"The Plays of William Shakespeare The Plays of William Shakespeare was an 18th-century edition of the dramatic works of William Shakespeare, edited by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. Johnson announced his intention to edit Shakespeare's plays in his ""Miscellaneous Observations on Macbeth"" (1745), and a full ""Proposal"" for the edition was published in 1756. The edition was finally published in 1765. In the ""Preface"" to his edition, Johnson justifies trying to determine the original language of the Shakespearean plays. To benefit the reading audience, he added explanatory notes to various passages. Later editors followed Johnson's lead and sought to determine"
"King Duncan King Duncan is a fictional character in Shakespeare's ""Macbeth."" He is the father of two youthful sons (Malcolm and Donalbain), and the victim of a well-plotted regicide in a power grab by his trusted captain Macbeth. The origin of the character lies in a narrative of the historical Donnchad mac Crinain, King of Scots, in Raphael Holinshed's 1587 ""The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland,"" a history of Britain familiar to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Unlike Holinshed's incompetent King Duncan (who is credited in the narrative with a ""feeble and slothful administration""), Shakespeare's King Duncan is crafted as"
"betrayal that exists throughout the world of the play. The historical Duncan was a much younger man than Shakespeare's character, only a few years older than Macbeth. The playwright altered Duncan's age to stress the evil of Macbeth's crime, but in fact Macbeth did not murder Duncan; he usurped the crown through a civil war, and Duncan died in battle. The two were first cousins, both grandsons of Duncan's predecessor on the throne of Scotland, King Malcolm II (ruled 1005–1034). Duncan's claim to the throne was somewhat stronger than Macbeth's as it appears that Malcolm II had named Duncan as"
"completely deceived in the intents of Macbeth and therefore may come across as naive. Although a modern reader may view Duncan as an incompetent monarch in this respect, Duncan represents moral order within the play and his murder signals the onset of chaos. King Duncan of Scotland (c. 1001–1040) is the ruler of Scotland who Macbeth murders for his throne. Shakespeare's Duncan is an elderly man, a respected and noble figure; as Macbeth reflects, he 'Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongu'd' (1.7.17–19)."
"murder Duncan in order to obtain kingship. When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, she overrides all of her husband's objections by challenging his manhood and successfully persuades him to kill the king that very night. He and Lady Macbeth plan to get Duncan's two chamberlains drunk so that they will black out; the next morning they will blame the chamberlains for the murder. They will be defenceless as they will remember nothing. While Duncan is asleep, Macbeth stabs him, despite his doubts and a number of supernatural portents, including a hallucination of a bloody dagger. He is so shaken that Lady"
"Macbeth has to take charge. In accordance with her plan, she frames Duncan's sleeping servants for the murder by placing bloody daggers on them. Early the next morning, Lennox, a Scottish nobleman, and Macduff, the loyal Thane of Fife, arrive. A porter opens the gate and Macbeth leads them to the king's chamber, where Macduff discovers Duncan's body. Macbeth murders the guards to prevent them from professing their innocence, but claims he did so in a fit of anger over their misdeeds. Duncan's sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee to England and Ireland, respectively, fearing that whoever killed Duncan desires their"
"Durham turned into a disaster. Duncan survived the defeat, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, Macbeth's domain, apparently on a punitive expedition against Moray. There he was killed in action, at Bothnagowan, now Pitgaveny, near Elgin, by the men of Moray led by Macbeth, probably on 14 August 1040. On Duncan's death, Macbeth became king. No resistance is known at that time, but it would have been entirely normal if his reign were not universally accepted. In 1045, Duncan's father Crínán of Dunkeld (a scion of the Scottish branch of the Cenél Conaill and Hereditary"
"Duncan in ""Holinshed's Chronicles"" (1587), a history of England, Scotland, and Ireland familiar to Shakespeare and his contemporaries, although the events in the play differ extensively from the history of the real Macbeth. The events of the tragedy are usually associated with the execution of Henry Garnet for complicity in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. In the backstage world of theatre, some believe that the play is cursed, and will not mention its title aloud, referring to it instead as ""The Scottish Play"". Over the course of many centuries, the play has attracted some of the most renowned actors to"
