Macbeth Act I Assessment Study Guide Date: Friday, June 1st

Act EXTRA CREDIT: Memorize and recite one of the Act I Soliloquies:
“The raven himself is hoarse” (Spoken by Lady Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5)
“If it were done when 'tis done” (Spoken by Macbeth, Act 1 Scene7)

Part I. Quote Identification: You will be given quotes from the text and asked to identify the speaker for each.
Know the following characters:
Macbeth - Scottish general ambitious enough to commit regicide to become king
Lady Macbeth - His wife; ambitious; later remorseful
Banquo - General, murdered by hired killers
Duncan - King of Scotland
Captain – Duncan’s army
Malcolm - Eldest son of Duncan, Prince of Cumberland
Three Witches - Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict his downfall

Part II. Historical Context, Plot, Character, Literary Elements & Techniques, and Dramatic Conventions:
You will be given multiple choice questions pertaining to historical context, plot, characterization, literary elements,
literary /rhetorical devices, and dramatic conventions. Review your reading comprehension questions for Act I
and study the soliloquies from Scenes 5 and 7 that were examined in class.

Study your notes on the following:

1. Historical Context: Intellectual, Religious, Political and Social
2. The Theatre
a. Globe Theatre
3. Prose vs. Verse
a. Iambic Pentameter - a foot is an iamb if it consists of one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed
syllable, so the word remark is an iamb. Pent means five, so a line of iambic pentameter consists of
five iambs – five sets of unstressed syllables followed by stressed syllables.
b. Blank Verse - verse without rhyme, especially that which uses iambic pentameter.
4. Drama Terms, Literary Elements & Techniques
a. Aside g. Monologue
b. Comic Relief h. Soliloquy
c. Dramatic Irony i. Tragedy vs. Comedy
d. Foil i. Tragic Hero/Tragic
e. Foreshadowing Flaw
f. Imagery

***Review the following sheets that were distributed in class:

 “Shakespeare’s Macbeth”  Poetry Terms
 Drama: An Overview

Part III. Figures of Speech & Sound Devices: You will be asked to identify the literary technique used
in lines provided. Study your notes on the following:
a. Alliteration e. Metonymy h. Paradox
b. Allusion f. Onomatop i. Personifica
c. Hyperbole oeia tion
d. Metaphor g. Oxymoron j. Simile

Part IV. Vocabulary: For each sentence, identify the vocabulary word that best completes the sentence.
Ominous Dauntless Trifles
Desolate Dismal