ipl-logo

The Similarities Between Macbeth And King James

729 Words3 Pages

In Macbeth’s story, there are many different and diverse forces which drive the drama in the play. However, I will be focusing on the two main factors that contribute to this drama - political drama and psychological thriller. Political drama is shown as there are definite similarities between Macbeth and King James the first.

A psychological thriller is portrayed through hallucinations and the ongoing fight that Macbeth experiences between himself and his self-conscience.

Whilst both factors play critical roles in the drama throughout the play, which will be discussed, as a historian, I have an obvious bias towards the political side of the play.

Throughout Macbeth there are many themes in the play, which refers back to King James’s …show more content…

This is Macbeth hallucinating, but is a clear premonition of what is to come and this is displayed yet again through Lady Macbeth’s cry “Come, you spirit that tend on my mortal thoughts”. Here, Lady Macbeth is talking to evil spirits that she believes are inside her head. This relates to King James the First as it is well documented he had an interest in witchcraft. He once attended a witchcraft trial and in 1597 King James published a book on witchcraft. This proves that the political context of King James the First plays a huge role in the drama of the play

In Macbeth, there are many supernatural elements that all contribute to a psychological thriller. This is explored largely through the way in which Shakespeare reverses gender roles, when Lady Macbeth’s obsession with masculinity leads her into crying out to become a man.

This is then proven through sexual imagery “Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full direst cruelty” This quote is full of horrific intent as Lady Macbeth calls upon evil spirit’s to take away her femininity so that she will be able to become more cruel and violent and not have to seek …show more content…

On a political scale, during the year of 1605, the Romans planted gunpowder underneath Parliament in a plot to assassinate King James. Although this plot failed and King James lived, the Romans were content with their plan as it put the English in a state of paranoia and fearfulness.

three years later, Shakespeare wrote Macbeth and there is clear evidence to suggest that Shakespeare’s inspiration to write this book was based on this plot now known as the ‘Gunpowder plot’.

Shakespeare wrote this play to explore what might have happened if a King I.e. King Duncan, were to have been murdered, and his play portrays the same fears and anxieties as the English experienced after the gunpowder plot.

In Conclusion, although both psychological thriller and political context clearly emphasize drama throughout the play, I believe that Shakespeare’s main form of creating drama comes through political drama in Macbeth through political allegory about regicide and its apocalyptic implications for a society as a whole. Political drama is essential as without it I would not be standing in front of you lecturing you the story of Macbeth, as there would be no story to

Show More
Related
651 Words | 3 Pages

The play entitled Macbeth by William Shakespeare portrays Macbeth, a loyal and brave thane to the king. When a prophecy reveals he will become king, Macbeth is overcome with ambition and greed. Convinced of this prophecy and the encouragement from his wife, he is able to kill the king and take the throne. Although Macbeth was able to obtain the throne, he was was overwhelmed by power and guilt leading to internal conflict, which suggests that success is not desirable through cheating and corruption and ultimately cost more than its actually worth, Macbeth`s reckless pursuit of killing and becoming the king is representative of the power he has and what he is able to do with the power he's gained; therefore. His relentless ambition for king reveals the guilt behind power.

Read More
694 Words | 3 Pages

The theme of Macbeth is destruction filled mind with power-hungry like wolves fighting to become leader of the pack. In this world, rather Macbeth fighting for his power to become king. “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion. Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature?

Read More
477 Words | 2 Pages

Macbeth is a dark play written by Shakespeare. It is about a kingdom in Scotland in which the people living there turn on each other and don't know who to trust. Macbeth changes from an innocent man to a murderous villain. In the end, his cockiness will get the best of him. Throughout the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses many literary devices to convey the theme, “guilt cannot be washed away.”

Read More
1186 Words | 5 Pages

Writers use theatrical flattery to please certain groups or viewers of their play, and in the case of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses this form of flattery to please King James I. Having only known one monarch for 39 years of his life, Queen Elizabeth, the arrival of a new monarch would be extremely influential on Shakespeare’s work. Especially since in 1603, three years prior to Shakespeare writing Macbeth, James started to sponsor Shakespeare’s acting company. From James’ royal patronage, the acting company changed from The Lord Chamberlain’s Men to The King’s Men. It is highly likely that in return Shakespeare included certain elements that would please or impress King James in his next play, including the use of witches as talked about above.

Read More
679 Words | 3 Pages

Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is a rather bloody and demiseful tale. Although the characters of the play all have different emotions the main theme is based on greed and suffrage of one’s actions. The main character, Macbeth, is ridden with guilt and greed, while Lady MacBeth is very controlling and demanding. Macbeth's curiosity led to a great demise for both him and Lady Macbeth. Throughout the play, Macbeth’s actions are being controlled by the emotions of curiosity, guilt, and fear.

