Conventional grade 7 interpretation with context Flashcards
The witches are presented in the play to appeal to king James. The witches are symbols of evil, malicious power, who work together to “meet with Macbeth” because they want to “win” his soul, and bring him “ harm”. Their supernatural soliciting uses prophetic knowledge of the future to tempt him with, by “commencing with a truth when he becomes thane of Cawdor.
Context for this paragraph
Shakespeare essentially wants to make the witches against him and slot himself on the side of the king especially since he had just published a book called “Deamonologie”
One such story is that of king James believed witches had attempted to sink his ships so Shakespeare simply treats king James as a important member of the audience.
Shakespeare does this to warn his audience that any thoughts they have might have of regicide are also likely to have been created by satanic forces. It reinforces his message regicide is a crime against God and the Great Chain of Being.
James struggles for popularity among the nobles as he had just survived the gunpowder plot pf 1605. We can also interpret that the linking of witchcraft to regicide as a warning to any of the nobles that are watching to not attempt to usurp him. Shakespeare is visibly trying to protect his king and also celebrate his virtuous lineage, as he was believed to have been descended from Banquo.
