Historical Sources of the Story the Birth of the Play

8572-X Introduction.F 4/12/00 7:25 AM Page 19 Introduction to Macbeth 19 Historical sources of the story major alteration concerns Lady Macbeth, who fig- Though Macbeth is not considered a history play, the ures very little in the historical accounts but is quite title character is a Scottish historical figure. As we shall prominent in Shakespeare’s play. Lady Macbeth see when we look at its cultural context, this play also appears only once in Holinshed’s Chronicles, and her has intimate links with Early Modern England. His- only action is to persuade her husband to commit torically, Macbeth ruled as King of Scotland for 17 regicide (the murder of a king). Critics have specu- years, from 1040 to 1057. The accounts of this period lated that Shakespeare’s depiction of Duncan’s mur- in Scottish history vary. They all agree, however, that der and Lady Macbeth’s active and ambitious role Macbeth gained the throne by killing King Duncan (drugging the servants and smearing them with and lost the throne to Malcolm by being killed. blood) may be borrowed from Holinshed’s account Shakespeare relied upon these histories as well as other of Captain Donwald and his wife’s murder of King sources in the composition of this play. Specifically, Duffe. As we can see, in addition to revising histor- he drew heavily from Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles ical sources, Shakespeare frequently integrated vari- of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1587), but he may ous accounts to construct one coherent story. also have been familiar with George Buchanan’s The revisions to the historical accounts of Mac- Rerum Scoticarum Historae (1582). beth are more easily understood when we understand Shakespeare deviates from these historical the culture in which Shakespeare was writing. Pin- sources a great deal in his exploration of the themes pointing the date of composition for this tragedy will of kingship, human nature, and evil. These alter- allow us to get a better glimpse at the play’s imme- ations to the story include portraying the tragic hero diate context. in a more evil manner while painting Banquo (King James I’s ancestor) in a more sympathetic light. For example, Holinshed’s and Shakespeare’s depictions The birth of the play of Duncan differ wildly. Historically, Duncan is The earliest published version of Macbeth appears in described as a young, weak, and ineffective king. But the First Folio in 1623, though many critics feel that Shakespeare’s Duncan is an older, benevolent, influ- this edition of the play is modified from the lost orig- ential, and virtuous king, whose murder is a crime inal. The first reference to a production of Macbeth against nature itself. pushes the play’s date back to 1611. A Jacobean play- Furthermore, in Holinshed’s account, Banquo goer named Simon Forman recorded in his Book of figures more prominently in Macbeth’s ascension to Plays that he saw this work performed on April 20, the throne because he serves as Macbeth’s accomplice 1611 at the Globe theatre. in Duncan’s murder. Shakespeare’s Banquo maintains Upon examining references to contemporary his loyalty to Duncan, telling Macbeth that he will events and people, however, critics have concluded help as long as it does not compromise this loyalty: that Macbeth was most likely written and first per- “So I lose none / In seeking to augment it, but still formed in 1606. In the intervening 17 years, the play keep / My bosom franchis’d and allegiance clear, / I was revised (around 1609), most likely by dramatist shall be counsell’d” (II.1.26–29). Thomas Middleton, who added some of the witches’ In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth’s descent into songs in Act III, Scene 5 and Act IV, Scene 1. Mid- tyranny occurs over what seems a matter of weeks, dleton may also be responsible for other lines in the and there is no mention of the ten years of peaceful play, though we cannot be certain. Keep in mind, rule that Scotland enjoyed under Macbeth. The final as explained in the “Introduction to Early Modern.

Load more