Abuse of power and kingship

• 1. Shakespeare uses the 'crown' and 'throne' as metonyms for kingship in the play-
  2. Macbeth and lady Macbeth call it the 'crown' -something that can easily be worm or taken off,
  3. Malcolm's side call it the 'throne; - something fixed you can ascend to.
• Kingship and power are intrinsically linked within the play. Shakespeare contrasts the way the characters behave towards this possibility of power, and also how characters act once they gain power.

  He contrasts the behaviour of a righteous and just king (Duncan) with one who is violent and abuses his power (Macbeth).
• Duncan

  Duncan possesses all the qualities of a great king: he is noble, nurturing, responsible, and a strong leader. His successful reign emphasises how disastrous Macbeth is as a king.
• Benevolent ruler

  Duncan is shown to be a just and benevolent (kind) ruler, demonstrating important aspects of kingship by telling his court, “Signs of nobleness like stars shall shine / On all deservers,” (1.4), meaning he is willing to reward all those who do good. It can be interpreted that he is saying that virtue and nobility are visible traits in a person, distinguishing them from others.

  The simile “like stars shall shine” connotes divine power, implying they will be rewarded in the afterlife as well as now. It aligns “deservers” with God.
• Too trusting- Duncan


  It seems that Duncan is too trusting and dependent on others to be a perfect king. Rather than leading his men into battle he trusts others to do so for him, and he relies heavily on his Thanes to help maintain order.
• Too trusting- Duncan


  When he reflects on the previous Thane of Cawdor’s death, he says, “There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face. / He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust,” (1.4). He had placed his confidence in a man who betrayed him to foreign armies, suggesting he has a poor judge of character. There is some dramatic irony in this statement, for Macbeth is plotting to murder him.
• 1. Shakespeare recognises that ambition is an undercurrent in the relationship between the monarchy and the nobility.
  2. but when ambition is unchecked by morality the consequences are terrible for both the country and ambitious person.
  3. Contextually, Shakespeare establishes a conflict as nobility is portrayed as the potential risk to the crown, but also as the force that can restore order.
  4. This play first preformed in front of James' court.
• 1. We aware that Malcolm knows what is expected from a king and can be confident that when he rules Scotland, healing will take place through his kingship.
  2. Crucially, he does not possess his father's gullibility; he is aware that Macbeth tries to entice him back to Scotland.
  3. He is also politically shrewd in testing that Macduff was not sent by Macbeth to lure him to his death.
• 1. Shakespeare hints at the fragility of power by exposing it as a superficial and fleet construct.
  2. Shakespeare uses banquo to hint at how securing your lineage is more important that a transient crown.
  3. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to exemplify the provocative that you cannot achieve kinship without an element of deception or using duplicitous mean, which in turn lead to catastrophic consequence.
• 1. Shakespeare demonstrates how the acquisition of power invokes an irreversible change in character, subverting the audiences' expectations.
  2. he implies that a persons' poor qualities are enhanced by the crown and personal desire - Macbeth becomes paranoid.
  3. Shakespeare characterises Macbeth as the embodiment of absolute terror and tyranny, despite being depicted as a valiant warrior which initially inspires trust and loyalty in the play's exposition.
• 1. Shakespeare illustrates how Macbeth's kingship is already tainted with ambition.
  2. although influenced by the extraneous forces of evil, they undoubtedly release a wellspring of ambition already inside him.
• 1. Shakespeare forces his audience to question whether the unlawful act of treason has a supernatural urge, whether there are malign witches and demonic forces working against the moral bonds of mankind.
  2. Shakespeare explores the consequences of usurpation- for the nation it is a nightmare; an illegitimate king can only become a tyrant, using ever-greater acts of violence to maintain his rule.
  3. However, Shakespeare is careful to emphasise how the tyrant himself suffers at his own hand- violence traumatises the violent person as well as the victims.
• Shakespeare cleverly crafts the themes of kingship/tyranny/natural order through the devolution of Macbeth. By contrasting morality and corruption within Macbeth and Banquo, Shakespeare cautions against ambition and associates it with the supernatural - a very disturbing idea for the contemporary audience, contributing to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.
• • The direct contrast between the way Duncan and Macbeth rule Britain. Macbeth is the least successful king in the play.
  • Even his ascension to the throne is unrighteous, as he gets there on the back of murder, lies, and betrayal. He is not the rightful heir. He doesn’t care for Scotland, only for himself.
  • Through his time on the throne, Shakespeare explores how power corrupts the minds of men, and how impactful a king’s reign is on his whole country. He studies what it would truly be like to have a tyrant on the throne and how power draws out people’s violent natures.
• Macbeth's harmasha is unchecked ambition propelling him to become a bloodthirsty tyrant he defines the divine right of king is and acquires a legitimate title of king.
• The character of Macbeth, driven by his unchecked ambition, serves as a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of power. As the play unfolds, Macbeth's ambition pushes him to commit regicide, the ultimate act of treason against the divine order. This action shatters the sacred bond between kingship and divinity, plunging Scotland into chaos and disorder. Macbeth's obsession with maintaining his throne leads to a reign characterized by brutality, paranoia, and moral decay, illustrating how ambition can corrupt even the most virtuous of leaders.
• Macbeth's downfall, ultimately, serves as a narrative tool to reestablish the rightful order of kingship. In the end, Macbeth is defeated, and Duncan's son, Malcolm, is restored to the throne. This restoration is symbolic of the return to the divine order and the reestablishment of a just and virtuous king. The contrast between Macbeth's reign and Malcolm's rule underscores the importance of a rightful king in maintaining stability and harmony within a kingdom.