The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

An lnLroducLlon Lo Lhe lay and Lhe laywrlghL

William Shakespeare
Wllllam Shakespeare (1364 -1616) was an Lngllsh poeL and playwrlghL, wldely regarded as
Lhe greaLesL wrlLer ln Lhe Lngllsh language and Lhe world's preemlnenL dramaLlsL. Pe ls ofLen
called Lngland's naLlonal poeL and Lhe 8ard of Avon." Pls survlvlng works, lncludlng some
collaboraLlons, conslsL of 38 plays, 134 sonneLs, Lwo long narraLlve poems, and several oLher
poems. Pls plays have been LranslaLed lnLo every ma[or llvlng language and are performed
more ofLen Lhan Lhose of any oLher playwrlghL. Shakespeare produced mosL of hls known
work beLween 1389 and 1613. Pls early plays were malnly !"#$%&$' and (&')"*&$', genres he
ralsed Lo Lhe peak of sophlsLlcaLlon and arLlsLry by Lhe end of Lhe slxLeenLh cenLury. Pe Lhen
wroLe malnly Lragedles unLll abouL 1608, lncludlng nomlet, kloq leot, and Mocbetb,
consldered some of Lhe flnesL works ln Lhe Lngllsh language. ln hls lasL phase, he wroLe
)*+,&!-!"#$%&$', also known as *"#+.!$', and collaboraLed wlLh oLher playwrlghLs.

Shakespeares English
Language changes over Llme. Wllllam Shakespeare was wrlLlng over 400 years ago. 1hus, we can expecL hls Lngllsh Lo be markedly
dlfferenL from our own. A few baslc hlnLs of lnformaLlon abouL Shakespeare's Lngllsh wlll help you Lo more easlly undersLand Lhe
play.

/0 2%3$!)&4$'5 ."6.' +.% 4$*7' +*$ "8)$. &.)$*!(+.,$+79$0
Lxamples: And afLer scandal Lhem.
Scandal" ls a noun, buL here lL ls used as a verb meanlng Lo gosslp abouL."

no, lL ls Casca, one lncorporaLe / 1o our aLLempLs.
lncorporaLe" ls a verb, buL here lL ls used as an ad[ecLlve meanlng unlLed."

:0 ;($ 8"99"<&., <"*%' +==$+* '" 8*$>6$.)9? &. @(+A$'=$+*$ )(+) 9$+*.&., )($# ."< <&99 #+A$ ?"6* *$+%&., $+'&$*B
+.".: soon (&)($*: here +?$: yes
#+**?: lndeed 7$)&#$': now =*&)($$: pray Lhee (please)
$C$.: even '"")(: Lruly $C$*: ever
<&)(+9: ln addlLlon <".): accusLomed ($.!$: away from here
(&$: hurry <($*$8"*$: why

D0 E6$')&".' +.% .$,+)&4$' !"69% 7$ 8"*#$% <&)("6) 6'&., F%"G "* F%&%0G
Lxamples: Pave noL salnLs llps, and holy palmers Loo?
We would say, uon'L salnLs have llps, and holy pllgrlms, Loo?"

WhaL sorrow craves acqualnLance aL my hand / 1haL l yeL know noL?
We would say, .LhaL l don'L yeL know?"

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?ou" was used as Lhe plural form - lf more Lhan one person was belng addressed and ln Lhe slngular as a slgn of
respecL.

Lxample: uo noL swear aL all, / Cr lf Lhou wllL, swear by Lhy graclous self

1hy" ls used as your."

K0 @"#$ =+') =+*)&!&=9$' +.% =+') )$.'$ 8"*#' 6'$% 7? @(+A$'=$+*$ '$$# ,*+##+)&!+99? &.!"**$!) )"%+?0
Lxample: C whaL a Llme you have chose ouL
We would say, WhaL a Llme you have chosen."

L0 @(+A$'=$+*$ 6'$' #69)&=9$ .$,+)&4$' 8"* $#=(+'&'0
Lxample: nor for you nelLher.



2 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll
Shakespeare and His Times
When Wllllam Shakespeare (1364 - 1616) was born ln SLraLford-on-Avon, Lngland, Cueen LllzabeLh l was Lhe rullng monarch. lL
was a Llme of naLlonal sLrengLh and wealLh, and Lhe prevalllng aLLlLude was LhaL llfe was exclLlng. lL was an age of exploraLlon, noL
only of Lhe world buL also of man's naLure and Lhe Lngllsh language. Shakespeare's Llme was also consldered Lhe M.,9&'(
N$.+&''+.!$ of 1300 - 1630. Some ldeas LhaL characLerlzed Lhls perlod LhaL are lmporLanL Lo MacbeLh are:

- 1hls was a Llme for heroes. 1he &%$+9 M9&O+7$)(+. #+. was a LalenLed courLler, advenLurer, fencer, poeL, and
conversaLlonallsL. Pe was a wlLLy and eloquenL genLleman who examlned hls own naLure and Lhe causes of hls acLlons.

