Topic 1: Macbeth

Question 1

Themes present in the play:

Answer 1

Masculinity, femininity, Great Chain of Being, supernatural, ambition, violence, gender

Question 2

Hubris definition:

Answer 2

An over-weening ambition

Question 3

Tragedy definition:

Answer 3

A story of exceptional suffering and calamity, leading to the death of a man of high estate

Question 4

Tragic hero definition:

Answer 4

Only great men qualify as tragic heroes, peasant do not inspire pity. Must rise above average humanity, he must be great but he must not need to be good (in other words he can be inspiring but evil)

Question 5

Fatal flaw definition:

Answer 5

The heroes fate is not the result of chance, but a fatal flaw in the heroes own character

Question 6

Hamartia definition:

Answer 6

The fatal flaw of the hero

Question 7

Perpeteia definition:

Answer 7

A sudden change in fortune or change of events

Question 8

Anagnorisis definition:

Answer 8

The moment in a play when a character makes a critical discovery

Question 9

Great Chain of Being:

Answer 9

God, Cherubs, Archangels/Angels, Star controllers of destiny, Moon
King, Church, Princes, Nobles, Man
Lion, other animals
Oak/Rose, other plants
Gold, other minerals

People higher up looked after people down lower/People lower down respected people higher up

The King was God’s representative and any act against the King was a sin against God

Any attempt to break the chain would unbalance the universe

Question 10

Vocal communication:

Answer 10

Pace, pausing, phrasing, pitch, inflection, emphasis, projection, resonance, articulation

Question 11

Non-vocal communication:

Answer 11

Posture, facial expressions, movement, gestures

STAGE: levels, space, props, setting, lighting

Question 12

Masculinity:

Answer 12

Shown through Lady Macbeth questioning Macbeth’s masculinity when he cannot take someone’s life

Question 13

Femininity:

Answer 13

Shown through Lady Macbeth refusing to conform to gender roles and taking the powerful side of her and Macbeth’s relationship. Also shown through her quote “unsex me here”.

Question 14

Great Chain of Being (theme):

Answer 14

Shown through the social status of Macbeth and then his followers and then peasants

Question 15

Supernatural:

Answer 15

Shown through the witches

Question 16

Ambition:

Answer 16

Shown through Lady Macbeth’s ambition to claim the throne

Question 17

Violence:

Answer 17

Just all the violence in the play, like literally the play is about killing heaps of people how can it not be violent

Question 18

Gender:

Answer 18

Shown through both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth being the opposite of what society told them they should be based on their genders

Question 19

Quote 1:

Answer 19

“Come to my woman’s breasts, and take my milk for gall, you murderous ministers”

Question 20

Quote 2:

Answer 20

“Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, and like a coward in thine own esteem, letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’”