Historical context of Macbeth

Historical context of Macbeth

1. Witchcraft

   • During the Elizabethan era people blamed unexplainable events as the work of witches e.g when people died from terrible diseases, when animals died, when there was a bad harvest...etc
   • People accused were mainly old, poor, unprotected, single or a widow
   • There were 270 trials and within that there was 247 women and only 23 men

2. Position of women in society

   • Women were considered the weaker sex and in need of constant protection
   • After marriage, women were expected to look after children
   • Women typically belonged to their fathers (or brothers if their father had died) and then to their husbands
   • Known as kind and caring
   • Women had few rights and were expected to obey men

3. The divine rights of Kings

   • This simply means that authority figures have the right to rule directly from the will of God

4. Queen Elizabeth 1

   • 1533-1603
   • Never got married because she didn't want to give up her power to a man
   • Had no children

5. King James 1

   • 1566-1625
   • Was King of Scotland until 1603
   • When in 1603 Queen Elizabeth died James became King of England & Ireland
   • Married Anne Denmark
   • Had 7 children

6. The real Macbeth

   • Macbeth was a king of Scotland
   • 1005-1057
   • In August 1040, he killed the ruling king, Duncan I, in battle near Elgin, Morayshire. Macbeth became king.
   • He was a brave leader who ruled for 17 years
   • But in 1057 on 15th August, MacBeth was finally defeated and killed and Malcolm became King.

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