Macbeth: Thoughts on Kingship, Morality... and Trifle!

Hi folks,

In today's lesson, we looked at the idea of 'kingship' (i.e. what makes a good king) but also the idea of what makes a good person. What values are endorsed and celebrated by Shakespeare?

 

We looked at a couple of extracts:

The first is from Act 1 Scene 4, where we see Duncan and Malcolm talking about the old Thane of Cawdor.

The second is from the 'English scene', Act 4 Scene 3, where Malcolm is pretending to be a terrible human being in order to test out Macduff's morality.


A question about kingship might focus on Macbeth's rule as king, but might also get you thinking about how other characters are presented as having 'kingly' qualities.

For more ideas on kingship, see here and here. Or check out this Twitter thread.


For the rest of this post, I want to consider the question of what Shakespeare is saying about what it takes to be a good king and a good person.


What qualities does a good king possess?

At the start of the play, Macbeth is seen as a virtuous, 'valiant', 'brave' and 'noble' leader. Surely this makes him potential king material?

But Macbeth himself recognises in Duncan the virtues that make him a good king: he is 'meek' (i.e. humble and in touch with the common man) and 'clear in his great office'. (1.7) Once he has killed him, he immediately regrets it.

Later, when Malcolm describes himself as full of 'lust' and 'vice', he lists the kingly qualities that he claims to lack:

But I have none: the king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness,
Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
I have no relish of them, but abound
In the division of each several crime,
Acting it many ways. Nay, had I power, I should
Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell,
Uproar the universal peace, confound
All unity on earth.


This list of qualities might make us think of Macbeth's crimes. The words 'temperance' and 'stableness' here also make us think of Macbeth's inferiority complex when it comes to Banquo, who he says has a 'dauntless temper of the mind' and a 'royalty of nature.' 

Consider also the imagery of clothes. Macbeth asks the witches: 'why do you dress me in borrowed robes'. He doesn't feel fit to wear that title. This is later echoed by Angus in 5.2: 'Now does he feel his title hand loose about him, like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief.' This imagery suggests that Macbeth is not fit to wear these robes.

This links to the idea of the Great Chain of Being and the Divine Right of Kings. By murdering Duncan, Macbeth has challenged God's order - which leads to disorder and chaos in nature.

So, what kind of person makes the right kind of king? Whoever God decides is the answer.

In the end, there is not much difference between the 'kingship' question and the question of what makes an honourable, good person. We noticed this pattern today:



Oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.                                             Banquo, 1.3

he died (The Thane of Cawdor)
As one that had been studied in his death
To throw away the dearest thing he owed,
As 'twere a careless trifle.                                           Malcolm, 1.4


...mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!       Macbeth, 3.1


Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content.                   Lady Macbeth, 3.2


All of these quotes suggest the same thing: power, titles, the crown - they're all 'trifles'. They're not important and not the key to happiness and 'content'.

On the other hand, the soul is a real 'jewel'; it is of 'deepest consequence'.


So, what is Shakespeare saying? Don't value titles, gold, power. Value your soul. Value your virtues and your honour and reputation.

Macbeth  had 'golden opinions' and he tried to convince Lady Macbeth that they were as good as a golden crown. The above quotations show that what the Macbeths 'threw away' was far more valuable that what they gained.

A true king is honourable, just, virtuous, generous. A bad king is power-hungry, corrupt, ruthless, and a tyrant.

Simple, eh?  Perhaps not. These ideas fit into the 'providential reading' of Macbeth. Many modern critics think that all of the characters are equivocators and all are just as capable of doing what Macbeth did. For instance, is Duncan a fair and righteous king? Or is he another Machiavellian political manipulator who rewards Macbeth with praise while denying him his rightful shot at the crown - giving it to his less deserving son? That's up to you!



This is non-essential, but if you want one last thing to think about, check out these critical views on Macbeth:






 
Good luck!


Mr M