James I

• James 1st (I) was the patron of (funded) the plays of Shakespeare's company - the King's men.
• Central themes in the play were tailored to fit his (James') interests:

  • the supernatural, treason, and regicide.
• James was a staunch believer in the Divine Right of Kings and the Great Chain of Being.
• Banquo's character is of Scottish nobility, as James 1st was, and his presence in the play emphasizes James' ancient royal lineage.
• Shakespeare shows regicide to be condemned and the extreme consequences of committing regicide which serves as a warning to the Jacobean audience.
• Keywords:

  • Appeasement (Shakespeare wanted to appease him)
  • Patron