Macbeth

I saw many of the Shakespearean plays as a child but certainly not Macbeth. I suspect it was deemed to be unsuitable, what with all the death both bloody murder, despairing madness and suicide.

It continues to elude me why this play was assigned to teenagers in their high school English programs after the happy sunshine, enchantment and fun of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and as a warm up to King Lear. 

As a 15 year old, I found the witches entertaining but unconvincing, Macbeth irrational and Lady Macbeth her own worst enemy. Having passed the course, I wanted nothing more to do with the whole miserable bunch of murderous Scottish depressives in their dark cold castle.

Perhaps Macbeth is meant for older people who have lived more years and seen enough of life to better understand what the play speaks to: that greed and envy could lead to hatred and an impassioned justification for violence wildly beyond the scope of the people we believe ourselves to be.

Another mystery: why would Shakespeare give his character the name of a real Scottish 11th century king? Mac Bethad mac Findláech (known s Macbeth in English) killed Duncan, not after a dinner party but in battle, a well-worn path to power and was himself killed fourteen years later by Malcolm Canmore, Duncan’s son (later Malcolm III). His rule “was marked by efficient government and the promotion of Christianity” (bbc.co.uk). He was a good king, not a madman consumed by illegitimate greed.

To be continued….