Savannah H. Carr
H. English II
April 29, 2011
The Scottish Play
I. What I know
The first time I ever heard of MacBeth was in seventh grade. Our Literature teacher thought that giving us part of the play and telling us to act them, would cause us to gain a respect for great authors such as Shakespeare. Much to her displeasure, her idea didn’t work and the assignment became a complete joke. However, not long after we finished the assignment, I came across the most interesting information while reading a short story online. In the short story, I read that actors believe the play MacBeth to be cursed. Much to my surprise when I looked it up, it was true; Actors really do have superstitions about the play MacBeth being cursed.
After I found out that nugget of information though, I lost interest in the topic – it was just another random fact I knew. I never bother to look anything about it up again, until now. When we began to start study the play MacBeth, while pondering questions about the play, that small piece of information slipped out of my head. That thought was quickly followed “Why is Macbeth said to be cursed?” With that single thought in mind, I hope to find out, to shed some light on a topic few people know about.
II. What I Want to Find Out
The thought on a curse on a play is so interesting to me, that I can’t help, but want to find the story behind it. There’s a story behind everything and for something to be “cursed” for hundreds of years must have a story. Plus, the fact that people could actually believe the curse shocks me. Why would they believe something is a curse when it could all just be random accidents?
Once I started to think about it, I realized that some many things could be related to that one question about why MacBeth is “cursed.” How many actors actually believe the play is cursed? Do they really call it the Scottish Play while their acting? What do they fear might happen? What has happened in the past to cause them to worry that something will happen? What’s the story behind the “curse?”
It is my hope that through plenty of research I’ll be able to answer all of my questions. It may even be possible to contact some directors or actors who have been in the play MacBeth, or the movie form of MacBeth. Maybe they can shine some light on the “curse.” It could even be possible that in the end I will be left with most questions than answers.
III. The Search
Book
I found that there is really not one book only that has a lot of detail on the curse of MacBeth. Several of them has different theories on the curse and they never really give too much detail. It seems that the curse has not attract much attention over the years, either due to lake of interest or possibly just the ignorance of its existence.
One of the books I found was The Encyclopedia of Superstitions by Richard Webster, with Llewellyn Worldwide in 2008. In his book, Richard describes several incidences related to the play MacBeth where not long afterward, or during, tragedy struck. Several of the stories have to do with the various injuries, illnesses and even deaths that occurred during the play. In 1947, an actor in the play, Harold Norman, was stabbed in the final sword fight of the play and died as a result of the wound. In 1953, as the play was being acted outdoors, an actor was severally burned by an open flame that ended up burning down the main stage prop, MacBeth’s castle, and caused most of the audience to flee in terror for their lives. Even on Broadway, actors seem to be struck with the play’s curse. During the 1988 production of the play, the Scottish play, which most actors call the play, set a number of records. Through the course of its running time it went through “three directors, six stage managers, five MacDuffs, two set designer, two lighting designers, and six cast changes. (pg. 168)” Plus, during all of this there was were several illnesses and injuries. Twenty-six cases of flu were reported, several actors suffered from ligament injuries, and even several groin injuries.
You would think that would all the injuries and deaths associated with the play managers would stop even bothering to try working on it, but they do anyway. The actors, however, go to a length of things to protect themselves from the curse, however, never even uttering the name. It is instead referred to as “the Scottish play,” “the Scottish tragedy,” and some have even called it “that play.” The only time they will say the name MacBeth is when it is in the play, but other than that it is considered well known to be bad luck to mention the name. If someone were to mention the name in the theater, “he has to leave the room, turn around three times, spit on the floor, and then knock on the door of the room and ask for permission to come back in.(pg 168)” There are several other “forms” of getting rid of the “curse” as well, several of which include completely leaving the theaters, spitting over both of your shoulders, swearing instead of spitting and even reciting lines from Hamlet.
It is amazing to think of the length that actors go to protect themselves from “dark forces.” Some even believe that MacBeth that was partially responsible for the death of President Lincoln who read Math to friends the day the war ended, only five days before his death. It may seem like a stretch for most people who don’t look at “curses” for the reasoning behind why things happen, but as for the actors who do believe in the curse, or who have lived the curse, nothing too small cannot somehow be related to something else, especially where MacBeth is concerned.
