The Real Macbeth

4 Pages 914 Words

Macbeth is one of the most well known plays Shakespeare wrote, but there is another Macbeth that many do not know about. Macbeth was a Scottish king whom the play was based on. There are many differences between Shakespeare’s play and the historical figure. Modern sources suggest the picture Shakespeare paints of Scotland in 1044 is based on rumors and few source documents. The most comprehensive and historical model may be Dorothy Dunnet’s epic novel King Hereafter. Shakespeare took the skeletal outline of Macbeth from Holinshed’s Chronicles, as he got much inspiration from. Although, Holinshed’s story maybe more factual both have fictional elements.
Shakespeare wrote the play as a tribute to King James, who was the owner of Shakespeare’s play company. Macbeth was a king of Scotland from 1040 to 1057. He did come to throne after the assignation of King Duncan. Macbeth may have murdered his predecessor but the crime was not unusual at the time. Duncan was not a mature strong king unjustly of being slain but instead a weak willed man unequal to the task of governing his realm. After “seizing” the throne Macbeth used his power effectively and became a competent king. He seized the throne in the play as well but focused on keeping his reign rather then the welfare of the duties of being a king.
The real Macbeth did not kill the king in his own home, which is one of the reasons the play is so tragic. It is said Duncan had set out to subdue the independent chiefs of North, and while engaged was killed by Macbeth or on his orders. Macbeth’s wife in the play was referred to as Lady Macbeth. In reality her name was Gruoch. She did influence Macbeth to have the king killed. She was the daughter of a man named Biote, who was the song of King Kenneth III, whom was murdered by Malcolm II in order to become king. Although Scottish kings were elected, killing the king made the position open to candidates.
The historical Lady Ma...