macbeth essay question on kingship

Mr Salles Teaches English

Kingship in Macbeth

(a grade 8 essay, improved to grade 9).

Hi again Mr Salles - I hope you are well,

Here is an essay I have written on the theme of kingship, tyranny and natural order.

If you have a spare few minutes, please let me know what mark this would get and how I can improve it to get full marks :)

Shakespeare cleverly crafts the themes of kingship/tyranny/natural order through the devolution of Macbeth. By contrasting morality and corruption within Macbeth and Banquo, Shakespeare cautions against ambition and associates it with the supernatural - a very disturbing idea for the contemporary audience, contributing to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Shakespeare constructs Banquo as a foil to Macbeth by illustrating their contrasting reactions to the same evil force - the supernatural and temptation. Banquo represents the route that Macbeth chose not to take: the path where ambition does not lead to betrayal and murder. Thus, it is Banquo’s ghost, rather than Duncan’s, that haunts Macbeth and conveys to the contemporary audience that restraint will lead to a fruition of power as Banquo’s lineage stays on the throne for the longest.

The witches’ equivocation: “ Lesser than Macbeth, and greater ” paradoxically suggests the drastic difference between Banquo and Macbeth, foreshadowing character development as the witches' prophecies come true. Banquo will never be king, but he does father a line of kings. Macbeth, on the other hand, will become the King of Scotland which is commendable in terms of the Divine Order; Macbeth’s reign of power will be one of selfishness and greed as he fulfils his cruel desire for power, eliminating all obstacles that stand in the way of his kingship.

As a result, Macbeth holds the shorter end of the stick in this paradox, facing paranoia, insomnia, guilt, and a tragic demise, therefore proving its accuracy. Here, Shakespeare is flattering King James I, as he was descendant of Banquo and Fleance, in order to gain his trust and potentially patronage for his theatre. This also helps Shakespeare later in the play when he subtly warns James I not to be repressive and tyrannical in his rule.

Shakespeare ensures Banquo isn’t perfect as he is tempted on some level by the Witches’ prophecy, but his ability to reject evil is what makes him a moral character and an antithesis to Macbeth. He is less able to resist temptation when he sleeps “ I dream’d of the three weird sisters last night ”, but instead of trying to hide this, he confesses to God and asks for help in remaining moral and virtuous.

This references the Bible as Jesus was tempted three times by the devil and resisted: perhaps Shakespeare is attempting to draw parallels between Banquo and Jesus which would have been largely impactful to a Christian contemporary audience, further warning about the devastating consequences of temptation and tyranny by contrasting this with the holy and biblical ideas associated with resistance to temptation and ambition.

Shakespeare demonstrates how the acquisition of power invokes an irreversible change in character, subverting the audience’s expectations as he implies that a person’s poor qualities are amplified by the crown and personal desire - Macbeth becomes paranoid.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is conveyed as the epitome of a loyal and quintessential Scottish soldier when the captain recalls Macbeth’s noble actions as he “ carv’d the passage ” of the traitor Macdonwald. Specifically, the emotive verb “ carv’d ” carries strong connotations of combative expertise and nobility. Alternatively, it could allude to him carving his name famously in the beginning of the play and eventually notoriously at the end of the play, foreshadowing his drastic moral decline. The stark contrast between Macbeth murdering an enemy of the king (which would be seen as an enemy to God due to the Divine Right of Kings believed by the contemporary audience) and when he commits regicide - the ultimate sin.

Shakespeare explores the consequences of usurpation - for the nation it is a nightmare; an illegitimate king can only become a tyrant, using ever greater acts of violence to maintain his rule. However, Shakespeare is careful to emphasise how the tyrant himself suffers at his own hands - violence traumatises the violent person as well as the victims. Macbeth ‘ fixed [Macdonwald’s] head upon our battlements ’. The head is symbolic as a motif of Macbeth’s declining heroism. First he is at his moral peak as he beheads the King’s enemy, effectively God’s enemy in the eyes of the contemporary audience, then after having his moral endurance tested in the form of ‘ supernatural soliciting ’ he goes out to commit regicide, losing all virtue. Finally, Shakespeare uses this motif to highlight the negative consequences to his audience as the ‘head’ foreshadows Macbeth’s later disgrace as his own head becomes described as ‘ the usurper’s cursed head’ that is reminiscent of his previous morality before he was corrupted by ambition and the witches’ prophecies.

