The murderous medieval king who inspired Macbeth - Benjamin Hudson
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Date: 2025-03-30
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Comments and reviews: 20
jaspermcjasper3672
My parents were at a performance of Camelot. Some scenes were set in a castle, others in a forest. At some point, cables failed and pieces of the forest fell from their overhead parking-space onto the stage. Guinevere was there, realized it was by mere luck that she missed serious injury, and fell to tears. The male (Arthur Lancelot) said Fair Queen, 'tis but Birnam Wood, lost and wandering, seeking Dunsinane Hill, which is but the first castle within the gated community at the cul-de-sac end of this street. But you know they MUST draw the curtain, by law, because the rigging needs checking with a fine tooth comb before someone else is endangered. They may have just refunded tickets and shut down, because if the cast can't trust the flying of the sets how can they perform At least that actor made a brave effort to keep going, with that ad-lib. But even the audience couldn't laugh it off, flinching from the sound of the trees crashing down, and frozen with the fear that something else would crash before all persons were safe.
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My parents were at a performance of Camelot. Some scenes were set in a castle, others in a forest. At some point, cables failed and pieces of the forest fell from their overhead parking-space onto the stage. Guinevere was there, realized it was by mere luck that she missed serious injury, and fell to tears. The male (Arthur Lancelot) said Fair Queen, 'tis but Birnam Wood, lost and wandering, seeking Dunsinane Hill, which is but the first castle within the gated community at the cul-de-sac end of this street. But you know they MUST draw the curtain, by law, because the rigging needs checking with a fine tooth comb before someone else is endangered. They may have just refunded tickets and shut down, because if the cast can't trust the flying of the sets how can they perform At least that actor made a brave effort to keep going, with that ad-lib. But even the audience couldn't laugh it off, flinching from the sound of the trees crashing down, and frozen with the fear that something else would crash before all persons were safe.
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GallowglassVT
Briefest summary of what we know of the real Macbeth: he was the mormaer (equivalent to an English earl, but in practice, a kind of sub-king) of Moray in the Scottish Highlands with a claim to the Scottish throne through both his own bloodline and his marriage to Gruach, the basis for Lady Macbeth (though all we really know about her is that she's the first Scottish queen to be named and that she was a patron of certain monastic orders. As for what happened with Duncan, the earliest surviving records suggest that King Duncan actually provoked Macbeth into fighting him by leading an attack on Moray where he was killed in battle. Macbeth, already having arguably a better claim to the throne under the Gaelic tannistry system of succession, then took the throne and had a fairly successful reign until Malcolm Canmore, with English support, invaded and dethroned him before he died in battle. Even then, Macbeth's stepson, Lulach, reigned as king for a while before Malcolm took full control.
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Briefest summary of what we know of the real Macbeth: he was the mormaer (equivalent to an English earl, but in practice, a kind of sub-king) of Moray in the Scottish Highlands with a claim to the Scottish throne through both his own bloodline and his marriage to Gruach, the basis for Lady Macbeth (though all we really know about her is that she's the first Scottish queen to be named and that she was a patron of certain monastic orders. As for what happened with Duncan, the earliest surviving records suggest that King Duncan actually provoked Macbeth into fighting him by leading an attack on Moray where he was killed in battle. Macbeth, already having arguably a better claim to the throne under the Gaelic tannistry system of succession, then took the throne and had a fairly successful reign until Malcolm Canmore, with English support, invaded and dethroned him before he died in battle. Even then, Macbeth's stepson, Lulach, reigned as king for a while before Malcolm took full control.
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TheJunior10
Timestamps
00: 12 - Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' explores themes of fate and ambition through murder and prophecy.
00: 54 - Macbeth's story blends prophecy and historical events from 11th century Scotland.
01: 34 - Macbeth's historical context reveals the blend of fact and fiction.
02: 20 - Medieval writers shaped history like storytellers reflecting cultural norms.
