Research Essay
Introduction: Audience Reception of Political Context within 1 Henry IV + Macbeth
Provide thesis statement and how summaries of P 1 + P2 + P3 + P4 relate directly to answering the thesis statement.
Paragraph 1: Shakespeare serving two masters / mistresses – QE I’s Censorship + His audience who enjoyed political scandal
When crafting his literary pieces, Shakespeare had ‘two masters’ that he had to please with the work he produced. When constructing playwrights, it was paramount that Shakespeare ensure that the works produced were accommodating to the standards of ‘the first master’, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I, and the second master who are the audience; who were commoners that enjoyed political ‘scandal’ (reference). A limitation of Queen Elizabeth I as Shakespeare’s ‘master’, were the heavy censorships in-place for the limitation of literary pieces with political insinuations or contentions that would cause political dismay among the English (reference), the introduction of the state censorship became enacted shortly after Queen Elizabeth I provided:
…”Matters of religion or of the gouernance of the estate of the comm can be played only before an audience of graue and discreete perso an audience of commoners the representation of such matters is danger “not conuenient,” as Her Majesty provides, “in any good ordred Common weale to be suffred” (Chambers, 263).
Due to majority of Shakespeare’s audience being English commoners who enjoyed political scandal (reference), Shakespeare had to ensure that “1 Henry IV” was acceptable in-context of the state-based censor, as-well-as still satisfying the likes of the plebeian audience but by using the play to allow the audience to interpret the play as political allegory where the powers of the monarch are on display “carried considerable risks” due to “it making [the] power [of the Monarchy] contingent upon the spectator” (Kastan) . To overcome the state-based censorship, Shakespeare’s “1 Henry IV”, published in 1598, was originally classified as a “tragedy” (reference), depicting the rise of the Royal House of Lancaster, as-well-as providing for Shakespeare’s view of the Tudor Myth, but later in 1623 was revised, repurposed and republished as a “history” play, to counterfoil state-based censorship introduced by the Queen Elizabeth I. Contrasting to “The First Act of Henry the Fourth”, published in 1598 and thus subject to the conditions of censorship, Shakespeare’s Macbeth was published in 1603 and did not pertain to the political limitations imposed by Elizabeth I (reference) in regard to plays constructed that were commentary of the Monarchy, and subsequently was able to be classified as a tragedy play, depicting an overly ambitious and bellicose King (reference); succumbing to satisfy the English commoners that enjoyed political scandal.
Paragraph 2: Political Context of the Monarch’s Illegitimacy of the Throne + Qualities leaders should possess (1H4)
The political context of “The First Part of King Henry the Fourth”, allows for the audience to interpret Shakespeare’s play as one of which alludes to that the future holder of the throne is “morally illegitimate” to be Monarch; providing contentions that provide for qualities that a good leader ought to demonstrate and possess. Within the play, King Henry IV is ironically crafted to favour “Harry Hotspur, Earl of Northumberland”, in preference to his own son, “Hal, Prince of Wales”, due to the qualities Hotspur demonstrates; contrasting to those the people Prince Hal befriends and communicates with, as-well-as the non-regal qualities and habits Prince Hal demonstrates and possesses. Within the play, Prince Hal is illustrated to be friends with Sir John Falstaff, Poins, Bardolph, Peto, Mistress Quickly and Francis, all of which King Henry IV sees as people that his son should not be hanging around due to the bothering qualities they demonstrate; illustrated by the robbery partaken in by Hal with ‘the tavern folks’ Falstaff, Peto, Bardolph and Poins (ref scene). A direct critique of what provides for a Monarch with good qualities is within The First Act of King Henry the Fourth when King Henry IV pleads his son, heir to the Throne, to change his ways in-order to facilitate himself as regally fitting for the position of King (Reference line #) instead of continuously engaging in mischief with his tavern friends. Within act one of scene two, Hal proclaims: “Who doth permit the base contagious clouds; to smother up his beauty from the world” starkly demonstrating the Prince’s realisation that the company of his tavern friends are of not good company, due to them “smothering up his beauty from the world”. The Prince follows by describing his anticipated redemption as a feasible heir to the throne within scene 1 act two …”So, when this loose behaviour I throw off” and denotes that his future reformed self will be magnificent and so great that all his works of good will blot out his faults, “My reformation, glittering o’er my fault; Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes”. Within Act one of scene one, King Henry IV demonstrates his favour of Hotspur by proclaiming to his Kinsmen, Earl of Westmorland, “Yea, there thou makest me sad and makest me sin; In envy that my Lord Northumberland; Should be the father to so blest a son,; A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue”, indicating King Henry IV’s sadness and envy of the Earl of Northumberland, that his son Hotspur demonstrates more regal qualities that portray him more fit for the throne than Hal, who is direct heir to the throne.
Paragraph 2: Political Context of the Monarch’s ‘Illegitimacy’ of the Throne (Macbeth)
Early within Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the main protagonist, Macbeth initially demonstrates a commitment to holding legitimate authority; but he and his companion, Banquo, are met by a trio of witches who prophesise that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor, and subsequently Scotland’s King. The witches also foretell that Banquo will beget the line of Royal succession; but never become Monarch. After the foretold revelation, Shakespeare then highlights the damaging qualities that any potential heir of the throne should not possess; Macbeth is illustrated as a possessor of “vaulting ambition” who intentionally discards all moral principles, to gain and retain his position as Monarch; as the prophecy foretold (Lickindorf, 59). When Macbeth relays the prophecy of the witches to Lady Macbeth, Macbeth starkly objects all the intentions as to why Macbeth should not fulfil the prophecy through vicious bloodshed; pleading Macbeth to Murder King Duncan in-order to obtain the position of Monarch; with a scheme to blame the murder on the intoxication of the Kings Chamberlains, leaving the Chamberlains defenceless due to them not remembering a recall of events from the prior night. With Macbeth’s “vaulting ambition”, and his lawful honours from King Duncan, combined with the foretold prophecy of the witches, the thoughts of Macbeth depict illegitimate gains to achieving power as Scotland’s monarchy (Lickindorf, 61). Within the play after Macbeth ascends to successor of the Scottish monarchy, Macbeth brutally orders for the execution of Madcuff’s wife and children, presented through the lines “Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o’ the sword, His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line”, following this, Madcuff hears the news of his family and is struck with grief, demonstrated by Malcolm proclaiming “ Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak Whispers the o’er-fraught heart and bids it break” (iv.iii.209-210); shortly followed by Madcuff vowing revenge through the lines of “Let’s make us medicines of our great revenge, to cure this deadly grief” (iv.ii.218 – 219). As Malcolm is a “man of his words”, Madcuff leads his army into battle with Macbeth’s, with many of the Scottish rebelling against Macbeth for Madcuff, due to an “upsurge of hatred caused by fear of his [Macbeth’s] ferocity (Lickindorf, 64), which ultimately lead to his subjects to rebel against him being sickened by his cruel, murderous and tyrannical behaviour; with seeing how many enemies Macbeth had, his subjects did not fear him as much, so killing him.
Paragraph 3: Similar line of thought: 1H4 feels Hostpur more worthy than own son due to qualities; company he keeps; makes him unfit to rule = links to Macbeth due to rather mending his ways, he pursues prophesy too rashly; losing contact with the counsel that could have formed him as a great leader.
Paragraph 4: Comparison political context of illegitimacy of throne in 1H4 + Macbeth; Compare with what chronicles say about Macbeth actually having been a good leader, historically he made many enemies (link to 1H4).
Conclusion: