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The Shakespearean play 'Macbeth' was based largely on facts. What mightn't have been factual might have been the supernatural presences. What else mightn't have been factual might have been the Shakespearean interpretation of the characters. What definitely wasn't factual was the succession of Macbeth [c. 1014-August 15, 1057] by King Malcolm III [d. November 13, 1093]. In between was the less than a year rule by Macbeth's stepson, King Lulach [d. March 17, 1058]. Neither were the two royal murders factual. King Duncan I [d. August 14, 1040] was killed by his own men for having launched an unprovoked, unpopular, unjustified, unjust invasion of Macbeth's lands. As with his stepson, Macbeth was killed not by the fictitious Macduff, but by Duncan's elder son, the subsequent King Malcolm III.

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14y ago
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12y ago

Macbeth killed his king

became king of Scotland

met three witches

was a gallant knight

sat on the throne "like a dwarfish thief in giants robes"

Macbeth is a short play,only a bit more than 50% of the length of Hamlet.

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12y ago

Macbeth is often reffered to as "the Scottish play" or "the bard's play". This is because saying Macbeth within a theatre or anywhere at all is considered taboo and is thought to bring on the curse associated with the play. The main cast members are called Mr & Mrs M just to avoid saing Macbeth.

It is also sometimes considered taboo just to speak lines from the play.

Hope that helped!

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12y ago

No. Though in the time of Shakespeare there was a king Duncan and his successor was a scottish nobleman by the name of Macbeth but people are certain that nothing else in the story was true.

Yes it was and I know this as my family is descended from the family this was based on. I am trying to look back into it myself ATM

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12y ago

There was a historical king Macbeth who ruled Scotland for 17 years. He was generally regarded as a wise and successful monarch. He succeeded King Duncan and was succeeded by his stepson Lulach, son of our Lady Macbeth. Lulach didn't last long; he got chased out by Malcolm the son of Duncan.

The news of the battles brought by Ross and the sergeant in Act 1 Scene 2 is actually a conflation of at least three battles. The events related by the sergeant took place in two seperate battles a year apart, in which Banquo and Macbeth were main figures. The battle that Ross describes in Fife also took place, but was won by Malcolm. Macbeth was summoned to come south afterward to help mop up the survivors.

Most of the events in the play, including the witches, come from Holinshed's Chronicles, but may not all be historically accurate. Especially the witches part.

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14y ago

William Shakespeare [Baptized April 26, 1564-April 23, 1616] based his play 'Macbeth' upon a true story, right out of Scottish and ultimately English history. That story was the succession of Macbeth [d. August 15, 1057] to the throne that previously was held by Duncan I [d. August 14, 1040] as King of Scotland. Although the play was based on real historic personages, it didn't agree much of the time with the existing historical record. For example, the record tended to cast King Duncan in a worse light than Macbeth. For the King was killed by his own men for invading Macbeth's lands. The invasion didn't have the support of the King's own fighting men or of the Scottish nation. Neither did the record tend to portray Macbeth as a tyrannical ruler who came to be despised by all Scotland.

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11y ago

Shakespeare was not a historian. He did not pretend to portray historical events accurately. He wanted to portray them in an interesting manner.

That is why you cannot learn much about the historical king Macbeth from Shakespeare's play. People who are familiar with the play are surprised to learn that Macbeth was older than Duncan, that Macbeth was a well-loved king who ruled for 17 years and was succeeded, not by Malcolm, but by his stepson Lulach.

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15y ago

Macbeth ascended the throne by battle, not murder; Duncan was not a wise and gentle ruler. Macbeth was a competent King, who ruled for 17 years, not 10.

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14y ago

It is a fictional story.

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Q: Does the play Macbeth have any historical truth?
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Related questions

Has Macbeth got a son called fleance?

No, Banquo has a son called Fleance. In Shakespeare's play it is unclear whether Macbeth has any children. The historical King Macbeth had a stepson, Lulach (son of Lady Macbeth and her first husband Gillecomlan) who succeeded him as king.


Did shakespeare make any changes to the historical plot of Macbeth?

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Was Macbeth a fictional character made up by Shakespeare?

Macbeth was not a fictional character made up by Shakespeare. He was based on a historical character, although he is not in any way like the real historical Macbeth. Shakespeare took most of the story of Macbeth from the history book Holinshed's Chronicles which contains most of the events shown in the play. Shakespeare did develop the character of Macbeth found in Holinshed, but he did not invent him.


Who would play Lady Macbeth in a play?

Megan Fox because she can get any man to do anything for her.


Does Macbeth creep into lady macbeths bedroom?

In Act 1, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," Macbeth does not creep into Lady Macbeth's bedroom. Instead, Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth's letter informing her of the witches' prophecies. Their encounter in the play takes place in other locations within their castle.


What is the significance of the witches and king James in Macbeth?

Macbeth is about Scotland; King James was born in Scotland. A character in Macbeth, Fleance, is supposed to be James's ancestor. There are witches in the play and James wrote a book about witches. (However, the tone of his book and the tone of the witches in the play is quite different.) The guy who wrote the play was a member of the theatrical company of which James was the patron. Those are the only connections which are supported by evidence.


Who are Macbeth enemies?

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth didn't have any enemies. By the end he had lots, including Malcolm, Donalbain, Fleance and especially Macduff.


How does Lady Macbeth cover for Macbeth's behavior?

We never really see any evident signs of flattery in the play Macbeth.


Was any movie or play made on Macbeth?

Well, a play on the subject of Macbeth was famously written by William Shakespeare in around 1605. A number of movies have been made based on this play or on a plot similar in some way to it.


Which ghost haunted Macbeth in Shake spear's play of that name?

In Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," the ghost that haunts Macbeth is the ghost of Banquo, a former friend whom Macbeth has murdered in order to secure his position as king. The ghost appears during a banquet hosted by Macbeth and is only visible to him, causing Macbeth to react with guilt and terror.


What physical part does lady Macbeth play in duncans murder?

She doesn't play any part in the murder of King Duncan.


What prompts Lady Macbeth to say to her son that his father is dead when actually he is not?

In the original version of the play (Shakespeare's) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not have any children. You might of watched/read/heard a different version...