Macbeth - William Shakespeare - So You Haven't Read

[@extrahistory]

Looking to construct a play of your own? Then why not try World Anvil! Here you can organize your history and lore all while helping the show in the process. Just visit www.worldanvil.com/extracredits and use audience promo code EXTRACREDITS to get 40% off an annual membership.

[@conmanalbuquerque3116]

Do 1001 nights

[@yuvalharel3537]

Please bring back extra mythology

[@3hahahas9072]

@Benjie Manlapaz why

[@Wintermute01001]

Fun fact: JRR Tolkien hated this play. He though that the "no man of woman born" twist should've been a woman killing Macbeth, inspiring Eowyn. He also thought the "forest" marching towards the castle should've been actual trees, inspiring the Ents.

[@the_rover1]

and what inspired sauron in mordor, and the nazghul riding dragon like creatures?

[@ecurewitz]

Makes sense

[@DarthPudden]

@@the_rover1 are you asking in general?

[@bugfighter5949]

Isn't it siege engines ? He doesn't say it in the video but I feel like it would make sense.

[@InventorRaccoon]

@@bugfighter5949 Malcolm's army took branches of the local trees and used them to hide their numbers as they advanced on the castle

[@anttibjorklund1869]

There's also another version of the origin of the curse of this play: it was so popular that every time a playhouse started to "go under" financially, the powers that be began to put on showings of this play to turn around their fortune. Over time the play began to be associated with bad fortune.

[@joshuafrimpong244]

Another fun fact: Macbeth himself could be considered one of Scotland's most stable kings. He was devout, stabilized Scotland, took a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and had to defeat King Duncan (who Macbeth was younger than by four years, they were both young when they fought). Also, the army which the traitor MacDonwald (actually MacDonald) fought with was the kingdoms of Norway and Dublin, hence is why you have Irish gallowglass soldiers and kerns

[@DarthPudden]

Came here to say this. I'd always heard that if a play was going poorly, they'd cancel it and fill the remaining nights with Macbeth, as most actors had it in their repertoire due to its popularity. Thus, it was seen as the "your play sank" show.

[@thetribunaloftheimaginatio5247]

The play is also cheap to produce, making it catnip for play-venue owners in financial dire straits. Couple that with scenes that take place at night, several scenes involving swordplay and other elements that could be dangerous if not pulled off right, and you've got the perfect storm of elements that'll convince the superstitious and cowardly that there's a curse on the play itself.

[@anttibjorklund1869]

@@DarthPudden Basically what I said but in more detail, thanks.

[@pisoprano]

Here’s how the “No man of woman born” loophole was explained to me in school: “born” was understood to be a very active verb on the part of the mother-“bearing” a child refers to the work that a woman has to do to push the child out of her body. So if she didn’t do all that labor herself, she didn’t actually “bear” the kid.

[@historyisfascinating5515]

If you think about it it is actually quite a clever trick Shakespeare used

[@beeaggro2593]

@@historyisfascinating5515 It is but Eowyn is more badass

[@chris7263]

@@beeaggro2593 it's also just a better twist; the MacBeth version feels like rules lawyering over a detail you could 't have predicted anyway, vs Eowyn who was there in plain sight all along and only obscured by bias and social convention.

[@PrototypeSpaceMonkey]

Finish him! **shwing** *TECHNICALITY!*

[@gabrielaubry1334]

Fun Fact: J.R.R. Tolkien hated the part of McDuff being born from a c-section as counting as "not of woman born", so he fixed it in his own way: when the Witch-king of Angmar, whom "no living man can hinder", is slain by Éowyn, a woman who disguised herself as a man to join the battle with her father, the King of Rohan.

[@GhostBear3067]

The King of Rohan was her uncle.

[@gabrielaubry1334]

@@GhostBear3067 Point still stands.

