Religion/Macbeth Flashcards
“the life to come”
As Jacobean England was so deeply religious, it’s no surprise that faith is mentioned in the play which is full of sinners and treachery. Macbeth
rarely mentions God by name, but the idea of Heaven and Hell plays heavily on his mind. This suggests he is worried about the destination of his immortal soul. He mentions jumping “the life to come”, implying he is sacrificing an eternal life in Heaven so that he can enjoy power and status during his finite life on Earth.
A significant part of Macbeth’s character arc is how he copes (or tries to cope) with turning his back on God. While contemplating Duncan’s murder, he acknowledges that Heaven will object to his plans. He frets that Duncan’s virtues as a good king will somehow cry out against the murder. This could refer to how his subjects will literally mourn his death, or it could be metaphorical: Macbeth may be worried that Heaven and Earth will react negatively to the murder.
“Sleep no more”
“Say amen”
Killing Duncan is a landmark decision in his moral path, as it is a conscious choice to put an end to his good ways and embrace corrupt temptation. Straight after the murder, Macbeth has a moral crisis and an identity crisis. One of the signs of his inability to cope is how he will “sleep no more”. The other is that he could not “say Amen”. These affect Macbeth so deeply because they both demonstrate that life as he knows
it is over. He will no longer live like the rest
of humanity. He has strayed from God’s path, and so has lost God’s protection.
Religion
-Shakespeare constructs Scotland after the murder as a godless, Hellish land to match its king. Crops fail, strange cries fill the air, and the country lives in eternal darkness. Macbeth’s mental state mirrors the state of his kingdom. Shakespeare suggests that living without God is the worst fate a man can have.
“stars, hide your fires”
The phrase “stars, hide your fires” could refer to several things. Firstly, the “stars” might represent the gods or the heavens. In this case, Macbeth doesn’t want them to see his sins, in the hopes that he will still be blessed by them and have salvation. Equally, he fears their judgement and disappointment. Similarly, “stars” could be previous heros. It was common in mythology for heros to be immortalised in the stars, like with constellations. Macbeth still wants his chance at being a hero to his country. Alternatively, asking the “stars” to “hide [their] fires” could show how Macbeth wants to operate in darkness. This means he can avoid detection from others, but more importantly, doesn’t have to witness
his own corruption and villainy.
“We’d jump the life to come,” (1.7).
Shakespeare associates guilt with religion. While wondering if he should really kill Duncan, Macbeth acknowledges, “We’d jump the life to come,” (1.7). This is a reference to the afterlife, which Christians believed would be granted to those who honoured God. Macbeth knows committing murder will sacrifice his life in Heaven, making him fully mortal and abandoned by God. The threat of this is enough to make Macbeth reconsider his plan, showing the power religion and belief had over people at the time. Shakespeare suggests Macbeth should have listened to his conscience and faith rather than to his wife. Shakespeare shows the moral and religious consequences of being guilty.
“But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘Amen’? / I had most need of blessing and ‘Amen’ / Stuck in my throat,” (2.2).
Macbeth continues, “But wherefore could not I pronounce ‘Amen’? / I had most need of blessing and ‘Amen’ / Stuck in my throat,” (2.2). He is deeply distressed and upset by this experience. It seems Macbeth is scared because he has been denied God’s forgiveness, so knows he is damned. The phrase “I had most need of blessing” reveals his regret, for he is desperate to reclaim his innocence. The metaphor “stuck in my throat” evokes the image of a barrier blocking Macbeth from God
