CC4Semest
erI
I
Br
it
ishPoet
ryandDr
ama:
14t
hto17t
hCent
uri
es
Macbet
hbyWi
ll
iam Shakespear
e
AShor
tAnal
ysi
s
Macbet his,alongwi ththecharacterofI agoi nOthelloandhi searli
erport
rayalofRichardI I
I,
Will
iam Shakespear e’smostpower fulexpl or
ationandanal ysisofev il
.Alt
houghwecanf ind
precursorstoMacbet hinthemur derer-
turned-conscience-str
icken-menofShakespeare’searli
er
pl
ay s– not ablytheconspi r
atorBrutusi nJul i
usCaesarandCl audi
usi nHaml et– Macbet h
providesuswi thacl oserandmor ecompl exexami nationofhowabr avemanwi t
hev eryt
hing
goingf orhi
m mi ghtbecorruptedbyambi tionandgoadi ngi nt
ocommi tti
nganactofmur der
.It’
s
wor t
hexami ninghowShakespear ecr eatessuchapower f
uldepi cti
onofonemanper suadedt o
doev ilandthenwr ackedbyhisconsciencef ordoingso.
Thesour
cesf
orShakespear
e’sMacbet
h
Macbethwasar ealScot t
ishking,alt
houghhewassomewhatdi ffer
entf r
om theambiti
ous,
mur der
ouscr eat
ionofWi l
liam Shakespeare.Hiswifewasr ealt
oo,butLadyMacbet h’
sreal
namewasGr uochandMacbet h’
srealnamewasMacBet hadmacFi ndlaí
ch.TherealMacbeth
kil
l
edDuncani nbat t
lein1040andMacbet h(orMacBet had)actuall
ywentont orul
efor17
years,unti
lhewaski l
l
edandMacbet h’sstepson,knownasLul acht heIdiot
,becameki ng
(t
houghheonl yruledf orlessthanay ear–t henMalcolm,asMal col
mI II
,tookthecrown).
Wher edidShakespearegett hestor
yf r
om, t
hen,andwhatdidhechange?
Thepl otofShakespear
e’sMacbet hisacombi nati
onoft wost or
ies:thestoryofMacbethand
thestoryofthemurderofKingDuf f
ebyDonwal dandhi swi fe,
whi chShakespearereadaboutin
RaphaelHol i
nshed’
sChr oni
cles.TheThr eeWi tchesappeari nHol i
nshed,butas‘ nymphsor
fai
ri
es’,suggesti
ngbeauti
fulyoungwomenr atherthanol d,uglyhags.Hol i
nshed’sKi
ngDuncan
i
saweakandf eebl
erul
er,whohasunf airl
ynamedhi sownsonPr i
nceofCumber l
and(andthus
heirtot hethrone)
,thwarti
ngMacbet h’sown( just)claimt ot het hrone,thr
oughhiswi fe’
s
previ
ousmar ri
ageandhersonbyherf i
rsthusband.
I
nHol i
nshed,then,Macbethhasev er
yreasontohav eagriev
anceagainstDuncan,ratherthan
beingmotivat
edsol el
yby‘ vaul
ti
ngambiti
on’
.WhenDuncanpr oclai
msMal col
m hisheirand
Pri
nceofCumber land,Macbethdoesnotseeitasasl i
ghtonhim andhisclai
mt othethrone–
forheappearst ohavenogenui neclai
m.Instead,heseesitast heturni
ngpoint:ifheist o
becomeKingthenhemustt akethecr
ownbyf orce.
What’smore,i
nHoli
nshed’
schroni
cl
e,Banquo actual
l
yhelpsMacbethto murderDuncan.
Shakespear
eal
ter
edt
hecharact
erofBanquobecausehisKi
ng,JamesIofEngl
and(JamesVI
ofScotl
and,ofcourse)claimeddescentfrom Banquo.Thisexplainst hescenei nMacbet hwit
h
themirror
sdisplayi
ngBanquo’ sdescendants–ev entuall
yculminat i
ngi nKingJameshi msel
f.
Banquowi l
lcert
ainl
y‘get’(i
.e.beget
)ki
ngs,allr
ight.Thisiswhatl edt hecri
ticWi l
l
iam Empson
toregar
dShakespear e’
sv ersi
onofMacbet hasa‘ Just-
SoSt or
y’,l
ike‘Howt heEl ephantGotIt
s
Trunk’
:itexplai
nshow Jamescamet obeKi ng,ov erhalfami llennium aftertheev ent
sof
Macbeth.
