History Theatre / Macbeth

!!As the play is OlderThanSteam and most twists in Shakespeare's plots are now [[ItWasHisSled widely known]], all spoilers are [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked]].

* AntiVillain: The Macbeths. Before the Witches put the idea of kingship in his head, Macbeth was a very loyal general, and even after his ambition drives him to murder, he feels incredibly guilty about it. For all Lady Macbeth's tough talk about abandoning human kindness in order to commit the murder, she ultimately can't go through with it and her involvement in the deed drives her insane with guilt, leading to the famous sleepwalking scene and eventually her offscreen suicide by jumping off the battlements.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: There actually was a historical King Macbeth in Scotland, but he killed King Duncan in honorable combat (At the time the inheritance of the throne was decided by claimants debating who was most fit rather than a hereditary system, and these debates rarely ended civilly) and ruled Scotland peacefully, generously, and successfully for 17 years before [[YouKilledMyFather getting killed himself by Duncan's Son]].

* NoPronunciationGuide: Seyton's name is actually pronounced "See-tin" not like the way the Devil's name is pronounced.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Macbeth seems to hallucinate at points, like seeing a dagger pointing the way to Duncan's chamber. When he sees the ghost of Banquo and starts addressing it, Lady Macbeth excuses him by saying he's had episodes like this before (the guests are not impressed that their king isn't always right in the head). Given the story's circumstances this is likely not due to mental illness (with his wife lying), but the magic of the witches.

''The Tragedy of Macbeth'' is a 1606 play written by Creator/WilliamShakespeare. It was written at the express request of King James I/VI of England and Scotland, who asked Shakespeare to present a new play to honor his visitor, the King of Denmark.

* FallenHero: Macbeth, once a brave warrior, becomes a bloodthirsty tyrant.
* FalseReassurance: Macduff asks if Macbeth has been bothering his family, and Ross says "they were well at peace when I did leave 'em." Macduff notes Ross's oddly tight-lipped manner, and a few lines later Ross gathers his nerve and delivers the bad news: Macbeth has massacred Macduff's entire family.

* FreeSamplePlotCoupon: The witches hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and he that shall be king thereafter. Since Macbeth is only Thane of Glamis, he dismisses it: moments later, he gets word that the current Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason and Macbeth now has his title. This makes him and his wife give serious thought to how they might get the crown.

* ProphecyTwist: The witches have nasty surprises for Macbeth. No man of woman born can kill him -- but Macduff was born by C-section. He can't be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane -- but it sure looks like that happens when soldiers dress as trees (using branches chopped in Birnam Wood) to hide their numbers.

* KarmaHoudini: The Murderers who do in Banquo and Macduff's family subsequently disappear from the story without receiving any comeuppance.

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Macduff asks if Macbeth has been bothering his family, and Ross says "they were well at peace when I did leave 'em." Macduff notes Ross's oddly tight-lipped manner, and a few lines later Ross gathers his nerve and delivers the bad news: Macbeth has massacred Macduff's entire family.

* NotMyBlood: Macbeth is not happy when the First Murderer shows up at his front door spattered with blood, after killing Banquo, while a bunch of lords and nobles are sitting down to eat inside the castle.

* TheManBehindTheMan: Macbeth wouldn't have gone so far without the encouragement of his wife. This is taken UpToEleven as Macbeth was spurred on by the witches, who in turn work for Hecate.

* FirstNameBasis: Macbeth has OnlyOneName in the play. The historical Macbeth's real name was Mac Bethad mac Findlaích. (MacBheatha MacFhionnlaigh in modern Scots Gaelic, anglicised as Macbeth MacFinlay. His father's name was Findláech/"Finlay", Thane of Angus and king[[note]]Technically, mormaer, a title sometimes translated as "small king" or earl[[/note]] of Moray. Despite looking like a patronymic, "Macbeth" is a first name, which is why it doesn't get CamelCase in English.)

* FauxAffablyEvil: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are often portrayed as having a loving relationship and are great ones for entertaining their guests. Unfortunately, Gruoch urges her husband to "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it", and accuses her husband of wimping out under the pretense of false courage when he sent his first report and convinces him to let the guards take the rap for Duncan's murder.

* RememberTheNewGuy: The Third Murderer, who appears out of nowhere -- Macbeth charges two Murderers with killing Banquo and Fleance, but when the time comes three show up. Given that the Third Murderer is of no importance, this is probably a continuity error due to textual corruption. Even the other murderers act this way, asking, "But who did bid thee join with us?"
** In many stage adaptations, the Third Murderer is played by the same actor as Macbeth himself, ensuring the deed is done. In the 2018 Royal Shakespeare Company staging, the Third Murderer is played by Macbeth's servant, Seyton.

* NamedByTheAdaptation: Inverted - the historical Lady Macbeth had a first name, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruoch Grouch]] - but it is never used in the play.

* PyrrhicVictory: The [=MacBeths=] killed King Duncan, forever destroying the mental peace of LadyMacbeth and turning Macbeth into a FallenHero who essentially [[DealWithTheDevil sold his soul to the devil]], all for a temporary victory. In the long term, what they accomplished was to make Banquo's descendants kings.

** YouKillItYouBoughtIt: Macbeth does this a few times:

* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: Just before the play starts, Scotland has fought off an invasion by Norway. The Norwegian King Sweno was aided by Macdonwald, the treacherous Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth not only leads the Scottish forces to victory over the Norwegians, but he also kills Macdonwald for the latter's treason.

-->--'''The Weird Sisters'''

* A 2007 West End stage production with a SettingUpdate to a vaguely Soviet-Russia-[[NoCommunitiesWereHarmed esque]] or AlternateHistory setting, starring Creator/PatrickStewart. Transferred to Broadway in 2008, and adapted into a television production in 2010. Free to watch on http://video.pbs.org/video/1604122998/.

* Expected in 2021 is a film adaptation directed by Joel (but not Ethan) Coen, with Creator/DenzelWashington in the title role, Creator/CoenBrothers regular Creator/FrancesMcDormand as Lady Macbeth, and Corey Hawkins as Macduff.

* BadassMustache: In keeping with the pseudo-Soviet style of the adaptation, Patrick Stewart's Macbeth sports one that would make [[UsefulNotes/JosephStalin Stalin]] proud.

* HeWillNotCrySoICryForHim: Malcolm attempts this to Seward. Seward stops him.