Notes on Religion in “Macbeth”
Below, you’ll find some thoughts, notes and comments on the idea of religion in
“Macbeth”. These are intended as a starting point – you should also read essays on the
topic, do your own research and develop your own more personal and detailed beliefs
about each theme before attempting to write essays! Every essay or exam answer that
you write should include your own personal thoughts and feelings on the question, so
the notes and questions below are designed to help you develop a personal
response to this theme, as well as developing a better contextual understanding of
religion in Shakespeare’s day.
Themes and ideas form the foundation of most exam questions – even when a
question seems character-based, there will almost always be a theme attached to it.
Look at the following questions and see if you can identify the ways in which ‘religion’
could be used in each one:
● How far does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as an evil woman?
● In what ways does Shakespeare present witchcraft and the
supernatural?
● To what extent is Macbeth’s rejection of spirituality the most significant
factor in his downfall?
● Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the idea of religion in
the play.
Once you feel comfortable with the key ideas and debates on a theme you should
compile a list of quotations that relate to it, then practise analysing those too.
Below, you’ll find some thoughts, notes and comments on the idea of religion in
“Macbeth”. These are intended as a starting point – you should also read essays on the
topic, do your own research and develop your own more personal and detailed beliefs
about each theme before attempting to write essays! Every essay or exam answer that
you write should include your own personal thoughts and feelings on the question, so
the notes and questions below are designed to help you develop a personal
response to this theme, as well as developing a better contextual understanding of
religion in Shakespeare’s day.
Themes and ideas form the foundation of most exam questions – even when a
question seems character-based, there will almost always be a theme attached to it.
Look at the following questions and see if you can identify the ways in which ‘religion’
could be used in each one:
● How far does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as an evil woman?
● In what ways does Shakespeare present witchcraft and the
supernatural?
● To what extent is Macbeth’s rejection of spirituality the most significant
factor in his downfall?
● Examine the ways in which Shakespeare presents the idea of religion in
the play.
Once you feel comfortable with the key ideas and debates on a theme you should
compile a list of quotations that relate to it, then practise analysing those too.
