macbeth theme of kingship essay

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• Post published: August 30, 2012
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Kingship: Macbeth

The term most commonly used to describe Macbeth by those he governs is ‘tyrant’ so let’s start by getting clarity on what a tyrant is. The dictionary tells me that in Ancient Greece the word tyrant was synonymous with usurper – in other words someone who had seized power without any legal right to do so. The more common understanding of the word tyrant is of a ruler who is oppressive and unjust; one who exercises their power in a harsh cruel way. Tyrants lack moral fibre; they are selfish and arbitrary, acting on whim or impulse and having no care for the impact of their behaviour on their subjects. They demand absolute obedience, disregard both law and custom and are thus often also described as dictators.

Now, let’s see how much of this applies to Macbeth.

Well first off, he is undoubtedly a usurper. He commits the ultimate crime of regicide , thus challenging both the Great Chain of Being and the Divine Rights of Kings . As cousin to the King and a renowned warrior, once Malcolm and Donalbain flee the country he is the next obvious choice to ascend to the throne so he doesn’t exactly ‘seize’ power but he certainly criminally manouvers his way into the position.

However, his behaviour once he achieves his goal of becoming King is unquestionably oppressive and unjust . For starters he’s terrified that his crime will be uncovered (obviously if this happened he would be removed from the throne, disgraced and sentenced to death). Macbeth was there when Banquo proclaimed that he wouldn’t rest until Duncan’s murderer was caught and punished “in the great hand of God I stand, and thence against the undivulged pretence I fight of treasonous malice “; add to this the fact that Banquo heard the witches prophesy and later repelled Macbeth’s offer “ if you shall cleave to my consent …” proclaiming that he wanted to keep his “ bosom franchised and allegiance clear ” and it’s easy to understand why Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat “ to be thus is nothing but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep “; not to mention the fact that according to the witches Banquo’s children will be Kings (a sore point for Macbeth who has no living children but who hates the thought of having gained a “ fruitless crown ” and “ barren sceptre ” which will not pass to his descendants).

So is he decision to hire murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance tyrannical? Yes and no. Yes in the sense that they are innocents who have committed no crime. However, Macbeth is not yet acting on whim or impulse – in its own twisted way his decision to murder them makes absolute sense. Furthermore he appears to still be able to recognise the essential immorality of his actions commenting “ Banquo thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must find it out tonight ” which is reminiscent of his earlier lament “ hear it not Duncan for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell “. He’s still capable of this odd advance-remorse but it’s not powerful enough to stop him from committing these crimes. It also important to recognise that the impact of Banquo and Fleance’s deaths (except Fleance gets away) would have minimal impact on the vast majority of his citizens. It will make the nobles more fearful yes but it won’t throw all of Scotland into turmoil.

So murderer, yes. Tyrant? Not quite. Not yet.

The Banquet scene is a pivotal moment however. He’s only just been crowned King but his odd behaviour will ring all sorts of alarm bells amongst the nobles who witness his fit and who are dismissed so hurriedly by Lady Macbeth “ stand not upon your going but go at once “. Macbeth is already so paranoid of a rebellion against his rule that he spies on all of his nobles – he admits to his wife “ there’s not one of them but in his house I keep a servant fee’d “. He’s also deeply suspicious of Macduff who has refused an invitation to the banquet. Macbeth now appears to be completely losing his grasp on the difference between right and wrong : he proclaims that he now has so much blood on his hands that “ returning were as tedious as go o’er ” and a ghostly shiver of foreboding slithers down our spines as he observes “ we are yet but young in deed “.

Our sense that Macbeth’s behaviour is plunging the entire country into turmoil only really solidifies at the very end of Act Three when two minor characters (Lennox and one so minor that he is just called “a lord”) meet in a forest near Macbeth’s castle. They discuss Malcolm’s gracious welcome into the English court and Macduff’s decision to go and beg Malcolm to rouse an army against the tyrant Macbeth. It’s clear that Macbeth is deeply unpopular as they recount the official story of how Duncan and Banquo met their deaths, sarcastically concluding that “ men must not walk too late ” and once they both feel certain that the other also regards Macbeth as a tyrant they openly criticise his rule, describing the current state of affairs in Scotland with Macbeth as King vividly as they pine to “ give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, do faithful homage and receive free honours, all which we pine for now “. Both feel confident that once Malcolm realises how dire things are in Scotland he will return at once to save his beloved country – they imagine “ some holy angel ” flying to the English court to inform him and pray that “ a swift blessing may soon return to this our suffering country under a hand accursed “.

