Macbeth

• KING JAMES l

  James I was a patron of Shakespeare's company, the King's Men, and it is for this reason that many believed the play was written for him
• Central themes in the play

  Treason, genocide, the supernatural
• James I


  • He 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 I was, and his presence in the play may emphasise James' ancient royal lineage
• Divine right of kings

  • Belief that a monarch derived their authority from God
  • Any attempt to dispose or murder the king is an attempt on God himself
  • God himself appoints a monarch, and that his will is passed down in the royal family
• Macbeth violates the divine right of kings

  This is a grieving deed - his downfall is due to his violation of this
• Shakespeare's portrayal of Duncan's murder as an act against God was intended to appease his king and patron
• The Great Chain of Being


  A clear hierarchical structure created by God encompassing all of life, with humans at the top and women subordinate to men
• Men were seen as higher on the Great Chain of Being structure than women, who were expected to be subordinate to their husbands</b>
• Macbeth violates the Great Chain of Being


  By betraying his superiors and God
• Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth


  Breaking the chain of being on a more minor scale
• Daemonologie


  A book published in 1597 by King James I exploring his belief in magic and witchcraft, and dictating the punishments for practicing them
• In Daemonologie, James looks at the ability of witches to control the weather, vanish/fly, and create potions, which the witches in Macbeth seem to exhibit
• Seven Deadly Sins


  A group of seven immoral behaviors that were considered to be vices in Elizabethan society, intended to prevent sin in Christian teachings
• The seven deadly sins are: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth
• Committing any one of the seven deadly sins was considered to be swaying one's soul
• The seven deadly sins can be found in the actions of key characters in Macbeth


  Macbeth is guilty of pride, anger, greed, and envy, and his downfall can be seen as a punishment for this
• Patriarchy


  A social system in which women are held under the power of men and face oppression from these men, with the Great Chain of Being dictating that men are superior to women, leading to a patriarchal social structure
• Shakespeare confirms the idea of patriarchy and challenges it, with the country being led by a male monarch supported by male subjects, but Lady Macbeth consistently subverting patriarchal expectations as a woman
• Divine Right of Kings

  The belief that the monarch's authority comes directly from God
• Key concepts in Macbeth

  • The Great Chain of Being
  • Daemonologie
  • Seven Deadly Sins
  • Patriarchy
  • Divine Right of Kings
• Duncan is shown to be a (kind) ruler, demonstrating just and benevolent important aspects of kingship
• Signs of nobleness like stars shall shine/On all deservers: 'Duncan'
• Meaning of "Signs of nobleness like stars shall shine/On all deservers"


  Duncan is willing to reward all those who do good, virtue and nobility are visible traits in a person, they will be rewarded in the afterlife as well as now, "deservers" are aligned with God
• Duncan says "I have begun to plant thee and will labour/To make thee full of growing"

  Banquo replies "There if I grow,/ The harvest is your own"
• Duncan

  • Invested in his followers, dedicated to self-improvement and the success of others, nurturing and considerate
• The semantic field of agriculture connotes new life and nourishment, presenting Duncan as nurturing and considerate
• Revenge


  An important theme, contrasted with the idea of justice being done
• When Duncan asks whether the traitorous Cawdor has been executed

  • He is asking for justice
• Macbeth's execution of Duncan's guards


  Not an example of justice, even though Macbeth claims to act in revenge for Duncan's murder
• Macbeth: 'Blood will have blood (III.4.122)'
• When Banquo's ghost appears


  Apparently seeking revenge for his death
• The ghost of Banquo 'smiles' (IV.1.123) at Macbeth


  Implying that his revenge is complete and that his descendants will be kings
• Macduff's vengeance


  By murdering Macduff's family, Macbeth sets against himself the one man who can defeat him. Macduff's mission for revenge is entirely personal - he promises that Macbeth escaping from him is as likely as heaven forgiving him (IV.3.233-4)