Context - Macbeth

Question 1

👑 The Divine Right of Kings

Answer 1

• Belief that the king was chosen by God.
• To kill a king (regicide) was not just a crime — it was a sin against God.
• Macbeth kills King Duncan, which would shock a Shakespearean audience.
• This would make Macbeth’s actions seem unnatural and evil.

Question 2

🧙‍♀️ Witchcraft and the Supernatural

Answer 2

• In Shakespeare’s time, witches were feared and thought to work for the devil.
• King James I believed in witchcraft and even wrote a book about it (Demonology).
• The witches in Macbeth represent evil, temptation, and the disruption of natural order.
• The supernatural influences Macbeth’s actions and shows the danger of giving in to dark forces.

Question 3

⚔️ The Gunpowder Plot (1605)

Answer 3

• A failed attempt to blow up King James I and Parliament.
• It led to increased fear of traitors and loyalty to the king became very important.
• Macbeth is about betrayal and overthrowing a king, which reflects fears from the Gunpowder Plot.
• Shakespeare may have written Macbeth to please King James and support the idea of loyalty to the monarch.

Question 4

🇮🇪 James I and Scotland

Answer 4

• James I was king of England and Scotland when Shakespeare wrote the play.
• Macbeth is based on a real Scottish king, which would interest King James.
• The play shows what happens when people go against God’s will — a message James would have approved of.

Question 5

🧍‍♂️ Patriarchy and Gender Roles

Answer 5

• Society was male-dominated; men were expected to be brave and powerful, women to be gentle and nurturing.
• Lady Macbeth challenges these roles — she wants to be “unsexed” to gain power.
• Macbeth is also influenced by his wife, showing a reversal of gender expectations.
• Shakespeare shows the chaos that happens when traditional roles are overturned.

Question 6

😱 Tragedy and Tragic Hero

Answer 6

• Macbeth is a tragic hero: he starts as a noble warrior but is brought down by his flaws (ambition, guilt, manipulation).
• The play follows the structure of a tragedy — a rise followed by a fall.
• The audience watches his downfall, which creates a mix of pity and fear.

Question 7

🕊️ The Natural Order

Answer 7

• The belief that everything in the world had a proper place set by God.
• When Macbeth kills Duncan, this order is broken.
• Chaos follows (strange weather, animals going mad), showing nature reacting to evil.

Question 8

🎭 Shakespeare and the Theatre

Answer 8

• Written around 1606, Macbeth was likely performed at The Globe Theatre.
• It’s one of Shakespeare’s shortest and most intense plays — meant to hold the attention of audiences who stood for hours.
• Shakespeare’s audience enjoyed dramatic battles, supernatural elements, and moral lessons.

Question 9

🌪️ Weather and Nature

Answer 9

• Storms, darkness, and strange events reflect the disruption of natural law.
• Used to show how evil deeds upset the balance of the world.