‘I have no spurs to prick the sides of my intent, only vaulting ambition’?
Shakespeare is sending a message to all traitors.
What is Shakespeare doing when B says: ‘It was said… that myself should be the root and father of many kings’?
Shakespeare was deliberately flattering James 1.
Is MB the play a piece of political propaganda?
Yes.
What are the main themes of MB?
Ambition and power.
The supernatural.
Appearances and reality.
Was Jacobean England a Patriarchy or a Matriarchy?
A Patriarchy.
Is Macbeth a Comedy, Tragedy or Romance?
A Tragedy.
What key national event took place before the writing of MB?
The gunpowder plot.
Did Jacobean England believe in the supernatural?
Yes
Which character was a descendant of James the first?
Banquo.
What country does MB take place in?
Scotland.
What is the name of the era MB was written in?
Jacobean era.
What is the name of the belief that king were appointed by god?
Divine right of kings.
What is the name for the act of killing a king?
Regicide.
What was the book that James the first wrote about?
The supernatural .
Why did Shakespeare want to flatter King James?
He was the patron of his theatre company.
What device is:’Stars hide your fires, let not light see your black and deep desires.
Adjective
‘A poor player that struts and fret his hour around the stage and then is heard no more’
Metaphor
‘Why do I yield to such suggestion whose horrid image does unfix my hair.’
Adjective and verb
‘To full o’th milk of human kindness’
Metaphor
‘There’s daggers in men’s smiles’. (Donalbain)
metaphor. Malcolm and Donalbain realise another Thane murdered their father. They cannot trust anyone and must flee to safety.
‘I have a strange infirmity’ (Macbeth)
LMBg and MB lie and claim MB seeing a ghost is because he suffers from fits and has done since childhood. They are tryingg to conceal the murder of Banquo.
R = audience despise MB for lying and for murdering an innocent friend.
Juggling fiends’ (Macbeth)
L = adj – knows the witches have tricked him and he can be defeated; noun – shows he knows they are evil and have led him to commit evil.
Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.’ (Lady Macbeth)
metaphors. Serpent represents sin and evil. D = LMB like Eve in Genesis tempting MB to commit sin.
C = James I had a medal struck bearing a flower and snake to commemorate discovery of Gunpowder plot. R = Jacobean audience would recognise this. Shows murderers like MB will be discovered & punished.
Stars hide your fires. Let not light see my black and deep desires.’ (Macbeth)
rhyming couplet. Light symbolizes heaven. Adjectives ‘black’ represents evil; ‘deep’ how deep his ambition is BUT knows killing King is morally wrong.
C= DRK. Killing a king = act against God.
Fair is foul, and foul is fair’. (Witches)
paradox. That which is good can be evil and vice-versa. The prediction that MB will become king seems to be good but leads him to commit evil.
‘his virtues will plead like angels… against his taking off’ (Macbeth)
L = simile. Duncan is such a morally good king, heaven will react with horror to his murder and make sure the murderer is discovered.
C = DRK. Jacobeans believed King was appointed by God. To kill a king = act against God. God will punish murderer.
‘The earth was feverous and did shake’
L= personification. The murder of King Duncan negatively affects the whole country D = MB’s act of murder has brought moral sickness to the land.
C= Gunpowder Plot had just tried to murder James 1. Play warns of terrible consequences of murdering a king.
‘barren sceptre’
L = adjective. MB is obsessed with his own descendants becoming kings and not Banquo’s children, as the witches predicted. Fears he’s damned himself for benefit of Banquo’s children.
C = Flatters James 1 – he was one of Banquo’s descendants.
‘it weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds’
L = personification. Macbeth’s bloody kingship has destroyed the country in contrast to King Edward who heals his subjects. Scotland is like a whipped slave or beast of burden suffering under his rule.
C = The Jacobeans believed that a king should be like a father to his subjects. Macbeth is the opposite!
‘justice, verity’
‘bloody, false’
L = Malcolm and Macduff’s conversations describes the virtues a king should have – honesty and fairness. These are contrasted with adjectives used to describe Macbeth as king – he is murderous and a liar, not fit to be a king.
‘by the grace of Grace’
C – Malcolm says that, as king, he will do whatever God calls him to do. He is the rightful king and a morally good man.
R = audience is reassured that the natural order has been restored.
“Was the hope drunk” LMB
Personification, doesn’t have the bravery (plays with masculinity)
“Dash the brains out, had I sworn as you”
Inverts idea of gentle and nurturing. Puts pressure on MB
“Come you spirits…unisex me here”
Ties her to the supernatural as she wants spirits to make her something she isn’t.
“Get on your nightgown”
Shows her being in charge of the relationship. Despite the fact that the male was traditionally in charge of the family.