Supernatural

Shakespeare forces his audience to question whether the unlawful act of treason has a supernatural urge, whether there are malign witches and demonic forces working against the moral bonds of mankind. Macbeth’s growing inclination towards ‘supernatural soliciting’ leaves him in a perplexed self-questioning state " why hath it given me earnestness of success/commencing in a truth ?” Linguistically, the sibilance of ‘ supernatural soliciting’ is deliberately used by Shakespeare to raise his audience’s alarm, given the satanic connotations and reference to devastating sorcery in the form of ‘soliciting’.

Likewise, Macbeth’s rhetorical question is used by Shakespeare to create a self-doubting, unstable and malevolent fallacy created by the engagement with the ‘agents of the dark’.

This repeated motif of the supernatural was especially significant to a contemporary Christian audience as witches were believed to be women who made a pact with the Devil, but it also would have especially attracted the interests of King James I - Macbeth was first performed to him and his courtiers. James I hated witchcraft and wrote Daemonologie - a book about the supernatural. Here, Shakespeare is flattering the king by incorporating his interests into his play and is also warning the nobility who were unhappy with James as king at the time by suggesting their desire to overthrow James I was manipulated into existence by the supernatural and witches.

Mr Salles Teaches English is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and to get top grades, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a very ambitious title – normally you would have just kingship or tyranny set as the question. And then you are going to make it even more ambitious by introducing the supernatural!

This has led to a very convoluted thesis – having at least 3 ideas is excellent, but it has to make sense. You could simplify this:

Shakespeare contrasts the characters of Macbeth and Banquo to caution against ambition. Unchecked ambition is associated with the supernatural, which allows Shakespeare characterise ambition as inherently evil. Macbeth becomes a tyrannical king because he welcomes “supernatural soliciting.” The focus on the supernatural also contributes to Shakespeare’s overall purpose of trying to flatter King James I and warn the nobility against rebellion.

Notice how I have structured this differently in order to make one point at a time.

If you would like to learn from the rest of my marking, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Mr Salles Teaches English to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

William Shakespeare

• Literature Notes
• Essay Questions
• Macbeth at a Glance
• Play Summary
• About Macbeth
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Act I: Scene 1
• Act I: Scene 2
• Act I: Scene 3
• Act I: Scene 4
• Act I: Scene 5
• Act I: Scene 6
• Act I: Scene 7
• Act II: Scene 1
• Act II: Scene 2
• Act II: Scene 3
• Act II: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 1
• Act III: Scene 2
• Act III: Scene 3
• Act III: Scene 4
• Act III: Scene 5
• Act III: Scene 6
• Act IV: Scene 1
• Act IV: Scene 2
• Act IV: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 1
• Act V: Scene 2
• Act V: Scene 3
• Act V: Scene 4
• Act V: Scene 5
• Act V: Scene 6
• Act V: Scene 7
• Act V: Scene 8
• Act V: Scene 9
• Character Analysis
• Lady Macbeth
• Character Map
• William Shakespeare Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Themes
• Major Symbols and Motifs
• Macbeth on the Stage
• Famous Quotes
• Film Versions
• Full Glossary
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Study Help Essay Questions

1. Agree or disagree with the following statement: " Macbeth is a play about courage, which asserts the triumph of good over evil." In answering this question, you should remember that courageous acts are not always motivated by virtue.

2. Examine to what extent Lady Macbeth is to blame for her husband's downfall. Discuss the relationship between the couple as the play develops.

3. Discuss whether Macbeth is truly a tragic figure.

4. Some people suggest that the porter scene is included only so that the actor playing Macbeth has time to wash the blood off his hands. Do you agree? Or do you think the scene serves other purposes? Explain your answer.

5. From your reading, explain what Shakespeare imagined to be the qualities of a good king. How do Duncan and Macbeth fit this role? How might Malcolm do so?

6. Consider the use that Shakespeare makes of supernatural elements in this play. Be sure to include the Witches, the dagger, Banquo's ghost, the apparitions, and the Old Man's observations in your assessment.