Theot herstor yf
rom Holinshed,detaili
ngt hemurderofKingDuf f
e,i
smuchclosertotheplotof
Shakespear e’splay
.Int het ent
hcent ury
,acent ur
ybeforet herealMacbet
hl i
ved,Donwal d,
eggedonbyhi swif
e,mur dersKi ngDuf fe(al
thoughint
hisversionDonwal
dgetstheservantsto
commi tt hemur derrathert hanbear ingt heknif
ehimself)
.Donwal dandhiswifegetDuf fe’
s
personalat tendant
sdr unk,and t hen to diver
tsuspici
on Donwaldeblamest hem fort heir
mast er’
smur der
,ki
l
li
ngt hem i npretendrage.
ThemesofMacbet
h
Pr
ophecy
Perhapsmor et hananyofShakespear e’sotherplays,Macbet hisaplayaboutt hef ut
ur e,about
thef uturebeingant ici
patedandi r
rupt i
ngi nt
ot hepr esent .AsFrankKer modeunder stoodso
well,andbr i
l
liantl
yanal ysedi nhisdi scussionofMacbet hinShakespear e’
sLanguage,f or
Macbet h‘t
hepr esentisnol ongerpr esent,theunact edf uturehasoccupiedi t
spl ace.’Macbet h
i
sapl aythatbegi nswi t
ht heWei rdSi stersdiscussingt hei
rfutur
emeet i
ng,andendswi th
Macduf fandt heot hersur viv
orspr epar i
ngt ogoandseeMal colm crownedKi ng.Ev ent he
solil
oquiesinMacbet hseem unusual lyfocusedonnotj ustt hecontemplationofaf uturecour se
ofact ion(fort hat
’sacommonf eatur eofmanysol i
loquiesi nmanyot herplays)butont he
displacementoft i
met hatt heplayispr eoccupiedwi th:‘Ifitweredone,when’ tisdone’ ,begins
oneofMacbet h’smostf amousspeeches,whi l
ehegr eetst henewsofLadyMacbet hwi thhis
celebratedmedi tati
onon‘ tomor r
ow’:
Tomor
row,
andt
omor
row,
andt
omor
row,
Cr
eepsi
nthi
spet
typacef
rom dayt
oday
,
Tot
hel
astsy
ll
abl
eofr
ecor
dedt
ime;
Andal
loury
est
erday
shav
eli
ght
edf
ool
s
Thewayt
odust
ydeat
h.
Thefir
stwordsLadyMacbethspeakstoherhusbandi
nthepl
ayshow how herambit
ionsf
or
herandherhusbandar
eal
readymakinghermi
ndleapfr
om t
hepresenti
ntot
hefut
ure:
Thyl
ett
ershav
etr
anspor
tedmebey
ond
Thi
signor
antpr
esent
,andIf
eel
now
Thef
utur
eint
hei
nst
ant
.
Butt
hegluethatkeepsallofthesefut
uremedit
ati
onsi
npl
ace,andact
sast
hemai
ndev
icei
n
Macbet
hlinki
ngpresentt
ofuture,i
stherol
eofpr
ophecy
.
It
’swor t
hst oppi ngt oconsi derandanal yset her oleofpr ophecyi nMacbet h.It’
st r
uet hatt he
Witchesar ecl ear l
ymeantt obesuper natural,andt heirpropheci esar esupposedl yf oundedon–
well,ont heirwi tchcr aft.Oneoft her easonsShakespear emayhav ebeendr awnt ot hest oryof
Macbet hist hat ,aswel lasspeaki ngt oKi ngJamesI ’sScot t
ishbl ood,i talsopl ay edt ohi s
i
nteresti nwi tchcr aft,bl ackmagi c,andt hesuper natural.Indeed,t heKi ngev enwr ot eabook
abouti t,Daemonol ogi e,whi chhadbeenpubl ishedi n1597,si xy earsbef orehecamet ot he
Englisht hr
one.Butt hecl evert hingaboutt hepr opheci esist hatwear elef tt
odeci dehowmuch
whathappensi nt hepl aywasf oret oldint heWi tches’pr ophecyandhowmuchwasar esul tof
thecour seofact ionMacbet hdeci dedon,oncehehadknowl edgeoft hepr ophecy .Wet alkof
‘
self-fulf
il
li
ngpr opheci es’ ,andMacbet hasapi eceofdr amal eav esusi nsomedoubtast ot he
