Macbeth key words

Regicide

Murder of the king

Treason

Plotting to overthrow a ruler

Tragic hero

Main character in a tragedy who experiences a fall from power

Hamartia

Tragic hero’s fatal flaw

Hubris

Ambitious pride or overconfidence 

Divine Right of Kings

The belief that kings are chosen by God

Duplicitous

Two-faced or deceitful

The Great Chain of Being

The belief that the universe has an order, starting with God

Heinous

Wicked or evil

Patron

Wealthy or influential supporter of a writer or artist

Nihilistic

Belief that life is meaningless

Mortal sin

The worst of sins that will send you to Hell

Subverts

Overturns a power structure

Dutiful

Obedient

Role reversal 

Switching of traditional roles 

Foil

Contrast to main character

Trochaic pentatmeter

Verse line with 8 syllables, 4 pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables, gives the impression of chanting

Bullish

Aggressively confident 

Subservient

Obeying unquestioningly 

Caracature

Characteristics are exaggerated for effect

Usurp

Take power by force