Previous Full Glossary

Next Practice Projects

Macbeth Sample Essay: Kingship

“kingship, with all its potential for good or evil, is a major theme in the play, macbeth.”, discuss this view, supporting your answer by quotation from or reference to the play. (1995) .

This is a H1 essay.  You may also like:  Full Notes on Macbeth (€)

Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth” contains an elaborate exploration of the theme of power and within that, the theme of kingship. The main character’s evil plan aims at overthrowing the current ruler and assuming power over Scotland. Based on this the playwright profoundly analyses what qualities are the most important in a good king, what qualities are incompatible with kingship and the divine right of kings.

[Duncan as a great king] – you don’t need to put these in, this is just to improve readability

Before carrying out his plot Macbeth weighs up all the reasons why he wanted to proceed with it and all the arguments against his terrible murder plan. One such argument is that “this Duncan… hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels”. Duncan is portrayed as a wise ruler who feels strongly about the security of his country in the ongoing war with Norway. However, our encounter with this noble man is very brief. Macbeth, once he became king, did not know how to rule a country.

[Macbeth as a selfish king]

Macbeth’s major concerns are for his own safety and for the security of his own power: “Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs.”. He doesn’t even consider the welfare of the Scottish people before going ahead with the regicide. This shows that no matter how dedicated you are to your country, even as a great warrior and “Bellona’s bridegroom” – as an ordinary person you may not rule a country. This message is reflective of the prevailing belief in the divine right of kings that existed in Shakespeare’s day. Macbeth is not fit for the task: with him Scotland is “bleeding.” The tyranny is reflected by the darkness and bizarre supernatural events of the play.

[Imagery of darkness used to emphasise Macbeth’s inadequacy as king]

Darkness, nighttime and the colour black frequently referred to in the play demonstrating that there is something worth hiding. Shakespeare uses this to show just how far removed Macbeth’s kingship is from the ideal. It is always at nighttime that the Witches, the “black and midnight hags,” show their faces and act as “instruments of darkness.” After all, it was the Witches who gave Macbeth the idea to kill Duncan. Nighttime serves as the cover for Macbeth’s murders. He pleads: “Stars, hide your fires! Let not the light see my black and deep desires.” His selfish kingship is all about his desires and he knows that this should be hidden. On the night when Duncan was killed it was abnormally dark: “There’s husbandry in heaven, their candles are all out.” Most of the play is set at night time: it is only bright twice – when Duncan arrives at Inverness and when Macbeth is about to die. Both are events that subvert Macbeth’s evil plot and demonstrate Shakespeare’s views on the Macbeth’s legitimacy as a king.

[Imagery of the supernatural used to emphasise the divine right of kings]

Even more broadly, Shakespeare appeals to the supernatural to demonstrate Macbeth’s lack of fitness to be king. This is to emphasise the “unnatural” killing of the rightful king: “Unnatural deeds / Do breed unnatural troubles”. The order of things at the time hinged on a belief in the divine right of kings. When the cursed pair carry out their plan, the country descends into violent horror and disarray. Pathetic fallacy, a literary method used to illustrate deeper issues by attributing human qualities to the surroundings, is used here: “A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place, / Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.” Perhaps, this is the mousing Macbeth trying to be in place of a hawk by slaughtering the towering royalty and violating the divine right of kings? [Imagery of violence demonstrates Macbeth’s inadequacy as king]

The enormous amount of heart-stopping gruesome references to blood and violence emphasise the consequences of the inadequate regime for which Macbeth is responsible: Scotland “weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash Is added to her wounds.” However, the Bard of Avon not only condemns the bad ruler, but he explores the good qualities that a king should possess.

[Malcolm as an ideal king]

Desperate and helpless, Macduff arrives in England to see Malcolm, the legitimate successor to Duncan’s throne. Malcolm is almost an embodiment of all the positive qualities of kings. He, along with his brother, immediately decide to rely on themselves to preserve their dynasty by leaving Scotland despite the obvious and inevitable suspicion that it raises and their own bereavement: “Nor our strong sorrow / Upon the foot of motion.” They handle the situation with wisdom and courage, all for the sake of their kingdom. When Malcolm meets Macduff we see more of his wisdom. He adopts the personality of a man who is “not fit to govern and not even to live.” Malcolm makes sure to not jeopardise his own life and the welfare of Scotland by “testing” Macduff. Malcolm, unlike Macbeth, is able to tell appearance from reality in his superiority as king.

