Inside Shakespeare’s mind - Macbeth

Written in 1606, sited in England and Scotland, Macbeth is based freely in Holinshed's Chronicles. The play grew out of proportion but into the legend what it is in the theatre today. If we are to separate this tragedy from what it is today to the original script of Shakespeare, then one cannot point a finger at its irregularities.

This is one play I have researched over and over again, writing several features on it in the past, discussing with Shakespeare-addicts and even in the Shakespeare library at Stratford. I sought the help of Sumanadhamma Thera of the Mudukatuwa Viharaya who was the chief incumbent at that time as to the accuracy of the beginning of the reign of King Kahsyapa because of the similarities. These two legends are almost scene to scene are alike including the chief characters.

King Kashyapa is the split image of Macbeth, apart from the witches in the play, and a few incidents, they come alive on any stage like two peas in a pod. But the difference lies in the fact that one is the imagination of the writer what he had in mind when the play was scripted while the other surround the life-time of one of Sri Lanka's illustrious kings, Kashya.

If Shakespeare picked up the story from our history... how did it happen. There was absolutely no communication between Stratford of England and Sigiriya of Sri Lanka. This had churned my mind for a long time and I was determined to find answers.

Came the day when I met with yet another scholar and during our discussion, he came up with a possible theory... Apparently during the reign of our former kings including Kashyapa, merchants from the Far East would come in their boats to our shores to buy spices over the years from our island. Probably en-route to England as well as the West, they would have carried the story of King Kashyapa which they would have learnt from the locals during their spice transaction. A fascinating story such as this one may have fallen into the ears of the Bard or even to the Chronicles of Holinshed from which the story had been adapted.

Having said thus, shall we move over to the tragedy?

To draw out the essence of the play, Shakespeare depended on witchcraft. Such a serious playwright, a right-royal Englishman, a Christian etc. Why would he do that. I presume most of the scenes with un-natural beings, were gap-fillers. He had a knack for ghosts, spirits, goblins, fairies, witches etc and they all played their roles big and bold. In Hamlet, it was the ghost of King Hamlet that triggered off the story. In Macbeth, he has dramatized the ghost of Banquo.

Yet, Shakespeare was an excellent story teller with each play different to the other and classed them into histories, tragedies and comedies. Except for his slim knowledge in European history and secondary education, it is unlikely he had any references to strengthen his plays.

Macbeth's play opens in this scenario with three witches giving the lead to what was to follow.

An open place with thunder and lightning. Enter three witches

Act 1, Scene 1

1st witch: When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning or pain.

2nd witch: When the hurly burly's done. When the battle's lost and won.

3rd witch: That will be ere the set of sun.

1st w: Where the place?

2nd w: Upon the heath.

3rd w: There to meet with Macbeth.

1st w: I come, Graymalkin.

2nd w: Paddock calls.

3rd w: Anon. Fair if foul. Foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air (witches vanish).

Synopsis

Closer to Forres, the three witches also known as Weird Sisters deliberately encounter with Macbeth and Banquo, the two generals of the King of Scotland and hails Macbeth in a triple prophecy that would end with the kingship. Banquo is told he will get nothing. As the witches has promised, Macbeth is made the Thane of Cawder by the king.

Macbeth is aware of the deep ambition of his wife for him to become the king of Scotland and let her drive him onwards. One night, he murders the sleeping king while asleep and who was their guest at the castle of Dunsinane. At dawn the king's sons, Donalbain and Malcolm discover the murder of their father and the blame put on them. They fly for safety.

Macbeth proceed to Forres to be crowned king. Recalling what the witches had told him and Banquo, he gets Banquo killed but Banquo's son, Fleance escapes and that same night his ghost appears at Macbeth's state dinner.

Enter the three murderers to the palace at Forres

1st mur: But who did bid thee join with us.

2nd mur: Macbeth.

2nd mur: He needs not our mistrust since he delivers. Our offices and what we have to do. To the directions just.

1st mur: Then stand with us. The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day. Now spurs the latest traveller apace to gain the timely inn and near approaches subject of our watch.

3rd mur: Hark! I hear horses. Give us a light there, ho.

2nd mur: Then ‘tis he, the rest that are within the note of expectation. Already sre I’ the court...

1st mur: Let it come down (stabs Banquo).

Banquo: O treachery, fly good Fleance, thou may'st revenge. O slave. (Banquo dies. Fleance escapes).

Act III Sce III

The night of the royal banquet at the palace, Banquo's ghost appear and take a set at the head of the table. In the hope of assuring himself that no man born of a woman could harm him, he goes to meet the witches once again and that the Birnam Woods not come to Dunsinane. Macduff in the meantime has joined Malcolm in England. Malcolm is preparing an army to avenge the death of his family at the hands of Macbeth. At Dunsinane, Lady Macbeath burdened by her guilt of assassinating the King of Scotland, commits suicide. She also reveals herself in sleep-walking.

Malcolm is invading with his army under the shelter of branches from Birnam Woods. When Macbeth learns about his wife's death, he has no remorse and quips “She should have died hereafter”. Trusting desperately to his charmed life, Macbeth faces up to Macduff in combat. Macduff sneers him with - “Let the angel whom thou still hast ser'd / Tell thee Macduff was from his mother's womb / Untimely ripp'd”. Macbeth is slain and Malcolm is crowned King of Scotland. Macduff kills the tyrant who killed his innocent family.

In performance

One of the most shortest and concentrated plays the Bard wrote. Macbeth speaks nearly 1/3 of the lines. Directors believe that this play is meant to be acted without an interval because of its lightning speed of events. Macbeth is an astonishing portrait of two creatures, one beset by imagination and the other possessed by the power of evil.

It is a play of darkness, a play full of ambition and of strange happenings. Only the best of thespians could portray a role such as Macbeth, a role of dual character. Ever since the Bard's death, Macbeth has risen in glory of performance. Every leading character-actor clamoured to play Macbeth. In one play, the spirits of evil was so overbearing that at the end, Psalm No. 90 had to be read to ease off. ‘Thou shall not be afraid of any terror by night'...

All the leading theatres around the world has mounted Macbeth as a great horror-struck classic. Many films shot and the full length-legend televised in part as well at length.

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