The Sources Of ShakespeareS Plays Essays - Characters In Macbeth

The Sources Of Shakespeare'S Plays: Shakespeare, Macbeth is created by combining two people, Makbeth and Donwald. Also, the murder of Shakespeare's King Duncan, comes almost directly from Donwald's murder of Holinshed's King Duff. Shakespeare also condensed Macbeth's seventeen year reign into a period consisting of a couple of weeks. The saying that ?history is written by the victors? holds true here. After Malcolm ascended to power he proceeded to rewrite history to make his family justified in overthrowing Macbeth. This editing of history made the real Macbeth darker and more evil and made King Duncan, making him more docile and kind. The Celtic customs of succession were ignored in Shakespeare's play, and with that, so was Macbeth's claim to the throne by being the worthiest of the kinsman. Due to the amount and context of the information used by Shakespeare, I have decided to go through Shakespeare's Macbeth explaining the play and then summarizing the information from Holinshed's and explaining the parallels. In the paragraphs pertaining to the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth, I will use the names given by the author (e.g. Macbeth, Macduff, Banquo, etc.). To avoid confusion as to what is being discussed (Shakespeare's story line or how he uses Holinshed's), bold type will be used when referring to Holinshed's work ( I will also use the chronicler's spellings of the names -- e.g. Makbeth, Makduffe, Banquho), while plain type will be used when referring to Shakespeare's plot. The page numbers cited in reference to Holinshed's pertain to W.G. Broswell-Stone's 1896 printing of Shakespeare's Holinshed. Shakespeare's Macbeth opens on three witches. They speak in rhymes that sound like magical incantations, they then agree to meet again when the battle between Scotland and Norway, (from which Macbeth is about to return) is over. One of the witches says that they will soon meet with Macbeth. We are then taken from the heath on which the witches met, to King Duncan's court. A messenger returns from the war with Norway with news of victory, due mostly to Macbeth's bravery. Other soldiers enter and report that Macdonwald, the Thane of Cawdor, assisted the enemy, but that Duncan's forces had won despite the betrayal. King Duncan declares a death sentence on Macdonwald and bestows his title (Thane of Cawdor) upon Macbeth, who has not yet returned or been told of this honor. In Holinshed's (pg. 168-170) Makdonwald, the Thane of Cawdor, rebels against the King with the assistance of troops from Ireland. Makbeth and Banquho are dispatched to put down the rebellion. Shakespeare deviates from Holinshed's here, by saying that Macbeth defeats Macdonwald in battle, while in Holinshed's, Makdonwald, seeing the size and ferocity of Makbeth's forces, kills his family and then himself, as to avoid capture. Makbeth finds the body, decapitates the slain noble and parades around with Makdonwald's head on a pole, then chases the recently arrived army from Norway back to their ships. For Makbeth's courage and tactics in battle, he is granted the slain Thane's lands and riches. Macbeth and his friend Banquo encounter the witches on their way home from the battlefield. The witches call to Macbeth, saying: ?All hail! (I, iii, 47-50) calling him by his present title, the Thane of Glamis, as well as the Thane of Cawdor, and proclaiming that he ?shalt be King hereafter. Macbeth, having not yet heard of his promotion to Thane of Cawdor is confused. But the idea of becoming king intrigues him. Banquo asks the witches about their predictions for him, and they respond, in their usual ways of half-truths and contradiction, that he will be Lesser than Macbeth, and greater?, ?Not so happy yet much happier? and ?Though shalt get kings though thou be none (I, iii, 65-67). Macbeth demands that the witches give him an explanation for their prophecy, but they vanish. Soon after this strange occurrence, Macbeth and Banquo are greeted by the King's messengers. They inform Macbeth of his new title, the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth tells Banquo that this is proof that the witches' prophecies are true. Macbeth's continues to think about becoming king, and he wonders if he will have to commit murder to attain what he has been promised . The scene ends with Macbeth whispering to Banquo that they must discuss all that has happened at a more appropriate time. This scene was taken almost verbatim from Holinshed's. Makbeth and Banquho encountered the witches or ?weird sisters? and were greeted with ?All haile, Makbeth, thane of Glammis!?, ?Haile, Makbeth, thane of Cawder!?,