An I Will Establish His Kingdom Forever Essay, Research Paper
In early 1606 William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, and on August 7, 1606 he and his company performed the play before James I, King of England (Evans 55). In the first act of Macbeth, the protagonist and his friend Banquo, come across three weird sisters, three witches, on the way home from battle. The witches tell Macbeth of his ultimate rule of Scotland, and inform Banquo that his children will become kings, thou he shall not (I.iii). Macbeth later returns to the witches and they call up several apparitions to prophesy for him (IV.i). The prophecies offered by the witches, the manner in which they prophesy, as well as the events follow the meeting, mimic significant events and passages from the story of King David. By setting the story of Banquo and Macbeth parallel to the story of David and Saul, Shakespeare portrays James I, the present King of England and descendant of Banquo, as a worthy king.
In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died (McKay 463). Elizabeth?s reign fostered extraordinary literary growth (McKay 511). Because she had no children, Elizabeth?s Scottish cousin, James Stuart, presently James VI of Scotland, was given the crown as James I of England (McKay 543). James was a firm believer in the Divine Right of Kings (McKay 543): that ?a monarch has a divine (God-given) right to his authority and is responsible only to God,? (McKay 543). James Scottish accent alienated him from the English people because of existing animosity between England and Scotland (McKay 543). In 1606, Shakespeare wrote the last of his great tragedies, Macbeth (Kermode 1308), and performed it before James I (Evans 55).
In act one, Banquo and Macbeth meet the three witches. After Banquo muses about the nature of the witches (I.iii.39-47), they greet Macbeth in a very odd manner:
1. WitchAll hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!
2. WitchAll hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!
3. WitchAll hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!
(I.iii.49-51)
Macbeth then questions their greetings saying:
By Sinel?s death I know I am Thane of Glamis,
But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence, or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.
(I.iii.70-78)
Macbeth does not comprehend why the witches would greet him by this title, nor does he know that he is already set to receive the title Thane of Cawdor, after the present Thane?s execution (I.ii.63-65). He responds by stating that he is of a much lower station than they believe him to be. The interaction between Macbeth and the witches echoes a conversation between the prophet Samuel and Saul before his anointing as king. In I Samuel 9, Saul searches for some donkeys that his father lost, so he seeks out a seer, or prophet, to help him find the donkeys. He comes across Samuel, not knowing he is a prophet, and asks Samuel how he could find the see. Samuel responds ?I am the seer?and as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?? Samuel insinuates that Saul has no reason for worrying over a group of donkeys, because all of the land belongs to him. Although Samuel is not as direct as the witches are in his message, the promise of eminence and distinction is clear through Saul?s response. ??Saul answered and said, am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?? Saul?s response reflects similar ideas as Macbeth’s question to the witches. Saul tells Samuel that it is impossible for him to be king, and gives reasons for the impossibility: he isn?t from the tribe of Judah which was appointed to be the tribe of kings (Genesis 49:10), he is from the smallest tribe of Israel, and he is from the most minor of the families of that tribe. Macbeth also responds with reasons that he could not be Thane of Cawdor or King, although his are not so virtuous and humble: The Thane of Cawdor lives, and it is beyond belief that Macbeth would become king. Both Samuel and the witches tell their subjects about future grandeur, and Saul and Macbeth receive the news in the same fashion.
When the witches speak to Banquo, in the same meeting, they tell him that ?thou shalt get kings, though thou be none? (I.iii.67). The promise of success to one?s posterity has a direct parallel in II Samuel. In chapter seven, King David asks the prophet Nathan if he may build a temple for God, Nathan says to him ?all that is in your heart go and do; for the lord is with you? (II Samuel 7:2-3). However, God refuses to let David construct the temple, and later tells David through a prophecy from Nathan that
?And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.?
(II Samuel 7:12-13).
God promises David that his son will build the temple, and that his son?s line will be established forever. The structure of Nathan?s prophecy to David, and the structure of the witch?s prophecy to Banquo are exactly the same, only reversed. In II Samuel, Nathan tells David what he can never do, but what his son will achieve. In Macbeth, the witches tell Banquo what his offspring will achieve, but what he will never become. The reversal of the prophecy of Nathan suggests something about the world of Macbeth. It is an evil world one permeated by darkness (Kermode 1307). Out of this darkness, the Stuart line takes root, ultimately leading to the reign of James I (appendix A).
After the witches disappear (S.D. I.iii), Rosse and Angus, two noblemen of Scotland, come to Macbeth after speaking with the king (I.ii.45-67). The two nobles inform Macbeth that he is to be given the title Thane of Cawdor (I.iii.100-107), much to his surprise, and Macbeth goes off to the Kings? castle. There he is officially given the title (I.iv). Macbeth sends news of his appointment to his wife (I.v.), and a messenger tells Lay Macbeth that ?the king comes here to-night? (I.v.30). So, Lady Macbeth devises a plan to kill Duncan during his sleep (I.v.38-54). Before Duncan awakes, Macbeth has ?done the deed? (II.ii.14), and Duncan is killed. In the morning, Duncan?s body is found by Macduff (II.iii.63) and it is assumed that ?those of his chamber as it seem?d had done?t? (II.iii.101). The king?s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, feel that
This murtherous shaft that’s shot
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim
(II.iii.141-143)
so they decide to flee to England and Ireland (II.iii.136-137). In their absence, we learn that ?The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth? (II.iv.30), and that ?He is already named? king (II.iv.31).
