Macbeth: Is Shakespeare's Compliment to King James VI and I?

Year 2022, Volume: 2 Issue: 3, 15 - 30, 27.06.2022

Dilek Yiğit

Abstract

In 1603 King James VI of Scotland was crowned King James I of England the first of the Stuart Kings of the combined crowns of England and Scotland. Although James was Scottish, the atmosphere in England was one of excitement as his accession to the throne meant a peaceful solution to the English succession and a guarantee of Protestant reformation process. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth after James became king of England. Macbeth points out that the arrival of the new monarch was not inconsequential for Shakespeare who did not experience the reign of any monarch other than Elizabeth I. Besides, the role attributed to witches in the play shows that Shakespeare cared about James's views and experiences about witches. Has Shakespeare write Macbeth as a compliment to the king? The article aims to answer this question in light of the circumstances in which Macbeth was written and the content of Macbeth.

Keywords

King James VI(I), Shakespeare, Macbeth, Banquo

Macbeth: Shakespeare'in Kral VI(I). James'e İthafı mı?

Abstract

1603 yılında İngiltere tahtına İskoçya’nın Kralı VI. James çıkmıştır. Böylelikle İngiltere’nin ve İskoçya’nın taçları birleşmiştir. İngiltere’de I. James olarak taç giyen James ülkenin Stuart hanedanlığına mensup ilk kralıdır. İskoç olmasına rağmen James’in tahta çıkışı veraset sorununun barışcıl çözümü ve Protestan reformasyon sürecinin getirilerinin korunması açısından İngiltere’de genel bir memnuniyet ile karşılanmıştır. Shakespeare Macbeth’i James’in İngiltere tahtına çıkışından sonra, bu genel memnuniyet ortamında kaleme almıştır. Macbeth bir İskoç hikayesi olarak Shakespeare’in İngiltere tahtında İskoç kralın oturuyor olmasını ve eserde cadılara atfedilen rol ise Shakespeare’in James’in cadılara dair görüş ve tecrübelerini önemsemiş olduğunu göstermektedir. Shakespeare Macbeth’i Kral VI(I). James’e ithaf olarak yazmış olabilir mi? Bu makalede Macbeth’in yazıldığı koşullar, içeriği ve eserde gözlemlenen Kral VI(I). James’in etkisi ışığında bu soruya yanıt aramaya çalışılacaktır.

Keywords

Kral VI(I). James, Shakespeare, Macbeth, Banquo

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