At the beginning of the play, Duncan is the rightful king of Scotland, there by his “divine right”. 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 the Thane 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.” The chain of being is intact, and Duncan is showing good kingship by punishing the Thane of Cawdor for treason and rewarding Macbeth for his bravery.
When Macbeth murders Duncan, the chain of being is broken. As soon as it is done Lady Macbeth says, “I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry”. Also, in the morning, Lennox says, “the night has been unruly…Lamentings heard I’th’air, strange screams of death… Some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake”. Nature itself has been disturbed, as the King is the highest thing on earth in the chain of being, so when his place is broken then everything below him is disturbed. Shakespeare reinforces the fact that kingship is given to the king by God, when Macduff says, “Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lords anointed temple”. Even when Macbeth is trying to excuse his murder of the kings guards, he described Duncan’s body as “silver skin lac’d with his golden blood.” Even Duncan’s murderer gives his right to the throne credit.
At the beginning of the play Macbeth is looked on in good light, due to the successful defeat of the Norwegian invaders, God is on his side. After he murders Duncan, Macbeth took the throne. He has taken the throne by evil means, and not by divine right so he should not be there and the chain of being is broken. Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s growing madness, nature’s disturbance and Macbeth’s growing madness to show that he is not the rightful king. After he has murdered Duncan, Macbeth loses the ability to sleep; this is a sign of evil. He says, “I heard a voice cry, “sleep no more: Macbeth does murder sleep””. Shakespeare is emphasising the point that only evil comes from murdering the rightful king.
When Macduff and Malcolm are in England, Shakespeare brings in Edward the Confessor as another example of good kingship. Malcolm says, “A most miraculous work in this good king, Which often since my here-remain in England I have seen him do. How he solicits heaven Himself best knows”. Shakespeare is pointing out that as a rightful king, Edward even has the power of healing, and, being the highest on earth in the chain of being can solicit with heaven. In contrast to this, in act five scene two Mentaith refers to Macbeth as “the tyrant”. Also, in act 4 scene 3, Malcolm defines the perfect “king –becoming graces”, such as “justice, verity, temp’rance, stableness, Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude”. This is Shakespeare’s idea of the perfect king.
At the end of the play, Malcolm is restored to his rightful place as king of Scotland. The people support their king again, and they shout “Hail, king of Scotland.” The country is united around their king again, not separated as they were under Macbeth. Shakespeare is trying to show that when the chain of being is intact, the country is in unity.
In conclusion, Shakespeare uses the theme of kingship in Macbeth to warn people about what happens if you break the chain of being. The murder and disturbance in nature, and Macbeth’s madness show that nothing good can come form killing the monarch, and the countries unity under Malcolm show that everything is peaceful and prosperous under a king that is on the throne by “divine right”.
