Macbeth written to please King James
(And the design of Macbeth for his approval.)The late 16th century was a time of massive change for England, as old traditions were being discarded and new concepts discovered; in science, commerce, religion, technology - and perhaps most prominently, the arts.In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I, the major instigator of this change, died. James I, who until then had reigned Scotland for 36 years as James VI, succeeded the throne; combining the Scottish and English empires to form what was eventually called Great Britain. A sufferer of chronic illnesses all his life, James had been a king since he was 13 months old. His mother, Mary Queen of Scots, was beheaded in 1587, and his father, Lord Darnley, was killed by an explosion for which James held the Roman Catholic Church in contempt. James publicly despised the Catholics, and they did him, trying to assassinate him numerous times - the most famous of these being the Gun Powder Plot of 1605, led by Guy Fawkes. King James also held strong views about "The Divine Right of Kings". Although this concept had been founded long before, it became almost exclusive to James, who tenaciously believed he was God's chosen representative on earth, and that a
James could not remain sitting in one place, in the view of the public, for long periods of time. Shakespeare's main source of research for Macbeth was based on Holinshed's text of 1587. Also, Shakespeare's association of evil with these forces agreed with James, who introduced the mainstream practice of burning witches at the stake. Any disruption of this order was believed to cause chaos in the universe, bringing with it disease, darkness, and evil. The airNimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses. Once brought to attention, the inclusions of these several elements into the play are quite obvious in their intent. Performed just three years after James had commenced his reign in England, its popularity with the King was vital for Shakespeare's reputation, and hence, career. James was so interested in this subject he wrote a book about it, titled "Daemonologie", so the appearance of the weird sisters in Act One Scene One would have intrigued him immediately. However there is evidence to suggest that despite this risky element, Shakespeare did form the play on James' approval. Subsequently, Macbeth was the shortest of Shakespeare's plays. In this, the King was ranked just below God, and was followed by nobility, then commoners, slaves, animals and plants. "The play is set in Scotland, homeland of the king, which is clearly referred to in a charming manner - an unusual occurrence in an English theatre, as tension between Scotland and England was fierce. This personal passion immediately put William Shakespeare, London's most famous playwright at the time, in James' favour when he began his rule in England. Also, geographical names are used, such as Glamis and Cawdor, and one would assume that the King would have delighted in following the characters around the places he knew so well. James was extremely fond of literature, and actually became a writer himself - his major works focussing on kingship, the supernatural, and issues of the church.
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Acceptance Essays