[@thetribunaloftheimaginatio5247]

The reasons "The Scottish Play" is considered cursed are pretty simple, actually... there are several scenes that take place at night (IE low-light stage-conditions) and that involve swordplay. Many of the special effects required to pull off the supernatural mumbo-jumbo can be dangerous if you're not careful. And the play is fairly inexpensive to produce, making it VERY popular with theater-owners in financial dire straits. Combined, you've got a perfect storm of reasons for the superstitious and cowardly to regard "The Scottish Play" as "cursed." I mean... Akira Kurosawa wound up transplanting the story to Sengoku Jidai Japan, and turned Toshiro Mifune into a human pincushion in the final scene to no ill effect to the actor... yeah, in the version told in "Demon-Spider Castle"("Throne Of Blood" in the West), the "forest rising up" against the protagonist took the form of... arrows. LOTS of arrows, hewn from branches of the trees surrounding the titular castle where the wicked daimyo who murdered his predecessor to gain the rank on the advice of his wife makes his defiant last stand. And instead of a trio of witches, the prophecy is delivered by a single sinister yokai.

[@feitocomfruta]

Throne of Blood was a trip.

[@thetribunaloftheimaginatio5247]

@@feitocomfruta One of my favorite Kurosawa movies, certainly.

[@beeaggro2593]

Okay the arrows thing is also a badass take on that

[@George_M_]

Was one of the least safe scenes of all time - Kurosawa had expert archers *actually shooting* at Mifune.

[@thetribunaloftheimaginatio5247]

@@George_M_ Kinda like how in "The Adventures Of Robin Hood"(1938, starring Errol Flynn), the scenes where dudes get shot with arrows are done with stuntmen wearing padded shirts GETTING SHOT WITH ACTUAL ARROWS. Those stuntmen were paid HANDSOMELY to do that. $200 per arrow... which is a lot more in today's money.

[@briangarrow448]

You mistakenly called the moving forest- ferocious fauna. You should have used ferocious flora.

[@quietone610]

Although, this being Scotland, it probably has bears in it...

[@AmanKumarPadhy]

I mean bears are fine. You just gotta avoid em. But man, Ive heard Scots live there. And they are scary

[@cockneyse]

@@quietone610 not sure there were many bears in Scotland in Historic times. Citation needed

[@iapetusmccool]

@@cockneyse I can't find a consistent date for the extinction if bears in Britain. Wikipedia says c. 500 (sourced from a BBC article that says either 1500 or 3000 years ago). Another website said "just over 1000 years ago". Macbeth reigned 1040-1057, so most likely there were no wild bears in Scotland at the time.

[@Fleance_Snowflower]

Ah yes, "The Scottish Play". When I was in it, the determination was that the name could be said when it is in the script during rehearsals without incurring "the curse" but outside of literal scenes, it was determined that the principle character and their spouse would be referred to as "the dude" and "mrs. the dude" respectively... good times

[@metarcee2483]

In a theater class I took, I did the lady's monologue from act one. I kept calling it "the play that must not be named." I also just called my play-husband "Voldemort."

[@bethmarriott9292]

I love this play; reading Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett also offers a delightful humour perspective on it and so many Shakespeare/fairy tale tropes that i now can't read MacBeth without thinking of Pratchett, and Tolkien's Ents and Eowyn just being Tolkien refusing to accept Shakespeare not having enough imagination 🤣

[@ICountFrom0]

When shall we three next be met by moonlight? ... I can't come next week, I've got an appointment.

[@bethmarriott9292]

@@ICountFrom0 I can do next Tuesday

[@edmundthespiffing2920]

“Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck to make amends!” [Pinch nose]

[@alexanderweston5205]

Disney was genius for using this story along with midsummers night dream as story arches in Gargoyles.

[@JonManProductions]

Now if only that made up for making Zeus a loving family man XD

[@Shinkajo]

What arches are you talking about? Do you mean arcs?

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

Most of the good storylines from Gargoyles a due to the fact that the show runner was a former high-school English teacher.

[@yvetteihemesinwa2981]

And the lion king...

[@Dinuial]

I went to a play with some friends, there was a poster for Macbeth in the lobby which I pointed out because of the curse. One of my friends said "What? Macbeth?" That night, a lamp blew out, there were sound glitches, a prop was lost, and the following monday the friend wo had said "Macbeth" aloud was cut from the play he was in rehearsals for.

