Macbeth: Man and Myth [Paperback]

Nick Aitchison (Author), Tony Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2000

A study of Macbeth in all his manifestations: historical, mythological and dramatic. Drawing upon a wide range of material, it begins by contextualizing the historical Macbeth in the turbulent politics of 11th century Scotland, then traces the origins of the myths surrounding the king before culminating in the dramatic figure immortalized by Shakespeare. The real Macbeth is disentangled from the mythical creation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750926406
• ISBN-13: 978-0750926409
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,077,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MacBeth: Man and Myth, April 17, 2000

By 

Atheen M. Wilson "Atheen" (Mpls, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Macbeth: Man and Myth (Hardcover)

This is one of the best examples of historical research I've read in a long time. The author thoroughly discusses the pertinent sources, their provinence, accuracy, contemporanety, and biases. Using a variety of these sources he paints a very clear and interesting portrait of both MacBeth and to some extent his queen, for whom there is even scanter evidence. Thereafter Aitchison follows the development of the myths of MacBeth, two of which began in the king's lifetime or shortly thereafter. Because Shakespeare's MacBeth is one of the threads of this mythologizing tradition, he also discusses the manner in which Shakespeare changed the story and for what purposes. Probably the most important aspect of this book is the fact that the author is able to give a balance account of MacBeth. He neither indulges in the condemnation of some authors or the almost unrealistic praise of the appologists, both of whose efforts he evaluates as part of his study of the effects of the myth on modern times. Of considerable interest is the discussion of modern cinimatic recreations of MacBeth, including my favorite, the Japanese version Throne of Blood.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Real Macbeth, September 7, 2010

By 

Nancy J. Beatty (Fort Myers, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Macbeth: Man and Myth (Paperback)

Glad that there is more and more information coming to light about this last Celtic King of Scotland and the reality of life in this period in time.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical evidence..., August 18, 2002

By 

Stephen Armstrong (Hadley, Ma USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Macbeth: Man and Myth (Hardcover)

Readers will appreciate Aitchison's thorough historical and archeological review of the "real" Macbeth. In the second section of the book, he traces the growth of the "myth" (or story) about Macbeth. I found the entire work fascinating.