Abuse of Power and Kingship

Edexcel IGCSE English Literature
Macbeth: Themes
Abuse of Power and Kingship
This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc

https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
Abuse of Power and Kingship
With the unexpected ascension of James I to the throne, the question of what makes a
good king was a popular topic in England. The country was very much divided about how it
should be run. There was the ongoing religious conflict between Protestants and
Catholics. Some were pleased for James to be king but others were not. In Macbeth,
Shakespeare compares different characters and their approaches to their reigns. Some are
successful and others aren’t, which could be Shakespeare’s way of demonstrating which
qualities he felt were the most important in a good monarch.
Kingship and power are intrinsically linked within the play. The possibility of ascending
the throne is the driving force behind the motivations of many of the characters (much like in
Game of Thrones).
Shakespeare contrasts the way the characters behave towards this possibility of power,
and also how characters act once they gain power. He contrasts the behaviour of a
righteous and just king (Duncan) with one who is violent and abuses his power (Macbeth).
When studying the play it’s important to consider why Shakespeare does this.
Duncan
Duncan possesses all the
qualities of a great king:
he is noble, nurturing,
responsible, and a
strong leader. His
successful reign
emphasises how
disastrous Macbeth is as
a king.
Benevolent ruler
Duncan is shown to be a
just and benevolent
(kind) ruler, demonstrating
important aspects of kingship by telling his court, “Signs of nobleness like stars shall
shine / On all deservers,” (1.4), meaning he is willing to reward all those who do good. It
can be interpreted that he is saying that virtue and nobility are visible traits in a person,
distinguishing them from others. The simile “like stars shall shine” connotes divine
power, implying they will be rewarded in the afterlife as well as now. It aligns “deservers”
with God.
Duncan is portrayed as someone who is invested in his followers, as he says, “I have
begun to plant thee and will labour / To make thee full of growing,” to which Banquo
replies, “There if I grow, / The harvest is your own,” (1.4). He is dedicated to
https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-cc
self-improvement and the success of others. The semantic field of agriculture connotes
new life and nourishment, presenting Duncan as nurturing and considerate.
Duncan is such a successful monarch that even those who seek to kill him admire the way
he rules. Macbeth outlines Duncan’s honourable qualities: he “Hath borne his faculties
so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like
angels, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation of his taking-off,” (1.7).
Thereby acknowledging that Duncan is a good king.
Fair
Shakespeare shows how Duncan governs fairly to do what is best for his country.
➔ He rewards those who do good, telling Macbeth, “More is thy due than more than
all can pay,” (1.4).
➔ At the same time, he punishes traitors, ordering the execution of the Thane of
Cawdor for his acts of treason: “Go pronounce his present death / And with his
former title greet Macbeth,” (1.2).
This exchange of “title[s]” at the beginning of the play presents the audience with a country
that is stable and balanced. Duncan’s court appears to be the pinnacle of justice.
However, this scene also foreshadows Macbeth’s betrayal.
Produces an Heir
The Jacobean audience would have known the trouble that a monarch dying without an heir
would have created. Elizabeth I died without an heir which resulted in a big change to the
way Britain was ruled by her
successor. By providing the country
with an heir, Duncan was ensuring
political stability and security. He
announces that his son Macolm will
be his heir-apparent: “We will
establish our estate upon / Our
eldest, Malcolm,” (1.4).
Shakespeare thus establishes
Duncan as a trustworthy king and
provides a vision of the safe future.
Obviously this is ruined by Macbeth.
Too trusting?
It seems that Duncan is too trusting and dependent on others to be a perfect king. Rather
than leading his men into battle he trusts others to do so for him, and he relies heavily on his
Thanes to help maintain order.
When he reflects on the previous Thane of Cawdor’s death, he says, “There’s no art / To
find the mind’s construction in the face. / He was a gentleman on whom I built / An
absolute trust,” (1.4). He had placed his confidence in a man who betrayed him to foreign
armies, suggesting he has a poor judge of character. There is some dramatic irony in this
statement, for Macbeth is plotting to murder him.
Doesn’t learn from his mistakes
Macbeth is another one of Duncan’s trusted Thanes and is called his “valiant cousin,
worthy gentleman” (1.2). This means the betrayal repeats itself and Duncan doesn’t
learn from his mistakes.
However, the line “There’s no art / To find the mind’s construction in the face” implies it
is impossible to see through someone’s deception. Shakespeare suggests the evil and
treachery of others makes it impossible for a king to be wholly good. Kindness and respect
are vulnerable to deceit. In theory, Duncan would be the perfect king, but in reality he
cannot contend with the wickedness of his peers.
Macbeth
At the start of the play Macbeth has the ideal qualities of a noble king. The Captain calls him
“brave Macbeth”, “Bellona’s bridegroom”, and “Valour’s minion” (1.2), proving how
admired and impressive Macbeth is. “Brave” and “valour” both imply that he has a
strength of character beyond being good in battle which would be ideal as a leader. This
makes it ironic that he later commits the cowardly act of murdering Duncan in his sleep.
Ascension to the throne