- Marrlages were arranged, especlally among Lhe noblllLy, usually for purposes of wealLh and sLaLus.

- Women had a lower soclal sLaLus Lhan men.

- eople were concerned over Lhe order of Lhlngs. 1hey felL Lhere was a greaL chaln of belng." 1hls concepL orlglnaLed
wlLh P9+)" and expressed Lhe ldea LhaL Lhere ls a proper order wlLhln all Lhlngs, and among all Lhlngs, based on
complexlLy, from Lhe LlnlesL gralns of sand Lo heaven and Cod. When everyLhlng was ln lLs proper poslLlon, Lhere was
(+*#".?. When Lhe order was broken, everyLhlng was upseL and everyone suffered.

- Accordlng Lo Lhe bellef ln Lhe %&4&.$ *&,() "8 Q&.,'," people felL LhaL Lhelr rulers were Cod's chosen agenLs. 1o klll a
klng was a helnous crlme, Lhe heavens would show omlnous slgns when such evll was presenL.

Blank Verse
Shakespeare's prlmary paLLern ln hls plays ls blank verse, whlch ls deflned as unrhymed lamblc penLameLer. 1herefore, whenever a
reader noLlces a change ln Lhls paLLern (for example, a change ln rhyLhm from lamblc
Lo Lrochalc, a shlfL ln meLer from penLameLer Lo LeLrameLer, a shlfL from poeLry Lo prose) Lhere ls a reason for Lhe change.
WlLh Lhe change, Shakespeare ls creaLlng a mood, esLabllshlng characLer, or oLherwlse drawlng your aLLenLlon Lo emphasls a polnL.
8e aware of shlfLs ln language llke Lhls. lor example:

- Lhe Welrd SlsLers speak ln rhymed coupleLs of lrregular lamblc LeLrameLer,

- Lhe orLer (AcL ll, Scene lll) speaks ln prose,

- Lady MacbeLh's sleepwalklng scene (AcL v, Scene l) ls ln prose.

Use of Figurative Language
Shakespeare's characLers ofLen speak ln slmlles and meLaphors- Lo expand ldeas and ampllfy lmagery. 8e cerLaln noL Lo mlss Lhe
llke" or as" or Lhe LexL wlll lndeed seem lncomprehenslble.

lor example, ln AcL l, Scene ll, Lhe bloody sergeanL descrlbes Lhe baLLle agalnsL Macdonwald:
uoubLful lL sLood,
As Lwo spenL swlmmers, LhaL do cllng LogeLher
And choke Lhelr arL. 1he merclless Macdonwald-
WorLhy Lo be a rebel, for Lo LhaL
1he mulLlplylng vlllalnles of naLure
uo swarm upon hlm-from Lhe wesLern lsles
Cf kerns and gallowglasses ls supplled,
And forLune, on hls damned quarrel smlllng,
Show' d llke a rebel's whore: buL all's Loo weak:
lor brave MacbeLh-well he deserves LhaL name-
ulsdalnlng forLune, wlLh hls brandlsh' d sLeel,
Whlch smoked wlLh bloody execuLlon,
Llke valour's mlnlon carved ouL hls passage
1lll he faced Lhe slave,
Whlch ne' er shook hands, nor bade farewell Lo hlm,
1lll he unseam' d hlm from Lhe nave Lo Lhe chaps,
And flx' d hls head upon our baLLlemenLs.


3 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll
1here are Lhree slmlles ln Lhls brlef, 17-llne passage:

1. As two speot swlmmets, tbot Jo clloq toqetbet / AoJ cboke tbelt ott
MacbeLh and 8anquo are noL swlmmlng. nelLher ls drownlng. 1he sergeanL ls explalnlng LhaL Lhe Lwo sldes of Lhe baLLle
were boLh exhausLed yeL each lmpedlng Lhe oLher's vlcLory. as Lwo spenL swlmmers.

