Detailed and in-depth GCSE AQA Macbeth theme notes, that will get you that grade 9.
Includes: abuse of kingship and power, ambition, appearance vs reality, gender, the men, the women, guilt, innocence and paranoia, light vs dark, theme development.
Macbeth themes
Abuse of kingship and power
o Kingship and power are intrinsically linked within the play, the possibility of ascending to the throne is the driving
force behind the motivation of many characters
o Shakespeare contrasts the way the characters behave towards the possibility of power, and also how characters
act once they gain power
o He contrasts the behaviour of a righteous, just king (Duncan) with one who is violent and abuses his power
(Macbeth)
Duncan:
o Duncan possesses all the qualities of a great king: he is noble, nurturing, responsible, and a strong leader, his
successful reign emphasises how disastrous Macbeth is as a king
Benevolent ruler |
o He is a just and benevolent ruler, demonstrating important aspects of kingship
o He told his court ‘Signs of nobleness like stars shall shine’ ‘On all deservers’, meaning he is willing to reward those
who do good
o It can be interpreted that he is saying that virtue and nobility are visible traits in a person, distinguishing them
from others
o The simile ‘like stars shall shine’ connotes divine power, implying they will be rewarded in the afterlife as well as
now, it aligns ‘deservers’ with God
o Duncan is portrayed as someone who is invested in his followers as he says ‘I have begun to plant thee and will
labour’ ‘To make thee full of growing’ to which Banquo replies ‘There is I grow’ ‘The harvest is your own’ – he is
dedicated to self-improvement and the success of others, the semantic field of agriculture connotes new life and
nourishment, presenting Duncan as nurturing and considerate
o He is a successful monarch that even those who desire to kill him admire the way he rules as Macbeth outlines
Duncan’s honourable qualities
Fair |
o Shakespeare shows how Duncan governs fairly to do what is best for his country by rewarding those who do
good and punishing traitors
o He presents a country that is stable and balanced with his court appearing to be the pinnacle of justice, also
foreshadowing Macbeths betrayal
Produces a heir |
o By providing a heir Duncan was ensuring political stability and security as he announces that his son Malcom will
be his successor
o Shakespeare, thus establishes Duncan as a trustworthy king and provides a vision for a safe future
Too trusting |
o Duncan is too trusting and dependent on others to be a perfect king, he relies heavily on Thanes to help
maintain order
o He placed his confidence in a man who betrayed him to foreign armies, suggesting he has poor judge of
character, this is dramatic irony as Macbeth is plotting his death
Doesn’t learn from his mistakes |
o Betrayal repeats itself and Duncan doesn’t learn from his mistakes as Macbeth becomes his new Thane
o However, the line ‘There’s no art/ To find the mind’s construction in the face’ implies it is impossible to see
through someone’s deception
, o Shakespeare suggests no evil and treachery of others makes it impossible for a king to be wholly good. Kindness
and respect are vulnerable to deceit, in theory, Duncan would be the perfect king, but in reality he cannot
contend with the wickedness of his peers
Macbeth:
o Macbeth is an oppressive, tyrannical king who is corrupt and evil
Ascension to the throne |
o Macbeth brutally murders Duncan to gain power and kingship
o Macbeths rule is a direct contrast to king Duncan as Macbeth’s ascension to the throne is unrighteous, as he is
not the rightful heir
o Shakespeare explores how power corrupts the mind of men and how impactful a kings reign is on his whole
country
o He studies what it would truly be like to have a tyrant on the throne and how power draws out peoples violent
natures
Callous leadership |
o He is shameless and outright murderous in his ways, while his ability to control others suggests he has a godlike
control over reality
No heir |
o Macbeths poor kingship is solidified by his lack of lineage and heirs, it is evident he feels emasculated by his
inability to produce a heir, this is represented through his jealously of Banquo and the witches
o He resents Banquo because his sons will be kings, and he resents the witches for making him king without
successors
The death of a king:
o The reaction to Duncan’s death compared to Macbeth’s death is reflective of how both kings ruled, and how they
viewed their country
o The impact on the environment expresses Shakespeare’s views on kingship and tyranny, as he believed a good
monarch was needed to provide stability, security and progress
Duncan |
o Duncan’s death seems to bring about a sort of apocalyptic chaos, showing how atrocious and distressing his
murder is
o The way the atmosphere is described even before Duncan’s death has been discovered implies that even the
nature is affected by his murder
o The semantic fields of chaos and destruction, reflect how Duncan’s murder has gone against nature while also
symbolising God’s wrath and anger at being defied by Macbeth
o The connotations of disease suggest Macbeth has corrupt the land and brought sickness as there is a wickedness
that now dominates the world
o Duncan’s death has meant everything is murderous or tainted by decay as the natural order has been subverted
o Duncan’s corpse is described with allusions to piety and royalty, reflecting how the death of a king is the death of
God’s representative on Earth
Macbeth |
o Macbeth’s death is celebrated by his subjects, and presented as a moment of liberation for Scotland
o While Duncan is portrayed with angelic and god-like descriptions Macbeth is referred to as a “butcher” and a hell
hound” which connote to the devil and also dehumanise him, suggesting his savage and brutish ways, implying
he is a slave to violence and the devil
Macduff |
o He is unapologetic in his criticism of Macbeth and only wants the best for his country
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