[@GustavoFernandesKing]

r/thatHappened

[@Dinuial]

@@GustavoFernandesKing It did. We were at the Knightsbridge Theater to see a production of The Rocky Horror Show (the missing prop was Eddie's guts which Magenta found and brought out a couple scenes later) and my friend was cut from The Odd Couple at GCC.

[@typacsk]

"You want to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?!"

[@GustavoFernandesKing]

@@Dinuial sure thing, because curses are real and etc.

[@Dinuial]

@@GustavoFernandesKing dude, it happened. And yes, it can all be chalked up to coincidence but in a situation (like live theatre) where there are a hundred thousand things that might go wrong every other second at every stage of the production you don't tempt fate. There is a reason the most superstitious player on a baseball team is always the pitcher (don't know if Dr. Wendy Fonarow herself performed the study that tid-bit came from, but she's the anthropologist I heard it from, and given her doctoral work was on festival culture it's certainly up her alley). The difference between reality and fiction is fiction has to be plausible.

[@pjlusk7774]

The other proposed explanation for the curse that I've heard links back to something else you mentioned: its status as a crowd pleaser. It might have got its reputation because its a well-known, relatively easy to stage play that is safely in the public domain, which means it frequently gets staged by failing theater companies right before they go under. It's also got a bunch of stage fighting, which might get a careless actor in a failing company hurt through inattention to safety precautions.

[@mckennarogers532]

My granny thought Lady Macbeth didn’t manipulate Macbeth into anything, rather, she was tired of hearing him whine about it and said, “omg just do something about it!” Now everyone paints her as a villain

[@TheGuardianofAzarath]

I read MacBeth in school. I LOVED the Gargoyles integration of MacBeth's story, that show made him an immortal antihero.

[@KaiserAfini]

I remember what initially made me research more about this and A Midsummer Night's Dream was the Gargoyles show. They captured the feel of the characters well, yet gave them a unique reinterpretation that build some of the show's most powerful moments.

[@kaltaron1284]

I had the same thought. Awesome show. Too bad the third season wasn't successful enough and Disney didn't like that the show was "too dark and mature".

[@Loremastrful]

Also our guest reader shars a passing resemblance.

[@joshuawells835]

You say, "the Scottish Play," the first thing the comes to mind is Blackadder Series 3. They make an entire running gag of this in one episode. Also an interesting fact I learned from a recent semester abroad - because Macduff placed the crown on Malcolm's head, it became a matter of constitutional law that in medieval Scotland, a member of Clan Macduff had to be the one who put the crown on the King of Scots; head during the coronation. Thus when Edward I took power, he seized all the Macduff. Fortunately, one was able to get away for the coronation of Robert the Bruce.

[@mjvajda]

By the “Scottish Play,” I assume you mean Macbeth?

[@PK-Radio]

I. Literally. Just did a 5 part essay on Macbeth Like, literally just turned it in

[@yejeye6148]

Did you did it good? what note will you get?

[@PK-Radio]

@@yejeye6148 dunno yet

[@ecurewitz]

I hope you get a good grade

[@aspect0527]

So… what did you end up getting

[@imsomnilar6957]

Just started reading Macbeth for Gsce English, amazing timing!

[@PramkLuna]

Just finished reading it for English lol

[@atimes3]

Just did the exam a couple of weeks ago

[@christopherg2347]

Creating the Hero prophesized to defeat you, while trying to prevent the Hero prophesized to defeat you. Classic.

[@jawzdeadeye]

I do like that the person in the Coffee Shop/ playing Macbeth is dressed and has hair and facial hair like Macbeth from Disney's Gargoyles. :)

[@BrazenBard]

This, was gonna say the same. :D

[@morebenxyz4262]

I love this play so much. Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, Animal Farm, 1984 & Oliver Twist are the best books I ever studied in school. Would definitely recommend

[@jacobshore5115]

I read this in High school! Great to hear about it again.

