Shakespeare, Kingship, and the Chain of Being in Macbeth Essay

Shakespeare, Kingship, and the Chain of Being in Macbeth Shakespeares play Macbeth is largely based upon the theme of top executiveship. Macbeth was written for James the 1st, who would have been interested in kingship and believed in the chain of beingnessness and the divine right of kings. The chain of being is the belief that everything is connected like a chain, and is affected by anything higher up it. God was believed to be at the top of the chain, and the King was believed to be the highest on earth. The divine right was the belief that just kings were put there by God, and should not be removed. Shakespeare represents these with the prosperity when Duncan is king and the unnaturalness and evil, which is present when Macbeth becomes king by evil means. This is emphasised because James the 1st traced his ancestors to Banquo, whose desc force outents were the rightful kings of Scotland. The theme of kingship whitethorn also have been cautionary to anyone plotting to kill James, as Macbeth was written the stratum after the famous Gunpowder Plot. At the beginning of the play, Duncan is the rightful king of Scotland, there by his divine right. In his commencement appearance, King Duncan performs two of the basic duties of a king, profound the bad and honour 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 lead on our bosom interest go pronounce his present death, and with his former deed of conveyance 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 ... ...ion, patience, courage, fortitude. This is Shakespeares idea of the perfect king. At the end of the play, Malcolm is restored to his rightful place as king of Scotland. The mint 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 Macbeths mania show that nothing good can come form cleanup 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.