The Curse of Macbeth

1161 Words3 Pages

Many people believe that there is a terrible curse that has been put upon Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Since the premiere of Macbeth in 1606, it has had a run of unlucky events influencing superstitions in the theater world, which have inspired traditions that are now common in theaters, such as never whistle on or off stage, never wish good luck, and, most well known, never speak of "Macbeth" in the theater unless you are performing it. (Molly…)

In 1604, William Shakespeare trying to please King James I, cast caution and imagination aside and for the opening scene of Macbeth's Act IV he reproduced a 17th century black-magic ritual,. Without changing an ingredient, Old Will provided his audience with step-by-step instructions in the furtive art of spell casting: Macbeth was written for King James I. In this time period, an estimated nine million women were put to death for being accused as witches. The King was very interested in witchcraft, so Shakespeare incorporated it into Macbeth. (Hanske/Monson) The belief in the reality and power of witches was broadly believed in Shakespeare's day. The practice of witchcraft was seen to threaten the traditional order of religion and society, and therefore was not tolerated. Witch hunting was a respectable, and ethical chase through much of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. (Riedel…)

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's more popular plays, but not as many people know about the superstitions that surround Macbeth. There's an old belief that when Shakespeare had produced a sacred black-magic ritual where a group of witches danced

around a black cauldron, shouting spells in the opening scene of Act IV, without changing an ingredient, he provided his audience with step-by-step in...

... middle of paper ...

...lained-mysteries.com/

column.php?id=160421>.

Molly. "Top Ten Theater Superstitions." Listverse. N.p., 20 Aug. 2010. Web. 9

Nov. 2011. top-10-theater-superstitions/>. Riedel, Jennifer. "The Witches' Influence on Macbeth." http://web.uvic.ca. N.p.,

26 Feb. 1966. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.
ISShakespeare/Resources/Witches/Witches.html>.

The Straight Dope Science Advisory Board. "What's the story on the curse of

Macbeth?" Straightdope.com. N.p., 16 Oct. 2007. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.

whats-the-story-on-the-curse-of-em-macbeth-em>.

Tritsch, Dina. "The Curse of 'Macbeth.'" Pretallez.com. N.p., Apr. 1984. Web. 9

Nov. 2011.
macbeth_curse.html>.

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth's Downfall

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare created a character in Macbeth who is strongly influenced in his decision making throughout the drama of The Tragedy of Macbeth. This drama is a Tragedy, hence the title, and has a hero, in Macbeth, who has a downfall. Readers become aware of the aspects that lead up to this predicament. Macbeth’s downfall was contributed equally from Lady Macbeth, the three weird sisters, and Macbeth’s ambition.

    Read More

  • How Did Witchcraft Affect The Renaissance Era

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since Shakespeare used beliefs of witchcraft that he had been exposed to, it is also very informational because it allows the reader to see insight on how people in the Renaissance era believed in witches. They believed that they could see into the future, create storms like when the witches stranded the sailor at sea, and make their selves invisible or disappear. It was also believed that witches could make potions and perform magic. The first lines of Macbeth are the witches having a conversation, so this automatically shows that witches and witchcraft are going to be a big focus of the tragedy. Witches and what they do are the main focus in Macbeth, and the theories of witches had a huge impact on this

    Read More

  • Theme Of Paranoia In Macbeth

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    The witches encouraged Macbeth’s sinister nature, when they originally predicted that he would inherit the throne. They also incorporate blood within their wicked concoctions: “Cool it with baboon’s

    Read More

  • How Does Macbeth And Witchcraft Influence The Concept Of Power

    693 Words  | 2 Pages

    Power: The possession of control or command over others. Witchcraft: magical influence. Combine the two, and a dangerous concoction will arise. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the downfall of a valiant man is portrayed as supernatural forces implant the idea of power into his mind. Macbeth takes place in the 15th century, a time when witchcraft was at an all-time high. In the 1400s and leading up to the early 1600s when Shakespeare wrote this play, witches were seen as subjects of Satan who were sent to carry out his tasks. King James I (1566-1625) feared witches so much that he wrote a book called Demonology, expressing his hatred and fear of witches. People suspected of committing witchcraft were burned at the stake, drowned, or hanged. In Medieval Europe there was a general mistrust of witches. The treatment of witches at this time explains why Banquo tells Macbeth not to believe in their prophecies at the beginning of the play. The supernatural plays a huge role in Macbeth, motivating Macbeth to commit evil actions and to have too much faith in his own mortality.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Superstitions

