Context

• King James I

  • James I was the patron of Shakespeare's company, the King's Men, and it is for this reason that many believe the play was written for him.
  • Central themes in Macbeth were tailored to fit King James I's interest; treason, regicide, the supernatural & the characteristics of power.
  • James I was a staunch believer in the Divine Rights of Kings & the Great Chain of Being.
• The Divine Rights of Kings

  • This belief asserts that a monarch derived their authority from God & thus any attempt to depose or murder the king is an attempt on God Himself.
  • In the Jacobean era, TDROK was an accepted aspect of monarchy, therefore it's reflected in Shakespeare's writing.
  • Because King James I was the patron of Shakespeare's company, Shakespeare's portrayal of Duncan's murder as an act against God was intended to please his king & his patron.
• The Great Chain of Being

  • TGCOB was the belief that God created the world with a clear hierachical structure encompassing all matter & life.
  • In the Jacobean era, people on the whole were much more religious that we are today & they would have considered TGCOB to be a fact of life rather than a religious belief.
• Daemonologie

  • A book published by King James I - it explores James I's belief in witchcraft + magic and aims to dictate the punishment that should be given for practising them.
  • Daemonologie is a didactic text intended to prevent readers from engaging in witchcraft.
  • Shakespeare's depiction of the witches seems to hit most of James's expectations which may be a deliberate attempt to appeal to the King.
• The Patriarchy

  • A social system in which men hold the power & women face oppression from these men in power. TGCOB dictates that men are superior to women, leading to a patriarchal social structure.
  • In the play, Lady Macbeth is consistently subverting patriarchal expectations of women.