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Grade 9 Essay on the theme of Kingship in Macbeth
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This Grade 9 Essay focuses on the theme of Kingship in Macbeth. Written for the Eduqas exam board but can be adapted for any.
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Kingship EssayYou are advised to spend about 40 minutes on this question.
You should use the extract below and your knowledge of the whole play to answer this question.
How does Shakespeare present the theme of kingship throughout the play?
In your response you should:
refer to the extract and the play as a whole;
show your understanding of characters and events in the play.[25]
5 of this question’s marks are allocated for accuracy in spelling, punctuation and the use of
vocabulary and sentence structures
Macbeth is a Shakespearean tragedy written in 1606 and based around the
downfall of the Scottish noble. Kingship is one of the main themes of the play,
presented as a position of virtue and divinity through Duncan. His death is
marked as the peripetia of the play, as chaos ensues after to convey the
importance of kingship to the natural order of the land. Macbeth’s tyrannical
reign is in complete contrast, defying the divine right of kingship, therefore
leading to his and his wife’s downfall at the end of the play.
At the beginning of the play Shakespeare affectively presents kingship
through the trusting and just character of Duncan. He states in act one scene
two: ‘What he hath lost noble Macbeth has won.’ The use of both verbs ‘lost’ and
‘won’ highlights the just character of Duncan, the virtues of kingship depicted as
fair and grateful. His use of the adjective ‘noble’ alludes to his credulousness,
already believing Macbeth to be a man of honour without meeting him in person.
This is further presented through the statement: ‘He was a gentleman on whom I
built absolute trust.’ The noun ‘gentleman’ depicts Duncan's endless respect,
even for traitors of his country. However, the noun ‘absolute trust’ again refers to
his over-trusting, and how this leads his own death – juxtaposing Macbeth’s
paranoia later on in the play. In Act 1, Scene 4 he is further presented as the
epitome of a grateful king stating: ‘More is thy due than more than all can pay.’
His repetition of the superlative ‘more’ illustrates how Duncan exceeds the
duties of the king the verb ‘due’ portraying how he feels indebted to Macbeth
despite the fact he is a king, the pronoun ‘all’ highlighting his influence on the
rest of the country. Moreover, kingship is presented as the morally superior
position in the country: ‘Your Highnesses’ part is to receive our duties.’ The noun
‘highnesses’ reflects the divinity of the position of kingship, and how respected
Duncan is as king, in stark contrast to the language used to refer to Macbeth
when he reigns. The verb ‘receive’ exemplifies the power of kingship, but also
the duties attached with it – which are fulfilled by Duncan, but overlooked by
Macbeth. Shakespeare effectively presents the just and divine virtues of kingship
through Duncan, but highlights his hamartia of credulousness.
Shakespeare successfully presents the pure and life-sustaining qualities of
kingship of through Duncan. He states: ‘signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine
On all deserves.’ The noun ‘nobleness’ depicts the holy and honourable virtues
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