The tale behind the story

Macbeth is a famous play by William Shakespeare, the great English playwright.

It is based on a real historical figure, King Macbeth, who reigned over Scotland during the 11th century.

According to historians, he was a strong king, and Scotland enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity under his rule. He did not kill the previous king in his sleep, but rather defeated him in battle in AD 1040.

It is believed that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in an effort to impress his patron, King James I of England. At the time, the play attracted a great amount of public interest because it was about regicide (the killing of a king).

This subject had been in the news because of an attempt on King James’ own life – the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Conspirators had planned to blow up the parliament house with the king and his advisers inside.

Macbeth is a type of play known as a tragedy, which means it is a serious story with an unhappy ending, often involving the downfall of the main character.