Macbeth Literary Terms

Act

A main division of drama; Shakespeare’s plays consist of five acts, each subdivided into scenes.

Scene

A small unit of a play in which there is no shift of locale or time.

Irony

A contrast between what is and what appears to be, including verbal irony and dramatic irony.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed verse written in Iambic pentameter; for example, Romeo’s speech about Juliet being the sun.

Foreshadowing

A hint of what is to come in the story, used to keep the audience in a state of expectancy.

Soliloquy

A speech given by a character alone on stage, revealing the character’s thoughts and feelings.

Puns

A play on words based on different meanings of words that sound alike, often for comic relief.

Oxymoron

A contrast of two contradictory terms for emphasis, such as 'an honorable villain'.

Aside

A brief remark made by a character intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

Tragedy

A type of drama that ends in defeat and suffering, often featuring a main character with a tragic flaw.

Dramatic foil

A character that contrasts with another character to highlight specific traits.

Monologue

A lengthy speech addressed to other characters rather than to the audience.

Tone

The feelings and emotions that accompany the words spoken by characters.

Allusion

A reference to a literary or historical person or event to explain a present situation.

Internal Conflict

A psychological struggle within a character's mind that creates suspense in the plot.

External Conflict

A struggle occurring outside a character’s mind, such as man vs. man or man vs. nature.

Character Motivation

The reason behind a character's behaviors and actions, which may be external or psychological.