Kingship In Macbeth Essay
Macbeth: Kingship Question.
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 …show more content…
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
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 …show more content…
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