Macbeth Context

Created by: Bridget Simpson
Created on: 03-05-13 20:43

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Macbeth Context
- Monarch: King James I > Stuarts
  - Succeeded Queen Elizabeth (1603) > already King of Scotland
  - Critics: written to flatter new King > saw prob 1606
  - Echoes many of James' interests
    - Hollinshed > elaborate Stuart family tree > related to Banquo
      - Banquo never existed > created by Torians as source of Stuart Royalty
    - Hated regicides > Macbeth solely responsible > to please King James
    - Interested in Witchcraft
      - attended at least one witchcraft trial
      - visited Oxford 1605 > greeted by 3 witches > hailed him as descendant of Banquo
    - The Gunpowder Plot, 1605
      - one of key conspirators (Sur Everard Digby) was fave of James > mirrors Thane of Cawdor > fave of Duncan
    - Equivocation
      - 1606 Catholic priest accused of involvement in GP > committed perjury
        Self-defence > had right to equivocate
      - Right to tell misleading half-truths
      - major theme of play
    - Honours
      - Malcolm's gift of Earldoms @ end of play
        Reflect James's liberal giving of Eng titles to Scttish supporters
        Actions resented by many of new subjects
        No indication of resentment in play
- Reading 'Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland' (1587) - Raphael Holinshed
  - Influenced Shakespeare's English History Plays
- Dramatic Tradition
  - Influenced by popular Roman playwright Seneca
    - Seneca's Tragedies inc. soliloquies, ghosts, witches, magic, violent events, wrongs avenged, moral statements
  - Recollection of morality plays
    - dramatised bible stories > popular in middle ages
    - The Harrowing of Hell
      - Inspiration for Porter scene > Porter guards hell (castle) > Christ descends demands Satan releases all goo people imprisoned there
- Witchcraft
  - Objects of morbid & fevered fascination
  - Characteristed reign of Eliz I > many suspected as witches = PERSECUTEd
    - Hanged/Burned to death
  - Propaganda used against: pamphlets describing lurid details of witch trials printed > effective sales
  - Credited with diabolical powers
    - Could predict future fly, bring on night time in day, kill enemies etc
    - Cursed enemies > diseases, nightmares, sterility, could take demonic possession of people
    - raise evil spirits
  - Allowed Devil to **** the blood in exchange for a familiar
    - Accused > were examined for the 'Devil's MARK'
      - Shakespearean audience interpret LM's 'spot' as Devil's mark
  - Jame's I reign
    - 1604 ACT OF PARLIAMENT
      - anyone found guilty of witchcraft should be executed
        those who confessed > did under torture/grip of delusions > mentally ill
    - 1590 > tried to been killed by group of witches
      - Personally interrogated one of them
      - Investigated other cases
    - Demonologie
      - written by James > published 1597
        when became King of Eng ordered immediately printed in LDN
  - Fuelled by suspersition, misogny (hatred of women) > firm conviction that morality and religion were maintained
- RELIGION
  - Protestant Eng
  - Deep divisions between Catholics and Protestants > remained
    - everyone, literally, believed in heaven & hell
      - lived in fear of eternal damnation
        Consequenceof wtichcraft
        Witchcraft
        Objects of morbid & fevered fascination
        
        Characteristed reign of Eliz I > many suspected as witches = PERSECUTEd
        Hanged/Burned to death
        
        Propaganda used against: pamphlets describing lurid details of witch trials printed > effective sales
        
        Credited with diabolical powers
        Could predict future fly, bring on night time in day, kill enemies etc
        
        Cursed enemies > diseases, nightmares, sterility, could take demonic possession of people
        
        raise evil spirits
        
        Allowed Devil to **** the blood in exchange for a familiar
        Accused > were examined for the 'Devil's MARK'
        Shakespearean audience interpret LM's 'spot' as Devil's mark
        
        Jame's I reign
        1604 ACT OF PARLIAMENT
        anyone found guilty of witchcraft should be executed
        those who confessed > did under torture/grip of delusions > mentally ill
        
        1590 > tried to been killed by group of witches
        Personally interrogated one of them
        
        Investigated other cases
        
        Demonologie
        written by James > published 1597
        when became King of Eng ordered immediately printed in LDN
        
        Fuelled by suspersition, misogny (hatred of women) > firm conviction that morality and religion were maintained

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Macbeth Context

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