Interestingly all of this happens before Macbeth orders the murders of Lady Macduff and her children. If we accept what these men say at face value then it appears that Macbeth is not looking after the poor (give to our tables meat) and that the entire country lives in a state of paranoia and insomnia, unable to sleep for fear that they will be murdered in their beds. Those who pay homage to Macbeth are doing so not because they want to (they don’t respect Macbeth) but because they are afraid not to and this is a sure sign of a tyrant – one who controls his citizens through fear. It’s not clear to what extent all of the things they say are true however; the rumour mill must really have gone into overdrive after Macbeth’s performance at the banquet because suddenly his bizarre behaviour has morphed into “ free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives ” – I don’t remember him pulling a knife on anybody in that scene, do you? Nonetheless most of what they say if not entirely factually accurate is based on fact so we can certainly conclude that at this point he is widely considered a tyrant by his subjects.

His really tyrannical behaviour kicks in with his decision to have Lady Macduff, her children and all of Macduff’s servants murdered as punishment for his disobedience . If we revisit the definition of a tyrant for a moment, a tyrant is someone who (1) demands absolute obedience; (2) one who acts on whim or impulse in a cruel and arbitrary way; (3)one who disregards both law and custom and who lacks any moral fibre.

Now lets apply this to his latest decision. First of all, Macbeth is reacting to Macduff’s refusal to offer absolute obedience and to the witches warning to ‘ beware Macduff’ . Secondly, the order to murder Macduff’s wife and children once he receives the news that Macduff has “ fled to England ” is arbitrary impulsive and cruel . Macbeth himself admits that he’s going to ignore both conscience and logic from now on, instead acting immediately on his desires “ henceforth the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand “.  He also makes this decision just after he admits that the witches cannot be trusted “ infected be the air whereon they ride and damned all those that trust them “. Thirdly, Macbeth is profoundly contravening both custom and morality in murdering innocent women and children . So why does he do it? Probably to send out the message that those who disobey him will have his wrath visited not only on their heads but also upon their loved ones. It’s a very oppressive way to safeguard your power but it’s also frighteningly effective (I wonder if Shakespeare had read Machiavelli’s treatise “ The Prince “ on how to maintain power – certainly Macbeth here obeys the law that the end justifies the means!)

So does he remain a tyrant for the rest of the play? Well for the forces of good the answer is quite simply yes – Macduff even before he hears of the deaths of his loved ones vividly describes how “ each new morn new widows howl; new orphans cry; new sorrows strike heaven on the face “. He believes that “ not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damned in evils to top Macbeth ” and Malcolm then goes on to list the vices he associates with Macbeth “ I grant him bloody, luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin that has a name “. [Many of these are undoubtedly true – he has been false, deceitful, and now with his latest behaviour impulsive and deliberately cruel. However, we’ve seen no evidence that he has ever been unfaithful to his wife (luxurious = lustful) or that he is particularly greedy (avaricious) – other than his greed for the throne there have been no reports that he has seized either land or wealth off his subjects]. During the battle to overthrow Macbeth we learn that those who obeyed Macbeth through fear rather than loyalty are now deserting him and switching sides. The idea that Macbeth is not morally fit to rule is memorably described by yet another random minor character Angus who proclaims that “ those he commands move only in command nothing in love: now does he feel his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief “. It is thus not entirely surprising that once defeated, Malcolm dismisses Macbeth as nothing more than a “ bloody butcher “.

So was he a tyrant to the bitter end?

Yes and no…

He accepts that he deserves neither honour nor respect from his subjects, thus showing an awareness of his impact on his subjects “ I have lived long enough…and that which should accompany old age as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but in their stead curses, not loud but deep “. Yet in the very next breath he orders his servant to “ hang those that talk of fear “. That’s pretty extreme even by his standards.

