1. MACBETH
Literary Elements
Lily Wilson

2. Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. (i.e. “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”)
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair. . .” (1.1.12) 1.

3. Allusion: a literary reference to a well-known work of art, music, history or literature. (i.e. “At lovers’ perjuries, they say Jove laughs.” (2.2) a reference to Jove (another name for Jupiter, Roman king of the gods)
“Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds
Or memorize another Golgotha,” (1.2.44)
Golgotha – the place of dead men’s skulls (Mark 15.22) where Jesus was crucified 2.

4. Blank verse: non-rhyming poetry usually written in iambic pentameter
Blank verse: non-rhyming poetry usually written in iambic pentameter. Most of Shakespeare’s plays are written in this form, which is very close to normal speech rhythms and patterns. Often Shakespeare will deviate from this form in order to make a point about the character’s state of mind or for other emphasis, like a change in the mood.
“This is the very painting of your fear.
This is the air-drawn dagger which you said
Led you to Duncan. O’ these flaws and starts,
Imposters to true fear, would well become
A woman’s story at a winter’s fire.” (3.4.74) 3.

5. Comic relief: in a tragedy, a break in the seriousness for a moment of comedy or silliness
Macduff: “What three things does drink especially provoke?”
Porter: “Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes. It provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance.” (2.3.29) 4.

6. Double Entendre: a word or phrase with more than one meaning, usually when the second meaning is risqué.
“If he do bleed, / I’ll gild the faces
Of the grooms, withal,/
For it must seem their guilt.” (2.2.71) 5.

7. Dramatic Irony: when the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know.
. . . “The wood of Birnam.”
“Let every soldier hew him down a bough
And bear ‘t before him. Thereby shall we shadow
The numbers of our host and make discovery
Err in report of us.” (5.4.4) 6.

8. Euphemism: a substitution of a more pleasant expression for one whose meaning may come across as rude or offensive (i.e. “He passed away,” rather than “He died.”
This business = murder
This enterprise = murder
“We will proceed no further in this business.” (1.7.34)
“What beast was’t then,
That made you break this
Enterprise to me?” (1.7.55)

9. Figurative Language: writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally; often used to compare dissimilar objects; figurative language includes metaphor, simile, personification, and hyperbole.
“We have scorched the snake, not killed it.
She’ll close and be herself whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.” (3.2.15) 8.

10. Foreshadowing: hints of events to occur later in a story
Third Witch:
“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.53)
First apparition, an Armed Head:
“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff!
Beware the Thane of Fife!” (4.1.81) 9.

11. Iamb: a unit in poetry consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable
If it/
(1.7.39)
10.

12. Iambic pentameter: a 10-syllable line divided into 5 iambic feet (one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable) this is the basic rhythm of Shakespeare’s verse.
If it/ were done/ when ‘tis/done, then/ ‘twere well/
(1.7.1)
11.

13. Imagery: language that works to evoke images in your mind (i. e
Imagery: language that works to evoke images in your mind (i.e. “And with thy bloody and invisible hand/ Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond/Which keeps me pale.”)
Look like th’ innocent
flower,
But be the serpent under ‘t.
(1.5.76)
12.

14. Irony: a contradiction between what is expected and what actually is – or appearance versus reality; includes verbal irony, situational irony and dramatic irony.
Duncan:
“This castle hath a pleasant seat.”
(1.6.1)
Duncan comes to Macbeth’s castle, not knowing he is to be murdered here

15. Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is replaced by another, often indicating a likeness or similarity between them (i.e. “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player. . .”)
“There’s daggers in men’s smiles.”
( )
14.

16. Oxymoron: when two opposite terms are used together (i. e
Oxymoron: when two opposite terms are used together (i.e. O heavy lightness!)
“Know this is joyful trouble. . .” (2.3.53)
15.

17. Personification: attributing human characteristics to non-human objects
Is ‘t night’s predominance or the day’s shame
That darkness does the face of earth entomb
When living light should kiss it?
(2.3.10)
16.

18. Prose: normal speech rhythm; Shakespeare often wrote certain characters speaking either in all verse or all prose, indicating some personality trait of the character. If the character deviates from his normal form, be aware of a changing state of mind. . . Often prose signals a character slipping into insanity.
The table’s full. . .Where?
. . .which of you have done this?
(3.4.54)
17.

19. Pun: a play on words, especially those that sound alike, but have different meanings (i.e. “Ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man.”)
If he do bleed,
I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal.
For it must seem their guilt.
(2.2.71)
18.

20. Reversal: the point at which the action of the plot takes an unexpected turn; usually the protagonist learns something about himself and might even regret his decisions, or realizes the affect his decision may have on himself or others.
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.
Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee Macduff was from his mother’s womb
Untimely ripped. (5.8.15)

21. Rhyming couplet: two rhyming lines at the end of a speech, signaling that a character is leaving the stage or that the scene is ending.
Were I from Dunsinane away and clear,
Profit again should hardly draw me here.
(5.3.75)
(The doctor and Macbeth exit)
20.

22. Simile: a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by “like” or “as”.
(i.e. My love is like a red, red rose.
Your face, my thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters.
(1.6.73)
21.