divine right of kings

• Divine Right of Kings is the belief asserting that a monarch derived their authority from God.

  • Therefore, any attempt to depose or murder the king is an attempt against God himself (the ultimate sin).
• God himself appoints a monarch, and that is His will passed down through the royal family.
• Link to play:

  • Macbeth violates the divine right of kings and suffers a grueling death - his death is synonymous with his violation of this.
  • Shakespeare's portrayal of Duncan's murder as an act against God was intended to appease the king and patron.
• Keywords:

  • Monarch authority from God