His refusal to surrender means that more people will die but for Macbeth it is more honourable to “ die with harness on our back ” than to “ play the Roman fool ” and commit suicide . He recognises that running away is no longer an option “ They have tied me to a stake I cannot fly but bear-like I must fight the course” and sees his determination to “ fight til from my bones my flesh be hacked ” as a return to his former glory on the battlefield.

It’s weird to think of a tyrant as having a code of honour but oddly that seems to be the case in the dying scenes of the play. It’s also weird to think of a tyrant as someone with any trace of morality in him but when Macduff challenges Macbeth, Macbeth reveals traces of his former self by making reference to his guilty conscience “ of all men else I have avoided thee: but get thee back, my soul is too much charged with blood of thine already “.

So I guess we can conclude that Macbeth is an oddly likeable tyrant? Who knew such a thing existed!

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Macbeth – A* / L9 Full Mark Example Essay

This is an A* / L9 full mark example essay on Macbeth completed by a 15-year-old student in timed conditions (50 mins writing, 10 mins planning).

It contained a few minor spelling and grammatical errors – but the quality of analysis overall was very high so this didn’t affect the grade. It is extremely good on form and structure, and perhaps could do with more language analysis of poetic and grammatical devices; as the quality of thought and interpretation is so high this again did not impede the overall mark. 

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MACBETH EXAMPLE ESSAY:

Macbeth’s ambition for status and power grows throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth as an embodiment of greed and asks the audience to question their own actions through the use of his wrongful deeds.

In the extract, Macbeth is demonstrated to possess some ambition but with overriding morals, when writing to his wife about the prophecies, Lady Macbeth uses metaphors to describe his kind hearted nature: “yet I do fear thy nature, / It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness”. Here, Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a more gentle natured being who is loyal to his king and country. However, the very act of writing the letter demonstrates his inklings of desire, and ambition to take the throne. Perhaps, Shakespeare is aiming to ask the audience about their own thoughts, and whether they would be willing to commit heinous deeds for power and control. 

Furthermore, the extract presents Macbeth’s indecisive tone when thinking of the murder – he doesn’t want to kill Duncan but knows it’s the only way to the throne. Lady Macbeth says she might need to interfere in order to persuade him; his ambition isn’t strong enough yet: “That I may pour my spirits in  thine ear / And chastise with the valour of my tongue”. Here, Shakespeare portrays Lady Macbeth as a manipulative character, conveying she will seduce him in order to “sway “ his mind into killing Duncan. The very need for her persuasion insinuates Macbeth is still weighing up the consequences in his head, his ambition equal with his morality. It would be shocking for the audience to see a female character act in this authoritative way. Lady Macbeth not only holds control of her husband in a patriarchal society but the stage too, speaking in iambic pentameter to portray her status: “To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great”. It is interesting that Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth in this way; she has more ambition for power than her husband at this part of play. 

As the play progresses, in Act 3, Macbeth’s ambition has grown and now kills with ease. He sends three murders to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, as the witches predicted that he may have heirs to the throne which could end his reign. Macbeth is suspicious in this act, hiding his true intentions from his dearest companion and his wife: “I wish your horses swift and sure on foot” and “and make our faces vizards to our hearts”. There, we see, as an audience, Macbeth’s longing to remain King much stronger than his initial attitudes towards the throne He was toying with the idea of killing for the throne and now he is killing those that could interfere with his rule without a second thought. It is interesting that Shakespeare presents him this way, as though he is ignoring his morals or that they have been “numbed” by his ambition. Similarly to his wife in the first act, Macbeth also speaks in pentameter to illustrate his increase in power and dominance. 

