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Biblical Allusions In Macbeth

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Words 648
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Sarah Powell
Mr. Carter
English 4
2/24/17
Macbeth Macbeth is a story of a hero turned villain. It explores the cause and effect of sin, outlining the downfall of an ambitious, prideful man whose strong commitment to evil destroys him and his kingdom. The Bible has multiple historical stories that parallel to the story of Macbeth.
Macbeth multiplies his sin by attempting to kill the man he fears will inherit the throne after him: Banquo and his son, Fleance. This event recalls another Biblical story, one that corresponds to the story of Adam: the story of Israel's first king, Saul. The link between the story of Adam and Saul lies on the surface for an advanced reader of the Bible. Every new leader is an Adam in some sense. For example, in the book of Genesis, Noah and Abraham are identified as new Adams through repetition of instruction given to Adam in their stories. This Adam theme that was defined clearly in Noah and Abraham becomes an undertone for the rest of Scripture. It finds it's ultimate fulfillment in Christ, the last Adam. However, Saul, the first king of Israel, can be seen only in the new Adam framework. Shakespeare noticing the relationship between Saul and Adam is seen both in subtle and explicit allusions to the story of Saul. An example of an …show more content…
The irony here is that the “Saul” of Macbeth is the one who killed the “Lord’s anointed” in contrast to David who refused to take the throne by violence. This important expression makes a clear link to the Biblical history in the book of Samuel and ironically hints to the story of David and Saul just before the story of Saul becomes the model for the rest of Macbeth. In Act III, Scene 1, Macbeth talks to himself about the instability of his kingdom so long as Banquo is alive since the witches promised him a line of kings. However, they gave Macbeth a “fruitless crown.” This situation is same as Saul's in 1 Samuel 20:31 when he speaks to

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