03: 03 - Fordun and Wyntoun shaped Macbeth's villainous legacy to boost Scottish pride.
03: 52 - Macbeth is portrayed as a once-just ruler turned tyrant.
04: 35 - Shakespeare tailored 'Macbeth' to flatter King James with themes of prophecy and witchcraft.
05: 14 - Shakespeare's Macbeth grapples with identity and the influence of fate.
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Timestamps
00: 12 - Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' explores themes of fate and ambition through murder and prophecy.
00: 54 - Macbeth's story blends prophecy and historical events from 11th century Scotland.
01: 34 - Macbeth's historical context reveals the blend of fact and fiction.
02: 20 - Medieval writers shaped history like storytellers reflecting cultural norms.
03: 03 - Fordun and Wyntoun shaped Macbeth's villainous legacy to boost Scottish pride.
03: 52 - Macbeth is portrayed as a once-just ruler turned tyrant.
04: 35 - Shakespeare tailored 'Macbeth' to flatter King James with themes of prophecy and witchcraft.
05: 14 - Shakespeare's Macbeth grapples with identity and the influence of fate.
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richewilson6394
I always thought of it macbeth as a man who has given power fate and then when he had the power he was good corrupted by his wife who suddenly wanted to have more power. But when it came to the real consequences of the act of killing the king, it ended her ambition. Now that he had a sense of control over his fate He was able to see himself has more of a god than anything when he was able to find out that his death would not ever come because of two reasons that seemed impossible.
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I always thought of it macbeth as a man who has given power fate and then when he had the power he was good corrupted by his wife who suddenly wanted to have more power. But when it came to the real consequences of the act of killing the king, it ended her ambition. Now that he had a sense of control over his fate He was able to see himself has more of a god than anything when he was able to find out that his death would not ever come because of two reasons that seemed impossible.
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SorenAlba54
I’ll be damned. I never would’ve imagined that one of Shakespeare’s writings, which is arguably the second most famous behind Hamlet, actually has some truth behind it. You think you know something until more information reveals itself that changes everything we have ever come to know. History never ceases to amaze me and that’s why I love it.
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I’ll be damned. I never would’ve imagined that one of Shakespeare’s writings, which is arguably the second most famous behind Hamlet, actually has some truth behind it. You think you know something until more information reveals itself that changes everything we have ever come to know. History never ceases to amaze me and that’s why I love it.
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BuildinWings
Fun fact: If your last name is Bean, Boone, Bain, Baines, etc, there is a very good chance you're descended from the same clan as the historical MacBeth. And because why wouldn't it get weirder, your historical castle is located on the eastern banks of Loch Ness, a place called Kinchyle.
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Fun fact: If your last name is Bean, Boone, Bain, Baines, etc, there is a very good chance you're descended from the same clan as the historical MacBeth. And because why wouldn't it get weirder, your historical castle is located on the eastern banks of Loch Ness, a place called Kinchyle.
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blukmage19typeR
I remember a movie that is much like a Japanese Macbeth, Akira Kurosawa's 1957 film, Throne of Blood or Kumonosu-jou (The Spider Web Castle. It even has elements from Macbeth, from the witches to the warrior generals, the assassinations, the moving forest - the whole works.
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I remember a movie that is much like a Japanese Macbeth, Akira Kurosawa's 1957 film, Throne of Blood or Kumonosu-jou (The Spider Web Castle. It even has elements from Macbeth, from the witches to the warrior generals, the assassinations, the moving forest - the whole works.
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masercot
In the play, Macbeth meets his fate pretty quickly after the murder; however, historical Macbeth actually ruled for seventeen years. Modern playwrights address this by adding the line, Boy did THOSE seventeen years pass quickly, just before the final battle.
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In the play, Macbeth meets his fate pretty quickly after the murder; however, historical Macbeth actually ruled for seventeen years. Modern playwrights address this by adding the line, Boy did THOSE seventeen years pass quickly, just before the final battle.
