Here's what made "wrath" particularly important in Macbeth's time:
* Divine Justice: People believed that God directly intervened in human affairs, rewarding good deeds and punishing evil with wrath. This meant that powerful emotions like anger could be seen as a sign of God's displeasure.
* Social Order: The social hierarchy was seen as divinely ordained, with a king at the top. Therefore, any act that challenged this order, like Macbeth's regicide, could be interpreted as provoking God's wrath, leading to chaos and turmoil.
* Personal Consequences: People believed that "wrath" could bring about misfortune, illness, or even death. This further heightened the fear of provoking it, especially in a society where life was precarious and death was a constant threat.
In Macbeth's play:
* Macbeth's Ambition: Macbeth's ambition is fuelled by a lust for power, leading to a fierce "wrath" against King Duncan. This culminates in murder, defying the divine order and incurring God's wrath.
* Macbeth's Guilt: Macbeth's guilt and paranoia after the murder stem from the fear of divine punishment, which manifests in visions and hallucinations that torment him.
* The Witches: The witches represent the dark forces that tempt Macbeth with power and fuel his wrath. Their prophecies and predictions contribute to his descent into tyranny.
Overall: The concept of wrath was deeply ingrained in the beliefs and worldview of Macbeth's time. It played a crucial role in shaping the play's themes of ambition, guilt, and the consequences of defying the natural order.