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In Course: GCSE English Literature: Macbeth Exam Evidence

GCSE English: Macbeth - Kingship through Duncan and Malcolm

Learn the key quotations and analysis for King Duncan and Malcolm, focusing on the theme of kingship. This deck explores Duncan as the ideal, divinely-appointed king and Malcolm as his heir who must prove his worthiness to rule.

A majestic, ancient Scottish crown, intricately detailed, rests upon a weathered stone plinth. One side of the crown is bathed in a pure, ethereal golden light, while the other is cast in deep, dramatic shadow, with a brooding, turbulent Scottish landscape under a stormy sky visible in the wide background.

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Deck Contents

26 Cards
Lesson#1
In this deck, we'll explore the crucial theme of kingship in Shakespeare's Macbeth. We will focus on two characters who represent the ideal king: King Duncan, the virtuous and divinely appointed ruler, and his son, Malcolm, who must prove his worthiness to inherit the throne. By understanding them, you'll be able to build a powerful contrast with Macbeth's tyranny in your exam answers.
Lesson#2
In Shakespeare's time, many believed in the 'Divine Right of Kings'. This was the idea that the king was chosen by God and was his representative on Earth. To challenge the king was to challenge God. King Duncan is presented as the embodiment of this ideal. He is a just, noble, and holy ruler, and his reign brings stability and prosperity to Scotland. His murder is therefore not just a political crime, but a sacrilegious act against God and nature itself.
Quiz#3
In Jacobean England, what was the belief that the monarch was God's chosen representative on Earth?

The Divine Right of Kings

Lesson#4
Shakespeare establishes Duncan's goodness early on. Even though the first Thane of Cawdor betrayed him, Duncan remains trusting. He praises Macbeth generously, calling him 'O worthiest cousin!'. However, his greatest virtues are described after his death. Macbeth himself reflects that Duncan's virtues 'will plead like angels' against his murder. This shows he was a king who ruled with kindness and morality, not fear.
Quiz#5
After Duncan's murder in Macbeth, what quotation from Macbeth himself describes the king's virtuous and gentle nature?

his virtues will plead like angels

Quiz#6
In Macbeth, what does the description of Duncan's virtues as 'pleading like angels' suggest about his style of rule?

kind and moral

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