[Examination of ideal kingship]

The main aspects highlighted by Malcolm that are absolutely incompatible with a decent king are lying, voluptuousness and greed. He plans to “cut off the nobles for their lands, / Desire his jewels… Your wives, your daughters, / Your matrons, and your maids could not fill up / The cistern of my lust.” Satisfied with Macduff’s reaction Malcolm opens up: “What I am truly, / Is thine and my poor country’s to command” and admits that he is not ridden with vices as he had pretended. We find out Shakespeare’s vision of king-becoming graces: “verity, temperance, stableness, / Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, / Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude…” The return of the rightful king is marked by the delight of the army. Macbeth, on the contrary, is full of bravado and feels invincible one minute and then left thinking about “all our yesterdays have lighted fools / The way to dusty death… It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” as Scotland, Lady Macbeth and his soul are all deteriorating around him.

[Conclusion]

Shakespeare offers a detailed examination of the concept of kingship in this play. However, I cannot quite trust that “Macbeth” was written as a pure form of art. James I, the king of England at the time, Shakespeare’s patron, was one of the main proponents of the divine right of kings and a prominent witch-hunter. On the one hand, I feel that the play is a piece of propaganda written to please the sovereign and this casts a significant shadow on anything Shakespeare has to say about kingship. I ask myself what did Duncan have to do to become king? My suspicion is that it has more in common with Macbeth’s path than Shakespeare dares to admit. On the other hand, I understand that Shakespeare lived at a different time. Notwithstanding all of this, his imagery and plot line emphasise all the selfless aspects of kingship and deliver it through a compelling play.

This is the 1995 English paper .

73 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Get access to this full Teaching Guide and much more!

• 7,450+ In-Depth Study Guides
• 4,900+ Quick-Read Plot Summaries
• Downloadable PDFs

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

The SuperSummary difference

• 8x more resources than SparkNotes and CliffsNotes combined
• Study Guides you won ' t find anywhere else
• 100+ new titles every month

1. Dynamic characters change over the course of a story.

• How does Lady Macbeth change over the course of the play? ( topic sentence )
• Discuss 3 scenes that show Lady Macbeth changing from the beginning of the play to the end. Include details and quotes to document the changes, and explain how they reveal her shifts.
• In your conclusion, explain why the changes in Lady Macbeth are significant to the story as a whole.

2. Though sometimes people think violence is the answer to a problem, it almost always leads to more violence.

• How does violence cause more violence in Macbeth ? ( topic sentence )
• Explain 3 scenes that illustrate violence causing violence. Use evidence and reasoning to support your analysis.

Don't Miss Out!

Access Teaching Guide Now

Related Titles

By William Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Antony and Cleopatra

As You Like It

Henry IV, Part 1

Henry IV, Part 2

Henry VI, Part 1

Henry VI, Part 3

Julius Caesar

Love's Labour's Lost

Measure For Measure

Much Ado About Nothing

Featured Collections

Audio Study Guides

View Collection

Books Made into Movies

British Literature

Elizabethan Era

Shakespeare

Macbeth: Essay Plan Examples

A* and Level 9 essays are always properly planned before they are written. But how should you plan a Macbeth Essay?

Here is a list of practise plans and notes that students have completed for a range of essays on Macbeth. Some are focused on ideas, and others on structuring. To get the best out of your plans, you should try to keep a balance between both of these.

Always plan a thesis before writing — this is your main argument, the main answer to the question that comes in the intro of your essay. The rest of the essay should then explore and argue on this thesis.

This page is suitable for students aged 14–18 (GCSE — A-Level), particularly those studying the following exam boards: CIE / Cambridge, AQA, OCR, WJEC / Eduqas, CCEA, Edexcel.

Thanks for reading! If you find this resource useful, you can take a look at our full online Macbeth course here . Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

This course includes: 

• A full set of video lessons on each key element of the text: summary, themes, setting, characters, context, attitudes, analysis of key quotes, essay questions, essay examples
• Downloadable documents for each video lesson 
• A range of example B-A* / L7-L9 grade essays, both at GCSE (ages 14-16) and A-Level (age 16+) with teacher comments and mark scheme feedback
• A bonus Macbeth workbook designed to guide you through each scene of the play!

