William Shakespeare's Tragedie of Macbeth operates on three levels: historical, ethical, and supernatural. Not only was Macbeth a historical figure, but so were many of the characters in the play. The use of history as a foundation for drama was a favorite technique of Shakespeare. Plays based on historical individuals were among Shakespeare's popular productions, and they spanned the chronological range from classical antiquity to the sixteenth century; a classification of Shakespeare's plays can be found here.

Macbeth was not the only interesting historical individual from medieval Scotland, but the reasons why particular figures were considered worthy of elaboration varied greatly. Among the Lords of the Isles who are described in this TED-Ed lesson was one Rognvald Godredsson. A poem about his lordship, "A delightful place is the fairy mound of Emain," with a mix of history and the supernatural similar to Macbeth, can be found here.

Ethical considerations certainly played their part. The personal failings of a king were more important to the kingdom than those of anyone else. President Abraham Lincoln wrote to the actor James H. Hacket that Macbeth was his favorite play; documents on this connection are here. He did not give his reasons, but the interplay of ambition and power might have held his attention.

There are echoes of the past not only in manuscripts, but also the locations given in the play. The witches' prophecy that Macbeth would be safe until Birnam Wood came to Dunsinane Castle is part of the supernatural aura of the play. You can visit the castle, now in ruins, and surrounding area. The two are open to the public- an overview is available on this site.

To learn more about how Macbeth the king became William Shakespeare's literary antihero, read Macbeth before Shakespeare by Benjamin Hudson who is the educator of this TED-Ed lesson.

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