In Act 4, his ambition and dependence on power has grown even more. When speaking with the witches about the three apparitions, he uses imperatives to portray his newly adopted controlling nature: “I conjure you” and “answer me”. Here, the use of his aggressive demanding demonstrates his reliance on the throne and his need for security. By the Witches showing him the apparitions and predicting his future, he gains a sense of superiority, believing he is safe and protected from everything. Shakespeare also lengthens Macbeth’s speech in front of the Witches in comparison to Act 1 to show his power and ambition has given him confidence, confidence to speak up to the “filthy nags” and expresses his desires. Although it would be easy to infer Macbeth’s greed and ambition has grown from his power-hungry nature, a more compassionate reading of Macbeth demonstrates the pressure he feels as a Jacobean man and soldier. Perhaps he feels he has to constantly strive for more to impress those around him or instead he may want to be king to feel more worthy and possibly less insecure. 

It would be unusual to see a Jacobean citizen approaching an “embodiment” of the supernatural as forming alliance with them was forbidden and frowned upon. Perhaps Shakespeare uses Macbeth to defy these stereotypical views to show that there is a supernatural, a more dark side in us all and it is up to our own decisions whereas we act on these impulses to do what is morally incorrect. 

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Introduction

Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare in either 1605 or 1606. Its full name is “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. It was first performed in around 1606.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare Summary

Lady Macbeth plans to get the chamberlains drunk to show them as culprits after murder. When everyone sleeps, they start acting upon their plan and Macbeth stabs Duncan with a knife and kills him. After that, Lady Macbeth stains the clothes and faces of chamberlains sitting outside the king’s chamber and puts the knives near them to show that they are the culprits.

Moreover, Lady Macbeth starts behaving abnormally because of the guilt of her crimes. Death of Macduff’s family increases her madness and she becomes ill. English army attacks and reaches towards Burnam’s wood and they plan that each soldier will carry a bush in front of him. It seems like the forest is moving towards Dunsinane and the Prophecy of witches becomes true.

Themes in Macbeth

Kingship vs. tyranny:, relationship between cruelty and masculinity:, fate vs. freewill:, reason vs. passion:.

Macbeth is very logical and clear-sighted. He knows that he is doing evil and the consequences of it. He feels guilty for breaking King Duncan’s trust but he is persuaded by his wife to do evil.

Macbeth Characters Analysis

Moreover, he also starts behaving abnormally because of the guilt of the sins committed by him but again the thirst for power makes him strong and he begins to act according to his evil plans.

Lady Macbeth:

She represents the relationship between femininity and violence in the play. Macbeth says that Lady Macbeth is a masculine soul residing in a female body which shows that females can also be cruel and ruthless.

The Three Witches:

Macbeth believes in their prophecies which lead him towards darkness and downfall.  However, their true identity is unclear. Although, they are servants of Hecate but the play does not tell us whether they are independent agents playing with human lives or the agents of fate.

King Duncan:

He is Banquo’s son who escapes the castle when murderers attempt to kill him. After that he does not appear in the play.

Macbeth Literary Analysis

More from william shakespeare.

Kingship In Macbeth Essay

Kingship is a prevalent theme in Macbeth, one of William Shakespeares most well-known plays. Macbeth, the titular character, is thrust into the role of king after Duncan, his predecessor, is murdered. Macbeth is quickly overwhelmed by the responsibility of being king and this inexperience leads to him making a number of poor decisions.

For example, Macbeth murders people who he believes are a threat to his throne, without considering the consequences that his actions might have. Additionally, Macbeths obsession with holding on to power causes him to neglect his duties as king, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Overall, Macbeth highlights the importance of having a competent king who is capable of making wise decisions for the benefit of his people.

One of Macbeths main motivations for wanting to become king is his desire for power. Macbeth believes that being king will give him absolute control over everything and everyone. However, Macbeth quickly learns that being king is not as easy as he thought it would be.

He is constantly at war with other countries, dealing with internal conflict among his own people, and struggling to keep control of his subjects. Additionally, Macbeth has to make a number of difficult decisions that can impact the lives of thousands of people. This ultimately proves to be too much for Macbeth and causes him to lose grip on reality.

While Macbeth is not a perfect king, he does make some attempts to improve the lives of his people. For example, Macbeth tries to provide for his subjects by creating jobs and increasing food production. He also tries to keep the peace in Scotland by making sure that there is order and justice. However, Macbeths main focus is always on retaining power and this often comes at the expense of his people.