For more help with Macbeth and Tragedy, read our article here .

PRACTICE ESSAY 1:

Explore how Shakespeare discusses the theme of deception in Macbeth.

Trickery begets trickery — Macbeth deceives Duncan at the start, Banquo shortly after, he himself is deceived by the Witches > negative comment on deception.

Feudal system / divine right of kings vs New Politics / Machiavelli.

Deception creates temporary power, but the order of the world will be restored.

God ignores the castle — sinful behavior causes God to turn away.

Thesis: deception is evil and creates more evil and chaos, both for the individuals who deceive and the kingdom as a whole. For the human characters, it leads down a path to insanity, Shakespeare is drawing a parallel between deception and evil to show that it is ungodly and sinful.

P1 — Intro — Shakespeare discusses the theme of deception in Macbeth by exploring Macbeth’s insanity, showing the Macbeths covering their tracks and the temporary success with long term failure that deception brings.

P2 — Macbeth’s insanity — “oh full of scorpions is my mind”, “could not I pronounce Amen” “Is this a dagger I see before me”.

P3 — Showing the Macbeths covering their tracks — creates a climate of panic and paranoia — “I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal”.

P4 — demonstrates the religious messages of Macbeth — don’t commit sinful behavior.

P5 — demonstrates Shakespeare’s political beliefs — his faith in the Feudal system / his mistrust of New Politics.

PRACTISE ESSAY 2:

How does Shakespeare make this scene particularly terrifying?

500–600 Words essay.

5 Paragraphs:

• Intro — 50 words — Go over points quickly > thesis at the end
• Paragraph 1 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Paragraph 2 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Paragraph 3 (PEAL) — 165 words
• Conclusion — Recap strongest points quickly > Link back to the thesis

Paragraph plans

• Shakespeare makes this scene particularly terrifying by… (religion)
• Furthermore, the scene is particularly terrifying due to … (fear)
• Another way that Shakespeare has made this scene particularly terrifying is… (supernatural)

PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE:

Point — 1 Sentence

Evidence — Quotation (no longer than 7 words).

Analysis — Identify techniques, language features, vocabulary, and dramatic devices ‘how / why’ something works in a certain way.

Evaluation — assessing the importance/significance of something.

Link — Link back to text and thesis.

Thesis: The significant turning point for Macbeth in the play as he realizes that he is unable to say amen and might be haunted due to his deed. Macbeth is a dynamic character, a tragic hero who undergoes a tragic fall, and this moment demonstrates the point at which his mind begins to disintegrate and he is abandoned by God, which would be very terrifying for a Shakespearean audience.

Top Level Mark Scheme:

• Answers in this band have all the qualities of Band 2 work, with further  insight, sensitivity, individuality, and flair.  They maintain a  sustained engagement  with both text and task.
• Sustains a perceptive, convincing and relevant personal response
• Shows a clear critical understanding of the text.
• Responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (sustaining a convincing voice in an empathic task).
• Integrates much well-selected reference to the text

‘Make’ > understand and discuss dramatic devices

‘Particularly’ > evaluation word

Thesis: ‘what we think/feel/realize’

Shakespeare makes this scene particularly terrifying through the implicit meanings in the text. He uses varying vocabulary and language features such as allegory and allusion, which are seen throughout the text, to create a frightening atmosphere. This mainly revolves around Macbeth, a dynamic character, whose insight to murder has changed. We realize that Macbeth is unable to cope with his past actions due to his current actions.

QUOTES/IDEAS:

“ Didst thou not hear a noise ?” — Macbeth builds tension/suspense, a small amount of fear, later layers up into terror.

“ The owl scream ” — Lady Macbeth, possible link to Duncan’s death, possible horror sound, ‘scream’ > personification.

“ As I descended ?” — Macbeth, descent downstairs, but also perhaps signifies hell/degeneration into evil + madness.

Disjoined / lack of connection between characters — Macbeth is jumpy. They disagree. Macbeth is empathetic towards Donalbain > ‘ sorry sight’, Lady Macbeth is cold and says he is ‘foolish’.

