The Sociological Approach
to MacBeth
By: Babi Cepero, Amanda Lane,
and Chris Shay
What is Sociological Approach?

Sociological Approach focuses on man’s
relationship to others in society, politics,
religion, and business.
What is the relationship between
the characters and their society?


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MacBeth – He did not like the social order that
decided who would be the next king. He would have
preferred to be king instead of the next in line; this
led to the murder of Duncan.
Lady MacBeth – She also did not like the social
structure within the government. When she found out
that the three witches had prophesized MacBeth to
become the next king, she took matters into her own
hands in order to make sure that the prophecy
became true.
Duncan – He was happy with the social order that
was going on. Even though he respected MacBeth, his
son was still the next in line for the throne.
Does the story address societal
issues such as race, gender, and
class?
Yes –
“ Aristocrats were born with their wealth, but the
growth of trade and development of skilled
professions began to provide wealth for those
not born with it. ”
“ The legal status of women did not allow them
much public or private autonomy. ”
“ Women did not generally receive an education
and could not enter certain professions,
including acting. ”
How do social forces shape the power of
relationships between groups or classes of
people in the story?


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How? – Because people become jealous,
envious, and become “power hungry”.
Who has the power, and who doesn’t ? – At
first Duncan and his family had the power,
but then Macbeth became King.
Why? – Because MacBeth found out that he
wasn’t next in line he killed Duncan, who’s
sons fled, and MacBeth became King.
Does the story address issues of
economic exploitation?

Yes, this story address’ issues of economics
because money is one of the reasons that
MacBeth wanted to become king. If
MacBeth didn’t want money and riches then
becoming king might not have been as
tempting.
How do economic conditions determine
the direction of the characters’ lives?
Economic conditions determined the direction of
the characters’ lives in the following ways –
 If somebody was wealthy then that meant that they
were one of the noble men. The king was the
wealthiest man, and that is why MacBeth really
wanted to become a king.
Can the protagonist' struggle be seen as
symbolic of a larger class struggle?

The protagonists' struggle is symbolic to a
larger class struggle because in a way,
everyone wanted power. They wanted to be
wealthy, and be able to be the one that
every one looked up to and envied. MacBeth
just showed how far a person can go in
order to get what they want.
Thesis

“Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare is
a play that shows the struggles within a
royal and non – royal society. This is shown
by MacBeth being liked by everyone for
being such a great soldier and when he
became king nobody liked him anymore,
because he is sly and malicious for killing
people so he can be kept in power.