List of themes and main characters.
Context of the play and links to the characters and Jacobean society.
Three fully annotated quotes for the themes:
good v evil
Ambition
Supernatural
Appearance v reality
Loyalty
Guilt and paranoia
Violence
Kingship
Gender
Innocence
Natural v unnatu...
good v evil
Ambition
Supernatural
Appearance v reality
Loyalty
Guilt and paranoia
Violence
Kingship
Gender
Innocence
Natural v unnatural
Manhood
Marriage
Light v dark
Abuse of power
Main character:
Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Banquo
Macduff
King Duncan
Context:
Jacobean era- King James 1st ( king of England and Scotland)
Hatred towards witches and the supernatural
Alleged rumours that a witch tried to kill James - prompted him to write Daemonologie
(1597 and then republished in 1603)
Gunpowder plot (1605)- treasonous plot to overthrow James 1st because he was anti-
catholic, wanted to replace him with Elizabeth (his daughter).
One of the plotters was close to James 1st, which is mirrored in the traitorous actions
of the Thane of Cawdor towards Duncan
First Thane of Cawdor is a traitor and commits treason
Second Thane of Cawdor ( Macbeth) also commits treason and regicide.
Divine right of kings - The belief that the monarch is chosen by God and that they are
above everyone else.
Macbeth goes against the divine right of kings by killing Duncan which not only breaks
the great chain of being (the order of all living and spiritual beings). As well as this
, regicide is a crime against God and is the ultimate sin and also goes against the Ten
Commandments.
The play warns the public on what will become of them if they go against their King or
Monarch and how God will punish you.
The play also casts a negative light on the supernatural, as the witches are shown as evil
creatures, and as the Devils minions.
They are also presented as not even being humanlike in the description of them at the
beginning.
England and Scotland were very strict Christian countries, so a Jacobean audience
would have found the witches scary and sinful.
In a Jacobean society, it was the gender standard for men to be the head of the
household and for them to be dominant over their wives. Men were also expected to be
brave, courageous, patriotic people. On the other hand, women were meant to be
submissive and abide by their male figures biddings (e.g their father or husband), women
were expected to be the homemakers, and bear children and take care of their husbands.
In Macbeth, these gender roles are subverted, as Lady Macbeth assumes a dominant
role in their relationship, and manipulates her husband into her bidding.
In the play their social appearance abides by the Jacobean gender roles, with
Macbeth being a patriotic warrior, and Lady Macbeth acts as the ever loving wife.
However in reality, Macbeth is actually very weak minded and easily controlled, and
Lady Macbeth is extremely manipulative and rejects the idea of womanhood, by even
going as far to say that she would not care if she killed her own baby.
Throughout the play Macbeth goes from being a brave, patriotic warrior to a guilt
stricken, paranoid person. His greatest trait becomes his downfall (his violence and
ambition- his hamartia) as he kills the king to become king himself which goes against God
Lady Macbeth goes from being a strong, manipulative, naturally evil character, to being
overcome with guilt, which eventually leads to her alleged suicide.
The two’s relationship falls apart as they both resent each other and blame one another
for their guilt and paranoia, as both see the other guilty for the death/murder of Duncan.
This is seen when Macbeth shows no emotion at the fact that his wife is dead, which
greatly contrasts their loving relationship at the beginning of the play.
Macbeth quotes;
Good v evil:
‘Valiant cousin, worthy gentleman’
The adjectives ‘valiant’ and ‘worthy’ have positive connotations and give the audience
the idea that Macbeth is a good character, which juxtaposes the end when Macduff
calls him a ‘tyrant’. A “tyrant’ is someone who misuses their power for their own use
rather than what its meant for. The use of king Duncan referring to Macbeth as ‘cousin’
shows how the captain and Duncan view Macbeth is a familial manner.
‘If good, why do i yield to that suggestion / who’s horrid image doth unfix my hair’
In this quote, we can see that Macbeth is in fear of his own thoughts of
murder/regicide. We see this when he says ‘horrid image doth unfix my hair’, as well as
showing his fear at the mere idea of the sin, it also exemplifies his lack of masculinity,
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