Macbeth: King James

Why was Macbeth written during the reign of King James?

Macbeth was written during the reign of King James because the king was a large supporter of theater. And Shakespeare wrote it as a tribute and specifically for King James.

Sources

Did you Know?

1. http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/king-james.html 2.http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2010/04/king-james-i-demonologist.html

3.http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/q-and-a/why-did-shakespeare-write-macbeth-1074

4.www.nndo.com/people/ss6/000093277/

King James traced his lineage to Banquo, who is thought to be the founder of the Stuart line. In Act I, scene iii, the witches predict that Banquo's heirs will rule Scotland and later, the witches conjure a vision of Banquo's descendants—a line of eight kings that culminates in a symbolic vision of King James, who was crowned King of Scotland and England. Shakespeare also dramatizes one of the king's special interests: witchcraft. In Macbeth the three "weird sisters" feature centrally in the plot. They show Macbeth visions of the future and manipulate his murderous ambition in a play full of dark forces and black magic. Witchcraft was a hot topic in England at the time and James even published his own treatise on the subject in 1597, entitled Daemonologie. As James's court play-maker, Shakespeare would've known that inclusion of the dark arts would interest the King.

Where is King James from?

King James was born on June 19, 1566. His birthplace was in Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland.

What led King James to write his book?

Did King James write a book about his obsession?

Who was King James?

During that time a lot of people feared the Devil, and they believed that people worshiped the Devil (witches). Also in 1590, more than 300 hundred people were believed to have gathered to plot the king's assassination. Charged with treason, this group, which became known as The North Berwick Witches, had allegedly made attempts to summon a storm, while the king was at sea. After the trial, James became paranoid so he began to be obsessed with witchcraft and set about learning everything he could on the subject.

Yes, King James did write a book based on his obsession with witchcraft called "Demonologie." This book questioned the very existence of witches. Demonologie was an alarmist book, presenting the idea of a vast conspiracy of satanic witches threatening to undermine the nation.

• Prince James became king at the age of 1. James inherited the throne of England after the death of his mother's cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. James was never a very popular monarch among the people of England. King James is considered to have been one of the most intellectual and learned individuals ever to sit on any English or Scottish throne. He is primarily remembered for authorizing the production of the King James Version of the Bible, the highly popular English translation from Greek and Hebrew, which remains the most printed book in the history of the world, with over one billion copies in print.

Macbeth: King James