Witchcraft:

 Witches believed to have made pacts with the Devil for supernatural powers.
 Intent on performing unnatural acts to disrupt the natural order.
 Associated with common misfortunes and were often blamed for them.
 Familiars, such as pets or toads, were thought to be demon advisors.
 Accused witches were often old, poor, single women.
 Legal executions of witches were sanctioned by the Witchcraft Act of 1563.
 King James I’s superstitions about witches influenced Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Women:

 Within the hierarchy of men, women were ranked below.

 Expected to be subservient to their husbands and focus on household duties.
 Ideal women were gentle, nurturing, modest, and obedient.
 Lady Macbeth challenges these roles with her ambition and manipulation.

The Divine Right of Kings:

 Kings were considered God’s lieutenants on Earth and answerable only to God.
 Disobeying the monarch was seen as a sin.
 The Divine Right justified the king’s absolute authority.
 King James I strongly believed in the Divine Right, influencing Macbeth.

The Great Chain of Being:

 A hierarchical structure with God and angels at the top, followed by humans,
animals, plants, and minerals.
 Humans are in the middle, being mortal with a spiritual soul.
 Social stability was maintained by everyone knowing their place.
 Disruptions to the Chain were considered evil and could lead to chaos