Kingship & Tyranny **

• "Let not light see my black and deep desires."(Macbeth)
• O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman


  • act 1 scene 2

  • Duncan puts allot of trust and respect in Macbeth, veiws him highly

  • ironic as Macbeth later betrays Duncan, shows him as too trusting and he was betrayed by old thane of Cawdor

  • emphasises the betrayal by Macbeth

  • Valiant = brave noble heroic

  • worthy gentleman = noble, respected, trusted
• "Those he commands move only in command, nothing in love."


  • act 5 scene 2

  • only shows how Macbeth is isolated from his country

  • command = imperative portrays Macbeth as bossy and tyrannical

  • his country does not love him or respect him only scared of him and being punished

  • shows how Macbeth not like Duncan and isn't loved by country or respected

  • his reign is bad and he doesn't posses good kingship or qualities
• Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure


  • Scotland is personified as a bleeding wounded body

  • physically damaged & suffering under Macbeth's rule

  • his kingship in wrong

  • repetition of bleed emphasises the pain and disruption

  • exclamatory sentence shows upset & makes reader feel sympathetic for Scotland

  • contrasts the harvest Duncan created when king & land was thriving under his reign
• It was said the horses did eat themselves


  •Strange events going against nature

  • showing that Macbeth's rule is unnatural and had gone against the divine right of kings so the balance of nature is thrown off/ suffering
• His virtues will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of taking off


  • act 1 scene 7

  • describing Duncan's honourable qualities

  • religious imagery aligning Duncan with god he is highest power great chain of social being

  • trumpet tongued shows he is celebrated by subjects
• dead butcher and his fiend-like queen


  • Act 5 Scene 9

  • how they appeared to others, not well liked

  • even after death Macbeth still hated and disrespected

  • shows how his death a good thing and people happy he isn't king

  • contrasts Duncan's death

  • butcher = violent bloody merciless reflects Macbeth rule and attitudes
• hell-hound


  • dehumanise Macbeth he is savage and Brutish

  •implies he was slave to violence or his master the devil

  • religious connotations relates to society and great cabin of social being

  • Macbeth lost noble title and is universally hated stark contrast from reputation at beginning of play
• Duncan as king


  • noble loved and respected

  • all qualities that make a good king

  • Country thrives and Duncan nurtures harvest links to divine right of kings and contacts Macbeth's reign

  • selfless towards macbeth and shows compassion for him, gives him title and says he has potential to be powerful

  • too trusting however as betrayed by og thane of Cawdor and then betrayed by new one (Macbeth)

  • warning to king James about being too trusting gunpowder plot link