"Duncan I of Scotland Donnchad mac Crinain (Modern Gaelic: ""Donnchadh mac Crìonain""; anglicised as Duncan I, and nicknamed An t-Ilgarach, ""the Diseased"" or ""the Sick""; ca. 1001 – 14 August 1040) was king of Scotland (""Alba"") from 1034 to 1040. He is the historical basis of the ""King Duncan"" in Shakespeare's play ""Macbeth"". He was a son of Crínán, hereditary lay abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethóc, daughter of king Máel Coluim mac Cináeda (Malcolm II). Unlike the ""King Duncan"" of Shakespeare's ""Macbeth"", the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Malcolm as king after"
"adding to the darkness of Macbeth's crime as the worst violation of hospitality. Versions of the story that were common at the time had Duncan being killed in an ambush at Inverness, not in a castle. Shakespeare conflated the story of Donwald and King Duff in what was a significant change to the story. Shakespeare made another important change. In ""Chronicles"", Banquo is an accomplice in Macbeth's murder of King Duncan, and plays an important part in ensuring that Macbeth, not Malcolm, takes the throne in the coup that follows. In Shakespeare's day, Banquo was thought to be an ancestor"
"the explosion that killed Rachel. Sensing an Immortal, he turns to see Kate (Lisa Barbuscia), his wife from 200 years before. Then Kell's posse arrives, and fights Duncan (disregarding the rule of one-on-one combat). The fighting stops when Kell arrives, but Carlos shoots Duncan, who falls on a spike, killing him. Kell is furious with Carlos, and beheads him: as the quickening begins, a van drives up to where Duncan fell, and takes him away. Later on, Duncan wakes up, only to realize that he has been taken by Watchers who want to keep him in the Sanctuary so that"
"probably Mormaer of Atholl too). At a location called ""Bothganowan"" (or ""Bothgowan"", ""Bothgofnane"", ""Bothgofuane"", meaning ""Blacksmith's Hut"" in old Gaelic, today ""Pitgaveny"" near Elgin), the Mormaer of Moray, Macbeth defeated and killed Duncan, and took the kingship for himself. After Macbeth's successor Lulach, another Moravian, all kings of Scotland were Duncan's descendants. For this reason, Duncan's reign is often remembered positively, while Macbeth is villanised. Eventually, William Shakespeare gave fame to this medieval equivalent of propaganda by further immortalising both men in his play Macbeth. Macbeth's reign however was successful enough that he had the security to go on pilgrimage"
"Donalbain (Macbeth) Donalbain is a character in William Shakespeare's ""Macbeth"" (c. 1603–1607). He is the younger son of King Duncan and brother to Malcolm, the heir to the throne. Donalbain flees to Ireland after the murder of his father for refuge. He is based upon a personage in an account of King Duncan in ""Holinshed's Chronicles"", a history of Britain familiar to Shakespeare. He is ultimately based on the historical King Donald III of Scotland. In the original text of the First Folio his name is spelled Donalbaine, and is sometimes also spelled Donaldbain. Shakespeare's Donalbain is based upon 'Donald"
"placing Duncan on the throne as Duncan II, but an uprising defeated his allies and he was compelled to send away his foreign troops. Duncan was then killed on 12 November 1094 by Máel Petair, Mormaer of Mearns. The Annals of Ulster say that Duncan was killed on the orders of Donald (incorrectly called his brother) and Edmund. Donald resumed power, probably with Edmund as his designated heir. Donald was an elderly man by then, at around 62 years old, and without any known sons, so that an heir was clearly required. William of Malmesbury says that Edmund bargained ""for"
"names, the text probably points to his uncle Donald and half-brother Edmund, though later texts identify a noble by the name of Máel Petair of Mearns (Malpeder) as the actual murderer. William of Malmesbury later reported that Duncan was ""murdered by the wickedness of his uncle Donald"". Florence of Worcester reported that Duncan was killed, but never states who killed him. In ""Chronicle of the Picts and Scots"" (1867), there is a 13th-century entry recording that Duncan was killed by Máel Petair (Malpeder), through the treachery of Donald. John of Fordun (14th century) finally recorded the better known account of"
"2, scene 3 to the drunken porter to report to his duty of awaking King Duncan when he is sleeping for the night at Macbeth's castle. When he discovers the corpse of King Duncan (murdered by Macbeth, but it appears that nearby guards are guilty since Macbeth—at the prodding of Lady Macbeth—put his knife by them and smeared them with Duncan's blood), he raises an alarm, informing the castle that the king has been murdered. Macduff begins to suspect Macbeth of regicide when Macbeth says, ""O, yet I do repent me of my fury / That I did kill them"""
