MacbethMacbeth vocab vocab
Thane (n.)Thane (n.)
A nobleman under service of a king, much A nobleman under service of a king, much like a knightlike a knight
Known by the names of the places they Known by the names of the places they ruledruledMacbeth=Thane of Glamis, Thane of CawdorMacbeth=Thane of Glamis, Thane of CawdorMacduff=Thane of FifeMacduff=Thane of Fife
Motif (n.)Motif (n.)
The repetition of an image, symbol, or idea The repetition of an image, symbol, or idea in a work of literaturein a work of literatureMotifs in MacbethMotifs in Macbeth
BloodBloodClothingClothingSleep/sleeplessnessSleep/sleeplessnessLight/darknessLight/darknessBirdsBirdsUnnatural occurrencesUnnatural occurrences
Comic relief (n.)Comic relief (n.)
In drama, a humorous scene that follows a In drama, a humorous scene that follows a serious oneserious one
Intensifies the seriousness by adding Intensifies the seriousness by adding contrastcontrast
Motifs in Motifs in MacbethMacbeth BloodBlood
Duncan: “What : “What bloodybloody man is that?” I/ii man is that?” I/ii Macbeth: “…When we have Macbeth: “…When we have marked with bloodmarked with blood those those
sleepy two of his own chambers and used their very sleepy two of his own chambers and used their very daggers…” I/viidaggers…” I/vii
ClothingClothing Macbeth: “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you Macbeth: “The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you
dress me in borrowed robesdress me in borrowed robes?” I/iii?” I/iii
Banquo: “New honors come upon him, Banquo: “New honors come upon him, like our like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold but with strange garments, cleave not to their mold but with the aid of usethe aid of use.” I/iii.” I/iii
Motifs in Motifs in MacbethMacbeth
Light/DarknessLight/DarknessMacbeth: “Stars, hide your fires; Let not Macbeth: “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light light
see my see my blackblack and deep desires.” I/iv and deep desires.” I/iv LM: “Come, LM: “Come, thick nightthick night, and , and pallpall me in the me in the
dunnestdunnest smoke of hell!” I/v smoke of hell!” I/v
Motifs in Motifs in MacbethMacbeth
Sleep/sleeplessnessSleep/sleeplessnessLM: “When in swinish LM: “When in swinish sleepsleep their drenched their drenched
natures lie as in a death, what cannot you and natures lie as in a death, what cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan?” I/viiI perform upon the unguarded Duncan?” I/vii
Your motif task from here on in:Your motif task from here on in:
Choose a motif from the previous listChoose a motif from the previous listEvery time it is mentioned in Macbeth, Every time it is mentioned in Macbeth,
note the page # in your notebook or mark note the page # in your notebook or mark the page with a sticky note.the page with a sticky note.
These references will become the basis of These references will become the basis of a unit assessmenta unit assessment
Minion (n.)Minion (n.)
Assistant or servantAssistant or servant
The dictator used his The dictator used his minionsminions to do his to do his dirty workdirty work
Disburse (v.)Disburse (v.)
To pay out to someoneTo pay out to someone
The treasurer disbursed $1000.00 for the The treasurer disbursed $1000.00 for the field trip.field trip.
ague (n.)ague (n.)
FeverFeverThe The agueague left him hallucinating and left him hallucinating and
blabbering.blabbering.
dire (adj.)dire (adj.)
very badvery bad
After the botched robbery attempt, the three After the botched robbery attempt, the three found themselves in a found themselves in a diredire situation. situation.
Harbinger (n.)Harbinger (n.)
One who announces the arrival of anotherOne who announces the arrival of another
The robin is the The robin is the harbingerharbinger of spring. of spring.
Missive (n.)Missive (n.)
LetterLetter
After reading about a tax increase, he sent After reading about a tax increase, he sent a a missivemissive to his congressman. to his congressman.
prate (v.)prate (v.)
