Macbeth Essay

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Joe Supple

Macbeth Essay

        Shakespeare wrote ‘Macbeth’ for a specific reason at that particular period of time. The reason being King James I. King James was bought up by puritans, who despised any kind of entertainment and thought that they should spend all their time reading the bible. When King James I took over the thrown, Shakespeare was worried that he would disapprove of the theatres and close them all down. So, Shakespeare wrote ‘Macbeth’ as a flattery to the king. ‘Macbeth’ includes references to Witchcraft and Portrays Banquo as a hero, which was blandishment to James I as he claimed to be an expert on witches and a descendant of Banquo. But most importantly, the Play supports the political belief of ‘The Divine Right of Kings.’ This is the theory of a king when he believes that he has been chosen by god to be a political leader on earth. So killing the King would be like Killing part of God. You would cut yourself off from God and would suffer for the rest of your life. This is the theme of Macbeth.

        Immediately after The murder of King Duncan, Macbeth Claims to have heard a ‘voice cry.’ I believe that this is a curse placed on him by God, enabling him to ‘sleep no more’ as a punishment. I think Shakespeare does this to show how things have gone wrong for Macbeth already. So Macbeth is tied all the time because he can never get a good nights sleep ever again, which explains why he is always angry and irritated.         However, after hearing the Curse, Macbeth immediately regrets Killing Duncan. He realises what he has done and wishes that he could ‘Wake Duncan with thy knocking.’ When expressing Macbeth’s remorse, Shakespeare uses a hyperbole to show how guilty Macbeth feels. Macbeth worries that ‘all great Neptune’s oceans‘ wont was the blood ‘clean from’ his hands. But, when MacDuff arrived to collect Duncan in the morning, the guards are dead; this makes everybody suspicious of Macbeth. So, when        Macbeth starts making mistakes and digging himself in a deeper hole, Lady Macbeth faints. I believe she does this to draw attention away from Macbeth.  

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        Then, when Macbeth throws a lavish banquet to celebrate him becoming King, he gives his secrets away when he sees Banquo’s ghost. I believe that this is not just due to lack of sleep, but because God wants to remind Macbeth of what he has done, a punishment. It is obvious to everybody at the banquet that Macbeth has killed Banquo. Macbeth blames his vision of Banquo on ‘The lack of season of all natures.’ Sleep. The next day, the lords discuss the events of the previous night. They describe the banquet as ‘the tyrants feast.’ They all know now ...

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