Name: ______
Act II
Literary elements ( all of the elements or parts of a story)
Theme – the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work; they often have to do
with widely held human concerns such as love, death, justice, happiness, etc.; the
big idea that a story conveys about life
Unchecked Ambition
ambition – a strong desire for fame, wealth or power
unchecked – with no restraint or control
Macbeth is a character with unchecked ambition. He heard the witches say that he would be king and with those words he set out to make it come true.
Find two pieces of textual evidence to support this theme. Explain them.
1. Act II, scene _____ ; Lines ______
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This quote supports the theme because ______
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2. Act II, scene _____ ; Lines ______
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This quote supports the theme because ______
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Conflict – a problem or struggle
Internal Conflict – the main character struggles with opposing ideas or feelings within his or her own mind
person vs. self -- not all conflicts involve other people, sometimes people are
their own worst enemy. An internal conflict is a good test of a
character’s values and gives the reader’s clues about the character’s
inner strength.
Macbeth continues to struggle with himself over an important decision. What is his main
struggle? ______
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Textual evidence to support this internal conflict:Act II, scene ______; lines ______
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Plot— the action or sequence of events in a story. It is usually a series of related events that build and grow as the story develops
Number the following events, from Acts I and II, in the order that they occur in the play.
______Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor
______Macbeth is elected king of Scotland
______The guards get drunk
______The witches make a prophecy
______Macbeth sees a floating dagger
______Malcolm is named to inherit the throne
______Macbeth kills the guards
______King Duncan arrives for dinner at Macbeth’s castle
______Macduff discovers that the king has been murdered
______Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to kill King Duncan
______Macduff arrives
______Macbeth kills King Duncan
Literary Techniques/ Devices ( tools used by an author to improve their
writing)
Symbol –a person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but also suggests other meanings as well. Things, characters and actions can be symbols.
Blood is a major, recurring symbol in this play. The blood of Duncan is a ‘stain’ on both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth that cannot be washed away. The blood comes to represent their guilt for killing an innocent man in their pursuit of power.
One piece of textual evidence to support the symbolism of blood is, Act II, scene ____;
lines ______
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This quote supports the symbolism of blood by ______
The weather and events in nature are other recurring symbols in Macbeth. These events reflect the violations against the natural order of the world and come to represent the corruption in both politics and morality.
One piece of textual evidence using symbolism to show this corruption or lack of order is
Act II, scene ______; lines ______.
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This quote means ______