In Shakespeare's Macbeth, what was Scotland's relationship with its U.K counterparts?

Question

I am doing a play on Macbeth. I'm really intrigued by the story, but I must know what was Scotland's political situation at the real time?

Did King Duncan have any enemies before Macbeth? Was there any corruption (apart from Macbeth's desire to become king)?

Answer 1

Macbeth's desire to become King was fuelled by the prophesy of the witches and the ambition of his wife. It wasn't corruption in that sense. It was however a corruption of his moral fibre. Macbeth became putty in his wife's and the witch's hands.

Duncan was a good King and had many loyal subjects. However, the Thane Of Cawdor betrayed him in battle and if it hadn't been for Macbeth and Banquo, the battle would have been lost and Scotland would have fallen to the Norwegians.

Scotland at the time of Macbeth was thought of by the Scots as an independent nation. England had other ideas and had it's claws deeply set into Scotland. There was fierce rivalry between the two countries and many battles were fought.

Answer 2

Shakespeare's plays DO have specific time periods although their messages are so timeless that they are often updated.  The ruthless ambition of Macbeth is often compared to Richard Nixon's.  And every King, especially at that time, had enemies with designs on the crown.  But more important than the political affiliation of Scotland with the rest of England is its reputation for being "the wilds" much like the American frontier was in the 1600s up to the 1800s .  The terrain was very unforgiving and uncharted and the natives were immersed in the kind of magic that is represented by the three witches.  This was good material for Shakespeare because he wrote with his audience in mind and his principal audience member at the time Macbeth was written was King James.  He succeeded Queen Elizabeth and was widely known to be fascinated by "dark arts" and the occult, so this play's supernatural elements would've held him spellbound

Answer 3

Well considering Macbeth has no real "time" I'm not sure how to answer that question! lol

Most of Shakespeare's plays (not history) are set in very vague timespans and the locations are often based on a real place not set in that place.