2. AoJ fottooe, oo bls JomoeJ poottel smllloq, / 5bow J llke o tebels wbote
1here's also no whore on Lhe baLLlefleld. 8uL forLune (Lhe myLhlcal flgure, bllndfolded and splnnlng her wheel) ls smlllng-
llke a woman who geLs pald Lo convlnce men she loves Lhem-on Lhe rebel's, Macdonwald's, cause.

J. lot btove Mocbetb. / llke voloots mloloo cotveJ oot bls possoqe / 1lll be foceJ tbe slove
1hls ls a preLLy clear one. MacbeLh flghLs hls way Lo Macdonwald llke Lhe speclal favorlLe or peL" of valour ( bravery,
forLlLude, eLc.).

noLlce Lhe naLure or quallLy of Lhe slmlle/meLaphor. CfLen Lhls wlll be a clue Lo how one characLer
feels abouL anoLher, or how we are Lo feel abouL Lhe characLer.lor example, ln Lhe passage above, noLlce how lorLune smlles on
Lhe rebel's cause llke a whore, buL MacbeLh flghLs llke a favored one of valour.

Also, conslder Lhe example below from AcL ll, Scene lll:

Pere lay uuncan,
Pls sllver skln laced wlLh hls golden blood,
And hls gash'd sLabs look' d llke a breach ln naLure
lor ruln's wasLeful enLrance:

Pere MacbeLh ls descrlblng Lhe appearance of uuncan's body. 1he skln ls noL llLerally sllver, nor Lhe blood gold, buL Shakespeare ls
glvlng us lnformaLlon abouL how much MacbeLh valued uuncan and Lhus regreLs kllllng hlm-and how confllcLed (noble yeL evllly
amblLlous) MacbeLh ls. We are Lo feel amblvalenL Loward MacbeLh: appalled aL hls deed, yeL wanLlng Lo admlre Lhe person.
Llkewlse, noLlce who speaks Lhe slmlles and meLaphors.

1. 1hroughouL Lhe play Lady MacbeLh uses very few slmlles, and Lhese are comparaLlvely sLralghLforward:
?our face.ls as a book." (AcL l, Scene v)
Look llke Lhe lnnocenL flower / 8uL be Lhe serpenL under' L." (AcL l, Scene v)
1he sleeplng and Lhe dead are buL as plcLures." (AcL ll, Scene ll)

2. MacbeLh, on Lhe oLher hand, uLLers many, many more slmlles and Lhese are much more complex and poeLlc":

.hls vlrLues
Wlll plead llke angels, LrumpeL-Longued.
And plLy, llke a naked new-born babe,
SLrldlng Lhe blasL, or heaven's cherublm, horsed
upon Lhe slghLless courlers of Lhe alr,
Shall blow Lhe horrld deed ln every eye,
1haL Lears shall drown Lhe wlnd. (AcL l, Scene vll)

And MacbeLh ls descrlbed meLaphorlcally: ln Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe play, he ls 8ellona's brldegroom" (AcL l, Scene ll). 8y Lhe end of
Lhe play he ls a dead buLcher" and Lady MacbeLh ls hls flend-llke queen" (AcL v,
Scene v lll).

WaLch also for =$*'".&8&!+)&".

- valour's mlnlon
- plLy, llke a naked newborn babe
- l Lhlnk our counLry slnks beneaLh Lhe y oke,
- lL weeps, lL bleeds, and each new day a gash
- ls added Lo her wounds. (AcL lv, Scene lll)


4 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll
R?=$*7"9$
- Wlll all greaL nepLune's ocean wash Lhls blood
- Clean from my hand? no, Lhls hand wlll raLher
- 1he mulLlLudlnous seas lncarnadlne,
- Maklng Lhe green one red. (AcL ll, Scene ll)
- . all Lhe perfumes of Arabla wlll noL sweeLen Lhls llLLle hand (AcL v, Scene l)


S.%$*')+)$#$.)'
- 1hls ls a sorry slghL. (AcL ll, Scene ll).

Motifs
noLlce how Shakespeare repeaLs (or repeaLs and develops) cerLaln Lhemes or phrases:
- lalr ls foul, foul ls falr,
- Cleanlng uuncan's blood from Lhelr hands,
- 1he wlLches' abuse of words-amblgulLles and hldden meanlngs,
- CullL, represslon, and madness,
- Sleep and sleeplessness.


Dramatic Conventions and Authors Techniques

T*+#+)&! T$4&!$'B

A '"9&9">6? ls a Lype of monologue: 1he characLer ls alone onsLage. lL ls a devlce Lhe playwrlghL uses Lo glve Lhe audlence lnslghL
lnLo Lhe characLer's LhoughLs and emoLlons. Shakespeare uses sollloqules Lo allow Lhe reader Lo wlLness Lhe confllcL beLween
MacbeLh's honorable naLure and hls amblLlon comblned wlLh hls deslre Lo please hls wlfe.

