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Macbeth before Shakespeare

by Benjamin Hudson (Author)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
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Macbeth is arguably the world's most famous monarch. Both the historical king and the literary character have fascinated writers and audiences for centuries, beginning with the poets who recited their verses at the medieval monarch's court. Macbeth's legend began almost immediately after his death as medieval and Renaissance writers gradually replaced the king with a semi-literary character developed and embroidered to suit their own political and cultural agenda. The process of transformation culminated in playwright William Shakespeare's The Tragedie of Macbeth.

Investigating the man and the legend, Benjamin Hudson traces the eleventh-century prince's rise to prominence from local warlord to international ruler. Battling Vikings, English, and his fellow Scots, Macbeth was involved in a Dano-Norwegian conflict, made a pilgrimage to Rome, and gave refuge to Norman knights. He was more than a mere warlord. With his queen, Gruoch, the widow of a man who killed Macbeth's father, he was a benefactor of churches. The historical prince was an important innovator who used new fighting tactics, developed an international outlook to government, and encouraged intellectual pursuits. Hudson also tracks the ways in which popularizers developed the women behind the fictional Lady Macbeth and the weird sisters.

Drawing on centuries of Celtic and Scandinavian sources, popular entertainment, political theory, folklore, and art, Macbeth before Shakespeare recovers the genuine king from the historical record and shows how he was replaced by the legendary monster of ambition.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0197567533
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0197567531
  3. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  4. Publication date
    December 1, 2022
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    9.32 x 0.94 x 6.44 inches
  7. Print length
    312 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Benjamin Hudson's Macbeth before Shakespeare is a very entertaining and educating read. It succeeds very well in bringing out the man behind the myth, as well as explaining how the man became the myth. Hudson is a master of all the materials and languages required for the job, and he knows the history of Ireland and Britain around the year 1000 intimately." -- Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, National University of Ireland, Galway

"Here at last we have a solid and detailed account of the historical Macbeth. Ben Hudson is the historian of Celtic Scotland in the central Middle Ages, and he provides us with a readable narrative of the origins of the kingdom of the Scots and Macbeth's role as one of its most energetic and effective kings prior to Scotland's vassalage to their Anglo-Norman neighbor to the south. We see here the process by which Shakespeare inherited the history and legends surrounding Macbeth and the 'three weird sisters,' how Scots were generally perceived in Tudor England, and whether or not there could have been surviving children of Macbeth and his Lady. This is a meticulously constructed history of Scots, Viking, and English relations in the tumultuous eleventh century and a fascinating glimpse into how this particular Scottish monarch―called by one contemporary poet 'the red king'―made his way onto the Elizabethan stage." -- Christopher A. Snyder, author of The Britons

"This fascinating examination is an important contribution to medieval and early modern Scottish and British history, literature, folklore, and drama. Combining an unrivalled mastery of a complex array of sources with expert use of multiple methodologies, Benjamin Hudson deftly unveils the story of one of Scotland's most enigmatic figures across half a millennium as he explores the evolution of Macbeth from an historical, eleventh-century ruler of Scotland to the infamous Shakespearean literary villain of five-and-a-half centuries later." -- R. Andrew McDonald, Brock University

"Hudson here explores both the historical persona of Macbeth and the legendary character depicted in Shakespeare's eponymous play. Focusing on Macbeth's rise and rule, the study shows that he was more than a brutish, cold-blooded Scottish king. He was innovative, international, and a religious patron remembered as a good monarch well after his death. After distinguishing the historical Macbeth from the literary, Hudson details the evolution of Macbeth's legacy....Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty." -- Choice

"In this book the reader is taken on a relaxed and pleasant journey, written in an attractive and accessible style, through all mentions of Macbeth prior to Shakespeare's famous play, with explanations of the texts and some helpful scene setting." -- Dauvit Broun, Scottish Historical Review

About the Author

Benjamin Hudson is Professor of History and Medieval Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. His books include Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the North Atlantic (OUP, 2005) and The Picts.
Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the North Atlantic (OUP, 2005).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press (December 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0197567533
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0197567531
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.32 x 0.94 x 6.44 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 5 ratings

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Benjamin T. Hudson

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Top reviews from the United States

anne rose
5.0 out of 5 stars Macbeths, real and imagined
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
Macbeth before Shakespeare is one of those exceptional books that is both eminently scholarly and a great read. It turns out that centuries before Shakespeare’s play (ca. 1600) Macbeth was not only a historical Scottish king (mid-1000s) but also more effective than most. He understood innovative military tactics (combat on horseback vs. foot) and could be generous to his subjects (gifting land and tax exemptions to monasteries). He was the first British king known to travel to the heartland of medieval Christianity, Rome. Not surprisingly, the political interests of later scholars turned this better-than-average monarch into Shakespeare’s villain. Hudson documents Macbeth's transformation into myth – as century after century chroniclers added prophecy, witches, and female protagonists (Lady Macbeth) to the story. His book is a treat for any reader keen to understand the unpredictable permutations of culture and the vagaries of human behavior.
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Oxfordian
5.0 out of 5 stars Great background
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
A good, in-depth review of the development of the Macbeth story as it evolved into Shakespeare's iconic play. It was interesting to learn who added what elements to the legend, when, and why. There are political overtones to that evolution that are pertinent to understanding the changes and additions Shakespeare himself made.
One person found this helpful
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Valerie G. Nieman
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating study of how MacBeth became a villain
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2023
This book succinctly gives the true story of MacBeth and his Lady, then demonstrates how the king known for a long reign and a time of plenty was transformed into an evil, almost demonic force, in service to the legend of Malcolm Canmore. Compelling read.
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