Macbeth was penned in the early part if the 1600s, probably between 1604 and 1605. It seems that Shakespeare had his new patron, King James, in mind when he wrote the play, because there are several aspects that were intended to impress the new monarch.
History of Macbeth
For example, the play is one of Shakespeare’s shortest, as it is believed that James disliked long plays. In addition, the favourable depiction of Banquo (an ancestor of King James’) is clearly intended to flatter. Most importantly, the inclusion of the witches, a subject that fascinated James, made the King’s approval of the play inevitable.
Theatrical Superstition
However, despite the play’s popularity, it has been dogged by superstition and rumours of curses from its very first production. The well-worn tradition of actors not saying “Macbeth” is all too familiar. But, from where did the notion of a cursed play arise?
Origins of the Superstition
Coincidentally, the very aspect of the play that proved its popularity is thought to be the origin of a dreadful curse. Rumour has it that Shakespeare used genuine rituals to create the first scene of act IV, in which the audience observes the weird sisters dancing, chanting and mixing a peculiar concoction in their cauldron. Some people believe that the real witches of Shakespeare’s time were displeased with the theatrical representation of their rituals and, subsequently, placed a curse on the play.
Another theory asserts that the notion of bad luck in connection with Macbeth developed in theatre companies, because it would often be nominated as a fallback play. In other words, if injury or illness prevented a company from performing their scheduled play, Macbeth would be performed instead. Largely, this was because Macbeth required a smaller cast and, being a short play, there were fewer lines for the actors to memorise.
Additionally, due to its popularity, Macbeth would often be the play performed by struggling theatre companies. Unfortunately, reversing the fortunes of a failing company is a lot to expect from one play, so, inevitably, Macbeth was often the last play performed by many theatre companies. This is also attributed as a root of the belief that Macbeth is a bad luck play.
The Curse at Work
Over the years, a catalogue of accidents, fatalities and bizarre incidents have been ascribed to the curse of Macbeth.
In fact, it is rumoured to have struck the premiere performance of the play. It is believed that Shakespeare had to take to the stage as Lady Macbeth, because the young man who had been cast in the role suddenly became very ill and, subsequently, died. Of course, this tragedy can be attributed to the curse, but it is worth bearing in mind that due to the lack of sanitation in the 17th century, numerous people were killed by mysterious illnesses.
One of these most famous cases of real life tragedy striking a production of Macbeth occurred at New York's Astor Place, in 1849, when 31 people were killed when a full-scale riot broke out in the theatre.
Additionally, the curse of the play is said to have struck the legendary Laurence Olivier, when he was nearly hit by a stage weight, in 1937. The director and an actress, of the same production, were involved in a car accident on their way to the theatre. The production was hit with further bad luck when the theatre manager was killed by a heart attack during the dress rehearsal and, if that weren’t enough, Olivier’s sword broke during one of the fight scenes and ended up flying into the audience, hitting a man who later also had a heart attack.
- More information about the ‘Curse of Macbeth’ can be found here.
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