1he +'&%$ ls anoLher devlce used by Lhe playwrlghL Lo glve Lhe audlence lnslghL lnLo Lhe characLer. Pere Lhe characLer ls speaklng
elLher Lo hlmself or dlrecLly Lo Lhe audlence. 1here are oLher characLers onsLage who by convenLlon do noL hear Lhe aslde.

A 8"&9 ls a characLer who hlghllghLs or emphaslzes cerLaln LralLs of Lhe maln characLer by conLrasLlng Lhem. ln MacbeLh,
Shakespeare uses boLh 8anquo and Lady MacbeLh as folls for MacbeLh. 8anquo's sLaunch lnLegrlLy and Lady MacbeLh's
unmlLlgaLed amblLlon helghLen Lhe lnner confllcL beLween MacbeLh's own waverlng lnLegrlLy and amblLlon.

An +996'&". ls an lndlrecL reference Lo anoLher evenL, person or work wlLh whlch Lhe wrlLer assumes Lhe reader ls famlllar.
Shakespeare uses alluslons as Lechnlques for esLabllshlng characLer, bulldlng Lheme, seLLlng mood. ln MacbeLh, Lhere are alluslons
Lo Creek and 8oman myLhology, 8oman hlsLory, and Lhe 8lble.

llnally, Lhere can be no drama aL all wlLhouL confllcL. ln MacbeLh, Lhe prlmary confllcL ls lnLernal beLween MacbeLh's sLrong sense
of 8lghL and hls sLrong deslre boLh Lo be klng and Lo please hls wlfe.

T?.+#&! +.% @)+)&! U(+*+!)$*'
MacbeLh ls a sLrong example of a %?.+#&! characLer. AL Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe play he ls a courageous general, a man of honor wlLh
a sLrong sense of duLy and responslblllLy. 1hese LralLs are whaL cause hlm Lo angulsh over wheLher or noL Lo klll hls klng and cousln.
ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe play, he ls gullL-rldden and paranold. 8y Lhe end of Lhe play he ls a broodlng LyranL who lamenLs Lhe
meanlnglessness of hls llfe.

Lady MacbeLh, on Lhe oLher hand ls a ')+)&! characLer. lrom Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe play she ls seL-uuncan musL be kllled. 1o doubL
or Lo speak of gullL ls foollsh. lronlcally, lL ls her lnablllLy Lo change LhaL ulLlmaLely leads Lo her lnsanlLy and sulclde.

;($ V$&*% @&')$*' +.% )($ ;*+,&! R$*"
noLlce LhaL Lhe Welrd SlsLers are referred Lo as wlLches" only ln Lhe sLage dlrecLlons. no one slLLlng ln Lhe audlence seelng Lhe
play wlll hear Lhe word wlLch" even once. 8aLher, ln Lhe LexL 8anquo and MacbeLh call Lhem Lhe Welrd SlsLers," lndeed, Lhls ls
whaL Lhey call Lhemselves.

Accordlng Lo Lhe OxfotJ oqllsb ulctloooty, Lhe word welrd" ls derlved from Lhe Cld Lngllsh wytJ meanlng fote or Jestloy. LaLer
uses of Lhe word refer Lo Lhe )(*$$ W+)$' of classlcal myLhology. 1hese wlll be dlscussed laLer. SLlll laLer uses refer Lo one who
3 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll
preLends or ls supposed Lo have Lhe power Lo foresee and conLrol fuLure evenLs. SLlll laLer Lhe uses lnclude persons who have Lhe
power Lo conLrol Lhe desLlnles of oLhers.

So exacLly how much conLrol does Shakespeare lnLend hls Welrd SlsLers Lo wleld over MacbeLh's desLlny? keep ln mlnd LhaL Lhe
LllzabeLhan Lraglc hero's downfall was Lhe resulL of hls own cholces and acLlons. 1herefore, lf Lhe Welrd SlsLers cause Lhe acLlon of
Lhe play and conLrol MacbeLh's desLlny, where's Lhe Lragedy ln LhaL? WhaL, Lhen, ls Lhelr role?

