Holinshed's Influence on Shakespeare's Macbeth

Raphael Holinshed’s historical literature The History of Scotland gives a basis for William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. While Holinshed’s historical composition is factual, the author uses his imagination to characterize historic people, employing dialogue to make the history more interesting. Moreover, Holinshed uses dialogue to offer reasoning for the actions of these individuals –often misrepresenting the actual characters and historical events. When compared to Shakespeare’s play, it is shown that both authors apply dialogue to reveal more about characters. Since Shakespeare obtained many of his impressions from Holinshed, the storyline and methods that both authors use are similar. However, because Shakespeare’s work is a play, more

Yet, Holinshed tells these events like he was there, confidently describing the appearances of King Duff, the personality of Macbeth, and suggesting an individual’s traits through fabricated dialogue. For instance, when Holinshed is describing Malcolm’s reaction to Macduff discovering the news of his murdered family, Holinshed writes, “ Malcolm, hearing Macduff’s words which he uttered in very lamentable sort, for mere compassion and very ruth that pierced his sorrowful heart bewailing the miserable state of his country, he fetched a deep sigh, which Macduff, perceiving, began to fall most earnestly in hand with him to enterprise the delivering of the Scottish people out of the hands of so cruel and bloody a tyrant as Macbeth” (Holinshed 203). From this, one can gather the sense of drama Holinshed incorporates into his writing style –from “he fetched a deep sigh,” (Holinshed 203) to “Macduff, perceiving, began to fall most earnestly in hand with him” (Holinshed 203). Additionally, Holinshed adds his own ideas about what these individuals were thinking. For example, “the miserable state of his country,” (Holinshed 203) and “so cruel and bloody a tyrant as Macbeth” (Holinshed 203). A more truthful historian may write more plainly, such as, ‘after Malcolm heard of the murder of Macduff’s family, they both decided to take revenge on the king, Macbeth’. This writing style does not

This is extremely apparent during Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene, in which her most private thoughts are revealed. Shakespeare puts Lady Macbeth in a vulnerable scenario and uses dialogue to uncover the guilt she is feeling over the murders of King Duncan and Banquo. During the scene, Lady Macbeth cries, “wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so pale! I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried. He cannot come out on’s grave” (v. i. 62-63). This blatantly tells the audience the source of her anxiety, a component of the play that Shakespeare adds purposely to show Lady Macbeth’s true character. In Derr’s production, Rigel Harris, the actress who plays Lady Macbeth, enhances this portrayal of inner guilt by appearing obviously agitated on stage. In her state of delirium, she fidgets and rubs her hands together, walks zombie-like across the stage, and appears to be in complete distress. Even the way Harris presents the character –the way she talks and emphasizes certain words adds to the dramatic feel of Lady Macbeth’s psychological episode. Instead of simply reading the dialogue, Harris forces the audience to listen: “out, damned spot! out, I say, one –two –why then, ‘tis time to do’t” (v. i. 35-36). These series of cries from Lady Macbeth animate the stress she feels, an aim of Shakespeare’s play that