Gunpowder Plot Essay

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth plots to kill Duncan, the King of Scotland. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to clear his family’s name of any type of involvement in an attempted assassination of King James I. Many of the actions throughout Macbeth correlate with actions taken in the Gunpowder Plot, and Macbeth was written to illustrate how the Gunpowder Plot was executed. Historians argue that Shakespeare was influenced by the details of the Gunpowder Plot. The Gunpowder Plot was devised by Catholic reformers. They plotted to kill King James I, but their plan was quickly demolished. Lord Monteagle, a member of the House of Lords, who discovered the plot says, “They shall receive a terrible blow to this parliament,” in Frank Dwyer’s, James

67) A year later Shakespeare began to write his tragedy, Macbeth, based on the acts of betrayal from the events of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. After William Shakespeare’s Macbeth was published in 1623, many readers questioned if Shakespeare himself had any involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. In the article, “How Macbeth Saved Shakespeare in the Gunpowder Plot,” blogger, Cassidy Cash, mentions that some of Shakespeare’s family members were thought to have been directly involved in the plot and that writing Macbeth would have been a beneficial way to clear his name of any suspicion of treason. “William Shakespeare’s personal connection to the Gunpowder Plot was so ingrained, that when you know it, it makes sense for the playwright to go out of his way to declare his loyalty in the most ostentatious way he could.” Cash’s quote proves that Shakespeare had a personal connection to the Gunpowder Plot, and he did not want to have any “targets on his back,” or to be considered an accomplice. Shakespeare was trying to prove his innocence through his play. There is also some evidence that William Shakespeare had some connections to the

Shakespeare also wrote Macbeth about the assassination of a King. With the main plot of his novel being the murder of King Duncan, it led many to assume he based it on the Gunpowder Plot. In Fay Barrett’s article, “Macbeth and the Gunpowder Plot: Part 2,” she says, “Macbeth is centered around an eleventh century Scottish King, of the same name. The King Duncan from the play is believed to represent James I,” which supports the fact that many believe Shakespeare wrote his tale based on the Plot. Another supporting example is, in Katherine Neves’ article, “King James I and Macbeth,” she states, “For one thing, the play is entirely set in Scotland, based on Scottish history and legend, and populated with Scotsmen.” These are examples of how Macbeth is directly based on the events of the Gunpowder Plot. Furthermore, the vanquish of the murderers in Macbeth and the Plot also coincide. Although Macbeth framed servants for the murder of King Duncan, he eventually was killed for his treachery. Macduff says, “Hail, King! For so thou art. Behold where stands, “The usurper’s cursèd head”