Macbeth before Shakespeare

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 *