Duncan the king of Scotland who Macbeth murders in order to become king himself
Malcolm Duncan’s sons who is thought to have murdered Duncan, flees to England, true heir to the thorn.
Donalbain one of Duncan’s sons who is thought to have murdered Duncan, flees to Ireland
Macbeth protagonist who receives a prophecy from the witches that tells him that he will be Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king
the 3 weird sisters give Macbeth the prophecy and are examples of the theme “appearances can be misleading”
Hecate overseer of the witches who is associated with the moon, tells them to give Macbeth false security and scorns them for intervening in his affairs
3 apparitions an armed head (beware Macduff), a bloody child (no one born of a woman can harm you), and a child holding a tree (you will reign until Birnam forest moves to Dunsinane
Seyton Macbeth’s servant
Lady Macbeth Macbeth’s wife who is the true mastermind behind Duncan’s murder. she accuses him of not being a man
Fleance Banquo’s son
Banquo also receives a prophecy from the witches but does not change his actions because of it, Macbeth murders him and his ghost returns to haunt Macbeth
Three murderers hired by Macbeth to kill Fleance and Banquo
Macduff finds Macbeth suspicious, leaves his family to go to England, eventually slays Macbeth because he is not technically born of a woman
Macduff’s son is killed when Macduff’s castle is attacked, warns his mother to run
Lady Macduff Macduff’s wife who will not forgive him for leaving the castle and his family vulnerable
Ross a messenger throughout the play who tries to convince Lady Macduff that Macduff didn’t leave because he wanted to leave his family
Angus, Menteith, and Caithness Scottish nobles who are opposed to Macbeth
Siward leads the English army against Macbeth
Young Siward Siward’s son who is slain by Macbeth
Porter Macbeth’s doorkeeper who is drunk – source of comic relief after the tense murder scene
graymalkin gray cat
paddock frog
heath camp, field, gathering place near battle
hurlyburly loud noises, violent disturbance, men in battle
Sweno Norway’s king
anachronism out of time or place
soliloquy one person on stage voicing their thoughts to the audience
sewer one who tastes food to check for posion
orquhart historical name of Macbeth’s castle
13 lines numbers of lines in first scene
Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (ESI) book that the play is based on
Rafael Holinshed man who wrote the ESI book
All witches “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”
Duncan (knows you are a traitor) “Pronounce his present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth”
Macbeth (is out for a stroll) “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Witches “When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, or in rain.”
Banquo “My bosom franchis’d and allegiance clear, I shall be counsell’d”
Macbeth “The Thane lives, why do you dress me in borrow’d robes?”
Malcom “Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it”
Lady Macbeth “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”
Lady Macbeth “Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty; make thick my blood!”
Macbeth “False face must hide what false heart doth know”
equivocation A type of ambiguity that involves choosing words carefully to give a listener a false impression without actually lying- such as witches prophecies
paradox A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth- such as “it was fair and foul day”
primogeniture A system of inheritance in which the eldest son in a family inherited his father’s land or succeeded his father to the thorn.

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