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Do you think he was a good king?

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Q. Look again at the scenes which King Duncan appears in the play "Macbeth" From the way shakespeare presents King Duncan and from what you learn about him else where in the play, Do you think he was a good king? When Shakespeare wrote the play "Macbeth" kings and queens were real rulers. Kings were looked upon as the descendents from God on earth. Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" is one of his most popular tradegies like "King Lear", "Othello" and "Anthony and Cleopatra." Shakespeare's plays were always performed in The Globel Theatre in London. He wrote some of his plays based on true stories made up. In the play "Macbeth" is set in the times when Scotland was a completely independent country. Scotland was ruled by kings. Shakespeare read an ancient book called "The Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland" by Rapheal Hollinshed and came up with the tragedy "Macbeth". Shakespeare had combined his ideas with Scotland's violence involving plots and Hollinsheds' book to make up the essence of the play. ...read more.


He sends for surgeons "Go get him surgeons" I think it is important for a king to be caring towards his subjects. I also know that the king is very powerful and that he gained loyalty by giving Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor. I know this because it says "And with this former title greet Macbeth." We can see that the former Thane of Cawdor was a traitor and he has now chosen Macbeth. It's ironic that King Duncan gave the traitors title to Macbeth soon to be another traitor. This makes me question his judgement because he chooses the wrong people to trust A king should surround himself whit loyal subjects, not traitors. Malcom, his own son, to become the next in line of the throne and did not choose Macbeth. In Act5 Scene he said "Our eldest Malcom whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland;" Duncan didn't have to give the title to his eldest son. ...read more.


He greets Lady Macbeth and gives her a diamond and is very gracious and genourous. This shows Duncan is a good king and good to his people. Duncan is fair he killed people for good reasons for example The Thane of Cawdor. Duncan was loved by his subjects and even Macbeth the man who killed him. I know this because in Act 1 Scene 7 he has doubts about killing Duncan "First as I am his kinsmen and his subject," This shows that he doesn't want to commit a murder a good King. This tells me that King Duncan was a good king. In conclusion I think that Duncan is a good king compared to the tyrant Macbeth. Personally I think that Malcom will be a better and more wiser King. I think that King Duncans downfall was that he was too trusting and his lack of judgement of his subject. He would have needed these qualities to be a good king. He was a human and all human beings have flaws in their characters. He did however make one very wise decision he choose Malcolm to be his successor. ...read more.

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