Kingship Flashcards
‘Here you see the tyrant’
The noun serves to indicate how poor a King Macbeth has been for Scotland since he is not chosen by God and he has disrupted the natural order.
‘not in the legions of horrid can come a demon more damned in evils than he’
-superlative
Macbeth becomes the antithesis of a good King, someone who is an representation of sin and evil rather than righteousness. This could be why his rule comes to an end too.
‘Why do you dress me in borrowed robes’
The verb demonstrates how Macbeth does not belong in a position of power in Scotland, foreshadowing him being a tyrant.
‘you know your own degrees’
-Dramatic irony
Macbeth has attempted to defy God and usurp the throne showing how Macbeth does not know his place.
‘Our duties are to your throne’
-Dramatic irony
Duncan thought that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were loyal to him, but in reality they were loyal to power. This shows that Macbeth is supremely lustful for power, which is his hamartia and the reason he becomes a tyrant.
‘hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour to act’
Whilst Macbeth is lead astray by the witches, Banquo is lead by righteous feelings. This is an indication that Banquo was chosen by God, foreshadowing Banquo’s lineage becoming Kings.
‘royalty of nature’
-noun
Depicts Banquo and his family as being inherently royal, being gifted with the innate ability to rule, as he is chosen by God. Shakespeare may have done this to show that royal families have innate legitimacy.
‘silver skin and golden blood’
The metaphor for precious metals is indicative of the fact that Duncan was valuable to Scotland, bringing stability due to being selected by God for his rule. It could be a way of pleasing James I as it implies the current class system is valuable and sacred.
‘plead like angels’
-religious imagery
The fact that he thinks angels will defend him, at least metaphorically, shows how God is on his side. James I was deeply religious so this could be representative of him as a defender of faith.
‘weep, weep poor country’
Malcolms constant population shows how he is sympathetic to the people. Empathy would have been a value attributed to saints, indicating how Malcolm and his bloodline deserve control.
‘by the grace of God’
the preposition at the beginning highlights that God is on Malcolm’s side.
‘the powers above put on their instruments’
The noun establishes the conflict between Malcolm and Macbeth over the Scottish throne as being echoed by patrons revealed to be the devil and God respectively.
‘look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under’t’
the metaphor used demonstrates Macbeth’s fragility as King and the inevitability of Banquo’s lineage becoming Kings as Fleance escapes.