But these noble traits seem to disappear. As Macbeth becomes closer to the throne he
becomes more corrupt. By the
time he kills Duncan and takes
the throne his transformation is
so complete it is too late for him
to go back to being the noble
Macbeth we were introduced to
at the start of the play.
From this point on, the audience

are able to see the direct
contrast between the way
Duncan and Macbeth rule
Britain. Macbeth is the least
successful king in the play.
Even his ascension to the
throne is unrighteous, as he
gets there on the back of murder, lies, and betrayal. He is not the rightful heir. He doesn’t
care for Scotland, only for himself. Through his time on the throne, Shakespeare explores
how power corrupts the minds of men, and how impactful a king’s reign is on his whole
country. He studies what it would truly be like to have a tyrant on the throne and how power
draws out people’s violent natures.
Macbeth is the complete opposite of Duncan, both in the way he came to be king but also
in the way he rules. Shakespeare uses this play to explore the impact of a King’s reign on
his country.
Callous leadership
The audience is not given much insight into other peoples’ opinions of Macbeth’s leadership.
However, as the soldiers prepare for battle, we hear reports of how “those he commands,
move only in command, / Nothing in love” (5.2), and “none serve him but constrained
things / Whose hearts are absent too” (5.4). This shows how unsuccessful he has been at
maintaining order and trust in his people. His country has no “love” or “heart” w
hich is
representative of his own callous nature.
Macbeth acknowledges his ability to control others using violent means by saying that “I
could with my barefaced power sweep him from my sight, / And bid my will avouch it,
yet I must not,” (3.1) when pondering what to do about Banquo. “Barefaced” implies he
could be shameless and outright in his murderous ways, while “sweep him from my
sight” connotes a godlike control over reality.
No heir
Macbeth’s poor kingship is solidified by his lack of lineage and heirs. It is evident he feels
emasculated by his inability to produce an heir, this is represented through his jealousy of
Banquo and resentment of the Witches.
Remembering the Witches’ prophecy for