[@charliefarmer4365]

A lot of reasons Macbeth is considered cursed is purely a lot of incidents of bad luck. For example: -One actor accidentally got stabbed in a swordfight scene -A bad thunderstorm getting the play called off. -One company actually went through THREE actors. One got stabbed, the second got a bad cold, and the third was fired after arguing with the company

[@Jebbtube]

Disney's Gargoyles did a great job of combining the historical and fictional versions of Macbeth. That series is 90s af, but excellent.

[@ICountFrom0]

Oh yes, disney teaching the classics by way of a cartoon, I like it.

[@barbiquearea]

Macbeth is such a timeless story that a lot of plays and even films have adapted the story through a more modern telling. Be it about chefs, modern dictatorships or crime families, this story has proven to be very versatile and fits well into any age.

[@Thegadgetman16]

(yelps) "Hot potato, off the shores, Puck will make amends." (tweak) Or however the middle bit goes.

[@stevejakab274]

Orchestra stalls

[@azazelreeds]

Back when I was in high school theatre I regularly yelled the name of the play to mock the superstitious. Nothing bad ever happened

[@chrisrubin6445]

Nothing bad EVER happened? Your life is perfect? 😉

[@azazelreeds]

@@chrisrubin6445 Correct. Envy me from two years ago

[@davidsachs4883]

My though from MacBeth: “No man woman born can kill me”. Sire, the Amazon army approaches!

[@Resolance]

The timing of this video is impeccable! Just started reading this book for my 11th grade English class!

[@SystemOfaShadow]

Ah Macbeth, will always have a soft spot for this story because of the character and plotline in Gargoyles

[@historyisfascinating5515]

Macbeth is one of my favourite plays and I’m so glad you talked about it, thank you

[@LuvzToLol21]

Macbeth was one of Shakespeare's plays I remember studying back in high school, along with Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. It was one of my favorites!

[@utmocanimations4136]

Can I be the first one to acknowledge the hard work they had done on the intro... I LIKE THE TRANSITION FROM THE SKY TO THE SHOP I LOVE IT

[@iamseamonkey6688]

"wait why would that make any--" _dies_ i love this series.

[@coyote4237]

Ah, when I saw this title, I knew that - "Something wicked this way comes."

[@happymartin6778]

It just occurred to me that Sir Terry Pratchet’s “Wyrd Sisters” is a parody of Macbeth.

[@ecurewitz]

He did lots of parodies, most of them good

[@Ghiaman1334]

2:14 Gonna need some citations on that: from what I know it isn't that the play is cursed, but that it is considered unlucky to perform it. It is so well known that any travelling theatre group would know the entire thing off by heart. So, if a new or less famous play was doing poorly, the players could perform Macbeth to regain popularity. However, as this meant that your hard work in preparing the original performance was for nought, it's considered a bad omen if your company has to perform it.

[@dakotarussell3282]

Theatre nerd here, can confirm this play is cursed. However we love the show. A curse never stops us. Curse does only apply to inside theatres. I have worked on the show, and people ended up hurt broken toes sprained wrists ect. While injuries while working on a show aren't uncommon the number we had was. Also many friends who have performed elsewhere have experienced similar incidents. The bad luck isn't always injury sometimes its props missing or lights going out ect.

[@rangertalksdogsgames7996]

I love the gag of reusing the "why let a blank get in the way of a good blank?"

[@MovieFan1912]

3:54-4:35 I remember a wise man once said that “one often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.”

[@Pillzpop]

Macky B. and the stabby-stabby fun times!

[@renzo2940]

Fun fact: The theater at my school has the same superstition to the point where I’d you say the name you have to go outside spin in a circle three times and then spit, I’m not making this up I’ve had to do that. The reson is very interesting tho, aperantly many times in theater if the production there doing looks like there going to flop the theater will perform Macbeth instead because so many theaters are able and have done it, so if your in a performance and you have to perform a play and you here someone rehearsing or talking about Macbeth it’s probably because your play is gonna be cut.

[@victoriaortiz7923]

The fact that both of them are performing the ritual had me laughing! 🤣 2:30 P.s. Also the fact that the coffee shop is called "Double double brew and bubble' Nice touch there. 😏

[@Loremastrful]

Why let historical accuracy get in the way of a good Crusade? Save it for Ivanhoe, boyos. Lets keep this Gargoyles trifecta going... Othello ho!