We won'L spend any Llme on Lhelr ldenLlLy as wlLches. AfLer all, Shakespeare used LhaL Lerm only ln hls sLage dlrecLlons-a sorL of
shorL hand for hls acLors as lL were. As far as hls audlence was concerned (and remember LhaL he was noL wrlLlng for readers ) Lhey
are Lhe Welrd SlsLers. lf weltJ refers Lo fote or Lhe laLes, we should Lhen examlne Lhe Lhree slsLers, splnners, who spun Lhe fabrlc
of human exlsLence. llrsL of Lhe laLes Lhere was Q9")(" , who spun Lhe meLaphorlc Lhread, Lhus deLermlnlng Lhe naLure and
quallLy of Lhe lndlvldual human llfe. SlsLer X+!($'&' measured Lhe Lhread for lengLh, and 2)*"="' cuL Lhe Lhread, Lhus deLermlnlng
Lhe end of Lhe human's earLhly exlsLence.

So Lhese were preLLy powerful women. 8uL noL necessarlly. Many classlcal scholars argue LhaL Lhe laLes Lhemselves were
governed by Lhe paLLern of Lhe LapesLry Lhey were weavlng. 1hus, lf kloLho wove coarse yarn lndlcaLlng a harsh llfe, whlle Lachesls
measured lL and ALropos cuL lL shorL, lndlcaLlng an early deaLh, lL was because Lhe LapesLry called for a plece of shorL, coarse yarn.
So, whlle even Zeus could noL conLrol Lhe laLes, even Lhey were essenLlally merely worklng Lhe wlll of a hlgher power-
represenLlng Lhe broad plcLure of human hlsLory.

8e careful, Lherefore, noL Lo ascrlbe Loo much power or conLrol Lo Lhe wlLches. 1he Lraglc hero , accordlng Lo 2*&')")9$, was a man
(god, deml-god, hero, hlgh-ranklng offlclal) who rose Lo a hlgh poslLlon and Lhen fell from LhaL hlgh poslLlon-usually Lo uLLer
deaLh and desolaLlon. 1wo forces seem equally powerful ln classlcal Lragedy, Lhe Lraglc hero's Lraglc flaw (or (+#+*)&+), and faLe.

Some Lraglc heroes clearly brlng abouL Lhelr own downfall, as ln Lhe case of Creon ln AnLlgone whose downfall ls due Lo hls hubrls
(excesslve prlde)-he belleves hls Law holds precedence over Lhe gods' sense of 8lghL. CLher Lraglc heroes seem Lo be more a
pawn of laLe, llke Cedlpus who has done everyLhlng ln hls power (as had hls parenLs before hlm) Lo prevenL Lhe faLal prophesy
from comlng Lo pass LhaL Cedlpus would murder hls faLher and marry hls moLher. lL ls ln Lhe very acL of Lrylng Lo avold desLlny LhaL
Lhe prophesy ls fulfllled.

8y Lhe 8enalssance, however, people generally felL Lhemselves Lo be less pawns of faLe and more
ln conLrol of Lhelr own desLlnles. 1he LllzabeLhan Lraglc hero, Lherefore, ls much more ofLen
responslble for hls own downfall. 1hls wasLe of human poLenLlal" as lL were seems Lo be much
more Lraglc Lo Lhe LllzabeLhans Lhan Lhe vagarles of faLe.

R&')"*&!+9 N$8$*$.!$'
Accordlng Lo Pollnshed's Chronlcles, MacbeLh ruled ScoLland for 17 years, Lhe flrsL 10 of whlch were peaceful and prosperous for
ScoLland. As a klng, MacbeLh unlLed Lhe Lhree seml-soverelgn provlnces of Alba, CalLhness, and Crkney. Pe enacLed laws
proLecLlng Lhe rlghLs of wldows and orphans, and lnLroduced sLone consLrucLlon Lo a people who ofLen desLroyed Lhelr enemles by
burnlng down Lhelr houses whlle Lhey slepL.

1he flnal seven years of MacbeLh's relgn were rlddled by doubL and susplclon as uuncan's exlled sons had grown Lo adulLhood and
were ploLLlng Lo lnvade ScoLland and ousL MacbeLh. Pollnshed, however, says LhaL MacbeLh's paranola sprang from hls sense of
gullL aL havlng kllled uuncan. Powever, Pollnshed also records LhaL MacbeLh's kllllng of uuncan was noL ln cold blood whlle Lhe
klng slepL. 8aLher, MacbeLh ralsed an army and revolLed agalnsL a klng whom many consldered lncompeLenL (noLe LhaL even
Shakespeare's play beglns wlLh boLh an lnLernal rebelllon agalnsL uuncan and a forelgn lnvaslon). uuncan was kllled on Lhe
baLLlefleld.

