Tracing the origin of Macbeth's supposed curse

When you hear the phrase “he who should not be named”… what comes to mind? For most of us, this phrase refers to Voldemort, the heinous villain of JK Rowling's “Harry Potter” series. Although Voldemort may have wreaked havoc at Hogwarts and the wizarding world, there is another name that has (almost) terrorized storytellers – or let's just say theatergoers and artists – in equal measure for over four centuries, and this name is… (hugs yourself) Macbeth.

“For what?”

Well, I'm glad you asked.

The legend behind the cursed coin

Superstition surrounding the play dictates that neither the title of the play nor any quotation from the text should be uttered in a theater outside of rehearsals or the performance itself. Refusal to adhere to this taboo is believed to spell trouble, bad luck, or even disaster for the rebel or team who put on the bard's play.

The legend has been feared for so long that it has become ingrained in the psyche of the English public. One proof of this is the fact that there is no sign for the word “Macbeth” in British Sign Language.

To avoid any risky situations, theater circles have invented numerous euphemisms for the play, such as “The Bard's Play” or “The Scottish Play.”

The king, the context and the curse

Witch trials and persecution of suspected witches were commonplace in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. When King James I came to the English throne in 1603, his disdain for witchcraft was evident. He even called it “high treason against God,” justifying all forms of torture and brutality against the accused. His obsession with black magic was said to have been inspired by the execution of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. This fixation intensified after he encountered a violent storm at sea while king of Scotland. Convinced that witches were responsible, James launched a witch hunt upon his return home and quickly wrote Demonologya book describing his plans to eradicate witchcraft.

When the English playwright William Shakespeare directed Macbeth circa 1606, featuring three “strange sisters” chanting convincing spells, it struck fear into audiences. Rumors swirled that a coven of witches had cursed the room. Historians later debunked the story that the actor who was to play Lady Macbeth (in the first production of the Shakespearean tragedy) died suddenly before opening night, revealing it to be a myth created by the cartoonist and film critic. 19th and 20th centuries Max Beerbohm. However, by this time, the legend had already consolidated its place in theatrical tradition.

A tainted legacy

Since then, the coin hasn't had much luck. Many of his productions were marred by accidents, including actor falls, mysterious deaths, and even riots, notably in 1721 and 1772. A particularly grisly incident occurred in a 17th-century Amsterdam production when the actor playing King Duncan was reportedly killed. in front of a live audience, as a real dagger was used instead of a stage prop during the knife scene.

But don't these kinds of accidents also happen in other rooms? Macbeth, with its stock of complicated scenes, including six murder scenes and tumultuous storm sequences, is a risky gamble, curse or not. Its production costs are so high that British historian Martin Harrison noted in his 1998 book: The language of theaterthat it could bankrupt a theater.

But it's wiser not to take any risks

So if you say the name “The Scottish Play” in the theater, here's a simple antidote. Leave the theater, turn around three times, spit, swear, then knock on the theater door and ask to be let in.