Context

Question 1

Summary of Context:

Answer 1

-King James I: appeasement
-Divine Right of Kings: monarch authority from God
-Great Chain of Being: hierarchal order by God
-Daemonologie: James I 1597 book on supernatural
-Religion + 7 Deadly Sins: greed, wrath, pride & envy
-The Patriarchy: male dominated society

Question 2

King James I

Answer 2

-funded Shakespeare plays
-plays were written FOR HIM
-central themes tailored to meet his interests: treason, regicide + supernatural

Question 3

Divine Right of Kings

Answer 3

-monarch derived authority from God
-any attempt to dispose/murder king is an attempt on God

Links:
-Macbeths violates Divine Right of Kings and suffers a gruelling death
-Shakespeares portrayal of Duncan’s murder as an act against God was intended to appease his King

Question 4

Great Chain of Being

Answer 4

Links:
-when Macbeth kills Duncan, he violates the great chain of being by betraying his superior (and thus his God)
-when Lady Macbeth emasculates Macbeth and forces him into regicide

Question 5

Daemonologie

Answer 5

-published in 1597
-explores James I belief in magic + witchcraft
-Shakespeares depiction of witches seems to fit most of James’ expectations of witchcraft

Question 6

Religion + The 7 Deadly Sins

Answer 6

-Jacobean society = highly religious
-pride, greed, envy & wrath all showed by Macbeth
-> punishment = death

Question 7

The Patriarchy

Answer 7

-Shakespeares confirms to idea and challenges it
-Lady Macbeth consistently subverts patriarchal expectations of women