English 20-1 Macbeth Act 1 Test

Themes present in Act 1

Themes present in Act 1

• Blood and death imagery

  • The battle, scene 2

• Appearance VS Reality

  • Macbeth microdosing disassociation, scene 3

  • Macbeth plotting during heir announcement scene 4

  • Lady Macbeth teaching the huzz how to manipulate, scene 5

  • Lady macbeth being nice to the king, scene 6

  • Macbeth resolving for murder post speech “false face must hide what false heart doth know.” scene 7

• Ambition (Pairs w/ masculinity)

  • macbeth plotting while malcolm is named heir, scene 4

  • FOR BOTH: lady macbeth worrying about the huzz’s spine, scene 5

  • FOR BOTH: Lady macbeth unsexing. scene 5

• Masculinity (pairs w/ ambition)

  • FOR BOTH: lady macbeth worrying about the huzz’s spine, scene 5

  • FOR BOTH: Lady macbeth unsexing. scene 5

  • When lady macbeth calls the huzz a beta for getting cold feet, scene 7

Motifs present in Act 1

• Fair is Foul

  • Witches spell, Macbeth’s small talk scenes 1/3

• Plant Figurative Language

  • “seeds of time…” (banquo quizzing witches), scene 3

  • also when the king is glazing macbeth, scene 4 (and banquo glazing the king sortly after)

• Clothing

  • when macbeth is promoted, and is reffered to as the thane of cawdor, not knowing he is, “why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” scene 3

  • Macbeth not wanting to spoil his promotion by murdering the king scene 7

Major plot points of scene 1

Thunder and lightning crash above a Scottish moor. Three haggard old women, the witches, appear out of the storm. In eerie, chanting tones, they make plans to meet again upon the heath, after the battle, to confront Macbeth. As quickly as they arrive, they disappear.

Major plot points of scene 2

• King Duncan of Scotland asks a wounded captain for news about the Scots’ battle with the Irish invaders, who are led by the rebel Macdonwald.

• The captain, who was wounded helping Duncan’s son Malcolm escape capture by the Irish, replies that the Scottish generals Macbeth and Banquo fought with great courage and violence. The captain then describes for Duncan how Macbeth slew the traitorous Macdonwald.

• The thane of Ross, a Scottish nobleman, enters and tells the king that the traitorous thane of Cawdor has been defeated and the army of Norway repelled.

• Duncan decrees that the thane of Cawdor be put to death and that Macbeth, the hero of the victorious army, be given Cawdor’s title. Ross leaves to deliver the news to Macbeth.

Major plot points of scene 3

• in the field ear the batlefield the witches meet again and have a little goss sesh. (killed the sailor’s wife for chestnuts, killed pigs)

• The witches and #BanqBeth meet, and the latter are horrified and ask the witches if they are mortal beings.

• The witches drop the prophecy

  • Macbeth;

    • thane of Glamis

    • thane of Cawdor

    • King of Scots

    • Still sad

  • Banquo;

    • “lesser than macbeth but greater

    • not as happy, yet much happier

    • won’t be king, but his children shall sit on the throne

• Witches vanish, and BanqBeth is starts discussing the prophecy, until interrupted by the arrival of Ross and Angus. Ross tells Macbeth that the king has made him thane of Cawdor, as the former thane is to be executed for treason.

• Macbeth, after the prophecy has came true, shifts his perspective, and wonders what will have to occur for him to claim the throne (“will i have to kill? etc.)

• Banquo reacts with skepticism. Replies with, devils often tell half-truths in order to “win us to our harm” (1.3.121).

Major plot points of scene 4

• At the palace, Duncan hears reports of Cawdor’s execution from his son Malcolm, who says that Cawdor died nobly, confessing freely and repenting of his crimes.

• Macbeth and Banquo enter with Ross and Angus. Duncan thanks the two generals profusely for their heroism in the battle, and they profess their loyalty.

• Duncan announces his intention to name Malcolm the heir to his throne. Macbeth declares his joy but notes to himself that Malcolm now stands between him and the crown.

• Plans are made for Duncan to dine at Macbeth’s castle that evening, and Macbeth goes on ahead of the royal party to inform his wife of the king’s impending arrival.

Major plot points of scene 5

• Back in Macbeths castle (Inverness), Lady macbeth reads macbeth’s letter, learning of his promotion, and the witches/prophecy.

• Lady Macbeth knows that her huzz is ambitious, but she worries that he is still too nice, resolving to convince him to murder Duncan that night.

• A messenger tells Lady Macbeth that duncan is on his way, and so is the huzz. as she waits, she begs the spirits to “Unsex“ her (begging for the removal of her innate feminine kindness so that she’ll be cruel enough (masculine enough) to commit the acts required to get money.

