Biblical Allusions In Macbeth

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a playwright written between 1599 and 1606, at the time of King James I’s reign. During the time period in which King James I ruled England, the “divine right of Kings” doctrine was in place. This was the belief that the king’s rule was God’s will and that the king was the mortal representation of God on Earth. Additionally, it was during this time where religion drove people’s ethics and moral choices, which is why biblical allusions and parallels are often seen in Macbeth. These enhance the “religion against evil” undertone of Macbeth, as well as foreshadow the event of the play. Since these allusions are often seen prior to or following the murders of characters such as King Duncan and Banquo, it emphasizes on the moral element of the play. Overall, Macbeth was used as a warning of the consequences to going …show more content…
“A little water clears us of this deed” which is another concept borrowed from the bible. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are compared to Pontius Pilate, who sentenced Jesus to be publicly whipped, and crucified. Following Jesus’s crucifixion, “…, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person…” The biblical reference of clearing one’s sin through the use of water does the opposite for the reader. As they are compared to the man who crucified Jesus, they are seen as more guilty of the deed and therefore, are perceived as all the more immoral and sinful. This biblical allusion reveals the prominence of religion at the time that Macbeth was first written and performed, and we see her fate in retribution for going against God’s will as Lady Macbeth loses her sanity as she says “Hell is murky.” Lady Macbeth subconsciously realizes that she is indeed, guilty of King Duncan’s death and water most certainly doesn’t reverse the immorality of her