Macbeth Common Test Flashcards
What three quotes represent Ambition
“My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical”
“Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself”
“Let not light see my black and deep desires”
What is the technique and meaning of
“My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical”
Aside
Pawn to witches - spark idea to be king - do anything for it
Taste of power as thane of cawdor must become king - power -> ambition goes to his head
What is the technique and meaning of “vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself”
Soliloquy
No good reason to murder only wants king power - ambition is own downfall
What is the technique and meaning of “let not light see my black and deep desires”
Aside
Knows his plans are wrong - still do anything to achieve his desires
Describe the theme of appearance vs reality
Nothing quite as it seems throughout Macbeth
What three quotes represent the theme of appearance vs reality
“Fair is foul and foul is fair”
“Look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
“Is this a dagger which I see before me”
What is the technique and meaning of “fair is foul and foul is fair”
Alliteration
Mistrust everything, hard to tell what’s really there
Witches ugly, predictions beautiful –> applies to play world
What is the technique and meaning of “look like th’ innocent flower but be the serpent under’t”
Metaphor
Macbeth should be deceitful –> put on innocent from to hide his ambition to be king
Describe the theme of Ambition
- driving force = heros weakness
- blind to right & wrong - destroyed by it
What technique and meaning of “is this a dagger which I see before me”
Soliloquy
Hallucination? Message from fate? Making up reasons to complete the deed he wants?
Describe the theme of violence
Violence unleashed–> society accustomed
What three quotes represent the theme of violence
“Unseamed his from the nave to the chaps”
“And dash’do the brains out, had I so sworn to you”
“I am in blood stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more”
What technique and meaning of “unseamed him from the nave to the chaps”
Imagery
Macbeth violence rewarded with higher power
What technique and meaning of “and dash’do the brains out, that, had I so sworn as you”
Imagery
Lady Macbeth is cold and ruthless
Willing to smash baby’s head if she promised to, to Macbeth
What technique and meaning of “I am in blood step’d in so far, that, should I wade no more”
Symbolism
Macbeth killed so many people already
Should keep killing
Doesn’t matter if he kills more
