Analysis of William Shakespeare's Macbeth and Its Historical Background

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Analysis of William Shakespeare's Macbeth and Its Historical Background

I have recently been studying 'Macbeth', a well-known play by William

Shakespeare. In this essay I am going to analyse the play and its

historical background. I will also look at the factors that influenced

Shakespeare when he was writing the play such as James I, the new king

of England and Scotland, how he detested witches, and how Shakespeare

manipulated that knowledge. Furthermore, I will be examining the

character Macbeth and what his motive to murder King Duncan was, and

why he committed all of his evil deeds. Moreover, I shall write about

what Shakespeare was trying to get across to his audiences and what he

gained from writing this play.

During 1603 King James of V1 of Scotland became king James 1 of

England. This change started to make Scottish things fashionable in

London. Shakespeare started to write a Scottish play to please James.

He adapted and tailored the play to suit James's likes, dislikes and

beliefs. Shakespeare decided to write a play that would satisfy

James's demands, in order to stay successful. Shakespeare knew that

James liked short plays, so he made Macbeth a short play; he also knew

how interested and afraid of witches James was, so he made witches a

central part of his play. James became a patron of Shakespeare's

theatre company and partly funded it. The company's name was also

changed to 'The Kings Men'. Shakespeare knew that he had to please

James if he was to remain successful and keep his audiences high.

James wrote a book about witches called Daemonologie (Demonology),

because he thought that witches had once tried to kill him. ...

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ambition. However, the aspect that I believe is most directly

responsible for Macbeth murdering Duncan is Lady Macbeth. Throughout

the play Lady Macbeth is a constant reason for Macbeth's actions.

Several times Macbeth tries to abandon the plot, but Lady Macbeth

drives him to murder Duncan: (MACBETH) "If we should fail?" (LADY

MACBETH): "We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and

we'll not fail." Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth by going to extreme

lengths: "I have given suck, and know how tender 'tis to love the babe

that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck'd

my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash'd the brains out, had I so

sworn as you have done to this." I think that Macbeth relies on Lady

Macbeth and committed murder not only for his ambitions, but for hers

as well.

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