Theme 1 in Macbeth- Abuse of power and Kingship

Question 1

Start with a thesis, what is shakespears message?

Answer 1

Shakespear uses King Duncan and Macbeth, juxtaposing them, to illustrate Kingship and how a country like Scotland is powerful under a powerful King. King duncan- very powerful, scottland won the wars
Macbeth ruling- scottland decends into chaos and anarchy
Macolmn- king at end, order is restored

Question 2

Which 3 people should you have paragraphs on?

Answer 2

Duncan- 1st king. divine right
Macbeth- ruined natural order, went against God
Malcom- restores natural order and divine right at end

Question 3

How is King Duncan illustrated as having good kingship? (paragraph one)

Answer 3

He rewards his people for being couragous, loyal and good warriors.
He rewards macbeth and Banquo - ‘thane of cawdor’ , very generious and rightous king, so his people were very loyal. ‘valant cousin’ ‘the sin of my ingratitude lays heavily on me’, his fatal law- trusted too much, hamartia (trusted old thane of cawdor and ended up betrayed)
Context: divine rights of king

Question 4

What would you say about Macbeths kingship? (paragraph two)

Answer 4

juxtaposes rightous King Duncan with tyranical king Macbeth
Macbeth is used as a cautionary figure
reveals what happens when wrong leader is in power (scottland falls into arguable anarchy)
reminding people when the wrong person is in power they are consumed by their ‘vaulting ambition’
he cant handle his ambition, eliminates threat to his power instead of gaining loyalty. ‘we’ve scorched the snake but not killed it’
paranoid
‘untitled tyrant’
‘bleed bleed poor country’
relate to theme of ambition

Question 5

How would you link kingship to Malcom? (third paragraph)

Answer 5

He isn’t guliable like King Duncan, juxtaposes him
sense he will be the perfect king
presented as a perceptive person
he doesnt trust what people say ‘ill to England’ , believes killers are still on the loose
‘modest wisdom’ trying to be wise of who he trusts and offers power to but wont be too quick in trusting those around him, could lead him to end up like King Duncan
shakespears message to King James, he should be respected