“ There’s one did laugh in’s sleep, and one cried ‘Murder !’,” > terrifying, because two random people woke up during Macbeth murdering Duncan, they have a premonition or some sort of awareness.

“ I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen’/ Stuck in my throat. ” > he’s under the influence of evil, so God has abandoned him, he’s past the point of redemption, perhaps the turning point where he realizes he can’t go back, psychological?

“ It will make us mad ” > Lady Macbeth feels that the two of them will be mad if they dwell on their deeds in a negative way.

“ Macbeth does murder sleep ” > this is particularly terrifying as sleep also means rest and peace. Not only is Macbeth murdering sleep, but he is murdering rest and peace which he will not get as he will be haunted by the murder. ( personification )

“ Smear / The sleepy grooms with blood ” > the fact that they can pass the blame so easily and effectively is terrifying, what else can they pass the blame for if they can pass the blame for the murder.

“ Painted devil ” > the image of a dead body is likened to a painted devil seen by a child. They are just images that are feared.

“ Clean from my hand? No ” > No amount of water will be able to wash the blood off of Macbeth’s hands. He will never be able to forget about the blood on his hands, in a metaphorical sense.

“ Making the green one red ” > His hands will turn the sea red. That is the amount of blood which he bears.

Foreshadowing Lady Macbeth’s ‘out damned spot’:

“Out, damned spot! Out, I say! — One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky! — Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? — Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” >  5.1, just before she commits suicide, a descent into madness — she sees spots of blood on her hands, paralleling Macebeth’s visions of blood.

Motif – recurring element of a story (lack of sleep/blood on hands).

ESSAY PLAN 3:

In what ways does Shakespeare make the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo so compelling?

P1 — Intro — Shakespeare makes the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo so compelling through the exploration of the themes of deception, death, and good versus evil. The discussion of such themes leads us, as the reader, to come to the conclusion that Macbeth is a sinister character who has somehow managed to befriend an honest, decent man, Banquo which leads to a relationship filled with tension.

P2- Deception- “I fear thou have played most foully for it” “fruitless crown” “I wish your horses swift and sure of foot”

P3 — death- “Banquo, thy soul’s flight…find heaven”  Enter the Ghost of Banquo and sits in Macbeth’s place  (stage directions)

P4 — good versus evil- juxtaposing of characters

Conclusion — strongest points again

ESSAY PLAN 4:

‘Macbeth is not an evil man, but one led astray by those around him’.

To what extent do you agree with this view?

You should write 500–600 words.

Thesis — I believe that Macbeth is an evil man and is responsible for his own actions. His sheer greed for power is what has led him astray and it was his choice to kill Duncan and have Banquo and Fleance as well as Macduff’s family killed. He has shown throughout the play that his greed, not those around him, has led him astray.

Paragraph 1: — Intro- include thesis and quick overview Paragraph 2: — Disagree paragraph Paragraph 3: — Disagree paragraph Paragraph 4: — Agree paragraph (counter) Paragraph 5: — Conclusion (quick overview of strongest points, thesis)

Point -main point

Evidence -quotation

Analysis -why/how does it relate to argument

Context -context to shakespearean times

Alternative interpretation -alternative view

Link -back to thesis

• Told by the witches that he will be king.
• Pressured by Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan.
• Witches tell him that Banquo’s descendants shall be king, incites Macbeth. Witches may have known that this would have riled Macbeth up.
• Witches told Macbeth he will be king so he could have waited until he became King the right way.
• Macbeth could have stood up to Lady Macbeth and told her no.
• Macbeth felt the need to have Banquo and Fleance killed, nobody pressured him to do so.
• Macbeth had Macduff’s family killed for no good reason.
• Macbeth acted on his own accord.

If you’re studying Macbeth, you can click here to buy our full online course. Use the code “SHAKESPEARE” to receive a 50% discount!

You will gain access to  over 8 hours  of  engaging video content , plus  downloadable PDF guides  for  Macbeth  that cover the following topics:

• Character analysis
• Plot summaries
• Deeper themes

There are also tiered levels of analysis that allow you to study up to  GCSE ,  A Level  and  University level .

You’ll find plenty of  top level example essays  that will help you to  write your own perfect ones!

