Macbeth- Context

For the OCR English Literature GCSE
A summary of the key contextual points that students need to understand about Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in order to gain full marks for context (AO3) in the 40-mark essay question.
You can memorise these statements, or part of them, and use them in essays to show you understand the context of the play. Vital to achieve 6/7/8/9 grades as essay grades are capped at low levels if no context is included.

Context explanation on the following are covered:

• Regicide
• The Great Chain of Being
• James I and his views on Witchcraft
• Christianity in Early Modern England
• Women in Early Modern England
• Equivocation