1.1.5

Monarchy

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Divine Right of Kings

In the 17th century, people believed in the Divine Right of Kings.

Belief explained

Belief explained

  • People believed that kings were appointed by, and only answerable to, God.
  • They answered to a higher power and could not be governed by anyone on Earth.
  • Therefore, any attempt to remove monarchs from the throne was sacrilegious (a crime against God and Christianity).
Relevance to the play

Relevance to the play

  • In Macbeth, King Duncan is chosen by God as the King of Scotland.
  • However, after the witches tell Macbeth that he is fated to be King, he plots with Lady Macbeth to plan Duncan’s murder.
  • Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne, going against the will of God and the Divine Right of Kings.
  • Macbeth was not chosen by God to be king, and therefore disrupts the natural order and suffers horribly for it – he feels a strong sense of guilt, hallucinates, loses his wife, and then loses his own life and the throne.
Relevance to the play (continued)

Relevance to the play (continued)

  • Macbeth’s loss of the throne after losing his own life helps to restore the natural order, as the next God-appointed king ascends the throne (Malcolm, King Duncan’s son).
  • Therefore, an early modern audience would see Macbeth as committing a deadly sin, which he would pay dearly for.
    • After losing his life, he would likely go to Hell, a horrific consequence for a contemporary reader.

Pleasing the King?

James I became King of England in 1603. Shakespeare soon published Macbeth, possibly in an attempt to please the new king.

Setting

Setting

  • James I was also James VI of Scotland (for much of his reign, he ruled both England and Scotland at the same time) – Macbeth was set in Scotland, written about a Scottish king.
Presentation and role of the witches

Presentation and role of the witches

  • James I hated witchcraft and felt that it was evil and went against God – in Macbeth, the witches cause the ultimate downfall of the Scottish king, as they encourage Macbeth to seek his power for himself.
  • The witches are seen as dark, evil characters who only cause bad things to happen – they destroy life and the natural order of things (e.g. the Divine Right of Kings).
Triumph of the monarchy

Triumph of the monarchy

  • In Macbeth, Shakespeare appeals to James I with the resolution (ending) of the play.
  • He shows that, despite the evil witchcraft which has caused pain and suffering, the royal line ultimately takes control again (when King Duncan’s son, Malcolm, takes the throne).
  • Shakespeare shows that the monarchy wins, despite the Devil (in the form of the witches) attempting to disrupt the natural order.
Jump to other topics
1

Literary & Cultural Context

1.1

Context

1.1.1Tragedy1.1.2The Supernatural1.1.3Gender1.1.4Politics1.1.5Monarchy1.1.6End of Topic Test - Context
2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 22.1.2Scene 32.1.3Scenes 4-52.1.4Scenes 6-72.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1
2.2

Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 22.2.2Act 32.2.3Act 4
2.3

Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-32.3.2Scenes 4-82.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-52.3.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ambiguous Ending2.3.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Jacobean
3

Characters

3.1

Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain3.1.2Ambition & Fate3.1.3Relationship3.1.4Unstable3.1.5Tyrant3.1.6End of Topic Test - Macbeth3.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cowardice3.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Madness3.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Power
3.2

Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed3.2.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - NOT a Man3.2.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Villain
3.3

Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo3.3.2The Witches3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches3.3.4King Duncan3.3.5Macduff3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff3.3.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Banquo
3.4

Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions
4

Themes

4.1

Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning4.1.3Violence4.1.4The Supernatural4.1.5Masculinity4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order4.1.7Appearances & Deception4.1.8Madness & Blood4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2
4.2

Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes4.2.2Extract Analysis
5

Writer's Techniques

5.1

Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques
6

Recap: Main Quotes

6.1

Characters Quotes

6.1.1Macbeth6.1.2Macbeth 26.1.3Macbeth 36.1.4Macbeth 46.1.5Lady Macbeth6.1.6Lady Macbeth 26.1.7Banquo6.1.8Banquo 26.1.9The Witches6.1.10King Duncan6.1.11Macduff6.1.12Extra Questions
6.2

Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Violence6.2.2The Supernatural6.2.3Ambition6.2.4Armour, Kingship & the Natural Order6.2.5Appearances & Deception6.2.6Lady Macbeth's Masculinity6.2.7Madness & Blood6.2.8Men, Children & Sleep

Practice questions on Monarchy

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  1. 1
    Features of the belief in the Divine Right of Kings:True / false
  2. 2
    Complete this explanation of the Divine Right of Kings:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    Macbeth and the Divine Right of KingsPut in order
  4. 4
    In what ways does Macbeth suffer for going against the Divine Right of Kings?Fill in the list
  5. 5
    God-appointed kings in _Macbeth_:True / false
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Politics

End of Topic Test - Context