Related Posts

The Theme of Morality in To Kill A Mockingbird

Unseen Poetry Exam Practice – Spring

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay Writing – PEE Breakdown

Emily Dickinson A Level Exam Questions

Poem Analysis: Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

An Inspector Calls – Official AQA Exam Questions

The Dolls House by Katherine Mansfield: Summary + Analysis

An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge: Stories of Ourselves:

How to Get Started with Narrative Writing

Robert Frost’s Life and Poetic Career

© Copyright Scrbbly 2022

Macbeth Essays

There are loads of ways you can approach writing an essay, but the two i favour are detailed below., the key thing to remember is that an essay should focus on the three aos:, ao1: plot and character development; ao2: language and technique; ao3: context, strategy 1 : extract / rest of play, the first strategy basically splits the essay into 3 paragraphs., the first paragraph focuses on the extract, the second focuses on the rest of the play, the third focuses on context. essentially, it's one ao per paragraph, for a really neatly organised essay., strategy 2 : a structured essay with an argument, this strategy allows you to get a much higher marks as it's structured to form an argument about the whole text. although you might think that's harder - and it's probably going to score more highly - i'd argue that it's actually easier to master. mainly because you do most of the work before the day of the exam., to see some examples of these, click on the links below:, lady macbeth as a powerful woman, macbeth as a heroic character, the key to this style is remembering this: you're going to get a question about a theme, and the extract will definitely relate to the theme., the strategy here is planning out your essays before the exam, knowing that the extract will fit into them somehow., below are some structured essays i've put together., macbeth and gender.

Kingship In Macbeth Essay

Kingship is a prevalent theme in Macbeth, one of William Shakespeares most well-known plays. Macbeth, the titular character, is thrust into the role of king after Duncan, his predecessor, is murdered. Macbeth is quickly overwhelmed by the responsibility of being king and this inexperience leads to him making a number of poor decisions.

For example, Macbeth murders people who he believes are a threat to his throne, without considering the consequences that his actions might have. Additionally, Macbeths obsession with holding on to power causes him to neglect his duties as king, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Overall, Macbeth highlights the importance of having a competent king who is capable of making wise decisions for the benefit of his people.

One of Macbeths main motivations for wanting to become king is his desire for power. Macbeth believes that being king will give him absolute control over everything and everyone. However, Macbeth quickly learns that being king is not as easy as he thought it would be.

He is constantly at war with other countries, dealing with internal conflict among his own people, and struggling to keep control of his subjects. Additionally, Macbeth has to make a number of difficult decisions that can impact the lives of thousands of people. This ultimately proves to be too much for Macbeth and causes him to lose grip on reality.

While Macbeth is not a perfect king, he does make some attempts to improve the lives of his people. For example, Macbeth tries to provide for his subjects by creating jobs and increasing food production. He also tries to keep the peace in Scotland by making sure that there is order and justice. However, Macbeths main focus is always on retaining power and this often comes at the expense of his people.

When news of the Norwegians’ victory comes through, Scotland is at war with them. Macbeth and Banquo are acknowledged as the army’s two leaders, and when they return home, they discover some old hags. They foretell Macbeth’s future to him after he and his partner Banquo meet some ancient crones on their journey home. Under Macbeth’s command, Scotland becomes a nation of conflict due to his evil leadership.

Macbeth murders Macduff’s family, and Macduff kills Macbeth in turn. Kingship is a very important theme in Macbeth because Macbeth’s position as King directly affects the outcome of the play. Macbeth murders people to keep his throne, and his reign is full of terror and violence. Macduff represents the hope for a better future under a different king, and Macbeth kills him and his family in order to maintain power. Ultimately, Macbeth’s reign falls apart and he is killed because of his thirst for power.

While Macbeth’s kingship is full of terror, Duncan’s kingship is based on respect and order. Macbeth feels that he needs to murder Duncan in order to maintain power, but this ultimately leads to his downfall. Duncan represents a good king who is respected by his people, and Macbeth’s lack of respect for him leads to his own demise.

Macbeth murders his closest friend and another family, causing Tyranny and paranoia to take hold in him. Scotland is greatly harmed during his reign, which drives Lady Macbeth insane, and she eventually takes her own life. Macduff goes to England to seek assistance from King Edward the Noble, who is well-known for his assistance in ousting Macbeth’s regime, resulting in the Anglo-Scottish revolt, which ends with Macbeth’s death and Malcolm I of Scotland becomes king.

