Macbeth

8 Pages 1976 Words

James. One reason that Macbeth might start out as the Thane of Glamis is because James was once held hostage by this very thane. The Thane’s wife was also a reported witch, whose meddling caused the delay of James’ marriage. When Anne of Denmark was on her way to marry James in Scotland in 1589, her ship sailed off course due to a storm, and then ended up in Oslo. James told people that witches had come to him and told him that the devil had made them send the storm. This was one of the events that sparked off James’ early fascination with witchcraft. This might also go some way to explaining why the witches play such a big part in Macbeth, further strengthening the evidence that this play was written for the king, promoting his interests.
The fact that Macbeth deals with treachery and deceit is due to the constant attempts to assassinate James. When James was made king in 1603 he had many enemies and endured much racism. There were plots to kill him at every turn; the most famous of which was the Gunpowder Plot, which had its roots in the religious tumults and intolerance of the time. The fact that Macbeth’s attempts to plot and kill the king in the play end up in his own tragic demise go some way to serving as a warning to those who are planning to do anything similar. In Elizabethan theatre it was the norm for anyone from everyday commoners to noblemen to be stood or sat within inches of each other and the King. The plays’ message served as a warning to anyone watching that plotting against the ...