Macbeth

• Key words


  Tragic hero (Experiences a downfall)

  hamartia (fatal flaw)

  unchecked (uncontrollable)

  duplicitousness (deciteful)

  motif of sleep/blood

  irresistable allure (pull)

  Tyrannical (cruel and oppressive leader)

  carcass of insanity

  hubris (excessive pride)

  violating divine order/law
• Context 


  King James 1:

  was a patron (funded) for shakespeares plays, Shakespeare wanted to appease him
• Context 


  The divine right of kings: God chooses the king. Disrupting this was seen as an assault on god himself

  macbeth violates this by committing regicide therefore portrayed as going against god
• Context 


  Great chain of being: God created the world with a hierarchal order - rich above the poor, men above women (links to divine right of kings)

  macbeths bloodthirsty rampage violates the great chain of being

  lady Macbeth tries to alter her position by being more powerful than Macbeth
• Context


  Daemonologie: Book written by James 1 which describes the supernatural and how to punish witchcraft.

  witches supernatural depiction matches the exact descriptions of the supernatural to daemonolgie - another way for Shakespeare to appease James 1
• Context 


  Seven deadly sins and religion:

  7 deadly sins were to be avoided within Christianity to abstain from being influenced by the devil. Some are gree (want for more), wrath (anger), pride (ego) and envy (jealousy)

  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth embody greed, wrath, pride and envy

  Macbeth is driven by his pride and is greedy for more power - he is envious of the power of Duncan. This results in his violent Wrath as he commits regicide
• Context 


  The Patriarchy:

  Male dominated society where women were inferior (below) men

  Lady Macbeth consistently subverts (goes against) patriarchal expectations of a woman as she manipulates and emasculates (makes him feel lesser of a man) Macbeth