Kingship

Question 1

TS1

Answer 1

Duncan is presented as a morally good king who does not deserve to die. His murder disrupts the natural order.

Question 2

TS2

Answer 2

Macbeth’s ambition to be king leads him to murder Duncan but he is also determined his descendants will be kings.

Question 3

TS3

Answer 3

Later in the play, Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland, pretending he has no kingly qualities unlike his ‘sainted’ father.

Question 4

TS4

Answer 4

Macbeth abuses his power as king, but the rightful heir is restored to the throne at the end.

Question 5

‘his virtues will plead like angels… against his taking off’ (Macbeth)

Answer 5

L = simile. Duncan is such a morally good king, heaven will react with horror to his murder and make sure the murderer is discovered.
C = DRK. Jacobeans believed King was appointed by God. To kill a king = act against God. God will punish murderer.

Question 6

‘The earth was feverous and did shake’

Answer 6

L= personification. The murder of King Duncan negatively affects the whole country D =  MB’s act of murder has brought moral sickness to the land. 
C= Gunpowder Plot had just tried to murder James 1. Play warns of terrible consequences of murdering a king.

Question 7

‘barren sceptre’

Answer 7

L = adjective.  MB is obsessed with his own descendants becoming kings and not Banquo’s children, as the witches predicted. Fears he’s damned himself for benefit of Banquo’s children.
C = Flatters James 1 – he was one of Banquo’s descendants.

Question 8

‘justice, verity’

‘bloody, false’

Answer 8

L = Malcolm and Macduff’s conversations describes the virtues a king should have – honesty and fairness. These are contrasted with adjectives used to describe Macbeth as king – he is murderous and a liar, not fit to be a king.

Question 9

‘it weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash is added to her wounds’

Answer 9

L = personification. Macbeth’s bloody kingship has destroyed the country in contrast to King Edward who heals his subjects. Scotland  is like a whipped slave or beast of burden suffering under his rule. 
C = The Jacobeans believed that a king should be like a father to his subjects. Macbeth is the opposite!

Question 10

‘by the grace of Grace’

Answer 10

C – Malcolm says that, as king, he will do whatever God calls him to do. He is the rightful king and a morally good man.
R = audience is reassured that the natural order has been restored.