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festivitycat
Beautiful animation and well-written script but please, please get someone to check the pronunciation before briefing the narrator. I winced multiple times, at arbuh-real mac bath-ed win ton and boh eeze. As a Scot it quickly became unlistenable
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Beautiful animation and well-written script but please, please get someone to check the pronunciation before briefing the narrator. I winced multiple times, at arbuh-real mac bath-ed win ton and boh eeze. As a Scot it quickly became unlistenable
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stevecharters8965
A puerile presentation. All the plays we know as Shakespeare's are based on previous written sources. And to imply that modern 'history' is not always being rewritten to suit those in power at the time is obviously wrong.
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A puerile presentation. All the plays we know as Shakespeare's are based on previous written sources. And to imply that modern 'history' is not always being rewritten to suit those in power at the time is obviously wrong.
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kodyseamonster
Almost all of Macbeth is written in verse - which gives it this unearthly feeling. It’s detached. It’s strange. Most of its scenes are also at night - giving an extra foreboding and suspicious tone.
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Almost all of Macbeth is written in verse - which gives it this unearthly feeling. It’s detached. It’s strange. Most of its scenes are also at night - giving an extra foreboding and suspicious tone.
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AndrewStevenKnight
James was the personal patron of Shakespeare's company so I don't think it's likely that he was rebelling against censorship. This video also doesn't bring up Middleton's interpolations
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James was the personal patron of Shakespeare's company so I don't think it's likely that he was rebelling against censorship. This video also doesn't bring up Middleton's interpolations
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ted_ed
It aways make me wonder if the Macbeth in the title refers to the usurper king or the manipulative lady. Few seems to remember how much she was also responsible for the major events in the story.
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It aways make me wonder if the Macbeth in the title refers to the usurper king or the manipulative lady. Few seems to remember how much she was also responsible for the major events in the story.
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medusagorgon9
It's funny how 'historians' will take great pride in tearing someone down that they never met. At that point it's primarily second-hand gossip, half-truths and out right lies, not history!
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It's funny how 'historians' will take great pride in tearing someone down that they never met. At that point it's primarily second-hand gossip, half-truths and out right lies, not history!
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antagonisticfish
The last segment is rather poignant, especially the indirect comparison of the historians to the witches, who pre-determine the legacy of both the fictionalised and real Macbeth's.
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The last segment is rather poignant, especially the indirect comparison of the historians to the witches, who pre-determine the legacy of both the fictionalised and real Macbeth's.
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khemanig2
This is such an amazing layered video that shows the value of the humanities by looking at this famous play through the lense of history, historiography, and literature.
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This is such an amazing layered video that shows the value of the humanities by looking at this famous play through the lense of history, historiography, and literature.
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Mk-gk3wv
My first thought when asked the question of who inspired Macbeth was Oh, I know! King James I!
I'm happy to say I learn more with y'all. Thanks for the brain fuel!
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My first thought when asked the question of who inspired Macbeth was Oh, I know! King James I!
I'm happy to say I learn more with y'all. Thanks for the brain fuel!
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davea6314
Always say the name Macbeth in a theatre for good luck. Seek to rent out room 13 on the 13th floor of a hotel, break a mirror, and walk under a ladder for good luck.
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Always say the name Macbeth in a theatre for good luck. Seek to rent out room 13 on the 13th floor of a hotel, break a mirror, and walk under a ladder for good luck.
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Xyzgamershub
First Witch: When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain
Second Witch: When the hurly-burly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
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First Witch: When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain
Second Witch: When the hurly-burly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
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HKduane
Fun fact: the real life Duncan’s granddaughter was Matilda of Scotland, who married Henry I. They had Empress Matilda, who the modern royal monarchs descend from.
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Fun fact: the real life Duncan’s granddaughter was Matilda of Scotland, who married Henry I. They had Empress Matilda, who the modern royal monarchs descend from.
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