To speak foolishly or about trivial mattersTo speak foolishly or about trivial matters
The girls would The girls would prateprate on and on about on and on about their favorite boy bandstheir favorite boy bands
trifle (n.)trifle (n.)
Something trivial or unimportantSomething trivial or unimportant
He threw his life away as if it were a He threw his life away as if it were a trifletrifle..
equivocate (v.)equivocate (v.)
To speak vaguely or be deliberately To speak vaguely or be deliberately unclear; to speak in half-truthsunclear; to speak in half-truths
The three witches The three witches equivocateequivocate with with Macbeth.Macbeth.
chide (v.)chide (v.)
Tell somebody off (gently)Tell somebody off (gently)
The woman would The woman would chidechide her young son for her young son for misbehaving in public.misbehaving in public.
parricide (n.)parricide (n.)
The murder of one’s parentsThe murder of one’s parents
No one could understand what drove her No one could understand what drove her to to parricideparricide
suborn (v.)suborn (v.)
Persuade another to do wrong, esp. with a Persuade another to do wrong, esp. with a bribebribe
I tried to I tried to subornsuborn my teachers to get better my teachers to get better grades, but most of them refused.grades, but most of them refused.
Blank Verse (n.)Blank Verse (n.)
Unrhymed iambic pentameterUnrhymed iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line, no end rhyme)(ten syllables per line, no end rhyme)
Most of Most of MacbethMacbeth is written in blank verse is written in blank verse ““Lower-class” characters speak in straight Lower-class” characters speak in straight
proseproseOther characters deviate from blank verse if Other characters deviate from blank verse if
they are lying, speaking prophecy, or doing they are lying, speaking prophecy, or doing something out of the ordinarysomething out of the ordinary
Blank Verse (n.)Blank Verse (n.)
Unrhymed iambic pentameterUnrhymed iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line, no end rhyme)(ten syllables per line, no end rhyme)
““All hail Macbeth. Hail to thee Thane of All hail Macbeth. Hail to thee Thane of Glamis” (10 syllables)Glamis” (10 syllables)
““All hail Macbeth. Hail to thee Thane of All hail Macbeth. Hail to thee Thane of Cawdor.” (11 syllables)Cawdor.” (11 syllables)
““All hail Macbeth, that shall be king All hail Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter.”(11 syllables)hereafter.”(11 syllables)
couplet (n.)couplet (n.)
two lines of verse that form a unit alone or two lines of verse that form a unit alone or as part of a poem, especially two that as part of a poem, especially two that rhyme and have the same meterrhyme and have the same meter
Paradox (n.)
A statement that seems to be contradictory but that might be true when considered from a particular perspective.
Fair is foul and foul is fair.To achieve peace, you must prepare for war.
Aside (n.)
a remark made by an actor, usually to the audience, that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear
Asides are designated in the script of a drama
Ex: MACBETH (aside): This supernatural soliciting Ex: MACBETH (aside): This supernatural soliciting cannot be good; cannot be ill.cannot be good; cannot be ill.
Aside (n.)
a remark made by an actor, usually to the audience, that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear
In film, characters address the camera when using asides.
intemperance (n.)intemperance (n.)
overindulgence, the inability to control overindulgence, the inability to control one’s desires.one’s desires.
His His intemperanceintemperance lead to liver disease. lead to liver disease.
laud (v.)laud (v.)
praise somebodypraise somebody laudable (adj): worthy of praiselaudable (adj): worthy of praise
His performance on the football field was His performance on the football field was laudablelaudable..
incensed (adj.)incensed (adj.)
angryangry
He was so He was so incensedincensed that he threw his toys that he threw his toys across the room.across the room.
entrails (n.)entrails (n.)
innards (guts)innards (guts)
The hunters threw the elk’s The hunters threw the elk’s entrailsentrails to the to the dogs.dogs.
epicure (n.)epicure (n.)
expert in food and wine and the “finer expert in food and wine and the “finer things” in lifethings” in life
To be a food critic, one must be a bit of an To be a food critic, one must be a bit of an epicureepicure..