Analysis of Feudalism in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

William Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth is set in 11th-century Scotland. The overarching political system then was feudalism, a system that was "based on the holding of land" and placed "an increasing emphasis on local protection, local government, and local self-sufficiency" (World History, Section 9-4, pp. 214 **). Shakespeare, however, lived during the late 16th and early 17th century, a time in which kings with "absolute authority" and "divine right" (W.H, Section 18-3, pp. 430) ruled a strongly …

…historical Macbeth was a noble and just ruler, in Shakespeare's play he is depicted as an ambitious and ruthless tyrant, while Banquo is humble and modest. Clearly, William Shakespeare wrote many plays with historical meaning behind them, naturally affected by his ideas or opinions. Macbeth is one of them. ** References refer to the Folger Library edition of 'Macbeth', the primary source book 'Sources of Western Civilization', and the book 'World History: Perspectives On The Past'.