THEMES Flashcards
(8 cards)
Ambition and Power: Macbeth’s unchecked ambition leads him to ______, guilt, and ultimately destruction. The play explores the corrupting nature of power and ambition.
Murder
Fate vs. Free Will: The witches’ prophecies set ______ in motion, but the characters’ decisions—particularly Macbeth’s—show that their fate is shaped by their actions.
events
Guilt and Conscience: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both experience overwhelming _____after committing murder, which leads to their psychological breakdowns.
guilt
macbeth dies ____ and possibly from ______
offstage suicide
The Supernatural: The witches represent the supernatural forces influencing human lives. _____and omens also play key roles in shaping the narrative.
apparitions
In Macbeth, there are four main apparitions that appear to Macbeth:
- An armed head: Warns Macbeth to beware Macduff.
- A bloody child: Tells Macbeth that no one born of a woman can harm him.
- A crowned child with a tree in its hand: Says Macbeth will not be defeated until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill.
- A line of eight kings, followed by Banquo’s ghost: This shows Macbeth the descendants of Banquo who will become kings, unsettling him.
yes just read
The Natural vs. The Unnatural: The disruption of the natural order (Macbeth’s regicide) leads to chaos in Scotland. Nature reflects the turmoil within the human _____.
world
In Macbeth, there’s some seriously weird weather! Right after King Duncan is murdered, it’s said that horses start eating each other, and there are terrible _____. It’s like the natural world is freaking out because of the evil deed. Spooky, right?
storms
