Macbeth Act 1 Flashcards
“______ Fortune”
Act 1 Scene 2
“Disdaining Fortune” - metaphor, he is going against his fate, independent
Could reference him straying away from God, hubris and hamartia
“______Macbeth”
Act 1 Scene 2
“brave Macbeth” - adjective, direct contrast to Macdonald and makes him seem heroic and honourable
“Smoked with______execution”
Act 1 Scene 2
“Smoked with bloody execution” - metaphor, exemplifies the glory and rewards of war and violence. Shakespeare does this to criticise the unnecessary pairing of violence and masculinity and how it is only accepted in the context of war
This quotation also sets up the theme of blood, linking to Macbeth’s guilt.
“Like ____ minion”
Act 1 Scene 2
“Like Valour’s minion” - simile, Macbeth is the epitome of bravery as is demonstrated through his violence. Minion could have connotations of a cruel being who blindly follows actions (Macbeth following the Witches)
“_____Bridegroom”
Act 1 Scene 2
“Bellona’s bridegroom” - plosive alliteration, harsh and violent sound, like Macbeth who is being compared to the goddess of war
“____soliciting”
Act 1 Scene 3
“Supernatural soliciting” - sibilance, Macbeth has an evil lust for the throne, power hungry
“My seated heart ___ at my ribs”
Act 1 Scene 3
“My seated heart knock at my ribs” - personification, he is having a physical reaction to the news that he will be king. His inner self is driven by ambition to become king but his body isn’t ready.
I believe this could mean that Macbeth was never meant to be king as his body wasn’t created by God to be physically able to manage being a king (Divine right of Kings link?)
“____ hide your fires…____ and deep desires”
Act 1 Scene 4
“Stars hide your fires…. black and deep desires” - rhyming couplet, link to how the witches speak and their evil intentions.
Doesn’t want God to see his actions, wants to hide in the darkness or doesn’t want to see them himself. The contrast between light and dark here accentuates Macbeth’s internal divide between doing what is morally right or what he wants to do in order to fufill his ambition.
“We’d ____ the life to come”
Act 1 Scene 7
“We’d jump the life to come” - metaphor, has some ambiguity in that it could mean that by his actions, Macbeth will miss a life in heaven and be condemned by God for his actions. Theme of guilt.
However, it could also mean that he could instantly go from a thane to a king, highlighting his ambition for power.
“Tears shall ____ the wind”
Act 1 Scene 7
“Tears shall drown the wind” - Personification, Macbeth knows how highly regarded Duncan is and how badly regicide would be recieved by the thanes. Showcases Macbeth’s further mercurial nature. Shakespeare uses this imagery to warn an audience against regicide.
“Vaulting ____ which o’erleaps itself”
Act 1 Scene 7
“Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself” - extended metaphor of a horse, Macbeth’s desire is leading him to act irrationally and will be its own downfall.
This irrational thinking has reduced him down to no more than a horse, who wants to cross the finish line of a race
This metamorphisis moves him down the Great Chain of Being
“False ___ must hide what the false ___ doth know”
Act 1 Scene 7
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know” - antithesis of “hide” and “know” builds on theme of Appearance vs Reality
