History’s Impact on Macbeth
It’s been said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and this certainly applies to such a great work of literature as Macbeth. The individual elements themselves that came together to produce this story are overshadowed by the literary masterpiece they created. However, to understand this story in its entirety, it’s important to be aware of the historical context in which it was written. Just as we can’t gain a full appreciation for the picture a puzzle creates until we understand the roles and values of each of the individual pieces, we must first be made aware of the role each of this story’s sources took in its creation to understand its evolution into the classic we know today. The ascendency of James VI of Scotland to the throne of England along with classic Scottish tales from the Holinshed Chronicles were fused together at a time of much political turmoil to create Macbeth, a work that is still viewed as a literary classic today.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth, a foreigner, James VI of Scotland, ascended to the English throne to be met with much civil unrest. There existed a great deal of discontent from fervent Catholic supporters towards James for his lack of full endorsement of Catholicism, as can be seen through such events as the Gunpowder Plot, a failed attempt on James’s life. However, despite any internal tension, the binding of England and Scotland together to form the United Kingdom stirred up an atmosphere of intense and sudden interest in all things Scottish throughout England, including London, the base of Shakespeare’s theatrical operations. In order to stay relevant, Shakespeare had to form a bond with the new monarch similar to that of his former relationship with Queen Elizabeth, who had been an avid fan of his theatre work. Shakespeare saw an opportunity in which he could both make a great financial profit as well as get into the good graces of the King. by Carter White
By basing his newest tragedy on a Scottish tale, he satisfied the peoples’ new interest in Scotland and gained the King’s endorsement of his play. One of the primary characters in Macbeth, Banquo, is thought to have been King James I’s ancestor. In the play, Banquo is not portrayed as the willing accomplice to murder he was historically, but rather as a virtuous patriarch of a noble line of kings to come, especially James I. In addition to mentioning his bloodline as prominent and honorable, Shakespeare also heavily relied on the use of witches in Macbeth, a subject which fascinated James. On a return voyage from Denmark to England in 1589, James had experienced severely turbulent weather and blamed it on witches. While the nation of England was not as overzealous in their pursuit of witches as several other nations, James I’s enthusiasm started a period of witch trials in the United Kingdom, resulting in an estimated 250 convictions and executions of supposed witches. The play Macbeth uses witches as symbols and enablers of mysterious and evil events and happenings, a portrayal which satiated James’s fascination with all things mystical. Through these efforts, Shakespeare’s acting company remained immensely popular through the reign of James I, even being officially renamed “The King’s Men” due to his support. Shakespeare could not have achieved any of this, however, if it were not for two distinct tales from the Holinshed Chronicles.
Upon delving deep into the historical accounts of Scotland within the Holinshed Chronicles, Shakespeare found a literary gold mine of sources for box office hits. The tapestry of events within this history is painted in the blood of soldiers, nobles, and kings that died in various wars, assassinations, and displays of civil unrest. Shakespeare keyed in on two events in history to base his story off of: the ascendency of Macbeth to the Scottish throne, and the killing of King Duff by Lord and Lady Donwald. In the true timeline of events, Duncan was not a wise and just king as in the play, but was rather a largely ineffective tyrant who often took advantage of his citizens to better himself. In addition, Macbeth did not kill Duncan surreptitiously at his own castle of Inverness. This comes from the story of Lord Donwald, who was convinced by his wife to murder King Duff in order to advance themselves in society. Macbeth instead killed Duncan and took the throne publicly, and as most people argued, for the better. He was not a selfish and malevolent tyrant as he is portrayed in Shakespeare’s tragedy, but was actually a very generous and effective ruler. The reason for his upheaval as a ruler in actuality was due to the fear of local nobles that they would lose power as a result of his more equal distribution of resources, not due to his paranoia inspired killings and hallucinations. Another change in the story is the role of Banquo. Rather than being depicted as Macbeth’s violent partner in the murder of Duncan, he is seen as virtuous and noble in an attempt to please King James I, who was a descendent of Banquo. This ability to recognize and seize opportunity is the greatest ability Shakespeare possessed.
Through his ability to seek out and manipulate material to be popular with both audiences of average people as well as with the king, Shakespeare created a masterpiece that has lasted throughout the centuries. While the elements that came together to create this classic appear to be almost laid out perfectly to produce greatness, without Shakespeare’s literary prowess, they would have remained as nothing more than separate tales in otherwise unrelated texts. Much like a jigsaw puzzle, though we can simply step back and admire the final product of all of his hard work, it is through taking a closer look at the individual elements that created it and how they were fused together that displays to us the brilliance and mastery of Shakespeare as an author.
