Themes
Context
Characters
Questions
Summary
Quotes
Got an exam soon? Here are some short key pieces of context to add to your essays
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The Great Chain of Being, a belief system that structured society based on hierarchical order, was prevalent during the Jacobean era.
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The Divine Right of Kings, which was the idea that monarchs were appointed by God and had absolute power, was an important political concept.
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The role of women in Jacobean society was limited, and their portrayal in Macbeth reflects the era's patriarchal values and expectations.
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The Gunpowder Plot, a failed Catholic conspiracy to assassinate King James I, had a significant impact on English society and influenced Macbeth's portrayal of treason and betrayal.
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James I's interest in witches and witchcraft contributed to a heightened fear and anxiety about the supernatural in the Jacobean era, which is reflected in the play's portrayal of witches and their powers.
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Sentence starters for Macbeth Context
- Historically,
- Contextually,
- In Shakespearean times,
- In Jacobean times,
- At the time the play was written,
- In 1606,
- In the early 17th Century, when the play was written,
- In the 11th Century, when the play was set,
- Traditionally,
- Societal conventions at the time meant
Based on real life?
Macbeth was a Scottish king who ruled in the 11th century, while Banquo was a nobleman who fought alongside Macbeth in battle. It is believed that Banquo was an ancestor of King James I, who was the reigning monarch at the time of the play's composition. By portraying Banquo as a noble and virtuous character who is ultimately betrayed by Macbeth, Shakespeare may have been commenting on James's own struggles with betrayal and assassination attempts, which he believed were inspired by supernatural forces.
The Divine Right of Kings
The Divine Right of Kings was a political and religious doctrine that originated in medieval Europe. It was the belief that monarchs were chosen by God and were therefore absolute rulers with unquestionable authority. This belief was based on the idea that the king's power was derived from God, and therefore, any resistance to the king's authority was not only a crime but a sin.
In Macbeth, the idea of the Divine Right of Kings is explored through the character of King Duncan, who is presented as a just and virtuous ruler, chosen by God to lead Scotland. However, Macbeth's ambition leads him to murder Duncan, and in doing so, he not only violates the laws of man but the laws of God. This violation ultimately leads to Macbeth's downfall. Malcolm's ascension to the throne at the end of the play marks the restoration of order and the Divine Right of Kings in Scotland. Through Macbeth, the play illustrates the dangers of ambition and the importance of accepting one's rightful place in the hierarchy of power.
The Chain of Being
The Great Chain of Being was a hierarchical system of organization prevalent in medieval and Renaissance Europe. It divided all of creation into a strict hierarchy of levels, with God at the top, followed by angels, humans, animals, and then inanimate objects. Each level of the Great Chain of Being had a specific place and purpose, and any attempt to disrupt this order was believed to have dire consequences. This idea was central to the worldview of the time, and it heavily influenced the literature and philosophy of the era.
In Macbeth, the Great Chain of Being is a recurring motif, and the characters' actions are often shown to disrupt the natural order of the world. For example, when Macbeth kills King Duncan, he upsets the natural order of the hierarchy, leading to chaos and disorder. Similarly, the witches' prophecies and Macbeth's subsequent actions lead to the disruption of the Great Chain of Being, with disastrous consequences for the characters and the kingdom of Scotland. The play thus underscores the importance of maintaining order in the universe and the catastrophic effects of trying to subvert the natural order of things.
The role of women
The role of women in the Jacobean era was limited and restricted by the prevailing societal norms of the time. Women were expected to be obedient and subservient to men, whether it was their fathers, husbands, or other male figures in their lives. They were not allowed to hold positions of power or enter the public sphere, and their primary duties were considered to be those of wife, mother, and homemaker.
In Macbeth, this restrictive role is reflected in the character of Lady Macbeth, who is shown to be ambitious and power-hungry but unable to assert herself in a society dominated by men. She has to manipulate her husband and use her femininity to her advantage in order to achieve her goals, and even then, she is ultimately destroyed by her own ambition. The play highlights the limitations placed on women in Jacobean society and the consequences of women stepping outside of their assigned roles.
The Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot was a failed conspiracy to assassinate King James I of England and blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. The plot was organized by a group of Catholic extremists who were angry at the king's persecution of Catholics and his failure to grant them greater religious freedom. The plot was discovered, and the conspirators were arrested and executed, which led to a wave of anti-Catholic sentiment throughout England.
In Macbeth, the themes of treason and betrayal that are central to the play's plot are linked to the fears and anxieties that arose after the Gunpowder Plot. The play's portrayal of Macbeth as a power-hungry and ruthless tyrant who is willing to betray his king and country is reminiscent of the image of the Catholic conspirators who were seen as a threat to the Protestant establishment.
The play's exploration of the consequences of political unrest and the dangers of subverting the established order reflects the concerns and anxieties that were prevalent in English society after the Gunpowder Plot. Thus, the play can be seen as a reflection of the political and cultural climate of the time and a warning against the dangers of political upheaval and radicalism.
James's interest in witches
James I had a strong interest in the subject of witches and witchcraft, which was a topic of great fascination and fear in the early 17th century. He wrote a book on the subject, "Daemonologie," in which he argued that witches were real and posed a serious threat to society.
James's belief in the reality of witchcraft was linked to his own experiences, as he had been the target of several assassination attempts that were attributed to witches. His interest in the subject contributed to a heightened fear of witchcraft in England and Scotland, which manifested itself in the persecution and execution of thousands of people, mostly women, who were accused of being witches.
In Macbeth, the theme of witchcraft is central to the play's plot, and the witches themselves are presented as malevolent and dangerous figures who use their supernatural powers to manipulate and control Macbeth. The portrayal of the witches as powerful and manipulative figures reflects James's own view of witches as dangerous and malevolent, and their presence in the play serves to heighten the sense of foreboding and danger that pervades the story.
Witches familiars
In addition to their supernatural powers, witches in the Jacobean era were believed to have familiars, or animal companions that served as their accomplices and assistants. Familiars were believed to take the form of cats, dogs, birds, or other animals and were thought to be able to communicate with their witch masters through telepathy or other means. The idea of familiars was widely accepted at the time, and many people believed that witches used them to carry out their evil deeds.
In Macbeth, the witches' familiars are mentioned in Act 1, Scene 1. The first witch's familiar is a cat called "Graymalkin". The second witch's familiar is a toad called "Paddock". The idea of familiars adds to the eerie and supernatural atmosphere of the play, and it reinforces the belief in the powers of witches and their ability to manipulate the natural world.