Read More
920 Words | 4 Pages

Guilt Is Like Shackles William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth tells the tale of Macbeth, a scottish soldier who had been foreseen with the crown atop his head by three witches. The story is a gruesome tale of lies and bloodshed. As a result of the prophecy, Macbeth stays in power through greed, ambition, and violence. His wife, Lady Macbeth, first began his use of violence by plotting the murder of King Duncan.

Read More
839 Words | 4 Pages

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the tragic tale of a Scottish general's rise and fall from power, evil plays a front and center role. As a play that explores the darkest corners of human ambition and desire, Macbeth weaves an intricate examination of the consequences when one is consumed by greed and the lust for dominance. In this essay, I will argue that Macbeth's tragic descent into evil is fueled by unchecked ambition and desire for power, ultimately leading to his downfall. To support this claim, I will analyze various aspects of the play, such as the influence of Showing evil forces, the roles played by characters like Lady Macbeth and the witches, and how Macbeth's own character transforms throughout the story. First, let us delve into how

Read More
1277 Words | 6 Pages

Sean Smith Mrs. Anthony Senior English 8 March 2018 The Danger of Ambition In Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, the author proposes a perpetual loop of struggle through his use of fate and imagery of the character’s deaths in order to express the consequences for one’s actions if they are foolish enough to make these decisions. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a uniquely portrayed concept of fate, internal struggle, and paradox; the story depicts a human with intentions to receive power.

Read More
1514 Words | 7 Pages

Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, focuses on the tumultuous events that surround a regicide. Despite being the shortest of Shakespeare’s plays, in his critical study of the play A. C. Bradley concludes that due to its vehement nature the audience is left with an impression “not of brevity but of speed” . The principal female character of Lady Macbeth is arguably one of his most contentious. Consumed with intense passion, ambition and greed she challenges the subservient role of the traditional Elizabethan woman. She has disturbed, horrified and intrigued both contemporary and modern audiences alike through her powerful diction.

Read More
689 Words | 3 Pages

A story of tragedy is not uncommon with William Shakespeare and his works of prose. In his plays, death and despair is more likely than honor and prosperity. This is an included facet to Macbeth as well, having sinister themes of greed, manipulation, and brutality. Macbeth, by the infamous playwright, Shakespeare, presents us with multiple aspects factoring into whether the main character controls his actions that lead to the tragic events.

Read More
1931 Words | 8 Pages

This debate between the pity found in Macbeth’s mental state and the fear he evokes through his actions continues as Macbeth becomes a vicious tyrant. Not only does he kill off more of those around him, including the family of MacDuff, all for the sake of proving his power over those around him, but he rains famine and tragedy across the land. Macbeth’s inhumane actions easily draw fear from the audience as it expresses how uncontrollable and deranged, he has become; Macbeth is truly far from the hero first introduced. Extensively Macbeth begins to trust fewer and fewer individuals, he becomes more paranoid about the things going on around him. Specifically he can’t sleep and fears loosing his power.

Read More
1661 Words | 7 Pages

Macbeth is one of the tragedy plays written by William Shakespeare. It is about the tragedy of greed, ambition, and wish of power. Macbeth is a complex play and filled with symbols that progress the plot and theme. Symbolical motifs play an important role in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth throughout the play. Shakespeare uses symbolisms so that the reader may gain a deeper understanding and aware of this tragedy.

Read More
760 Words | 4 Pages

Power is always coveted in any society and the world of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is no different. In the play, Macbeth, a noble lord, shows his hunger for power with thoughts to remove an heir to the throne from power. Macbeth’s impatience to be king leads him to stain his honor by using murder. Macbeth travels further down the path of evil by arranging the assassination of a friend.

Read More
1021 Words | 5 Pages

The Tragedy of Macbeth incorporates character development to present William Shakespeare’s motive; throughout the play it allows the audience to see the message the play relays. The play is a tragedy and it specifically shows the tragedy of humans as they self destruct. There is a use of literary devices to create different aspects of each character allowing them to portray different images of themselves that wouldn’t be noticed initially. Compared to how the audience views each character in the beginning of the play, the image develops into something new as different aspects are revealed. The characters and their continuous changes become the essence of the play.

Read More
698 Words | 3 Pages

Twisted by power, Macbeth is a thrilling tale revealing just how far a man will go to retain his rule. “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren scepter in my grip, Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so, For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind,” Macbeth stated, showing his deteriorating mental state, and immense hunger for power. This play was a work of fiction, nevertheless the reality of the issue is all too real. This disastrous tale was written in 1606 by William Shakespeare, and was designed specifically for King James, who was renowned for hunting witches throughout his life.

Read More

More about The Similarities Between Macbeth And King James

Related Topics

Open Document