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Aiming for a Grade 8-9.... then you need to have a detailed understanding of how contextual factors influence the play.  Social and historical context  A Scottish King had just taken the throne....leading to an atmosphere of FEAR and INSECURITY  Macbeth was written in the early years of the reign of James I of England (James VI of Scotland), probably in 1604-5.  After nearly fifty years of rule, Queen Elizabeth I had died leaving no direct heirs and the throne was passed to her cousin James.  There had been fears of uprising at the queen’s death – after an earlier heirless death, that of Edward VI in 1553, a faction at Court had sought to secure its own power by placing Lady Jane Grey on the throne instead of Edward’s sister, Mary.  The situation was even more dangerous on Elizabeth’s death in 1603, f or Scotland was a traditional enemy of England and the fear of a popular revolt against the King of Scotland becoming King of England was very ...