When news of the Norwegians’ victory comes through, Scotland is at war with them. Macbeth and Banquo are acknowledged as the army’s two leaders, and when they return home, they discover some old hags. They foretell Macbeth’s future to him after he and his partner Banquo meet some ancient crones on their journey home. Under Macbeth’s command, Scotland becomes a nation of conflict due to his evil leadership.

Macbeth murders Macduff’s family, and Macduff kills Macbeth in turn. Kingship is a very important theme in Macbeth because Macbeth’s position as King directly affects the outcome of the play. Macbeth murders people to keep his throne, and his reign is full of terror and violence. Macduff represents the hope for a better future under a different king, and Macbeth kills him and his family in order to maintain power. Ultimately, Macbeth’s reign falls apart and he is killed because of his thirst for power.

While Macbeth’s kingship is full of terror, Duncan’s kingship is based on respect and order. Macbeth feels that he needs to murder Duncan in order to maintain power, but this ultimately leads to his downfall. Duncan represents a good king who is respected by his people, and Macbeth’s lack of respect for him leads to his own demise.

Macbeth murders his closest friend and another family, causing Tyranny and paranoia to take hold in him. Scotland is greatly harmed during his reign, which drives Lady Macbeth insane, and she eventually takes her own life. Macduff goes to England to seek assistance from King Edward the Noble, who is well-known for his assistance in ousting Macbeth’s regime, resulting in the Anglo-Scottish revolt, which ends with Macbeth’s death and Malcolm I of Scotland becomes king.

Macbeth, the play by William Shakespeare, is largely about the idea of kingship and how it functions. Macbeth murders his best friend Banquo as well as King Duncan and Macduff’s family, all in order to gain the throne. As king, Macbeth is paranoid and sees many ghosts, which leads to Scotland being in a state of turmoil. Lady Macbeth goes mad and eventually commits suicide.

Macduff gathers forces from England and together they overthrow Macbeth’s reign. Malcolm, son of Duncan, is proclaimed king of Scotland. In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the different aspects of what it means to be a king or queen and how these people can be corrupted by power.

Macbeths journey from hero to tyrant is one which Shakespeare cleverly uses Macbeths character flaws against him, and it is only Macbeth himself that can be blamed for his downfall.

The ambitious Macbeth allows his greed for power to take over him, despite many people close to him warning him about his actions. Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth not to think about the consequences of his actions, but he remains paranoid and suspicious. These suspicions lead Macbeth to kill more innocent people, furthering his downward spiral. Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a tragic hero, whose fatal flaw is ambition. This tragic flaw leads to Macbeth’s downfall, as he becomes more and more corrupted by power.

Macbeth’s downfall is also due to the influence of the witches. Macbeth is greatly influenced by their prophecies, and this leads him to take actions which he would not have otherwise taken. The witches plant the seeds of ambition in Macbeth’s mind, and this ambition eventually takes over Macbeth completely. Shakespeare uses the witches to show how easily a person can be led astray by ambition.

Kingship was extremely important in Shakespeare’s time, as the country was constantly under threat from other European countries. This made it essential for a strong leader to be in place, in order to protect the country from invasion.

Shakespeare used Macbeth to explore what can happen when a weak leader comes to power, and how this can lead to disaster. Macbeth is not a good king, as he is tyrannical and paranoid. He does not care about his people, and instead focuses on amassing more and more power for himself. This ultimately leads to Macbeth’s downfall.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a play about the quest for power. Macbeth is driven by his ambition to be king, and he will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal. This ultimately leads to his downfall. Macbeth’s journey from loyal subject to tyrannical ruler is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition.

Macbeth is not the only one in the play who is after the throne. There are other characters who also have their eye on the prize. But Macbeth is the one who seems to be most consumed by his desire for power. He allows his ambition to control him, and this ultimately leads to his demise.

More Essays

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• Macbeth As A Tragedy Essay
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The Theme of Kingship in Macbeth

Daniel Paul

In Shakespeare’s time a King was considered to be god’s representative on earth. He was looked upon as equal to god. Shakespeare’s ideas towards kingship can be seen throughout the play. He shows that a king should be chosen by divine right and shows the character and attributes of what is takes to be a good king.