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth: Superstitions & nbsp; & nbsp;          The tragedy of Macbeth was written by Shakespeare in 1606 and produced in 1610. Macbeth is the most concentrated of Shakespeare's tragedies. The action gushes forward with great speed from the beginning to the end. The main characters in the play are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who are very noble, but their evil. ambition ultimately causes their downfall and death.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Tragedy

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the classical view, tragedy should arouse feelings of pity and fear in the audience. Does macbeth do this?

    Read More

  • Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his ambition and it consequentially leads to his downfall and ultimate demise. Macbeth is a tragic hero who is introduced in the the play as being well-liked and respected by the general and the people. He brings his death upon himself from this tragic flaw. His strengths turn into his weaknesses and his ambition drives him to the edge and sets himself up for his tragic death.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Power In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the renaissance era, the existence of witches is acknowledged and feared by most. Commonly recognized as evil beings, they administer prophecies to manipulate man and cause chaos. This type of predicament is exhibited in William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. Shakespeare depicts the magnitude of power in the witches’ prophecy and its effects on various characters by challenging their moral outlook, intensifying ambitions and triggering a loss of self-control.

    Read More

  • Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tragedy of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare is a tale of a man and his un-bridled ambition, set in ancient Scotland. Macbeth is a nobleman of the king of Scotland, Duncan, who is in mid-war with Norway. Macbeth and his fellow general Banquo encounter three witches. The witches tell the pair that Macbeth will be king, and Banquo’s children will also be kings. Any person in their right mind would question information given to them by strangers, let alone witches, but for some reason these statements intrigue Macbeth. They temp Macbeth to do evil things such as treason, and worse, to kill. Although un-bridled ambition is his main tragic flaw, there is one more that plays a big role in his decisions and the outcome of the story; Macbeth is far too impressionable.

    Read More

  • Religious Themes in Macbeth

    1419 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth in approximately 1606. The play is a tragedy and this can often be identified before we have even read the play. The title “Macbeth” alone suggests the genre of the play is a tragedy, as it is the name of a character. Life in Shakespeare’s time was very religious and the play was written in order to please King James I, who was on the throne at this point. The idea of the theme of religion and witchcraft fitting into the play was also to please King James I as he was interested in witchcraft.

    Read More

  • macbeths descent into evil

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    The character Macbeth in the story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth faces decisions that affect his morals. He begins as an innocent soul, dedicated to serve his kingdom and its king, Duncan. As time passes and opportunities present themselves combined with the deception of the evil witches, Macbeth begins his descent into madness. Macbeth’s innocence and loyalty are completely corrupted due to his over confidence, guilty conscience, and the inevitability of human nature. Macbeth looses sight of what is morally right to do in life because his logical choices are changed by these factors.

    Read More

  • Essay On Good And Evil In Macbeth

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    During Shakespeare's time, witchcraft, superstition, and black magic were very popular topics. Most stories and plays had some sort of witchcraft or supernatural element in them. The superstitions that were popular during this era were based on many religious beliefs (Pillai). It is recorded that close to 247 women were taken to trail for engaging in witchcraft (Pillai). These women were blamed for causing the bubonic plague, bad harvest times, death of animals, crop failures due to their work with witchcraft (Pillai).

    Read More

  • Macbeth - Evil And Darkness

    619 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Macbeth" is built upon evil and sorcery. Whether it be the witches "Double, double, toil and trouble;/Fire burn and cauldron bubble." (Act

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Tragic Hero in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    113 Macbeth. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1990. The. Coursen, H. R. Macbeth: A Guide to the Play. London: Greenwood Press, 1997.

    Read More

  • Superstition Essay

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    Superstition is the fear of what is unknown and mysterious, but does it in fact impact our everyday actions? In the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare superstition is a significant contribution to the characters actions. An analysis of Macbeth reveals that superstition causes insanity, rash decisions, and affects how people conduct their lives. Showing in fact, that superstition has a significant impact on thoughts and actions.

    Read More

More about The Curse of Macbeth

Open Document