In the beginning of act three, Macbeth says that he has ?fears in Banquo [that] stick deep? (III.i.48-49). Macbeth worries that Banquo knows how hoe rose to power. So, Macbeth calls two murderers to his castle, and tells them ?Banquo [is] your enemy? (III.i.113) and that
Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour
(III.i.134-137).
Macbeth’s pursuit of Banquo, and his son Fleance, is similar to Saul?s pursuit of David in I Samuel. After Saul fails to kill Agag, King of Amalek (I Samuel 14), ??Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.? (I Samuel 15:28). Just as Macbeth knew that his kingship would not last, so did Saul. After the war with the Philistines (I Samuel 17), where David slew Goliath (I Samuel 17:48-49), the Israelite armies return from battle (I Samuel 18:6). It is at that point where Saul begins to perceive a precise threat to his kingship. When they returned
?the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music?and they said Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him?
(I Samuel 18:6-8)
So, Saul pursues David to kill him, because he feels David is a threat. (I Samuel 18-27). Just as Macbeth tries to eliminate the threat he perceives by killing Banquo, Saul tries to kill David to protect his kingship.
After Macbeth kills Banquo, he sees his ghosts at a banquet (III.iv). Macbeth then seeks out the witches, who we find are necromancers , to question them (IV.i) The witches ask if he ?hadst rather hear it from our mouths, or from our masters?? (IV.i.62), so Macbeth orders them to ?call ?em; let me see ?em,? (IV.i.63). In a series of spells, the witches call up several apparitions. Those apparitions that speak offer three prophecies. First an armed head tells Macbeth to ?beware Macduff, beware the Thane of Fife? (IV.i.71-72). The second, a bloody child, tells Macbeth to
Be bloody, bold, and resolute! Laugh to scorn
The pow?r of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth, (IV.i.79-81).
The third apparition, a crowned child with a tree in his hand, tells Macbeth to
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are
Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him,
(IV.i.91-95).
Although the three apparitions seem to be telling Macbeth that he is invincible, and this is what Macbeth understands them to be saying, that is not their true meaning. But it isn?t until Macbeth asks the witches if ?Banquo?s issue [shall] ever Reign in this kingdom? (IV.i.102-103) that he understand the true nature of the witches? message. The witches call up ?A show of eight KINGS, [the eighth] with a glass in his hand, and BANQUO last? (IV.i. S.D.). It is then that Macbeth realizes his reign is coming to an end, and the line of Banquo is about to take root. This scene duplicates the events in I Samuel. Saul is about to go into war with the Philistines, but ?when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled? (I Samuel 28:5). He tried to contact God, but ?the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim , nor by prophets? (I Samuel 28:6). So Saul went to seek out ?a woman that hath a familiar spirit? (I Samuel 28:7) Saul wanted to find a woman that could contact the dead; he wanted to speak to Samuel. He found a woman that could call upon the dead, a woman with ?a familiar spirit,? in Endor (I Samuel 28:7) Saul went to the woman and asked he to call upon Samuel. When he was raised Samuel said
?Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt
thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines,?
(I Samuel 28:16-19).
Saul is told of his death, and establishment of his successor?s kingdom through a spirit, just as Macbeth is told. Although the message given to Macbeth is not clear at the start, in the end both men, both condemned kings, receive the same message: you will be killed and your throne will be taken from you.
In Macbeth the parallels between the play and the story of David and Saul are clear. Samuel?s prophesy and the divination of the witch of Endor are represented by the three weird sisters. Saul is symbolized by Macbeth, and David and his line are represented by Banquo, Fleance and the Stuart Family.
By making the tale of Macbeth and Banquo analogous the story of Saul and David, Shakespeare presents James I as a rightful king. The play ?The play celebrates the establishment of the first Stuart king of England? (Kermode 1307) by equating that king to one of the kings from the line of David. Kermode says that ?the glorification of Banquo and Fleance, founder of the Stuart line, was an essential part of the Stuart political myth, which sought to provide the Stuarts with proper ancestry? (Kermode 1308) which means that the Stuarts felt a need to appeal to England. James needed to appeal to Englishman partly because his Scottish ancestry alienated him from them during a time of animosity between England and Scotland (McKay 543).
But why would Shakespeare compare James? kingship to that of a descendant of David? Shakespeare had several incentives to use this comparison. One of the incentives was that the comparison already existed. James liked being compared to Solomon, David?s son (Larned 872) and James wanted his descendants to ?rule over [Britain] to the end of the world? (Kermode 1308). That same concept is reflected in the story of David. When God refused to let David build a temple, he said that David?s son would build it and that God would ?establish the throne of his kingdom for ever? (II Samuel 7:13)
Shakespeare?s use of witches to bring out that comparison is also important. First, the witches add to the already dismal and evil atmosphere of Macbeth, that is permeated with the powers of darkness (Kermode 1307) Also, witches had been a subject of controversy at the time, and the existence of witches in the world of Macbeth plays to the patron?s opinion of them. Scot feels that witches do not actually exist, and the powers attributed to them by ?such faithlesse people? (Scot 1) are really the powers of God (Scot 2) Despite opinions that witches do not really exist, ?for King James and his contemporaries the Weird Sisters were not mere fantasies, and a man?s decision to deal with the forces of evil belonged to life and not to fairy tale? (Kermode 1307). For James the witches were real.
Prior to Macbeth, James I had been an arrogant king who was alienated from the English people, both through his own actions and his ancestry. His Scottish descent estranged him from England. James I was following a reign that harbored extraordinary literary growth. After Macbeth, James no longer appears as an arrogant king, but one who?s family had legitimacy. In being a patron for Shakespeare, James also takes a good position on harboring literary growth. In writing Macbeth, Shakespeare completely changed James? image
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