PlsLorlcal facL, however, wlll noL serve Shakespeare's dramaLlc purposes.

Shakespeare's uuncan ls uuncan l who became klng ln 1034. rlor Lo Lhls, ScoLland had been a loosely confederaLed collecLlon of
Lrlbes and clans. WlLh Lhe vlklng ralds ln Lhe 9
Lh
cenLury, Lhe ScoLs" began Lo band LogeLher for muLual proLecLlon. 1he vague
offlce of klng" passed frequenLly and vlolenLly beLween rlval clans unLll uuncan l. LxcepL for Lhe 17 years of MacbeLh's relgn, all
subsequenL rulers of ScoLland were descended from uuncan-lncludlng !ames l (!ames v l of ScoLland) who was Lngland's ruler
when
Shakespeare wroLe MacbeLh. uuncan was noL Lhe old man Shakespeare presenLs. Pe was approxlmaLely 36 aL Lhe Llme of hls
deaLh ln 1040, and hls oldesL son, Malcolm was only nlne. A quleL, genLle man, uuncan was an lncompeLenL ruler, and hls slx-year
relgn was rlddled wlLh rebelllons and LhreaLs of rebelllon.
6 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll

X+%? Y+!7$)( was Lhe granddaughLer of kenneLh lv, a ScoLLlsh klng of a rlval famlly Lo uuncan's. kenneLh lv dled ln a baLLle
agalnsL Malcolm ll, uuncan's grandfaLher. 1hus, Lady MacbeLh would have grown up bellevlng she had a blood feud wlLh uuncan.
1hls would explaln Lady MacbeLh's unswervlng deslre Lo see uuncan kllled and her own husband klng.

AfLer Lhe hlsLorlcal MacbeLh dled, hls sLepson, Lulach, Lrled Lo conLlnue Lhe dynasLy buL falled. resumably MacbeLh's sLepson was
Lady MacbeLh's son by a prevlous marrlage-whlch would explaln how Shakespeare's Lady MacbeLh has apparenLly been a moLher
(l have glven suck and know/Pow Lender 'Lls Lo love Lhe babe LhaL mllks me." AcL l, Scene v ll) whlle MacbeLh hlmself apparenLly
has no chlldren.

;($ Z+.>6" 9$,$.% had long been esLabllshed as accepLed LruLh" by Lhe Llme Shakespeare wroLe MacbeLh. 1he klng of Lngland
was !ames l, who was also Q&., [+#$' \] "8 @!")9+.%, a descendenL of Lhe SLuarL dynasLy. !ames was Lhe elghLh SLuarL monarch
(nlnLh lf you counL Mary SLuarL, buL Shakespeare had hls reasons for noL counLlng her). Accordlng Lo legend, Lhe SLuarLs of
ScoLland Lraced Lhelr ancesLry back Lo uuncan l on Lhe female slde and Lo 8anquo on Lhe male.

8anquo's belng Lhe founder" of Lhe SLuarL uynasLy, and !ames's belng Lhe elghLh SLuarL monarch sheds llghL on Lhe parade of
klngs Lhe Welrd SlsLers show MacbeLh (AcL lv, Scene l). Shakespeare's klng-!ames l-ls Lhe elghLh klng. Pe ls carrylng Lhe mlrror
Lo show a long llne of fuLure SLuarLs (Shakespeare would have no ldea how long Lhe dynasLy would conLlnue). Some of Lhese klngs
are carrylng Lwo-fold balls", lndlcaLlng Lngland and ScoLland, and Lreble scepLers" lndlcaLlng Lngland, ScoLland, and lreland (or
posslbly even predlcLlng a successful Amerlcan emplre). MacbeLh was probably wrlLLen ln 1606-Lhe same year LhaL !ames l
founded Lhe London Company and Lhe lymouLh Company, charglng Lhem Lo flnd gold, flnd a rouLe Lo Lhe SouLh Seas, and flnd Lhe
LosL Colony of 8oanoke.

T6.'&.+.$ seems Lo appear ouL of nowhere. ln Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe play, uuncan llves aL lorres and MacbeLh aL lnverness. AcL lll
all Lakes place ln and around lorres. ln facL, Lhe flrsL menLlon of uunslnane lsn'L unLll AcL lv, Scene l when Lhe Lhlrd apparlLlon
reporLs, MacbeLh shall never vanqulsh' d be unLll / CreaL 8lrnam wood Lo hlgh uunslnane hlll / Shall come agalnsL hlm" LhaL we
hear of uunslnane.

uunslnane ls Lhe sLone hlllLop forLress MacbeLh bullL durlng hls sevenLeen-year relgn, apparenLly one of Lhe flrsL such forLresses
consLrucLed of sLone. Whlle Lhe hlsLorlcal MacbeLh was lndeed defeaLed aL a 8aLLle of uunslnane (uunslnnan), he remalned klng
and was noL flnally defeaLed and kllled unLll Lhree years laLer aL Lhe baLLle of Lumphanan.

