Ask the Expert Tutor: Shakespeare’s Macbeth
As part of our ‘Ask the Expert Tutor’ series, we have one of our senior English and Humanities tutors discussing Macbeth. This text is commonly studied for IB English.
Like all of Shakespeare’s plays, IB students usually derive much more enjoyment and intellectual satisfaction after looking at Macbeth closer and in more depth. Knowing the context of his plays provides important insight and substance, and this is especially true with Macbeth. Conveniently, contextual awareness is also necessary for a 7 in IB English. So, it is important to prioritise consolidating this foundational knowledge for the exam and one’s own enjoyment. Although Macbeth is usually assessed in IB English in the context of a comparative essay, it is vital to understand the purpose of the play as informed by its form and context.
Written in the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare reflects a developing English nationalism in many of his plays. However, this nationalistic attitude led to considerable censorship in the period; all plays performed had to be approved by the King’s chamberlain. As a result, Shakespeare sets plays largely in Europe or in earlier periods of history to draw parallels with his present. Macbeth is no different, set not in contemporary Britain but in 11th century Scotland. Much of Macbeth can be seen as a direct reference to the England he lived in. Many critics see the play, which was performed for King James VI, as a clear message to the regent.
This brings us to the purpose of the play, and how it is reflected and effective in the form that Shakespeare used. With strong evidence, one can argue that Macbeth is a morality play (more so than a classical Greek tragedy) and its purpose is didactic: Shakespeare hopes to communicate how it is morally abhorrent to kill a King, by showing how this causes the complete disruption of the natural order. This ‘natural order’ refers specifically to the Elizabethan worldview, a strongly hierarchical view of the universe that sees the Earth at the centre of a series of concentric spheres.
This is an important element for IB English students to grasp. The Elizabethans believed that the spheres move in harmony with the outer sphere and obey its laws, and produce a harmonious sound when they move in formation. This worldview gives rise to the Renaissance belief in the divine right of kings. The King is the chosen representative of God on Earth and inherits his power from the outer sphere. Consequently, disobeying sovereign authority was considered a major crime which carried the punishment of death. Shakespeare creates drama in Macbeth by showing the temporary disruption of power: the tragic protagonist, Macbeth, has a hamartia that results in him violating the natural order irreparably, which can only be resolved in his death.
Consider this past IB English exam question. It is comparative, but we will be focusing on the response to Macbeth only:
In drama an exciting force (a key thought, action or event) works as a catalyst to begin the central conflict. Comparing at least two of the plays you have studied, what serves as the exciting force and how is it significant to the meaning of the play?
Shakespeare makes use of setting to show Macbeth’s tragic flaw as an exciting force. In Macbeth, Shakespeare’s setting demonstrates the effect of Macbeth’s tragic flaw and the immorality of his actions; the disruption of the natural world is central to the audience’s understanding of Shakespeare’s purpose. In Act 2, Scene 4, Shakespeare displays the natural world rebelling “as troubled with man’s act” because Macbeth’s actions have disrupted the natural order. When Macbeth usurps King Duncan, there is an imbalance in the cosmic order, as demonstrated in the quote, “By th’clock ’tis day, / And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp”. Even though it is midday, the sky is black as night, emphasising the importance of respecting the heavenly mandate of the king. Shakespeare is thus successful in communicating the significance of this exciting force to the audience through the use of setting.
This sample response is largely substantiated by the student’s contextual awareness of the Elizabethan worldview. For top marks, the response would benefit from identifying the ‘tragic flaw’ it repeatedly refers to. It is essential for IB students to reflect the context of Macbeth in their analyses, as it indicates higher-level understanding and is a component of the much-coveted 7 in the IB.
Check out our website here for more information on our IB English tutoring programmes. If you would like personalised support on Macbeth or IB English in general, feel free to reach out to us anytime by phone (2882 1017) or email (enquiries@bartyed.com)