In Macbeth, the Great Chain of Being is subverted after Macbeth kills Duncan, sending a traitor to become King and the lowest members of society (the witches) to be his trusted advisers.
1. Macbeth, a young male thane, listens to old female witches (lowest on the...
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In Macbeth, the Great Chain of Being is subverted after Macbeth kills Duncan, sending a traitor to become King and the lowest members of society (the witches) to be his trusted advisers.
1. Macbeth, a young male thane, listens to old female witches (lowest on the social ladder). When he is King, Macbeth will make them his advisers.
2. Macbeth, the head of the household, takes advice from Lady Macbeth, his wife.
3. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth conspire to and kill the King. This breaks the Chain on three levels: subjects killing royalty; younger relatives killing an older relative; hosts killing the guest.
4. Macbeth, the King, will kill his best friend Banquo and his subjects (Macduff's wife and child).
5. The animal kingdom is disrupted as well: horses eat each other; a mousing owl will kill the falcon