The Significance of Duncan's Murder in MacbethIn Shakespeare's Macbeth, the repercussions of Macbeth's murder of his king are very numerous. Through themes including imagery, soliloquies, atmosphere, and supernatural beings, Shakespeare reinforces the magnitude of Macbeth's crime. Most of these factors are interrelated. One of the main ways to emphasize the horror of murder is through the Great Chain of Being. At the time this play was written, it was believed that there was a hierarchy in the universe, with God at the top, then the angels, then the King, then man, and finally the animals. This meant that the King was God's representative on earth, and therefore if a rebel attacked the King, he would be considered attacking and rebelling against God. This is seen in act one, scene two, when the Thane of Cawdor rebels against King Duncan, where the sergeant says: "Wasting storms and terrible thunders break" (L.26). This stormy weather symbolizes God's anger at the attack on his representative Scotland. The darkness during the play (all but two scenes take place in darkness) shows how night is choking the earth, representing God's wrath over the events in Scotland. The “Dark Night suffocates” (Act 2, Scene 4, Line 7) the earth, showing God's global hold on the world. At that time the king had an absolute monarchy (power of life and death over all the members of his kingdom). The belief was that God had imparted special powers to all kings, such as that of healing, which Malcolm identifies in Edward the Confessor (the King of England) in Act Four, Scene Three: "He heals... the blessing of healing… he has a celestial gift of prophecy” (L.152-157). Shakespeare later uses Edwa...... middle of paper ......elm. Criticism of Shakespeare's tragedies. A course of lectures on drama and literature. London: AMS Press, Inc., 1965. Shakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth. Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992. Steevens, George. Shakespeare, The Critical Legacy. Flight. 6. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1981. TW Shakespeare, The Critical Legacy. Flight. 5. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979. Wills, Gary. Witches and Jesuits. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. Epstein, Norrie, The Friendly Shakepeare, New York, Viking Publishing, 1993. Harbage, Alfred, Macbeth, Middlesex England, Penguin Publishing, 1956. Magill, Masterplots - Volume 6, New Jersey, Salem Press , 1949. Staunten, Howard, The Complete Illustrated Shakespeare, New York, Park Lane Publishing, 1979.