Macbeth : Kingship ( Quotes, Characters, Grade 9 Analysis)

• What is the idea of Kingship?

  Being King
• Moments in Macbeth that would work for Kingship


  • Macbeth being king
  • Macbeth's ambition to be king
  • Lady Macbeth's encouragement of Macbeth to become king through regicide
  • Macbeth's guilt about regicide
  • Lady Macbeth's guilt after encouraging Macbeth to commit regicide
  • The supernatural prophecies about Macbeth being king
  • Banquo resisting the temptations of Kingship
  • Macbeth justifying violence to acquire the illegitimate title of King
  • Malcolm being the rightful King, who is divinely ordained (abides with God's plan for him)
  • Macduff aiming to restore natural order and the divine right of kings by killing Macbeth
  • Anything about the divine right of kings (King being chosen by God)
• How does each theme link to Kingship?

  Ambition - Allure (pull) of kingship / ambition to violate kingship

  Violence - Violent pursuit of kingship

  Guilt - Consequences of violating kingship

  Appearance vs reality - How deceit is used to acquire power and kingship

  Supernatural - Supernatural allure (pull) of kingship / self-fulfilling prophecies about kingship

  Gender - Macbeth’s emasculation propels him into violating the divine right of kings
• Macbeth’s Link To Kingship

  • Violates Kingship
  • Transgression (goes against) of kingship
  • Violates the divine right of Kings
  • Subverts divine law
  • Tyrannical (cruel) pursuit of kingship
  • Usurpation (take with force) of kingship
  • Immoral kingship
  • Indulged into the allure (pull) of kingship
  • Betrays kingship
  • Kingship tainted (stained) by treachery (betrayal) and sin
• Lady Macbeth’s Link To Kingship

  • Encourages Macbeth’s violation of kingship
  • Catalyses Macbeth’s transgression of kingship
  • Propels Macbeth into violating the divine right of kings
  • She encourages Macbeth’s usurpation (take with force) of kingship
• The Witches Link To Kingship

  • Their self fulfilling prophecies cause Macbeth to violate kingship
  • Their prophecies make Macbeth feel justified in his usurpation of kingship
  • Allure of supernatural prophecies blind him to consequences of violating the divine right of kings
  • Catalyse Macbeth’s transgression of kingship and divine law
• Banquo’s Link To Kingship

  • Abides by the divine right of kings
  • Possesses a moral compass against the allure of kingship
  • Loyalty to the crown and divine authority
  • Moral and pious ( religious) stance against the disruption of kingship
  • Realisation of Macbeth’s usurpation of kingship
• Macduff’s Link To Kingship

  • Restored order caused by Macbeth’s violent violation of kingship
  • Restoration of true kingship
  • Restoration of the divine right of kings
  • Determination to avenge ( get revenge) the betrayal of kingship
• Malcolm’s Link To Kingship

  • Embodiment of true kingship
  • Rightful Return to kingship
  • Restoration of his rightful kingship
  • Has divine authority to the divine right of kings
• Macduff: '"I have no words; my voice is my sword"'

  • Short sentence :
  • -Reflects the short amount of time that Scotland will have to continue to suffer - by slewing Macbeth Scotland can be rightly governed and flourish under divine ordain
  • Violent Metaphor :
  • -Macduff contends that the restoration of Scotland's natural order necessitated physical violence
  • -Macbeth's violation of Kingship mandates a similar force to rectify the natural order of the divine right of kings that has been disrupted
• Lady Macbeth's initial flattery

  Calling him "worthy Cawdor!… all hail hereafter"
• Lady Macbeth's later insult

  Calling him a "coward"
• Lady Macbeth's initial flattery

  Curdles into a poisonous insult
• Lady Macbeth's insult

  Emasculates Macbeth
• Lady Macbeth's insult

  Catalyses Macbeth into committing regicide to become king
• Within the rigid gender roles of Jacobean society, a man's dominance over his wife was paramount
• Lady Macbeth recognised that Macbeth's ambition, his hamartia, was deeply intertwined with his perceived masculinity
• Lady Macbeth exploits Macbeth's perceived masculinity to propel him to violate kingship