"the throne. Edmund and his younger brothers Edgar, Alexander and David fled abroad, to England, to join their half-brother Duncan at the court of William Rufus. In 1094 Duncan, with Rufus's blessing and the support of landless nobles from the English court and landowners in Lothian, drove Donald from the throne. It is supposed that Edmund, as the next in age, was Duncan's heir-designate. Duncan was forced by a rebellion to send his English allies home, and was shortly afterwards killed. The killer was Máel Petair, Mormaer of Mearns, but the Annals of Ulster and William of Malmesbury agree that"
"battle and kills him in personal combat. In the animated television series ""Gargoyles"" he is depicted as a weak and conniving king who assassinates those who he believes threaten his rule. He even tries to assassinate Macbeth, forcing Demona to ally with the Moray nobleman, with Duncan's resulting death coming from attempting to strike an enchanted orb of energy that one of the Weird Sisters gave to Macbeth to take Duncan down. Duncan I of Scotland Donnchad mac Crinain (Modern Gaelic: ""Donnchadh mac Crìonain""; anglicised as Duncan I, and nicknamed An t-Ilgarach, ""the Diseased"" or ""the Sick""; ca. 1001 –"
"as he leaves the bedroom, he sees a reflection of Duncan preparing to shoot him in the back and turns, throwing a dagger, killing Duncan. Lady wipes blood on Duncan's bodyguards to implicate them and Macbeth later shoots them as they appear to be reaching for weapons after they are confronted by Duff and Macbeth. The Deputy Chief Commissioner, Malcolm, is temporarily promoted to replace Duncan but Macbeth admits to Banquo that he murdered Duncan and convinces him to dispose of Malcolm. Malcolm signs a false confession in the guise of a suicide note and, following the discovery of the"
"Duncan suffered defeat in battle at the hands of Macbeth, who was killed himself in 1057 by Duncan's son Malcolm. The following year, after killing Macbeth's stepson Lulach, Malcolm ascended the throne as Malcolm III. With a further series of battles and deposings, five of Malcolm's sons as well as one of his brothers successively became king. Eventually, the Crown came to his youngest son, David I. David was succeeded by his grandsons Malcolm IV, and then by William the Lion, the longest-reigning King of Scots before the Union of the Crowns. William participated in a rebellion against King Henry"
"Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare's tragedy ""Macbeth"" (c.1603–1607). The wife of the play's tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she becomes queen of Scotland. Later, however, she suffers pangs of guilt for her part in the crime, which drives her to sleepwalk. She dies off-stage in the last act, an apparent suicide. According to some genealogists, Lady Macbeth and King Duncan's wife were siblings or cousins, where Duncan's wife had a stronger claim to the throne than Lady Macbeth. It was this that incited"
"the hands of David. William fitz Duncan William fitz Duncan (a modern anglicisation of the Old French Guillaume fils de Duncan and the Middle Irish Uilleam mac Donnchada) was a Scottish prince, a territorial magnate in northern Scotland and northern England, a general and the legitimate son of king Donnchad II (Duncan II) of Scotland by Athelreda (Ethelreda) of Dunbar. In 1094, his father Donnchad II was killed by Mormaer Máel Petair of Mearns, supporting the claims of King Domnall (Donald) III Bán. It is probable that William left Scotland with his mother in that year, to the safety of"
"defeat Death. Instead they find gold, and, overcome with greed, eventually kill each other to possess it. Rowling has cited William Shakespeare's ""Macbeth"" as an influence. In an interview with The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet, when asked, ""What if [Voldemort] never heard the prophecy?"", she said, ""It's the ""Macbeth"" idea. I absolutely adore ""Macbeth"". It is possibly my favourite Shakespeare play. And that's the question isn't it? If Macbeth hadn't met the witches, would he have killed Duncan? Would any of it have happened? Is it fated or did he make it happen? I believe he made it happen."" On"
"William fitz Duncan William fitz Duncan (a modern anglicisation of the Old French Guillaume fils de Duncan and the Middle Irish Uilleam mac Donnchada) was a Scottish prince, a territorial magnate in northern Scotland and northern England, a general and the legitimate son of king Donnchad II (Duncan II) of Scotland by Athelreda (Ethelreda) of Dunbar. In 1094, his father Donnchad II was killed by Mormaer Máel Petair of Mearns, supporting the claims of King Domnall (Donald) III Bán. It is probable that William left Scotland with his mother in that year, to the safety of Allerdale in Cumberland. A"
"He acknowledges that only the innocent sleep and that sleep is ""the balm of hurt minds"". The king's sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fear they will be blamed for Duncan's death and flee the country. Macbeth is then crowned king. Macbeth becomes a tyrant, brutally stamping out any real or perceived threats to his power. He believes himself to be beyond redemption, ""in blood stepp'd in so far, that, ... returning were as tedious as go o'er"". Macbeth decides to hire two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance, with a Third Murderer sent later to assist. Banquo is murdered,"
