Macbeth context

Question 1

The Divine Right Of Kings

Answer 1

• Belief asserting that a monarch derived their authority from God
• Any attempt to dispose or murder the king is an attempt on God himself
• God himself appoints a monarch, and that his will is passed down a royal family

Link to the play:

• Macbeth violates the Divine Right of Kings and suffers a gruelling death- his downfall is synonymous with this violation of his

-James I was the patron of Shakespeare’s company, Shakespeare’s portrayal of Duncan’s murder as an act against God was intended to please James

Question 2

King James I

Answer 2

James I funded Shakespeare’s company, The Kings Men, and its for this reason many believe the play was written for him Link to play

• Central themes in the play were tailored to fit his interests: treason, regicide, and the supernatural
• James I was also a staunch believer in the Divine Right of Kings and the Great Chain of Being

Question 3

The Great Chain of Being

Answer 3

• God created the world hierarchical structure encompassing all matter and life
• The monarch held the seat at he top of the structure
• Men were seen as higher on the structure than women, so women were expected to be subordinate to their husbands
• Trying to move yourself up this table was seen as an act against God

Link to the play:

• When Macbeth kills Duncan, he violates the GCoB by betraying his superior and thus his God
• He also breaks the GCoB on a much minor scale when LM emasculates him to commit regicide against the king. He follows the order of his subordinate

Question 4

Daemonologie

Answer 4

• Published by James I
• The book explores James belief in magic and witchcraft, aiming to prove the existence of such forces
• He dictates thee punishment that should be given to someone who practices them

Link to the play:

• In his book James looks at the ability of witches to control the weather, vanish, fly, create potions, along with chanting.
• Shakespeare based the witches on Daemonologie. Because he tries to please James as he was his Patron

Question 5

Religion an the 7 deadly sins

Answer 5

• Jacobean society was highly religious
• The seven deadly sins are a group of vices intended to prevent sin in Christian teachings. Basically a list of things people shouldn’t do if they want to go to heaven
• They are: pride, greed, lust envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth
• Committing any of these sins was considered to be straying from gods will, its a clear message in the bible and any disobeyer will be faced with punishment

Link to the play:

• Each of the 7 sins can be found in the actions of key characters in the play
• Macbeth is guilty of pride, anger, envy, and greed, his death can be seen as a punishment for this same as LM
• Duncan can also be seen as gluttonous as he has large banquets

Question 6

The patriarchy

Answer 6

• Social system in which men hold the power and women face oppression from these men in power, they are objects of men
• The GCob dictates that men are superior to women. leading to a patriarchal social structure
  Links to the play:
• Shakespeare conforms to the idea and challenges it
• The country is led by a male monarch supported by male subjects, but LM consistently subverts a patriarchal expectations of women through being more barbaric and tyrannical than Macbeth. Link to appearance vs reality

Question 7

What are the 6 pieces of context - King Duncan’s Grim Death Sparks Paranoia

Answer 7

King James I
Divine Right of Kings
Great Chain of Being
Daemonologie
Seven deadly sins
Patriarchy