The King is Dead, Long Live the King - Brady Whitteker

Brady Whitteker

Mr. P. Murray

ENG3UE

28 March, 2014

The King is Dead, Long Live the King

The Consequences of Regicide

            In 1605, a group of Catholics had been caught attempting to assassinate King

James I and VI, a plot known as the Gunpowder Plot. In 1606, William Shakespeare published the play MacBeth. Both events are relevant to regicide and its consequences. Regicide is the act of killing a king. Regis translates to king and cida translates to killing. The Gunpowder Plot was an attempted regicide. The play MacBeth is an example of the act of regicide, as well as its effects.  An act such as regicide has great consequences. The men involved in the Gunpowder Plot had experienced their consequences as did the titular character of MacBeth. The consequences of regicide can be described using the phrase “Do unto others as they do unto you.” The consequences reflect the offense. The men tried to assassinate the king which left people in a state of shock. The consequences of regicide affect one’s psychological health, as well as the people around those who are guilty of the act. They affect the King’s mental safety; they affect the mental safety and sense of security of the people around the King, and they threaten the King’s life.  After the psyches of those who are a guilty as well as the people around them are affected, the ones who are guilty meet their lives’ end.

 

            The Gunpowder Plot was a result of the persecution of Catholics in England. The Catholics have already been persecuted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth. While Elizabeth was in power, showing any sign of sympathy for Catholics was punishable by death. James was seen as the heir to the throne by Catholics and Protestants alike due to his blood relation to Henry VIII. James had promised tolerance towards Catholics if he were to succeed Elizabeth. After Elizabeth’s death in 1603, Catholics had celebrated the coming of a new monarch. Despite his promise, once James became king, he caused the continuation of the Catholics’ persecution. This is an example of an attempted murder being, in a way, justified. Even if the attempt to kill the king was a result of the king’s behaviour, the attempted violence against someone of higher power would result in violent consequences for those making the attempts.

 

            An example of the consequences being as violent as the actions that warrant them would be MacBeth and King Duncan. During Act I of MacBeth, the title character hears from three witches that he will be king. After hearing this, he sends a letter to Lady MacBeth telling her about the witches and what they have told him. While King Duncan is staying at MacBeth’s home, Lady MacBeth convinces MacBeth to kill the king. MacBeth murders the king and planned leave the evidence with the king’s servants, framing them for the king’s death. Throughout the play, the audience or reader sees how killing the king affected MacBeth and the people around him. After becoming king, MacBeth orders the murder of his closest friend Banquo, as well as Banquo’s son whom does escape the murderers that MacBeth had hired. The reason that MacBeth does this is the witches’ prophecy. The witches foretold MacBeth becoming king as well as Banquo fathering kings. MacBeth feared for his life because he thought that Banquo’s son would kill him.

 

            Banquo was not the only one that MacBeth ordered to be killed. MacBeth orders the murder of the family of MacDuff, who was a Scottish noble. Lady MacDuff and her son are both killed. This shows that MacBeth experiences not only physical consequences of regicide, but psychological damages as well.

 

MacBeth experiences several damaging psychological effects after having killed the king.  Originally, MacBeth was not going to kill anyone, he needed Lady MacBeth questioning his courage in order to kill King Duncan. After killing Duncan, MacBeth no longer requires his wife’s convincing to kill somebody. It also shows that MacBeth has little to no guilt or honour remaining, no longer seeing value in the lives of women and children. He begins to lose his sanity.  

 

In addition to his psyche being affected, after MacBeth killed King Duncan, the people around him begin to be affected. Like MacBeth, Lady MacBeth loses her sanity and eventually commits suicide. MacBeth’s best friend Banquo was murdered on MacBeth’s command. MacDuff abhors MacBeth because he ordered the murders of Lady MacDuff and MacDuff’s son. The hatred that MacDuff has for MacBeth is what forces MacBeth to experience the final consequence of regicide. The execution of those who are guilty.

 

The final consequence of regicide is the death of those who are guilty. MacBeth was the final death in the play. He met the end of his life at the hands of MacDuff. MacDuff desired vengeance for the murders of his wife and child. Like MacBeth, the men involved in the Gunpowder Plot were executed of their crimes. However, unlike MacBeth, these men had not successfully assassinated the king.

 

MacBeth stands as an example of the consequences that are brought unto those who commit the act of regicide. After killing the king, MacBeth experiences the consequences of his actions. Those consequences affect his psyche, the people around him, and finally death.