How to add AO3 in essays. PLEASE HELP!

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Hi, I’m doing my English GCSEs in few days and I don’t know how to add context in my essays. I don’t understand what can I say about it for example for Macbeth there was the gunpowder plot in 1605 and King James didn’t like witchcraft, I don’t know what to say about these. PLEASE HELP!

I’m doing Macbeth for my GCSE this week too and to be honest I’m not going to write about the gunpowder plot. The point about King James I being interested in the supernatural is important though.

As you probably know, at this time half of Scotland did not agree with the rule of the kingdue to the two different beliefs (catholic’s and Protestants ). Shakespeare wrote this okay to communicate that no matter what religion, the king was rightfully chosen by God and that no one should choose to be unfaithful to the King otherwise they will be punished - just as Macbeth was by being killed in the end and just as Lady Macbeth was driven insane and led to her own death too.

Adding to this, Shakespeare is saying that it is foolish to believe what witches have to say and that no one should believe them - just like Macbeth believed them and he was led to death due to being over ambitious.

When using context, you should only apply it where it is necessary. So if you are talking about the witches telling Macbeth his prophecy and then him believing them, you can link this to context and say about Shakespeares purpose of writing this in the play and how a

You could say about the Divine Right of Kings - that kings were appointed and chosen by God. This could be in relation to anything about Duncan, or guilt - or even the supernatural (that because of the witches, Macbeth abuses his freewill and perhaps even goes against the Divine Right of Kings
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Thank you. Do you think in my introduction, I should include some context so like when the play was written etc. If yes what do you think I should write.

It’s a good idea to include it in the introduction but in relation to what the question is asking.

So if it’s about ambition you could link it to Macbeth having too much ambition andthis leading to his death bc he disrupted the natural order and so this needed to be rectified

Thanks. Say if the question is about guilt, what can I write

Context should be used in relation to Shakespeare’s reasons for writing Macbeth in the first place.

Like aforementioned, with Macbeth listening to the prophecy and literally being manipulated by it, could be used with relation to King James’ book on Daemonologie, which was his delusions on witchcraft and supernatural things.

For example: Macbeth believes the witches’ prophecy when he becomes Thane of Cawdor, and from there on out has delusions on killing King Duncan. Shakespeare does this to appeal to King James’ beliefs about witchcraft, and how he was paranoid that witches were out to kill him.

Very simple, but ygm?

Another way of including the gunpowder plot is King James thoroughly believed in his divine right (which is why he wrote Basilikon Doran, another piece of context which is a book he wrote on the qualities of a good king), so when Macbeth killed Duncan it had dire consequences.

For example: Macbeth kills Duncan, however has a tragic fall. This is because King James was nearly killed in an attempt to blow up Parliament. So when Macbeth kills a king, it shows how it will come back and get you. This appeals to King James because it shows the power of kings, and the consequences of killing a king.

It could also be said to have been done due to religious reasons.

Hope this helped!

A03 is context within the play and social/historical context if relevant so understanding where quotes are structurally within the play and the impact of it in relation to the play as a whole. Then with historical context is like talking about how Lady Macbeth subverts the conventions of a Jacobean woman in a patriarchal society or how contemporary views on witchcraft would cause the audience to be startled hence dramatising the play and demonising the Macbeths moral state. It’s worth noting that context should not carry your point but add to it like the cherry on top so AO3 would best come in when talking about Shakespeare’s purposes. So make ur point, analysis la di do la then when evaluating Shakespeare’s intentions, add context e.g. “to set the audience up for Macbeth’s well deserved death” this is context within the play OR “to unsettle the contemporary audience who would have much feared the supernatural”
I’m not so good at English but i hope this helped !

Thanks. Say if the question is about guilt, what can I write

If it’s guilt, you can talk about Macbeth’s hesitation before murdering Duncan, his hallucination about the dagger, his hallucination of Banquo at the table, Lady Macbeth’s madness and her death. You could say that this guilt is due to the disruption in the natural order as well as them believing the witches and having too much ambition. Because both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were too ambitious at one point or another, they were driven to their death. Shakespeare does this to show not to believe witches as they are manipulative

not sure if it’s just me, but my teacher said to leave out an introduction and go straight into a paragraph analysing the extract

as for conclusions, here’s mine for a macbeth bravery essay, summarise your points and go back to the question!:

Overall, bravery is presented as something that can come and go, and does so dramatically. Bravery deviates from Macbeth and comes back in brief tragedy. Macduff is also seen as a brave character that is loyal and seeks to restore natural order. The belief nothing be in excess is shown in Macbeth, who is not in the order of things. This disruption shown in the physical decline of Scotland and emphasise Macduff a person who seeks vengeance. Bravery, in a sense, is both good and bag, depending on one’s intentions, if it is fuelled by hubris or justice against evil.