"Polanski's film of Macbeth, in which Donalbain, returning to Scotland after the death of Macbeth, hears the witches murmuring in the heather and gets off his horse to investigate, evidently alludes to the historical fact that Donalbain seized the throne after the death of Malcolm. Donalbain (Macbeth) Donalbain is a character in William Shakespeare's ""Macbeth"" (c. 1603–1607). He is the younger son of King Duncan and brother to Malcolm, the heir to the throne. Donalbain flees to Ireland after the murder of his father for refuge. He is based upon a personage in an account of King Duncan in ""Holinshed's"
"his heir, although the facts are obscure. However, Macbeth's action was an ordinary political manoeuvre in 11th century Scotland; King Malcolm II took the throne previously by murdering his cousin, Kenneth III (997–1005). Shakespeare devised his version of Duncan's death from an account of an earlier royal assassination, that of Malcolm II's uncle, King Duff (d. 967), in his source, Raphael Holinshed's history. Duncan has been played in film adaptations of the play by Anthony Head in 2008, Gary Sweet in 2006, and Tom Reid in 2003. Javier Ronceros performed the role in ""Dogg's Hamlet, Cahoot's Macbeth"" (2005) and John"
"story portrayed by Shakespeare takes extensive liberties with history. In the play, Shakespeare has three witches foretell that Macbeth, then Thane of Glamis, would become Thane of Cawdor and King thereafter. Duncan almost immediately makes Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, after which Macbeth and his Lady plot the murder of Duncan in order to fulfil the prophecy. Duncan is killed in his sleep, at Macbeth's castle in Inverness, an act that leads to Macbeth's ultimate downfall. The historical King Macbeth ruled Scotland from 1040 to 1057, after his forces killed King Duncan I in battle near Elgin. Macbeth was never Thane"
"""dukes of Francia"" had half a century before replaced the Carolingian kings of the Franks and in England the over-mighty Godwin of Wessex was called a ""dux"" — this suggests that Macbeth may have been the power behind the throne. In 1039, Duncan led a large Scots army south to besiege Durham, but the expedition ended in disaster. Duncan survived, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, Macbeth's domain, apparently on a punitive expedition against Moray. There he was killed in action, at Bothnagowan, now Pitgaveny, near Elgin, by the men of Moray led by Macbeth,"
"the Lowlands and confronted his nephew. On 12 November, Duncan was ambushed and killed in battle, having reigned for less than seven months. Primary sources are unclear about the exact manner of his death. The Annals of Inisfallen report that ""Donnchadh [Duncan] son of Mael Coluim [Malcolm], king of Alba, was slain by Domnall [Donald], son of Donnchadh [Duncan]. That same Domnall, moreover, afterwards took the kingship of Alba."" The Annals of Ulster report that ""Donnchad son of Mael Coluim, king of Scotland, was treacherously killed by his own brothers Domnall and Edmond"". As Duncan had no brothers by those"
"Macbeth embraces it. Sometimes, however, his motives are unclear, and some critics question his purity. He does nothing to accuse Macbeth of murdering the king, even though he has reason to believe Macbeth is responsible. Shakespeare often used Raphael Holinshed's ""Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland""—commonly known as ""Holinshed's Chronicles""—as a source for his plays, and in ""Macbeth"" he borrows from several of the tales in that work. Holinshed portrays Banquo as a historical figure: he is an accomplice in Mac Bethad mac Findlaích's (Macbeth's) murder of Donnchad mac Crínáin (King Duncan) and plays an important part in ensuring that"
"soliloquises about her husband's letter describing his encounter with the witches. Macbeth arrives and says he's very impressed by his wife's poetic way of speaking. Lady Macbeth says that he should kill Duncan, emphasising that he should appear to be wholly innocent in public. But Macbeth takes literally her Shakespearean imagery — such as trying to resemble a flower after his wife tells him he should ""look like the innocent flower"" when Duncan arrives. He's also perplexed by the reference to ""the poor cat in the adage"", having no clue what cat appears in what adage, and is totally defeated"
"hands and she tells him that the water has washed their deed away. In the morning, Macduff finds Duncan dead, and Macbeth slaughters the sleeping servants to prevent their denial of the murder. Macduff and Lennox, a Scottish noble, discuss that as Malcolm has fled to England that puts him under suspicion of being involved in the murder. They also admire Macbeth's justice on the supposedly-treacherous servants. With Malcolm gone, Macbeth is asked to become King of Scotland. After the coronation he sits in a sour mood in his chamber where Lady Macbeth comes to him. He complains that killing"