rel
ationshipbet weenFat eandf reeagency .IfMacbet hhadnev erbeent oldbyt heWi tchest hat
hewoul dbeThaneofCawdor ,hewoul dst il
lhav ebeenmadeThaneofCawdor .Butwoul dhe
sti
llhav ebecomeKi ng?ForMacbet htobecomeKi ng,heneededt oknowt hatitwasor dained
thathewoul donedaysi tont het hr one,sohecoul dt henmur der ousl ytakei tfrom t hecur rent
i
ncumbent .IfMacbet hhadnotact edupont hepr ophecy ,itmaynothav ecomet rue.( Asi mi l
ar
ambi guitysur roundi ngt her oleoff ateandt her oleofi ndividualagencygov ernst hepl otof
Sophocl es’Oedi pusRex;al thoughShakespear e’st ragicmodelwasmor eSenecant hananci ent
Greek,Macbet hi sper hapst hepl ayi nhi soeuv rewhi chcomest hecl osestt of ollowi ngt he
modelf oragoodt r
agedysetouti nAr i
st otl
e’sPoet ics.)Si milarly,Banquost artst ot akehi s
prophecyser i
ousl yonceheseesMacbet h’scomi ngt r
ue.Nev ertheless, thei deat hatnomanof
womanbor nbei ngabl et ohar m Macbet hi sn’tev ert estedt ot hef ull
:Macbet hmaysi mpl ybe
unusual l
yl uckyi ncombat ,andMacduf f,r egar dlessofhi scaesar eansect ion,mayj usthav e
provedl ucky;att hesamet ime,bel ievingt hathav ingbeen‘ from hi smot her’swomb/Unt imel y
ri
pped’madehi mi nvincibleagai nstt het yrannicalMacbet hmayhav egi venhi mt hesel f-bel i
ef
thathecoul dbr ingt heusur perdown.Thest ori
eswet el
lour selvesaboutourownl i
v es,andour
destinies,shapewhatwedo.
Ambi
ti
on
Ambi
ti
on–or‘
vaul
ti
ngambi
ti
on’asMacbet
hhi
msel
fput
sit–i
sanot
hercent
ralt
hemeoft
he
play.Hear i
ngt hepr ophecyf rom theWi tchesconv i
ncesMacbet ht hathecoul dbeKi ng.I ndeed,
mor et hant hat,t hepr ophecysuggest st hathei smeantt obeKi ng.Al thoughDuncanhas
‘
honour ’d[him]ofl ate’,andMacbet hknowst hatt okill
thekingwhohadr aisedhi mt ot het i
tl
eof
ThaneofCawdorwoul dbe,amongot hert hings,anactofsupr emei ngr atit
ude,Macbet hi s
driventocommi tmur dersohecansei zet hecr own.Ev erythi
ngt hathappensaf terwar ds–hi s
dispatchingoft hehi redki l
ler st
omur derBanquo, theattempt edmur derofFl eance, theki l
li
ngof
Macduf f’swifeandchi l
dren, andt hef inalbat tleatDunsi nane–i sar esultoft hisoneact ,anact
thatwasi nspiredbybot hMacbet h’spr i
v ateambi tionandhi swi fe’slustf orpower .It’
swor th
remember ingt hatMacbet hwasal mostcer tainlywr it
tenshor tl
yaf tert het hwar ti
ngoft he
GunpowderPl oti nNov ember1605.( Ther ear eanumberofl ocalal lusi onst ot hisr ecent
attemptatpol i
t i
cal l
yandr eligi
ousl ymot i
v atedt errori
sm:t henumer ousi nst ancesoft hewor d
‘
equi vocati
on’int hepl ayr ef ertotheJesui tFat herGar net,whoknewoft hePl otandconsor ted
witht heconspi rators. )The‘ mor al
’ofMacbet h,ifwecanr unt heriskofr educi ngt hepl ayt oan
ethicalmessagei nt hi sway ,isthattousur pther ulerofaki ngdom i susual lyaBadI dea, atleast
i
ft her ul
eri sgener allythoughtt obeagoodoneandy ourmot i
vationf orwant ingt oki l
land
replacethem isy ourowngr aspingambi tiont obemonar chy ourself.