Interview
For this paper, I interviewed the drama teacher here at Youngker High School, Ms. Romito, whom I thought may be able to shed a little bit of light on the curse of MacBeth. Ms. Romito, who has been the teacher at Youngker for drama for about the past two years, has several times studied the play MacBeth, though she has not read the play, or acted it out, in several years, however, she is still familiar with the curse of MacBeth. The interview went as follows:
Savannah: Did you know that MacBeth is said to be "cursed?"
Ms.Romito: I did. You’re not supposed to even say the name MacBeth during any play or else it’s supposed to invoke the curse.
S: Why do you think actors take it so seriously?
Ms.R: I think the actors take it seriously because there have been a few deaths and injuries during different productions of the play, and so people remember those incidents and take them as evidence, even though there’s probably many more productions of MacBeth that have been performed without any problems whatsoever.
S: Do you think fears of "curses" are logical?
Ms.R: I don’t think they are logical. People just overdramatize the few “bad” things that happen and call it a curse.
S: To your knowledge, are there many superstitutions in theatre?
Ms.R: I only know of a few, myself, but theatre has been around for a very long time and so has gained many superstitions about performing and productions.
Judging from what Ms. Romito has told me, it is reasonable to believe that actors do have a seemingly high belief in things that cannot be seen nor felt. I cannot help, but wonder if they feel this way because of none logical fears or because they really do believe that the play is cursed. Maybe it is even possible, that as Ms. Romito said, people just become afraid of curses because of the few small things that have happened in the past.
Article
In the article I found on the College for the Siskiyous, I found a good amount of information that I think will help my search for the reasoning behind why MacBeth is curse tremendously. Though, the author is unknown, they seem to have done a good amount of research for just a two paragraph article.
According to the author, the play’s “curse” can be tracked back all the way to the 1600’s, when the play was just starting to be performed in several theatres other than the globe and theatres that Shakespeare occupied. There is a strong believe that it is possible that the witches’ spells may have actual be real incantations. It is reasoned, for the people of the time and even some actors today, that this is the reason behind why the play is “cursed.” Additionally, because of the fact that the play has so many fight and sword scenes, it is only reasonable to think that there would be ample time for accidents to occur frequently while on the MacBeth set.
Moreover, this author says, after interviewing the school’s Theater Professor, Louis Catron, that there may even be another reason why the play have a “cursed reputation.” (Paragraph 2) The Professor said that: “Supposedly in the past, when theatres were in a grave financial difficulties, they’d desperately select [the] play to draw in audiences.” (Paragraph 2) Because of this, the play became known as the curse of failing theatres.
Comparing the two ideas to each other, most people would believe strongly that the second of the two choices is quite obviously true. However, some people see things where others don’t.
IV. What I Learned
From my progressive research on the topic of the curse of MacBeth, I learned several things. Though, I was never really able to track it’s exact origins, it seems as though there are many different tales about the infamies play. Some are more rational than others, like the explanation from Professor Catron, where he states that it is quite possible that the play is only cursed because theatres use to use it as a way to draw in crowds when they were in a tight squeeze for funds.
Other reasons, ones that are more commonly know through the masses is belief that maybe the witch could have cast a spell on the play, or even that the spells themselves make the play “cursed.” Though, it does seem like a stretch for people who do not believe in the “curse,” the people who do, truly do have a deathly fear that if you are to utter the name of the play in a theatre, that a curse will be set upon you and the also upon the play you are working out. These people who do believe, will go to any extent to save themselves from the curse, spitting, cursing, and all.
Personally, I’m still not sure what to believe on the situation still. For lack of better terms, I’m “sitting on the fence.” Though, my mind is take the reasonable path and telling me that “curses” are only for fairytales and bedtimes stories and that all of the accidents are “overdramatized,” as Ms. Romito put it, for some reason, in the back of my mind, there are still some lingering doubts. To say the least, I would love to invent a time machine, travel to the 1600s and set things straight with Shakespeare. However, now that I think about it, if I did end up going back there and telling him that, I would probably start the “curse” anyway, because I’d probably give him the idea.
So, instead of easing my curiosity on the subject of the “curse,” it seems all this paper has done have succeed in making me even more curious. As my dad often tells me, “if I were a cat, I would run out of lives,” but I think this will end up being one top I just might be willing to risk one of those lives on.
Citation
1. "MacBeth." Theater Superstitions n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011. <http://www.siskiyous.edu/theatre/theatersuperstitions/macbeth.htm>.
2. Romito, Heather. Intervew by Savannah Carr. 09 May 2011. Print. 9 May 2011.
3. Webster, Richard. The Encyclopedia of Superstitions. Illustrated. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2008. 162. eBook.
