Literary devices Flashcards
SFP
Prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true by the very terms of the prophecy, prophesized persons positive feedback between belief + behaviour.
PF
weather/ animals reflect mood of the scene
FS
Gives hint of something that will happen later in the play
Paradox
Statement that sounds reasoning to the truth but leads to self contradictory or illogical conclusion
DI
Audience knows something characters don’t know yet. Clear to audience unknown to characters.
This castle hath pleasant seat. The air Nimbly and sweet recommends itself
Act 1 scene 6
DI: Audience is aware that Macbeth is going to kill the king in his castle but King Duncan in unaware while staying at his castle and thinks that his household is so pleasant.
FS ex
Fair is foul and foul is fair
Since this line is repeated in the scene after that it means that this line could be significant throughout the play and have meaning and importance so it is hinting us to pay close attention to it.
SFP ex
Macbeth kills King Duncan Act 2 Scene 2
The witches mentioned in a previous scene while they were greeting Macbeth they greeted him as the future king which now later became true because Macbeth’s belief to come king was so strong which affected his behaviour to kill the king so the witches prophecy came true
when the battles lost and won
Paradox Act 1 scene 1
lost and won are the opposite and leads to contradictory saying two things that cannot both be correct: battles which are lost by one side are also won by another: every battle is both lost and won.
PF
Act 2 Scene 3 – Line 51
The night of Duncan’s murder was very strange and chaotic. The weather (wind) blew very strongly, the animals (owls) were noisy, and the earth shook. These unusual events indicated that there was indeed something wrong or something bad happened (the kings murder) and they reflect the gloomy and dreadful mood of the scene.