Macbeth is the main character in the play and starts the play as a very brave, fierce and loyal warrior. His bravery has just led the way to a great victory over the Norwegians. He was a hero. But soon his ambitions overpower his good qualities and becomes ‘this tyrant’, this ‘dwarfish thief’ and this ‘hellhound’.

He is degraded from ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’ to ‘this dead butcher’. He allows the witches’ prophecy to determine his steps, which finally lead him to destruction. I believe that Macbeth could have been a worthy king if he did not let his ambition and greed take control. If fate had made him king, he could have been a noble king for Scotland.

King Duncan

We first meet Duncan behind the battle fields of two battles (against the rebel MacDonwald and an invading Norwegian army) waiting anxiously for any news. From this time until his brutal murder, he is presented as a noble King of Scotland. Duncan is pictured as the perfect, impartial king in the play. Shakespeare shows Duncan to be an example to others. Duncan’s love for his country is one of the main qualities of Duncan. We can see this when he eagerly seeks for any news from the captain who has returned from the front lines.

When Duncan hears of Macbeth’s bravery in battle, he rewards Macbeth for his heroism by naming him the Thane of Cawdor while punishing disloyalty of the treacherous previous Thane of Cawdor by having him hanged. Duncan also vows that his royal blessings will continue to fall on Macbeth. Here we see the king executing his power righteously by rewarding who are loyal and punishing disloyalty.

Duncan acts responsibly in naming an heir to his throne – his son Malcolm. He did this so that the line of ascension to the throne is clear and that Scotland will remain politically stable. Duncan was preventing the very political chaos that resulted when Macbeth murdered him.

Unfortunately Duncan is too trusting and dependent of his Thanes. As the King, he does not lead his men into battle directly, but heavily relies on his Thanes to act on his behalf. He is a very poor jude of character. He completely misjudges Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as loyal friends while they were plotting his downfall.

Even Macbeth recognised the noble character of the King before murdering him in his sleep. Macbeth speaks of Duncan’s goodness and loyal nature and considered the consequences of his death. He states that even the angels will mourn for Duncan and that “tears shall drown the wind” when he dies.

King Edward of England

King Edward of England is least mentioned in the play, but we still see a lot of his good character. We see that he is a good, loyal king, who is unwilling to see others suffer. In act 4, a doctor comments on how ill people are cured on King Edward’s touch. Malcolm then after comments it is “a most miraculous work in this good king.”

He is a good and caring king who chooses to help Malcolm and Macduff in their problems. He generously provides them with the army force that need to win their battle. From this we can also conclude that he is a friendly king towards his neighbour countries. Always seeking peace and not violence and trying to conquer new land for his own kingdom.

Malcolm who is the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland appears to a worthy king. We learn of his character mostly in his conversation with Macduff. Malcolm foresees the future of Scotland and unlike Macbeth, we see Malcolm acting after giving serious thoughts to his actions. He humbles himself before Macduff by calling himself unworthy to be king and that Macbeth might be a better fit for the title. “black Macbeth will seem as pure as snow”.

As a reader, it is obvious to see that Malcolm will be a good king as he does not force his right to be king, but patiently waits for God to set things right and to make everything for his good. Also in the end of the play, Malcolm’s last words of the play is similar to Duncan’s speech when he was king, following Duncan’s footsteps and in the path of restoring Scotland to its former glory.

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GCSE grade 9 macbeth essay on the theme of kinghsip AQA/edexcel

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

19 May 2023

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how is kingship presented in macbeth? this is a gcse macbeth essay which recieved a grade 9 26 out of 30 it includes : -thesis statement -3 peels paragraphs with detailed analysis

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The Theme of Kingship in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Analysis

In Shakespeare’s time a King was considered to be god’s representative on earth. He was looked upon as equal to god. Shakespeare’s ideas towards kingship can be seen throughout the play. He shows that a king should be chosen by divine right and shows the character and attributes of what is takes to be a good king. The character of the king was also a matter of importance. If the king was just and good, the state thrived. If the king was unjust, cruel and self motivated, then the state suffered.

