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It is believed that Macbeth was first performed between 1605 and 1606.
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In this era there was a huge demand for new entertainment and the
drama would have been produced immediately following the
completion of the play.
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Shakespeare knew that a play featuring witches would attract theatre
goers and increase his audience and revenue.
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He would also have been aware that King James I was extremely
interested in witches and sorcery, having written a book called
Daemonologie (Demonology) describing the demonic rites of witches.
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Shakespeare really could not lose with Macbeth when it was performed
in 1605, two years after James acceded to the throne of England.
The real Macbeth took the throne of
Scotland in 1040, after killing his cousin King
Duncan I in a battle near Elgin in the Moray
district of Scotland.
 Duncan's eldest son, Malcolm, ended
Macbeth's reign in 1057 by killing him in
battle and later assuming the throne as
Malcolm III.
 The real Lady Macbeth's first name was
Gruoch, although this is not mentioned in
the play, and he was her second husband.
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This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by
William Shakespeare.
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The themes illustrated in the play include ambition, fate,
deception and treachery.
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Three witches decide to confront the great Scottish general
Macbeth on his victorious return from a war between
Scotland and Norway.
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The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will confer the title
of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth. Macbeth,
and another General called Banquo, happen upon the three
witches.
Brief Synopsis of Macbeth
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The witches predict that he will one day become king. He decides that he will murder
Duncan and Macbeth's wife agrees to his plan.
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He then murders Duncan assisted by his wife who smears the blood of Duncan on the
daggers of the sleeping guards.
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A nobleman called Macduff discovers the body. Macbeth kills the guards insisting that
their daggers smeared with Duncan's blood are proof that they committed the murder.
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The crown passes to Macbeth. More murders ensue and a bloodied ghost appears to
Macbeth.
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Lady Macbeth's conscience now begins to torture her and she imagines that she can
see her hands covered with blood.
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What will happen to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?
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There is no other superstition as well known in the
theatre world as that of the "curse of Macbeth."
It is thought to be extremely bad luck to say the
name "Macbeth" anywhere near a theatre.
Actors and theatre personnel instead, refer to
Shakespeare's Macbeth as "the Scottish play."
Actors refer to the lead characters as the Mac-ers,
Lady M, and other nicknames.
This superstition goes back to the 1600's.
Many felt that the witches incantations Shakespeare
wrote, were in fact real and that was what led to
many coincidental catastrophes.
The play has some major sword fights and battles that
could give it more opportunities for accidents than
other plays as well.

If an actor accidentally mentions the
name Macbeth they are expected leave
the theater, spit three times, spin three
times while cursing, and then ask
permission to return to the theater.
The Curse of Macbeth
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1606: First production. The boy playing Lady Macbeth became
feverish and died backstage. Rumor has it that Shakespeare
himself played the role.

1672: Amsterdam. The actor playing Macbeth substituted a real
dagger for the stage dagger and killed the actor playing
Duncan, in full view of the audience.

1703: Opening day. England was hit with one of the most
violent storms in its history. 500 seamen died.
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1849: a riot in which more than 30 people died at the Astor
Place Opera House
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April 9, 1865: Abraham Lincoln was reading passages from
Macbeth (scenes following Duncan’s assassination) aloud to
some friends. Within a week, Lincoln was himself assassinated.
The worst? A wartime
production saw…..
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The third witch fell ill and died of a heart attack
during the final rehearsal.
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The actor playing King Duncan died of angina.
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A witch was dancing around the cauldron, but
would not maintain the tempo of the music.
She collapsed and died on stage.
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The set designer committed suicide.
More tragedy….1937
production in London
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The director was nearly killed in a car crash. Lady M was
badly bruised as well.
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Laurence Olivier lost his voice and almost died when a
weight from the stage lights came tumbling down.
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The founder of the theater had a heart attack and died
on opening night.
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A member of the audience was hit by a fragment of
Olivier’s sword and then died of a heart attack.
Bermuda, 1953, and
Charlton Heston
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His tights had been accidentally soaked
in kerosene. He suffered severe burns on
his groin and leg.
A little more tragedy…
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1954: Company manager broke both legs in a
car accident and an electrician sustained
severe burns.
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1961: Connecticut: One actor, while riding his
bike, was hit by a car. One of the witches fell
from a stage lift. One actor was found dying of
stab wounds (the murdered was never found).
The company manager was murdered in his
Boston apt.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LKMktAN4hc
History of the Curse (2 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daz_OpMfBmg
One man’s story (1 minute)
Compare and Contrast
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clG8ha2D26g
As you watch the video clip, make notes about what is
going on in the scene and decide which version is your
favorite (the best).
 In a one page response, compare and contrast the three
clips and explain which one you think is the best and why.
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