Interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth If you were to ask any foreigner to name a Scots king, he wouldeventually mention Macbeth, and his knowledge would be based onShakespeare’s famous play. However, Shakespeare’s drama was writtenmore than 500 years after the real Macbeth was on the throne and theplot of the fictitious drama has somewhat overshadowed the true lifeof Macbeth.
As a result of Shakespeare, Macbeth has been portrayed as an unluckyplay, with fire, injuries and deaths associated with performances. Inthe acting profession, Macbeth is referred to simply as “The ScottishPlay”. It is unknown where exactly this unfortunate traditionoriginated, although it is believed that the witches’ chant has ahidden meaning, even though in reality the life of Macbeth did notinvolve witchcraft of any sort.
Interpretation of Shakespeares Macbeth (1700’s)
Macbeth himself, who died in 1057, did not appear in monks’ records asan evil figure, and myths about his reign only began more than 400years after his death. During his lifetime, his title as a”warrior-prince” seems to have caused panic between countries close toAlba, as Scandinavia, Ireland and England as well as the rest ofEurope, used Alba as a kind of strategic centre. Under Macbeth’scontrol for 17 years, Scotland had a capable, imaginative king, whocould safely leave the country for prolonged periods of time withoutfear of any uprisings, something that was impossible in England atthis time, during the reign of Edward the Confessor.
In 1050, M…
…Sivard of Northumbria, formed the climax ofthe play, and once again Shakespeare uses reliable information for thebasis of his script. If Holinshead is to be believed, Macbeth wasdefeated in battle at Dunsinane, which was a prehistoric hillfortclose to the Tayand Perth. Then, Holinshead claims he fled toLumphanan in the north-east of Scotland, where he was killed byMacduff, a Scottish lord whose family had been murdered as a result ofMacbeth’s rule.
However, Shakespeare felt it best to portray Macbeth being beheaded atDunsinane by Macduff. But Macbeth did not actually die until hereached Birnam Wood, 12 miles Southeast of Dunsinane. In fact, neitherHolinshead nor Shakespeare was correct as there was no such lord asMacduff, and, actually, Malcolm killed Macbeth, three years after thebattle of Dunsinane.