| minion | follower of a powerful person |
| corporal | of or related to the human body |
| cleave | to adhere or cling strongly to (like a goal or belief) |
| harbinger | person/thing that foreshadows a future event; an omen, sign |
| beguile | to charm or enchant someone, sometimes in a deceptive way |
| courier | messenger who transports goods or documents |
| chastise | to rebuke or reprimand, scold or lecture severely |
| palpable | able to be touched or felt |
| appall | to greatly dismay or horrify |
| carousing | drinking plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoying oneself with others in a noisy, lively way |
| equivocate | to use unclear language to avoid or hide the truth |
| scruples | feelings of doubt or hesitation (often in regards to morality or doing what is right) |
| suborn | to bribe someone to commit an unlawful act (like perjury = lying) |
| Banquo | best friend of Macbeth, only other person present when witches first appeared and make predictions |
| MacDuff | Murders Macbeth |
| porter | drunken doorman who speaks of equivocating and gives us “Knock knock, who’s there?” |
| Lady Macbeth | convinces Macbeth he should murder the king so he can become king himself and fulfill the witches’ prophecy |
| The Weird Sisters | another name for the witches who make it their business to mess with Macbeth and predict he’ll be king of Scotland |
| Macbeth | easily manipulated; begins with a sense of loyalty but is easily convinced to do whatever he must to achieve what he wants |
| Duncan | Act 1: King of Scotland, murdered by a traitor |
| Malcolm | Duncan’s eldest son, named King of Scotland in Act 5 |
| Donalbain | Duncan’s youngest son, flees to Ireland |
| Fleance | escapes being murdered after Macbeth has his father killed |
| parricide | the killing of a parent or other near relative |
| malice | the intention or desire to do evil |
| vizard | mask or disguise to hide one’s face |
| bide | to remain or stay somewhere |
| purge | get rid of unwanted feelings or condition |
| muse | to think deeply, be absorbed in thought |
| homage | special honor or respect shown publicly |
| cauldron | large metal pot |
| pernicious | causing harm or ruin, hurtful |
| diminutive | tiny, small |
| appease | to calm, ease or bring to a state of peace |
| censure | to express severe disapproval of |
| ague | a fever or shivering fit |
| brandish | wave or flourish (like a weapon) as a threat or in anger |
| Macbeth | appears when the witches say “by the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes.” |
| armed, floating head | warns: beware of MacDuff |
| bloody child | indicates no harm shall come by anyone “born of woman” |
| crowned child with tree | indicates safety until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane |
| Lady Macbeth in Act 5 | Sleepwalking, sleeptalking and “sleep-washing-the-blood-off-her-hands” |
| “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” | The witches, Act 1, Scene 1 |
| “Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.” | Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4 |
| “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.” | Donalbain, Act 2, Scene 3 |
| “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” | The witches, Act 4, Scene 1 |
| “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” | Lady Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1 |
| “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” | Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5 |
Macbeth: Act 1-5 for Quizlet LIVE
December 4, 2019