Macbeth, the play by William Shakespeare, is largely about the idea of kingship and how it functions. Macbeth murders his best friend Banquo as well as King Duncan and Macduff’s family, all in order to gain the throne. As king, Macbeth is paranoid and sees many ghosts, which leads to Scotland being in a state of turmoil. Lady Macbeth goes mad and eventually commits suicide.

Macduff gathers forces from England and together they overthrow Macbeth’s reign. Malcolm, son of Duncan, is proclaimed king of Scotland. In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the different aspects of what it means to be a king or queen and how these people can be corrupted by power.

Macbeths journey from hero to tyrant is one which Shakespeare cleverly uses Macbeths character flaws against him, and it is only Macbeth himself that can be blamed for his downfall.

The ambitious Macbeth allows his greed for power to take over him, despite many people close to him warning him about his actions. Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth not to think about the consequences of his actions, but he remains paranoid and suspicious. These suspicions lead Macbeth to kill more innocent people, furthering his downward spiral. Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a tragic hero, whose fatal flaw is ambition. This tragic flaw leads to Macbeth’s downfall, as he becomes more and more corrupted by power.

Macbeth’s downfall is also due to the influence of the witches. Macbeth is greatly influenced by their prophecies, and this leads him to take actions which he would not have otherwise taken. The witches plant the seeds of ambition in Macbeth’s mind, and this ambition eventually takes over Macbeth completely. Shakespeare uses the witches to show how easily a person can be led astray by ambition.

Kingship was extremely important in Shakespeare’s time, as the country was constantly under threat from other European countries. This made it essential for a strong leader to be in place, in order to protect the country from invasion.

Shakespeare used Macbeth to explore what can happen when a weak leader comes to power, and how this can lead to disaster. Macbeth is not a good king, as he is tyrannical and paranoid. He does not care about his people, and instead focuses on amassing more and more power for himself. This ultimately leads to Macbeth’s downfall.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is a play about the quest for power. Macbeth is driven by his ambition to be king, and he will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal. This ultimately leads to his downfall. Macbeth’s journey from loyal subject to tyrannical ruler is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition.

Macbeth is not the only one in the play who is after the throne. There are other characters who also have their eye on the prize. But Macbeth is the one who seems to be most consumed by his desire for power. He allows his ambition to control him, and this ultimately leads to his demise.

More Essays

• Macbeth Kingship Essay
• Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw
• Macbeth Summary Essay
• Supernatural Forces In Macbeth
• Blind Ambition In Macbeth
• The Nature Of Evil In Macbeth
• Macbeth Crimes
• Lady Macbeth Essay
• Macbeth As A Tragedy Essay
• Macbeth Fate Essay

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Macbeth and the question of kingship: Stuart Pryke and Amy Staniforth

Oct 17, 2020

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Macbeth - essay plan on Kingship

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Other

Last updated

17 December 2020

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Ideas of Kingship are integral in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. This resource puts forward a series of points (and accompanying evidence) for students to discuss and explore. It could even be used as the basis for an essay about Shakespeare’s Presentation of Kingship in ‘Macbeth’ .

It’s uploaded as a Word document, in case you need to edit it for your students.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

Get £10 off your first lesson on PMT Tuition. Use the code PMTAPRIL10 . Book before 30 April, new accounts only.

University of East Anglia - MA Creative Writing (Prose)

Friendly and approachable Cambridge graduate and PhD student, committed to making English accessible to all

Notes || Exam Prep || Character Profiles || Themes

This topic is included in  Paper 1 . You can find notes and guides for it below.

• Brief Overview
• Glossary of Key Terms
• Key Terms Flashcards
• Guide to Paper 1 - AQA English Literature GCSE
• Guide to Paper 1
• How to plan and write a top mark essay - English Literature GCSE
• How to plan and write a top mark essay

Character Profiles

• Lady Macbeth (Brief)
• Macbeth (Brief)
• The Witches
• Abuse of Power and Kingship
• Appearance vs Reality
• Guilt, Innocence and Paranoia

Connect with PMT Education!

• Revision Courses
• Past Papers
• Solution Banks
• University Admissions
• Numerical Reasoning
• Legal Notices