Divine Right of Kings

• The belief asserting that a monarch derived their authority from God (they were chosen by God)
• Any attempts to depose or murder the king is an attempt on God himself
• God himself appoints a monarch
• Macbeth violates the Divine Right of Kings and suffers a grueling death- his downfall is synonymous with his violation of this
• Shakespeare's portrayal of Duncan's murder was an act against God and was intended to appease his king and patron (James I)
• What was the Divine Right of Kings?

  The belief that the King was chosen by God
• In Macbeth, the character Macbeth violates the Divine Right of Kings