His brandishd steel which smoked with bloody execution

‘His brandish’d steel which smoked with bloody execution. ’ (1. 2) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘adjective’. Highlight the adjectives. Define the term ‘verb’. ‘His brandish’d steel which smoked with bloody execution. ’ What is the Captain saying about Macbeth? Highlight the nouns. Define the term ‘noun’. ‘His brandish’d steel which smoked with bloody execution. ’ How is Macbeth conforming to the stereotypical view of masculinity in this description of him? What effect will presenting Macbeth in this way at the beginning have on an audience when he eventually kills Duncan? Highlight the verbs. ‘His brandish’d steel which smoked with bloody execution. ’ Complete single word analysis on ‘brandish’d’ and ‘smoked’. How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text? The word ‘blood’ appears over 40 times in the play. What and why is Macbeth’s attitude to blood?

‘Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires’ (1. 4) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘personification’. What are the ‘black and deep desires’ Macbeth speaks of? Highlight the adjectives. Highlight the personification. Define the term ‘noun’. ‘Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires’ Define the term ‘adjective’. ‘Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires’ Complete single word analysis on the words ‘black’ and ‘deep’. How could this quotation link to the idea of fate? Consider Macbeth’s use of ‘stars’ and what people would have believed in the 11 th century. Why is it important that Macbeth mentions these desires so soon after he is given the prophecy? How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text? Highlight the nouns. ‘Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires’ What does light and what does dark represent in this quotation?

“Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall” (1. 5) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘imperative’. Highlight the imperatives. Define the term ‘connotations’. “Come to my woman’s breasts and take my milk for gall” Why does Lady Macbeth highlight the fact she is a woman in this quotation? What is Lady Macbeth telling the spirits to do? Define ‘gall’. How is Lady Macbeth challenging the role of a typical 11 th century woman? Focus on the language she uses in your answer. What is Shakespeare’s intention with this quotation? How does this quotation link to theme of power? What are the connotations of ‘milk’? How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text?

‘Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't’ (1. 5) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘simile’. Highlight the simile. Define the term ‘noun’. ‘Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't’ Complete single word analysis on ‘serpent’. Highlight the adjectives. Define the term ‘adjective’. ‘Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't’ Complete single word analysis on ‘flower’. How is Lady Macbeth challenging the traditional role of women through this quotation? How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text? How could this quotation be alluding to Christianity? Highlight the nouns. ‘Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't’ What is Shakespeare’s intention with this quotation? What message is he trying to convey to his audience?

‘Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood. ’ (2. 3) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘metaphor’. Highlight the metaphors. Define the term adjective. ‘Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood. ’ Which word can be used as an adjective AND a noun? Why is it not a noun in this context? Complete single word analysis on ‘silver’ and ‘golden’. What is Shakespeare’s intention with this quotation? Highlight the nouns. Define the term ‘noun’. ‘Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood. ’ How can you link this quotation to the social and historical context? Consider the ‘Great Chain of Being’ in your answer. How does this quotation link to theme of ‘appearance vs reality’? Highlight the adjectives. Define ‘laced’. How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text?

‘Some say, the Earth was feverous and did shake. ’ (2. 3) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘personification’. Define ‘feverous’. Highlight the verbs. Highlight the personification. ‘Some say, the Earth was feverous and did shake. ’ Define the term ‘verb’. ‘Some say, the Earth was feverous and did shake. ’ With this in mind, why does Lennox describe the earth as ‘feverous’? Complete single word analysis. Define the term ‘adjective’. ‘Some say, the Earth was feverous and did shake. ’ Why is the earth ‘feverous’? What were the beliefs of those in the 11 th century which would make them think something was wrong with the universe? What is Shakespeare’s intention with this quotation? What message is he trying to give to his audience? Highlight the adjectives. What can we infer the shaking actually refers to? How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text?

‘O, full of scorpions is my mind’ (3. 2) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘metaphor’. Highlight the metaphor. Identify the term ‘monosyllabic’. ‘O, full of scorpions is my mind’ Complete single word analysis on ‘scorpions’. Highlight the nouns. Define the term ‘noun’. Highlight the monosyllable. ‘O, full of scorpions is my mind’ What is Macbeth saying about his mind in this quotation? Why does Shakespeare include the monosyllable? What does it tell us about Macbeth? What is Shakespeare saying about guilt in this quotation? What message is he trying to convey to his audience? Is this quotation an admission that Macbeth has committed terrible deeds? Why does Shakespeare use dark, natural imagery in this quotation to convey Macbeth’s state of mind? How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text?

“It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood. ” (3. 4) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘repetition’. Highlight the repetition. Define the term ‘noun’. “It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood. ” What does Macbeth realise about violence in this quotation? Why is it important that Macbeth comes to this realisation? What do we learn about him as a result? Complete single word analysis on ‘blood’. How can this quotation be linked to them of ‘temptation’? Macbeth was not appointed to be King by God as many believed Kings were at this time. What does this quotation reveal about the price of maintaining power? Try and link your ideas to the social/historical context. What is the significance of the repetition of ‘will’? Blood could be symbolic of guilt. If this is the case, how else could this quotation be interpreted? Highlight the nouns. “It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood. ” How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text? Where else is blood mentioned?

‘It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. ’ (5. 5) What is happening at this point in the play? Define the term ‘metaphor’. What is Shakespeare’s intention with this quotation? Define the term ‘noun’. ‘It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. ’ Macbeth is talking about life here. With this in mind, what is Macbeth saying about life and its purpose? Why does an ‘idiot’ have to tell the tale of life? Highlight the metaphor. Complete single word analysis on ‘sound’ and ‘fury’. It could be argued that Macbeth alludes to Psalm 90. 9 here which addresses God and says: ’For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. ’ How are both quotations similar? What are they both saying about life? What is Shakespeare saying about power in this quotation? How does this quotation link to theme of ‘appearance vs reality’? Highlight the nouns. ‘It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. ’ How can you connect this quotation to other areas of the text?

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