Interesting Things to Know Before Reading
V+*.&.,B Mocbetb ls supposed Lo upseL people. lL shows llfe aL lLs mosL bruLal and cynlcal, ln order Lo ask llfe's LoughesL quesLlon.
1hls lnLroducLlon deals wlLh all Lhls wlLhouL apology.

;(&' ]' ^") _W+#&9? M.)$*)+&.#$.)_
?oung people who know of Shakespeare from "Shakespeare Cardens" and "8eauLlful 1ales for Chlldren" may be surprlsed by whaL
happens ln MacbeLh. When we flrsL hear of MacbeLh, he has [usL cuL an enemy open ("unseamed") from belly buLLon ("nave") Lo
LhroaL ("chops"). 1he klng shouLs "Ch vallanL cousln! WorLhy genLleman!"

AL Lhelr parLy, a wlLch shows her frlends Lhe chopped-off Lhumb of a shlp's plloL wrecked on hls way home. A wlLch who's angry
wlLh a lady who was munchlng chesLnuLs and wouldn'L share Lhem plans Lo geL back aL her by causlng a nlne-day sLorm Lo make
her sallor husband mlserable. lf Lhe shlp hadn'L been under dlvlne proLecLlon, she would have kllled everybody on board. AnoLher
wlLch offers Lo help wlLh a blL of maglcal wlnd. 1he angry wlLch appreclaLes Lhls and says, "?ou're such a nlce person."

Lady MacbeLh, sollloqulzlng, prays Lo devlls Lo possess her mlnd, Lurn Lhe mllk ln her breasLs lnLo blle (LhaL sour sLuff ln your
sLomach), and glve her a man's ablllLy Lo do evll. Lady MacbeLh ralls aL her husband and rldlcules hls mascullnlLy ln order Lo make
hlm commlL murder. She Lalks abouL a smlllng baby she once nursed and whaL lL would have been llke Lo smash lLs bralns ouL --
she would prefer Lhls Lo havlng a husband who ls unwllllng Lo klll ln cold blood. When you come Lo Lhls passage pay aLLenLlon Lo
and Lhlnk abouL exacLly whaL Lady MacbeLh ls saylng.

Lady MacbeLh keeps a sLrong sedaLlve ln Lhe house. She doesn'L menLlon Lhls Lo her husband even when Lhey are plannlng a
murder. She [usL uses lL. ALLenLlve readers wlll suspecL she has had Lo use on MacbeLh ln Lhe pasL.

1he MacbeLhs murder a sleeplng man, Lhelr benefacLor and guesL, ln cold blood, Lhen launder Lhelr bloody cloLhes. 1hey smear
blood on Lhe drugged guards, Lhen slaughLer Lhem Lo compleLe Lhe frame-up.
Porses go lnsane and devour each oLhers' meaL whlle Lhey are sLlll allve.
7 Mocbetb Classlcs & ComposlLlon ll

Lverybody knows MacbeLh murdered uuncan, buL Lhey make hlm klng anyway. vlrLuous-Lalklng 8anquo ("LeL's have a Lhorough
lnvesLlgaLlon someLlme") acqulesces Lo murder, conflrmlng whaL every Leen knows abouL adulL hypocrlsy. (ln Pollnshed, 8anquo ls
MacbeLh's accompllce. Slnce 8anquo was supposed Lo be Lhe ancesLor of Shakespeare's own klng !ames l, Lhls wouldn'L really do.)
Lennox plays boLh sldes, and probably oLhers do as well. 8oss ls ln a blg hurry Lo leave Macduff's casLle. ls Lhls Lo "malnLaln
plauslble denlablllLy" [usL before Lhe appearance of Lhe assasslns, who he acLually broughL?

MacbeLh sees 8anquo's ghosL wlLh LwenLy skull ln[urles, any one of whlch could be faLal. Pe goes psychlaLrlc and screams "?ou
can'L prove l dld lL." Pe goes on abouL how he used Lo Lhlnk LhaL once somebody's bralns were ouL, he'd sLay dead. 8uL now he'll
need Lo keep people unburled unLll Lhe crows eaL Lhe corpse llke roadklll, eLc., eLc.