[@ajdynon]

"Forest did not actually move. 0/10" - JRR Tolkien

[@ravel5328]

these videos are great, the quality is insane and its explained so well

[@TheCreepypro]

probably my favorite play by willy shakes nice to see it covered here with some nice bonus stuff on the side about the play well done you guys

[@em5522]

It's a good thing that I already liked the whole story/history abt Macbeth bc of his character in Disney's _Gargoyles_ bc the way we hyperfocused on it in middle school really pulled me out from wanting to read/watch the play outside of school.

[@PureLionHeart]

I don't know why but the forest moving bit just cracked me up. Great delivery.

[@paullenoue8173]

Still wish you'd do an episode on Hitchhiker's Guide or Discworld. I keep meeting avid readers who consider these books to be beneath their level of literacy. When possible, I blackmail/bribe/make a wager to force them to read one of the books and my victims _always_ fall in love with the writers and set forth to read every story they've written.

[@MovieFan1912]

What a coincidence that this episode covers MacBeth, because my brother was recently in a short stage show based on the story at our library. He played MacDuff.

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

So if you want to experience the new Batman movie, you ... _read the script??_ Still beats me how most people think Shakespeare's plays should be _read._ They are *plays.* Go see a production in a local theatre. Or watch Roman Polanski's classic film adaptation. The only people who are supposed to _read_ plays are actors and directors. The audience are supposed to *_see_* a production acted out for them. Ask ol' William. He would have told you the same.

[@rose_ofravenclaw3221]

I find it funny this came out the night the play was mentioned a total 9 times during my theatre rehearsal. Awesome video and hopefully the uncursing worked in my theater!

[@pigeon2531]

I did drama in year 10, and when we were covering macbeth we got in trouble for saying it in the theatre, rightfully so because just the next day the lights broke in the theatre and strobed out.

[@GaldirEonai]

Heh, I knew there'd be a Gargoyles reference in there. Now _that_ was a series that knew how to do antiheroes and antivillains...

[@KymeraBJD]

Love that it's Gargoyles Macbeth listening the story. A+ Meta.

[@AmericanBoy-si9zg]

I have read Macbeth & seen the 1971 movie version of it during high school. It was truly shocking back then but it's a great story.

[@metarcee2483]

I had a theater professor who believed the curse is real. I don't, but so I didn't offend him, I called it "the play that we don't talk about."

[@professorbutters]

Where’s Banquo? He’s pretty important. As I , totally important.

[@CornishCreamtea07]

Watch this play. But beware-- it is cursed. Ooh, that's bad. But the tickets are half price. That's good. The ticket is also cursed. That's bad. But you get your choice of popcorn. That's good! The popcorn contains potassium benzoate. That's bad. Can I go now?

[@MovieFan1912]

4:32-4:35 🎶They may offer you fortune and fame, love and money and instant acclaim, but whatever they offer you, don’t feed the plants!🎶

[@danalaniz7314]

This is a nice recap. Thank you so much for posting!

[@brightidiot6020]

Is anyone gonna talk about how Macbeth looks like he does in gargoyles

[@tempo5366]

That 'When shall we three meet again'-scene still lives rent-free in my head and English isn’t even my native language.

[@feitocomfruta]

Also, for another great option, look up “Scotland, PA”. Christopher Walken plays MacDuff, and it’s basically “what if Macbeth was set in a drive through burger joint in rural 1970s Pennsylvania?”

[@GallowglassAxe]

This play was where I was first introduced to the Irish warriors/mercenaries the gallowglass and kerns.

[@austinreed5805]

I remember our class reading this last semester… It still gives me PTSD.

[@FakeBlocks]

Why is Macbeth N?

[@MovieFan1912]

These Shakespeare episodes are my favorites in the entire series.

[@scotts_e]

I have read it, I just like hearing about it and also your channel What a duo

[@jeremyodesanya4514]

6:10 great throwback!

[@TheMkoose]

We've just been to see The Northman at the cinema and halfway through my boyfriend whispered, Wait... This is just Macbeth!