Banquo, he complains, “They hailed
him father to a line of kings. / Upon
my head they placed a fruitless
crown / And put a barren sceptre in
my gripe, / Thence to be wrenched
with an unlineal hand, / No son of
mine succeeding,” (3.1). He resents
Banquo because his sons will be kings,
and he resents the Witches for ‘making’
him king without successors.
The Death of a King
The reaction to Duncan’s death compared to Macbeth’s death is reflective of how both
kings ruled, and how they were viewed by their country. The impact each death has on the
environment expresses Shakespeare’s views on kingship and tyranny. He believed a good
monarch was needed to provide stability, security, and progress.
Duncan
Duncan’s death seems to bring about a sort of apocalyptic chaos, showing how atrocious
and distressing his murder is. The way the atmosphere is described even before Duncan’s
death has been discovered implies that even the nature is affected by his murder. Lennox
reports, “The night has been unruly [...] Lamentings heard i’th’air, strange screams of
death / And prophesying with accents terrible / Of dire combustion and confused
events, / New hatched to th’woeful time. The obscure bird / Clamoured the livelong
night. Some say, the earth / Was feverous and did shake,” (2.3).
➔ Lexis from the semantic field of chaos and destruction, such as “dire
combustion”, “clamoured”, and “shake”, reflects how Duncan’s murder has gone
against nature. It may also symbolise God’s anger and wrath at being defied by
Macbeth.
➔ Moreover, “feverous” connotes disease, suggesting Macbeth’s deed has brought
sickness to the land.
➔ “Lamentings”, “strange screams of death”, and “prophesying” are references to
the murder and the Witches, echoing the grief and “tears” Macbeth predicted in 1.7.
Once the king’s body is discovered, Ross observes, “By th’clock ‘tis day / And yet dark
night strangles the travelling lamp. / Is’t night’s predominance, or the day’s shame, /
That darkness does the face of earth entomb / When living light should kiss it?” (2.4).
Duncan’s death has had a
permanent effect on the weather
and the daylight.
➔ The “dark night”
symbolises the
wickedness that now
dominates the world.
➔ The reference to
“th’clock”, “day” and
“night” implies time itself
has stopped.
➔ The semantic field of
death and murder,
“strangles”, “entomb”,
“living”, proves Duncan’s death has impacted the whole world, so that everything is
murderous or tainted by decay.
Shakespeare suggests that Duncan’s death disrupts the whole natural order. The Old
Man remarks to Ross, “‘Tis unnatural, / Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday
last, / A falcon tow’ring in her pride of place / Was by a mousing owl hawked at and
killed,” (2.4). “Like the deed that’s done” implies the state of the world has altered to
mirror the murder. Just as a good monarch improves the health of his whole country, the
death of a good monarch takes the whole country into decay and disrepair.
➔ The “falcon” is a mighty bird of prey, symbolising Duncan, while a “mousing owl”
is a less impressive predator who would normally be inferior to the falcon. The
incident is therefore an omen of what was to come, with Macbeth wrongfully killing
the king, who is above him in the natural Divine Order.
Duncan’s corpse is described with allusions to piety and royalty, reflecting how the death
of a king is the death of God’s chosen representative on earth. Macduff describes the
crime scene, “Confusion now hath made his masterpiece: / Most sacrilegious murder
hath broke ope / The Lord’s anointed temple and stole thence / The life o’th’building,”
(2.3).
➔ The adjective “sacrilegious” alludes to the Divine Right of Kings. Duncan’s body
is described as “The Lord’s anointed temple”, conveying his sanctity and
importance.
➔ By presenting Duncan’s corpse as a “temple” made of “silver” a nd “gold”,
Shakespeare implies he wasn’t human. This means the qualities of a good king go
beyond his mind. A good king can be identified from his very form and essence.
Macbeth
In contrast, Macbeth’s death is celebrated by his subjects, and presented as a moment of
liberation for Scotland. While Duncan is portrayed with angelic and godlike descriptions,
Macbeth is referred to as a “hell-hound” (5.8) and a “dead butcher and his fiend-like
queen” (5.9). These all connote the Devil.
➔ “Hound” dehumanises him, suggesting he is savage and brutish. Alternatively, it
implies he was a slave to violence or to his master, the Devil.
Macbeth has lost his noble titles and is universally hated - a stark contrast from his
reputation at the beginning of the play.
Macduff
As a loyal statesman and the only one who can kill Macbeth, Macduff is able to speak out
about how the country should be run. He is unapologetic in his criticism of Macbeth and
only wants the best for his country. Though he kills Macbeth, he doesn’t take the crown for
himself, instead respecting God’s will and giving it back to the heir-apparent.
Patriotic
Throughout Act 4 Scene 3, Macduff
expresses what it is to be a good
king, and mourns for his country’s
loss. He weeps, “Bleed, bleed, poor
country. / Great tyranny, lay thou
thy basis sure, / For goodness dare
not check thee,” showing how
patriotic he is.
➔ The phrase “bleed, bleed”
personifies Scotland, portraying it as
a wounded body. This reinforces the
idea that the way a monarch rules a
country impacts the whole land to its
core. The image of blood contrasts with the living, nurtured “harvest” Duncan
created.
➔ Furthermore, the phrase “For goodness dare not check thee” shows how
“tyranny” is allowed to thrive unchallenged because of the power that comes with
it and the fear it instills in others.
When he hears Malcolm lie
about his flaws, he cries out,
“Fit to govern? / No, not to
live. - O nation miserable! /
With an untitled tyrant,
bloody-sceptred, / When
shalt thou see thy
wholesome days again?
(4.3)”. Macduff is dismayed
by the fate of his country
because of the king who rules
it. He suggests the country is
“miserable” because it is
governed by a usurper who
went against the will of God.
Moreover, the rhetorical question and answer he supplies, “Fit to govern? / No, not to
live,” implies being an inadequate, corrupt king is a crime worthy of death.
Macduff presents greed and unchecked ambition as bad qualities in a monarch, saying,
“Boundless intemperance / In nature is a tyranny; it hath been / Th’untimely emptying
of the happy throne / And fall of many kings,” (4.3). Though he is discussing Malcolm’s
supposed greed, this wise statement can also be applied to Macbeth, and predicts his death.
➔ Saying it is a “tyranny” acknowledges how people will go to any lengths possible
to satisfy their desires if they lack restraint.
➔ “Th’untimely emptying of the happy throne” may imply that even good kings
can be corrupted by power, so that they lose their noble qualities and the throne is
no longer “happy”. It may also express how treason and regicide (killing the king)
are the results of other men’s greed, as was the case with Macbeth and Duncan.
Malcolm
Ascension to the throne