WlLches dellver lncanLaLlons ("uouble, double, Loll and Lrouble... bubble eLc.") LhaL can sLand alongslde any meanlngless-
lnferenLlal heavy-meLal rock lyrlcs.

Among Lhe lngredlenLs of a wlLches' brew are cuL-off human llps and a baby's flnger. lL's noL [usL any baby -- lL was a chlld dellvered
by a prosLlLuLe ln a dlLch, and LhaL she sLrangled rlghL afLerwards. (1hls klnd of Lhlng happens ln our era, Loo. no one knows how
ofLen.)
1o show MacbeLh hls fuLure, Lhe wlLches add Lo Lhe brew "grease LhaL's sweaLed from Lhe murderer's glbbeL." Would you llke Lo
know whaL LhaL means? 1he bodles of execuLed murderers were lefL hanglng on Lhe gallows / glbbeL, ofLen caged so Lhelr frlends
couldn'L Lake Lhem away, unLll Lhey were skeleLonlzed, a process LhaL Lakes weeks. AL abouL Len days ln sulLable weaLher, Lhere
are enough weak polnLs ln Lhe skln LhaL Lhe bodyfaL, whlch has llquefled, can sLarL drlpplng Lhrough. 1here wlll be a puddle of oll
underneaLh Lhe body. 1hls ls for real.

Macduff's precoclous llLLle son [okes wlLh hls moLher abouL how Lhere are more bad Lhan good people ln Lhe world, and adds
some wlsecracks aL Lhe expense of her own posslble morals. MomenLs laLer, Lhe bad guys break ln and sLab hlm Lo deaLh.

"Who would have LhoughL Lhe old man would have so much blood ln hlm?" Lady MacbeLh goes lnsane and commlLs sulclde.
Pearlng of Lhls, MacbeLh [usL says "She should have dled hereafLer", meanlng "She should have plcked a dlfferenL Llme Lo dle." Pe
Lhen launches lnLo Lngllsh llLeraLure's mosL famous sLaLemenL of Lhe meanlnglessness of llfe. Pe conslders sulclde, whlch Lhe
8omans consldered Lhe dlgnlfled Lhlng Lo do under such clrcumsLances. 8uL he decldes lL would be more saLlsfylng Lo Lake as many
people as posslble wlLh hlm.

Macduff recounLs how he was cuL ouL of hls moLher's womb aL Lhe momenL of her deaLh. ln a world wlLhouL anesLhesla or safe
surgery (l.e., boLh MacbeLh's world and Shakespeare's), lf a woman was unable Lo dellver a chlld due Lo lLs belng Loo large Lo pass
Lhrough Lhe blrLh canal, boLh she and Lhe chlld would dle unless a "cesarean secLlon" was performed. 1he moLher's abdomen and
uLerus were cuL open and Lhe chlld removed. lL also had Lo be done before Lhe moLher wenL lnLo severe shock, so she would be
fully consclous when lL whlle lL was belng done. Cf course she would dle soon afLerwards. Shakespeare's audlence knew Lhls.

AL Lhe end of Lhe play, MacbeLh's head ends up on a sLlck.


The Curse of Macbeth
Clven lLs shocklng hlsLory of dlsorder and deaLh, acLors have come Lo Lhe loglcal concluslon LhaL MacbeLh ls unlucky. 1he besL
known of all LheaLrlcal supersLlLlons forblds acLors from menLlonlng Lhe name of "LhaL ScoLLlsh play" anywhere lnslde Lhe LheaLre
oLher Lhan onsLage. lf an acLor mlsLakenly leLs Lhe "M" word sllp ln Lhe dresslng room he or she musL perform a rlLual Lo reverse
Lhe curse.

AlLhough Lhese anLlcs vary dependlng on who you ask, mosL Llmes Lhe acLor wlll run from Lhe bulldlng, Lurn around Lhree Llmes,
splL, and Lhen ask permlsslon Lo reenLer Lhe LheaLre. lL ls [usL as dlsLresslng for acLors Lo hear a quoLe from Lhe play uLLered ouLslde
Lhe LheaLre. lf Lhls happens, Lhe offender musL reclLe an equal number of llnes from anoLher play. 1he dlsLlngulshed
Shakespearean acLor, aLrlck SLewarL (besL known Lo 1rekkles" as CapLaln lcard), flnds salvaLlon ln llnes from A MlJsommet
Nlqbts uteom.