Gui
l
t
Itwoul dbei naccur at etosayMacbet hfeel sremor sefort hemur derofDuncan.Ev enCl audius,
the‘ smi li
ng v ill
ain’ofHaml etwho ki l
led aki ng so hecoul dt aket het hronef orhi mself,
expr essessomet hingappr oachi ngapr ickingofconsci encef ormur deringhi sownbr other,
acknowl edgingt hathecannotv erywel lappearpeni tentbef oreGodi fhedoesn’ treli
nquish
ever ythinghe’ sgai nedbyhi smur der ousdeed.ButMacbet h’
sgui l
tov ert hemur dersofBanquo
andDuncani sl essr emor set hani tisf earofbei ngdi scov ered,andonebaddeedgi vesbirthto
anot her ,eachofwhi chhast obecar ri
edoutt omakeMacbet handhi swi f
e‘ safe’
,touset he
wor dt hatr ecur st hroughoutt hepl ay( adozent i
mes,i ncluding‘ saf el
y’,‘safety’
,andot her
var i
ant s).Ev enwhenBanquo’ sghostappear stoMacbet hatt hebanquet ,andappear st ohi m
alone,suggest ingi tisamani festat ionofhi sowngui lt
yconsci ence,hei st erri
fiedthatt he
ghost ’spr esencewi l
lbetrayhi ssecr et,rathert hanwr ackedwi t
hr emor sef orkill
inghi sfri
end.
Angus’wonder fullyv i
vidi mageofMacbet h’sgui l
t(‘Now doeshef eel/Hi ssecr etmur ders
stickingonhi shands’ )r emi ndsust hat‘ hands’and‘ eyes’andot herbodypar t
sar eof ten
somewhatdi sembodi edi nt hispl ay ,asnumer ouscr i
ti
cshav eacknowl edged.Fr om Macbet h’
s
bloodyhand( ‘
Wi llallgreatNept une’ soceanwasht hisblood/Cl eanf rom myhand? ’
)toLady
Macbet h’sf ev erish somnambul istic hand- washi ng,to Macbet h’s ear lywor ds in an asi de,
signal l
inghi sdeadl yambi ti
on( ‘
Theey ewi nkatt hehand;y etletthatbe,/Whi cht heey ef ears,
wheni ti sdone, t
osee’ ),eyesandhandsar eatoddsi nt hi
spl ay,asi ft heey ecount enancest he
evilcar riedoutbyt hehand,wi tht hewi elderoft hedaggert urningabl i
ndey e.ButasAngus’
wor dsandLadyMacbet h’
sni ght -ti
memi medabl ut
ionsdemonst rate,onecannotsoeasi l
y
remov eone’ smi ndf r
om t hehandt hatdoesat erribledeed.
Onef
inal
pieceofMacbet
htr
ivi
a…
Macbet hissupposedtobecur sed.Theideaofthe‘curse’ ofMacbethhasacompl i
catedorigin,
thoughitwascer tai
nlygivenal egupi n1898whent henov el
istandwi tMaxBeerbohm put
aboutthei deathatt
hepl aywasunl ucky.Thatsaid,ithashadi t
sf ai
rshar
eoft r
agediesand
disast
ers:ina1942pr oduct
ionstarr
ingJohnGi elgud,f ourpeopleinvol
vedintheproduction
died,i
ncludingt
wooft heWi t
chesandt hemanplay i
ngDuncan.I fyousay‘Macbeth’i
nat heatre,
youaremeantt owalkt hr
eetimesinaci r
cleant
i-
clockwi se,t
heneitherspi
torsayarudewor d.
In1849, Macbet hev encausedar iotinNewYor k.TheAst orPlaceRi otwascausedbyt wor ival
actorsar guingaboutwhosepor t
rayalofMacbet hwasbet t
er.Amer i
canact orEdwi nFor r
estand
Englishthespi anWi l
li
am Char lesMacr eadywer ebot hplayingther oleofMacbet hi ndiffer
ent
productionsatdi fferenttheatresont hesameni ght,andal ongstandingriv
alryer upted.Another
notableni neteenth-centur
ypr oduct i
onoft heplay(featur
ingactingrivalr
y)involvestheso- call
ed
‘
wor stpoeti nt heEngl i
shlanguage’ ,whooncepl ay
edMacbet honst age–andr efusedtodi eat
theend.Aswer evealedinoursel ecti
onofi nt
eresti
ngf actsaboutScot ti
shpoetWi ll
i
am
McGonagal l,whenMcGonagal l–whohasar eputati
onf orbeingt hewor stpoeti nEngl i
sh–
playedther oleofMacbet hinast ageproduction,hewassoannoy edatbei ngupst agedbyhi s
co-star,
whowaspl ayi
ngMacduf f,thatwhenMacduf fwentt okil
lMacbet hatt heendoft hepl ay,
hef oundhi sf oemy steri
ouslyunv anquishable.
