Kingship (Theme)

Big Idea One from Act 1: The Ideal King

Shakespeare presents King Duncan as the epitome of a benevolent and just ruler, setting a standard for kingship based on virtue and divine right, which underscores the natural order and stability his rule brings to Scotland.

Big Idea Two from Act 2: The Usurpation of Power

Macbeth’s murder of Duncan marks a violent usurpation of the throne, illustrating Shakespeare’s critique of illegitimate rule and its disruption of natural order, evoking horror at the sacrilegious act of regicide.

Big Idea One from Act 1: The Ideal King

Shakespeare presents King Duncan as the epitome of a benevolent and just ruler, setting a standard for kingship based on virtue and divine right, which underscores the natural order and stability his rule brings to Scotland.

Big Idea Two from Act 2: The Usurpation of Power

Macbeth’s murder of Duncan marks a violent usurpation of the throne, illustrating Shakespeare’s critique of illegitimate rule and its disruption of natural order, evoking horror at the sacrilegious act of regicide.

Big Idea Three from Act 3: The Tyrant King

As Macbeth’s rule becomes increasingly tyrannical and paranoid, Shakespeare contrasts the rightful kingship of Duncan with Macbeth’s despotic reign, highlighting the chaos and suffering that arise from a ruler’s moral corruption and abuse of power.

Big Idea Four from Act 4: The Contrast of Legitimate Kingship

Shakespeare introduces Malcolm as the rightful heir and a foil to Macbeth’s tyranny, portraying him as a symbol of hope and legitimate kingship, emphasizing the restoration of order and justice through rightful leadership.

Big Idea Five from Act 5: The Restoration of Order

The overthrow of Macbeth and Malcolm’s ascension to the throne signifies the restoration of legitimate kingship and divine order, illustrating Shakespeare’s belief in the ultimate triumph of justice and the re-establishment of moral and political stability.

Quote 1 from Big Idea One: The Ideal King

Quote 1: "This Duncan / Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office" (Act 1, Scene 7).
Method: Characterization and juxtaposition; Shakespeare contrasts Duncan's meekness and clarity in his role with Macbeth's ambition, highlighting the virtues of a good king.

Quote 2 from Big Idea One: The Ideal King

Quote 2: "His virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued" (Act 1, Scene 7).
Method: Simile and personification; Comparing Duncan’s virtues to angels emphasizes his righteousness and divine favor, reinforcing the idea of the ideal, god-appointed king.

Quote 1 from Big Idea Two: The Usurpation of Power

Quote 1: "I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. / Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell" (Act 2, Scene 1).
Method: Symbolism and foreshadowing; The bell as a death knell signifies the impending regicide and unnatural shift in power, emphasizing the sacrilegious act of usurpation.

Quote 2 from Big Idea Two: The Usurpation of Power

Quote 2: "The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence / The life o' the building!" (Act 2, Scene 3). Method: Metaphor; Referring to Duncan as "The Lord’s anointed temple" underscores the divine right of kings and the heinousness of Macbeth’s crime.

Quote 1 from Big Idea Three: The Tyrant King

Quote 1: "I am in blood / Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er" (Act 3, Scene 4).
Method: Metaphor; Macbeth’s imagery of wading through blood reflects his deep entrenchment in tyranny and violence, illustrating his moral corruption.

Quote 2 from Big Idea Three: The Tyrant King

Quote 2: "Now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands" (Act 3, Scene 6).
Method: Metaphor and imagery; The idea of murders "sticking" on Macbeth’s hands symbolizes the inescapable guilt and the consequences of his tyrannical actions.

Quote 1 from Big Idea Four: The Contrast of Legitimate Kingship

Quote 1: "Macduff, this noble passion, / Child of integrity, hath from my soul / Wiped the black scruples, reconciled my thoughts" (Act 4, Scene 3). Method: Personification and metaphor; Malcolm’s description of integrity as a "child" of noble passion contrasts sharply with Macbeth’s tyranny, highlighting Malcolm’s rightful and moral claim to the throne.

Quote 2 from Big Idea Four: The Contrast of Legitimate Kingship

Quote 2: "Let's make us med'cines of our great revenge, / To cure this deadly grief" (Act 4, Scene 3).
Method: Metaphor; Malcolm’s use of "med'cines" and "cure" symbolizes the healing and restoration that legitimate kingship will bring to Scotland, contrasting with Macbeth’s destructive rule.

Quote 1 from Big Idea Five: The Restoration of Order

Quote 1: "The time is free" (Act 5, Scene 9). Method: Symbolism and personification; The notion of time being "free" symbolizes the liberation and restoration of natural order with Malcolm’s ascension, contrasting the oppression under Macbeth’s tyranny.

Quote 2 from Big Idea Five: The Restoration of Order

Quote 2: "Hail, King of Scotland!" (Act 5, Scene 9). Method: Direct address and repetition; The acclamation of Malcolm as king emphasizes the restoration of rightful rule and divine order, underscoring the theme of legitimate kingship and justice prevailing.

The Ideal King: Authorial Intent / Context

In Jacobean England, kingship was seen as divinely ordained. Shakespeare presents Duncan as the ideal, virtuous king to highlight the stability and order a rightful ruler brings, aiming to evoke admiration and underscore the importance of legitimate, moral leadership.

The Usurpation of Power: Authorial Intent / Context

During a time when regicide was considered the ultimate crime, Shakespeare depicts Macbeth’s murder of Duncan to critique the disruption of natural order and divine right, intending to provoke horror and emphasize the sacrilege and chaos of usurpation.

The Tyrant King: Authorial Intent / Context

Reflecting the era’s fear of tyranny, Shakespeare shows Macbeth's descent into a despotic ruler to contrast with Duncan’s benevolent kingship, aiming to evoke fear and highlight the destructive effects of power when coupled with moral corruption.

The Contrast of Legitimate Kingship: Authorial Intent / Context

In a period valuing rightful succession, Shakespeare contrasts Malcolm’s legitimacy with Macbeth’s tyranny to illustrate the hope and justice inherent in true kingship, aiming to inspire hope and emphasize the restoration of order through legitimate leadership.

The Restoration of Order: Authorial Intent / Context

Amid themes of divine justice, Shakespeare concludes with Malcolm’s ascension to restore the rightful order, demonstrating the ultimate triumph of justice and moral leadership, aiming to leave the audience with a sense of resolution and faith in divine justice.