Macbeth: Kingship

Analysis on the terminology around Kingship

Shakespeare uses “crown” and “throne” as metonyms of kingship.

LM & M call it “crown”, suggesting a transitory nature, something that can be easily worn. Irony is that they lose it easily as well, almost always.

Malcolm’s side call it a “throne”, this suggests more permanence in Malcolm’s power.

Exceptions:

• Act 1 Scene IV: Macbeth still uses “throne”, he is not yet really resolute on killing Duncan, emphasising that it is LM more than the supernatural than cause him to “stir”

• Act 5 Scene IX: Malcolm uses “crown”, emphasizing how the Macbeth’s hold on Kingship was transitoru.

What was the importance of ambition in Jacobean ruling classes?

It defines the interactions between the nobles and monarchy, it can be:

• Bad, when acted on ignoring guilt, for both the country and the sinner

• Good, when acted on acknowledging guilt and not being a sinner

So the nobility are both supporters to the crown and a danger.

Shakespeare’s warning to King James

Malcolm in Act IV Scene 3 lists characteristics of a tyrant, pretending to be one, including voluptuousness, avarice and lack of kingly graces.

He then contrasts this with graces that he pretends not to possess, including, mercy, patience and courage.

This is a subtle hint to King James who could be seen by his court to possess some of these traits and for him to act more sensibly (do not be too open about his sexuality).

Malcolm is Better than Duncan.

Malcom know what is expected from a King and that healing will take place in his rule, just like King Edward of England, whose “healing benediction” was believed to cure disease like “scrofula”.

Could be linked to healing rifts between Catholics and Protestants: Gunpowder Plot, do not be too harsh.

But Malcolm is not gullible like his father and is aware that Macbeth is trying to entice him back to England.

He is also politically shrewd in testing Macduff was not sent by Macbeth to lure him to his death.

King James should also be careful like Malcolm.

Thesis Statement

Shakespeare hints at the fragility of power by exposing it as superficial and fleeting construct.

Banquo proves how securing your lineage is more important than a transient crown.

Macbeth exemplifies that you cannot achieve kingship without a element of deception which has catastrophic consequences.

Impact of power on the illegimate.

The gain of power causes a effect on the Macbeths that subvert audience’s expectations.

Shakespeare implies that a person’s poor qualities are enhanced by person desire and ambition: Macbeth becomes paranoid and bloodthirsty.

Macbeth a figure representing absolute tyranny and this is emphasised by his transition from a valiant warrior at the play’s exposition to a tyrant.

Macbeths ambition.

This is released by the supernatural and Lady Macbeth like a wellspring.

All ambition for treason can be argued to come from a supernatural urge, perhaps demonic forces or malign witches.

What does the King repersent?

To the Jacobean audience he would be the source of:

• Great Power

• Christian religion (head of Church of England)

• Justice

By destroying the King, Macbeth destroys this entire belief system.

Heat oppressed brain

Soliloquy: Showing his innermost thoughts

Juxtaposition: Brain and its thoughts are meant to be free, yet here they are oppressed.

Sacrifice: The cost is high but he still does it, knowing that he is being manipulated, but thinks Kingship is worth the sacrifice.

Divine of Being: The horror of killing the King is because it upsets the Great Chain of Being, where the King is appointed by God and Macbeth breaks this.

LM: She “oppressed” Macbeth as the power will translate to her.

Witches: They could be symbols of Satan and the King represents their enemy the Christian God, Macbeth is used to attack this idea of Christianity and Justice for what the witches want: chaos and evil.

Purpose: To commit regicide is to meddle with evil powers of Satan and will destroy your own sense of freedom as you will be consumed in the violence like Macbeth, proving this to be a cautionary tale for the nobles at James Court discouraging regicide.

something wicked this way comes

Juxtaposition: The witches recognise the change in him and how he is far from being “full of the milk of human kindness”.

Chremamorphism: He is a dehumanised “something”, no longer feeling “thane of Cawdor”, his tyranny has stripped him of his honour and glory in prior “brave Macbeth”

Contrast: This subverts the audience’s expectation, the King is supposed to represent justice and christian power but now it represents evil, he should be the most powerful man but he goes to the witches for prophecies, destroying the noble idea Kingship. So in a way, Macbeth loses power and humanity by serving evil.

Purpose: To prove how corrupting the power of ambition without a moral compass provided by guilt is. It subverts the exceptions of society, proving to ambitious nobles at James court that power gained by sinful ways, will corrupt to the point you become less powerful by bringing out the worst traits in you: for Macbeth it was his paranoia.

Instruments of darkness tell us truths… only to betray

Deliberation: The witches choose Macbeth because they could see that he would follow up on his ambition and attack the source of Christian justice.

Power of Kingship: Witches know society will crumble if the King is killed, order is gone, people flee and natural order goes as well, so they can get their “darkness”

Break in Natural order: The falcon (a noble predator) is killed by an owl (a lesser bird, usually not threatening). It's nature flipped upside-down — symbolic of Macbeth (a lesser man) killing Duncan (a great king). Symbolising how everything is crumbling.

Purpose: To encourage the nobles to stand by James I in face of hostility (e.g. from the Gunpowder plotters) as otherwise society itself will crumble.

unseamed him from the nave to the chaps

Excessive Violence: This is exhibited by Macbeth and is what makes him get described in noble terms as “Noble Macbeth”, Duncan reward him for this.

Values: It shows the values that were valued in the society, cruelty, violence and murder. Duncan recognises this as something good that saves the land from invaders, but ultimately it is also something that gets him killed.

Purpose: To challenge the values of the patriarchy at the time and encourage them to keep their society a political one, where power can be gained without violence, as encourage the nobles to not pass this boundary as it will “teach bloody instruction” for others to follow and kill the usurper.