In Macbeth we see how the kingship, with its potential for good or evil, is a major theme of the play. Macbeth is seen as a hero in the eyes of all, a man worth and significance the saviour of his country, noble and brave: “Brave Macbeth”, “Valour’s Minion”. In his first appearance, King Duncan performs two of the basic duties of a king: punishing the bad and rewarding the good. Upon learning of the treachery of Cawdor and the heroism of Macbeth, he says, “No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive / Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, / And with his former title greet Macbeth”.

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The phrase “bosom interest” means “vital interests,” but “bosom” suggests that a relationship of love should exist between a king and his subject. Cawdor, for his treason, is sentenced to death, but Macbeth and Banquo are rewarded for their loyalty. Macbeth is rewarded with the title of the Thane of Cawdor and is showered with the praise and promise of future glory. Therefore, there is much potential for good. The play provides us with a definition of the qualities required for kingship. In the course of his conversation with Macduff, Malcolm lists the ‘king-becoming graces’.

Duncan is the lawful king of Scotland, and is portrayed as virtous, strong and just. At the start of the play he has defeated his enemies. Duncan’s murder is greeted with dismay and horror because it is attack against God and an attack on the whole notion of order. It is an act of extreme evil and this is reflected in the disorder that results in nature. The world itself is shaken and thrown into confusion by such an evil deed. A good king has been more cruelly murdered: “most sacrilegious murder”.

Desperate and helpless, Macduff arrives in England to see Malcolm, the legitimate successor to Duncan’s throne. Malcolm is almost an embodiment of all the positive qualities of kings. He, along with his brother, immediately decides to rely on themselves to preserve their dynasty by leaving Scotland despite the obvious and inevitable suspicion that it raises and their own bereavement. They handle the situation with wisdom and courage, all for the sake of their kingdom. When Malcolm meets Macduff we see more of his wisdom. He adopts the personality of a man who is “not fit to govern and not even to live.

” Malcolm makes sure to not jeopardise his own life and the welfare of Scotland by “testing” Macduff. Malcolm, unlike Macbeth, is able to tell appearance from reality in his superiority as king. Macbeth’s reigns regenerates into the bloody tyranny. In order to silence his conscience and ensure his safety, he has Banquo murdered. “There’s not a one of them but in his house / I keep a servant fee’d”. he seeks information from the instruments of darkness and has Lady Macduff and her children slaughtered to satisfy his blood-lust.

The whole state convulses in pain- “It weeps, its beeps, and each day a gash is added to her wounds”. The main aspects highlighted by Malcolm that are absolutely incompatible with a decent king are lying, voluptuousness and greed. He plans to “cut the nobles of their land, desire his jewels and this other’s house… your wives, your daughters, your matrons and your maids may not fulfil the cistern of my lust. ” Satisfied with Macduff’s reaction Malcolm opens up: “All I am is thyne and mine country to command” and admits that he is not ridden with vices are he pretended.

We find out Shakespeare’s vision of king-becoming graces: “Justice, Verity, Temp’rance, Stableness, Bounty, Perseverance, Mercy, Lowliness, Devotion, Patience, Courage, Fortitude” The return of the rightful king is marked by the delight of the army. Nature reacts positively when Malcolm returns. Macbeth, on the contrary, is full of bravado and feels invincible one minute and then left thinking about “all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death… a poor player that struts and frets his hours upon the stage” as Scotland, Lady Macbeth and his soul are all deteriorating around him.

In conclusion, the theme of kingship is well developed in the play, with illustrations of the difference between a noble king and a noble man turned incompetent tyrant and the principles behind kingship. The stability of the state depends on the king. The virtuous king rules over a strong and contented state. True kings like Duncan, Malcolm and Edward are associated with “renown and grace” because they rule by the grace of God and possess king-becoming graces. On the other hand, Macbeth, the usurper, destroys order and plunges his country into chaos unleashing fear, murder and evil.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Hamlet — Similarities and Differences Between Macbeth and Hamlet

Similarities and Differences Between Macbeth and Hamlet

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Published: Jun 14, 2024

Words: 750 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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Similarities between macbeth and hamlet, differences between macbeth and hamlet, implications of macbeth's character traits, implications of hamlet's character traits.

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