Shakespeare\u2019s Christianity<\/a>. He argues (unconvincingly) that Shakespeare had in mind the situation of recusant Catholics in England. Milward\u2019s analysis of the biblical features of the play is more compelling.<\/p>\nHe notes that \u201calready from the opening description of Macbeth\u2019s performance on the field of battle, in the words of the bleeding sergeant, we are introduced to him as one set to \u2018memorize another Golgotha\u2019 (1.2.41), and so he does, not just in the battle but in his subsequent murder of \u2018the gracious Duncan\u2019 (3.1.66). For the time being he seems to be a loyal subject to his king, but his loyalty is soon undermined (or betrayed) by the witches, when they greet him with \u2018all hail!\u2019\u2014the very word used by Judas on his betrayal of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:49).20 Thus Macbeth in turn becomes Judas to his lord and master Duncan\u201d (12).<\/p>\n
He recalls John\u2019s words when Judas leaves the upper room: \u201cSatan entered into him\u201d(John 13:27), a phrase that could describe Macbeth. Further, \u201cit was then . . . that Jesus said to Judas, \u2018That thou doest, do quickly!\u2019\u2014and similarly, when Macbeth has left the supper-room, he begins his famous soliloquy, as though it were echoing the thoughts of Judas, \u2018if it were done when \u2018tis done, then \u2018twere well\/ it were done quickly\u2019 (1.7.1\u20132)\u2019\u201d (12).<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\nIf Macbeth is Judas, then Duncan is the betrayed and murdered Jesus. Milward invites us to hear the Christological echoes in Macbeth\u2019s description of Duncan\u2019s body: \u201c\u2018his silver skin lac\u2019d with his golden blood\u2019 (2.3.113), as if recalling the words of St. Peter on \u2018the precious blood\u2019 of Christ being of more value than \u2018gold or silver\u2019 (1 Pet 1:18\u201319)\u2019\u201d (12). The blood flows from Duncan\u2019s body as from a \u201ctemple.\u201d<\/p>\n
Macbeth\u2019s use of the unusual phrase \u201cgouts of blood\u201d fits into this typology: \u201cThis is a word unique to Shakespeare and his contemporaries, an english form of the French gouttes for drops, maybe suggested to him at this point\u2014though to few of his commentators\u2014by the Latin guattae sanguinis <\/em>for the sweat of blood during the agony of Jesus in the Garden as narrated by Luke (22:44)\u201d (13).<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Peter Milward writes of \u201cmeta-drama\u201d in Hamlet and Macbeth in his contribution Shakespeare\u2019s Christianity. He argues (unconvincingly) that Shakespeare had in mind the situation of recusant Catholics in England. Milward\u2019s analysis of the biblical features of the play is more compelling. He notes that \u201calready from the opening description of Macbeth\u2019s performance on the field […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1668,578],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-macbeth","category-shakespeare"],"yoast_head":"\n
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