• The huzz arrives, and they discuss Duncans visit, with Lady macbeth declaring that he shall never see tomorrow. Also tells macbeth to have patience while she formulates the plan.

Major plot points of scene 6

Duncan and his squad arrive, absolutely raving over how nice it is there. Air is sweet and all that. Duncan thanks Lady macbeth for her hospitality, and she says its her pleasure and that they owe so much to him (lying thru her teeth!!). The duncan goes inside to meet Macbeth, who he claims to be really close w/.

Major plot points of scene 7

• While the festivities occur, macbeth is getting cold feet abt the murder. He worries of its consequences, and that it could set in motion more and more terrible deeds. He also laments on that he’s killing a cool guy. A good ruler, his cousin, and just a stand-up dude, and hes hosting him! He has no willingness for the murder except for his own ambition, which is losing steam.

• Lady macbeth enters and tells macbeth that the king wants to see him. He tells her that he doesn’t wanna kill the king anymore, and outraged, she calls him a beta (coward, and questions his manhood). He confesses his worries about what will happen if they fail, and she promises that if they full send, it’ll work out.

• She informs him of the plan, which is to get his guards super effing wasted, and then she and macbeth will go in and kill duncan. They will then smear duncans blood on the guards and their weapons to frame them.

• Astonished at the brilliance and daring of her plan, Macbeth tells his wife that her “undaunted mettle” makes him hope that she will only give birth to male children (1.7.73). He then agrees to proceed with the murder.

Mood

a literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions. Usually referred to as the atmosphere of a literary piece, as it creates an emotional situation that surrounds the readers.

Foreshadow

a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. Often appears at the beginning of a story or chapter and helps the reader develop expectations about the coming events in a story.

Motif

a narrative element that can have symbolic meaning that repeats throughout a work of literature. Can be an object or idea and helps to create theme. EX: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”

Theme

The central idea or underlying message of the literary work. Often the theme represent the author’s view of the world, or an observation they are making on human nature.

Chracterization

how a character is revealed. Can be revealed in many ways, most distinctly by what we are told about the character or how we are shown the character .

STEAL

Say, Think, Effect on others, how they Act, how they Look

Allusion

references made to something or someone in another time or place, or in another piece of writing. An author frequently uses this device to relate something else to what is presently happening in the story, also a form of imagery.

Paradox

A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but may include a latent truth. From the Greek word “paradoxon”, which means contrary to expectations

Character Foil (Foil)

a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character.

Fair is Foul

Meanings:

• what seems good (fair), is not truly, (foul) and vice versa

• Things may not be as they appear

• the natural order of things is disrupted

• the weather is crappy.

Fair is Foul instances

• The witches pre-prophecy spell (scene 1)

• Macbeth talking about the battle (scene 3)

• Banquo warning Macbeth about the instruments of darkness (the witches) (scene 3)

• Macbeth’s microdose of disassociation after the prophecy comes true. (He don’t know what’s real and what is fake) (scene 3)

• When Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth how to act while duncan is there (look like the innocent flower but be the serpent below) (scene 5)

What’s up with the Thane of Cawdor

An unnamed traitor. NOT MACDONWALD!! who is

Macbeth’s prophecy

• Macbeth;

  • thane of Glamis

  • thane of Cawdor

  • King of Scots

  • Still sad

Banquo’s prophecy

• Banquo;

  • “lesser than macbeth but greater

  • not as happy, yet much happier

  • won’t be king, but his children shall sit on the throne

How does Macbeth react

(after hearing that he is now thane of cawdor) Macbeth shifts his perspective, and wonders what will have to occur for him to claim the throne (“will i have to kill ? etc.)

How does Banquo react

With skepticism, wary that the witches are leading them into a trap by luring them in with promises of power and fortune.

How does Lady Macbeth react to the prophecies?

She reads the letter and learns of the prophecies. She knows that her huzz is ambitious, but she worries that he is still too nice, resolving to convince him to murder Duncan that night. While waitin for the huzz and Duncan, she begs the spirits to “Unsex“ her (begging for the removal of her innate feminine kindness so that she’ll be cruel enough (masculine enough)) to commit the acts required to get money.

What does Lady Macbeth think about Macbeth’s capability for murder

She knows that he has ambitions, but she thinks that he is too kind to follow through with what must be done. “Too full of the milk of human kindness.”

What is the plan to kill Duncan?

gets his guards WASTED and while they are asleep Lady Macbeth and Macbeth go in, kill duncan, and wipe his blood on the guards and their weapons, framing them.