Lady Macbeth Literary Elements

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Genre

Novel.

Setting and Context

Scotland. 11th century.

Narrator and Point of View

First-person narrator.

Tone and Mood

Bold, threatening, aggressive, menacing.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Lady Macbeth is the protagonist. Antagonists comprise Scotland's adversaries, such as the Vikings.

Major Conflict

Lady Macbeth’s responsibility of protecting her father and family’s legacy.

Climax

Lady Macbeth’s ascent to the post of a queen.

Foreshadowing

N/A

Understatement

N/A

Allusions

Historical allusions. Allusion to Celtic mythology.
Literary allusions to Shakespeare.

Imagery

Lady Macbeth embodies fierce feminism that defies orthodox gender rules.

Paradox

Lady Macbeth's persona is paradoxical: She admits that she embodies both maliciousness and kindness.

Parallelism

Parallel personas: Lady Gruadh versus Lady Macbeth.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

Sword is associated with warfare.
Blood denotes kinship.

Personification

“Wind, wave and hawk” are personified.

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