Julia Thompson
English IV
Mrs. Rachael Obsenica
7 May 2018
Mac Bethad mac Findláich: Man Vs. Legend
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth himself is portrayed as an insane, power-hungry murderer with a vindictive, manipulative wife. Was the historical Macbeth really like that; a bloody murderer or a popular king? The histories tell a story of their own, does it agree with Shakespearean tragedy?
The tragic play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in 1606, is based on an account in Holinshed’s Chronicles of 1587. The play was first presented in August of 1606 to King James I and VI, and the first eyewitness account of its staging comes from 1611. The legend promoted by Shakespeare had its origins in the Scottish bardic tradition. Bards …show more content…
Shakespeare drew on these sources when he wrote the play, which strikes fear into the hearts of actors. Macbeth is referred to as “the Scottish Play” within theatre confines as the name is seen as bad luck. The name first became associated with bad luck when in 1721 the army was called in when actors in a London production attacked hecklers. In 1849 in New York, thirty-one members of the audience were killed in a riot. In 1937, an Old Vic production was postponed because the theatre’s grand dame, Lilian Baylis, died during rehearsals. At an opening night in 1954, Baylis’ portrait fell off the wall. In the play, Macbeth was told a prophecy by the weird sisters, after which he became consumed by his ambition as he slowly became an insane murderer hell-bent on ruling his cousin’s kingdom. His wife …show more content…
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Shakespeare's play is the epitome of this quality, however it may not be entirely accurate in its portrayal of the real Macbeth. There have been many noted differences between the play and the known history.
Works Cited
"The real man and the legend." Herald [Glasgow, Scotland], 11 Feb. 2013, p. 4. Infotrac Newsstand, http://centos004.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos004/511670/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A318800251/STND?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=STND&xid=ce01d546. Accessed 3 May 2018.
Peterkin, Tom. "The real Macbeth was not all toil and trouble." Daily Telegraph [London, England], 3 Feb. 2005. Infotrac Newsstand, http://centos003.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos003/221419/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A128044996/STND?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=STND&xid=cff0dc47. Accessed 3 May 2018.
"The Historical Context of Macbeth." EXPLORING Shakespeare, Gale, 2003. Student Resources In Context, http://centos003.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos003/892266/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2115508731/SUIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=SUIC&xid=aa25447e. Accessed 3 May 2018.
“The Real Duncan and Macbeth - Kings of Scotland.” Historic UK,
English IV
Mrs. Rachael Obsenica
7 May 2018
Mac Bethad mac Findláich: Man Vs. Legend
In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth himself is portrayed as an insane, power-hungry murderer with a vindictive, manipulative wife. Was the historical Macbeth really like that; a bloody murderer or a popular king? The histories tell a story of their own, does it agree with Shakespearean tragedy?
The tragic play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in 1606, is based on an account in Holinshed’s Chronicles of 1587. The play was first presented in August of 1606 to King James I and VI, and the first eyewitness account of its staging comes from 1611. The legend promoted by Shakespeare had its origins in the Scottish bardic tradition. Bards …show more content…
Shakespeare drew on these sources when he wrote the play, which strikes fear into the hearts of actors. Macbeth is referred to as “the Scottish Play” within theatre confines as the name is seen as bad luck. The name first became associated with bad luck when in 1721 the army was called in when actors in a London production attacked hecklers. In 1849 in New York, thirty-one members of the audience were killed in a riot. In 1937, an Old Vic production was postponed because the theatre’s grand dame, Lilian Baylis, died during rehearsals. At an opening night in 1954, Baylis’ portrait fell off the wall. In the play, Macbeth was told a prophecy by the weird sisters, after which he became consumed by his ambition as he slowly became an insane murderer hell-bent on ruling his cousin’s kingdom. His wife …show more content…
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Shakespeare's play is the epitome of this quality, however it may not be entirely accurate in its portrayal of the real Macbeth. There have been many noted differences between the play and the known history.
Works Cited
"The real man and the legend." Herald [Glasgow, Scotland], 11 Feb. 2013, p. 4. Infotrac Newsstand, http://centos004.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos004/511670/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A318800251/STND?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=STND&xid=ce01d546. Accessed 3 May 2018.
Peterkin, Tom. "The real Macbeth was not all toil and trouble." Daily Telegraph [London, England], 3 Feb. 2005. Infotrac Newsstand, http://centos003.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos003/221419/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A128044996/STND?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=STND&xid=cff0dc47. Accessed 3 May 2018.
"The Historical Context of Macbeth." EXPLORING Shakespeare, Gale, 2003. Student Resources In Context, http://centos003.auto-graphics.com/YYY/centos003/892266/link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2115508731/SUIC?u=tel_s_tsla&sid=SUIC&xid=aa25447e. Accessed 3 May 2018.
“The Real Duncan and Macbeth - Kings of Scotland.” Historic UK,