[@Cdodders27]

Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!

[@yuridominick4227]

Woah so you guys did do Macbeth. Great job and nice video!

[@samuelhiorns9244]

Man this is giving me flash backs from school

[@EJAXK13]

Yeah, that’s Shakespeare’s idea if the whole “Good triumph over evil.” Because the madness of tyranny will eventually become their downfall. I think?

[@maxfieldstanton4541]

Fun fact, it's only cursed to say in a theater. It comes from the idea that Macbeth was used to draw big crowds, and if you were performing it then your theater really needs money. So, by saying it's name in the theater invites financial hardships to your theater company. Also, if you haven't seen it, watch Scotland, PA.

[@rhysnicholson9331]

This is my GCSE so thx for the video

[@rhysnicholson9331]

It really helps me

[@Ryu_D]

Thank you for the video.

[@Seadalgo]

Interesting suit there Mister toon

[@bignosh]

Do a "so you haven't read" on The Giver, its really good.

[@VaeAngeli]

Am I the only one who looks at the Macbeth in this animation and sees Macbeth from Gargoyles?

[@richardranke3158]

I didn't read every Shakespeare play, but my favorite was Macbeth.:-)

[@Rhomega]

Read this one for 11th garde English. One of our projects was to film a recreation of a scene from the play, and I played MacDuff in the climax.

[@yamirmisaelproductionsllc.8095]

Macbeth, cuanta realidad sobre saber la obra de comedia, yo soy un fanático de las obras y los personajes de William Shakespeare, pero su posibilidad de la tragedia nos hace recordar.

[@violetwitch9948]

i remember the Jimmy Neutron episode where they make Macbeth play take place in space. with how "curse" and murderous this play is, i surprise how they use Macbeth for a school play episode but that probably because then dont want to copy Hey Arnold Romeo and Juliet episode

[@theducknavy9288]

I was just taking a look a Macbeth today epic

[@VTimmoni]

"If fate would have me king then fate will crown me."

[@shaider1982]

It's literature reading this sounds like trying to get a copy of the script of Breaking Bad and enjoying it by reading instead of watching the show.

[@Panzerhauptman]

Now you've done it! "Hot potatoe on the shore, we must make amends!"

[@captainreaper5755]

Extra Credits: *Makes a video on Macbeth* Me: *Has flashbacks of my boring English Class*

[@wiktorkowalkowska]

I did read mackbeth for school, cool u talk about it

[@karlgrimm3027]

This McBeth is not the one I learned about it the Gargoyles cartoon.

[@voyagebypen]

For anyone interested in Shakespeare, I have written out some of his more cheery work (love poems) ✒️🧾

[@TheTrainmobile]

The best line in all of Shakespeare's writing comes from Macbeth. "What, you egg!" [He stabs him.]

[@paulchapman8023]

I wish I could remember the source for this quote, but I read somewhere that Macbeth isn’t about Scottish history; it’s about a man who gains a kingdom and loses his soul.

[@MsJayteeListens]

I mean MacBeth was a real king of Scotland so it is about Scottish history, although it’s about as accurate as Braveheart.

[@williamedward1666]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HOT POTATO OFF HIS DRAWERS, PLUCK TO MAKE AMENDS! *yanks nose*

[@anttibjorklund1869]

A man of culture I see.

[@kaltaron1284]

Didn't save them in the end.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and caldron bubble.

[@talithacumiferguson8834]

Thank you so much for doing a video on Macbeth. It's my #1 Favorite Shakespeare play of all time! Also, please do these other Shakespearean plays next: Cymbeline King Lear Anthony and Cleopatra Hamlet Othello The Tempest The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night Much Ado About Nothing The Taming of the Shrew

[@historyisfascinating5515]

I absolutely love the Tempest, one of my favourite plays of his as well as Twelfth Night and I’m starting to read Much ado about nothing at the moment

[@talithacumiferguson8834]

@@historyisfascinating5515 The Tempest and Twelfth Night are two of my favorites along with A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cymbeline, The Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing. My least favorite is The Taming of the Shrew.