Malcolm finally takes his rightful place on the throne at the end of the play, with a speech
that shows he possesses the same wisdom and compassion as his father did. Though he
is pure and youthful, a symbol of hope, he is not as naive or gullible as his father. However,
we must remember that he chose to run away after his father’s murder which could be seen
as a sign of cowardice. Is Malcolm the best example of kingship we see in the play?
Traits of a noble king

Malcolm’s wisdom and shrewd perception are demonstrated when he checks that Macduff
isn’t a spy sent by Macbeth. He suspects Macduff of “offer[ing] up a weak, poor, innocent
lamb / T’appease an angry god,” (4.3). The metaphor of ritual sacrifice conveys
Macbeth’s bloodthirst, unruly power, and warped sense of his own importance.
➔ The juxtaposition between Malcolm as an “innocent lamb” and Macbeth as an
“angry god” reveals the advantage Macbeth has as king, leading to a severe
power imbalance.
➔ It also makes the moral differences between them clear, with Malcolm condemning
Macbeth for being a violent, vengeful ruler.
He notes, “A good and virtuous nature may recoil / In an imperial charge,” proving he is
aware of power’s ability to corrupt even the most moral of men. Shakespeare suggests it
is important to be mindful and suspicious of those in power, ensuring they are not taking
advantage of their position to punish those below them.
Patriotic
Shakespeare portrays Malcolm as the epitome of a pure, honest, and dedicated king.
Like Macduff, he worries for Scotland’s future, saying, “I think our country sinks beneath
the yoke; / It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash / Is added to her wounds,”
(4.3). The personification of Scotland again emphasises its importance to Malcolm,
treating it as a loved one or vulnerable person, and reflects how a country can suffer in the
same way a person can.
Development of the Theme
The idea of kingship and what it takes to be king is introduced as soon as the Witches give
their prophecy to Macbeth. Kingship can be seen as the destination or goal of all the action
in the play.
The political action surrounding the

monarchy is an allegory for Britain’s own
history and current climate. Kingship is
associated with violence and chaos, but
also order and justice. It all depends on
who is in charge. It could be argued that
who is king isn’t relevant to the main
purpose of the play’s plot. It is the push
and pull for power between opposing
sides that drives the plot forward.
In the play, Shakespeare presents us

with four examples of kings: Duncan,
Macbeth, Malcolm, and Edward of England. We never see Edward in person, but we hear of
his virtues and how he heals the sick in his own country. He also kindly offers an army to
help overthrow Macbeth.
The chaos and unrest of Scotland therefore unfolds in the foreground of England’s stable
peace. To a certain degree, each king is an archetype of a certain kind of ruler.
Shakespeare’s messages about kingship are as evident in the differences between them as
they are in the actions of the kings themselves. For example, Malcolm’s wariness has more
successful results than his father’s gullibility, while Macbeth’s “butcher” persona breeds a
different atmosphere to Edward’s merciful healing.

Abuse of Power and Kingship

Uploaded by

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Copyright:

Available Formats

Abuse of Power and Kingship

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Abuse of Power and Kingship

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edexcel IGCSE English Literature

This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc

Ascension to the throne

From this point on, the audience

Remembering the Witches’ prophecy for

The Death of a King

Ascension to the throne

Traits of a noble king

Development of the Theme

The political action surrounding the

In the play, Shakespeare presents us

You might also like