Some fun and eerie fact from The Tragedy of MacBeth:
- The "Cursed" Play – Many actors refuse to say "Macbeth" inside a theater unless performing it, calling it instead "The Scottish Play." Legend has it that Shakespeare included real witches’ spells, angering actual witches who cursed the play.
- King James’ Obsession – Shakespeare may have written Macbeth to impress King James I, who had a deep fear of witchcraft and even wrote a book on it, Daemonologie.
- A Short but Intense Play – Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s shortest tragedies, likely because King James preferred shorter performances.
- Real Death on Stage? – Some stories claim that during the play’s early performances, an actor playing Lady Macbeth died mysteriously, and Shakespeare himself had to take over the role.
- The First Macbeth Disaster – The play’s first recorded performance in 1606 was supposedly disastrous, with the actor playing Macbeth dying suddenly.
- No One Knows Banquo’s Fate – In the play, Banquo’s son, Fleance, escapes, and it’s never revealed if he fulfills the witches' prophecy of becoming king.
- Unseen Murder – Despite its reputation for being bloody, King Duncan’s murder happens offstage.
- First Use of "Assassination" – Shakespeare invented or popularized many words, and Macbeth is the first known usage of "assassination."
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